Getting Acquainted With the Subaru Forester

Taking a roadtrip is one of the best ways to become acquainted with a new car - particularly if it's been over ten years since you got one. Our eleven year old Subaru Forester was replaced with a new 2016 version in October. The old girl was just breaking down too much and becoming quite unreliable for even short distance jaunts. There are so many new gadgets and safety features on this vehicle that it requires a lot of time to get familiar with them. Reading the owners manual doesn't work unless there is something very specific you want to find out. So? We learned three new things on our last roadtrip to Florida for Christmas. You can open the back hatch without having to use the key remote - there is a button you can push; the lights can be dimmed on the dashboard so the map isn't shining brightly in your face at night; and the volume can be controlled from the steering wheel. It was the first time I drove the car since we got it, and I am continuously amazed at the adaptive cruise control function that I immediately learned about when we first got it. It helps to have all these safety reminders, which is one of the reasons this is our third Subaru. The only thing we are missing is the big dog that used to ride in the back. I wonder if that might change too? 

On the Road Again in the new Subaru Forester

The last road trip resulted in us finally buying a new 2016 Subaru Forester. Our 11 year old Forester finally bit the dust. We got it in the Midwest, it went through a lot of snowstorms, and carried around a very big dog. It transported us to DC when we moved here a few years ago. We have lots of memories riding in that car. Getting a vehicle today is a lot different than getting a vehicle from so many years ago. We need months to figure out how to just open the door! Everything is automated - surprise! So this road trip gives us an opportunity to read up on the basics. This car has a lot of extra safety features, which is one of the reasons we waited to get a 2016. The cruise control works nicely, but the adaptive cruise control is quite interesting and also works very well. It's amazing to feel the car slow down and speed up on its own whenever it gets too close or far from to the vehicle in front of us. It also warns you when you meander out of your lane, and really warns your when it thinks you are getting drowsy. We learned that you cannot reprogram a lot of things if you are driving - you need to stop first. That's another safety feature. I'm trying to get my husband to familiarize himself with the hands free options, and to use the steering wheel gadgets. We finally got the music to play from his iPhone, which was programmed via Bluetooth. Now I just need to figure out how to get my iPhone on there. We probably won't use half of the features on this car, but we feel safer and certainly have a smoother ride. This is our third Subaru, and we aren't at all disappointed. Looking forward to even more road trips - now we have a great excuse. Wonder if we'll ever use the off road functions!?