AHTOXA's new Fozzy
- AHTOXA
- Master Standardshifter
- Posts: 14693
- Joined: Sun Dec 23, 2007 6:31 pm
- Cars: '19 4RUNNER TRD ORP
- Location: Irving, TX
AHTOXA's new Fozzy
Now that I've had the Foz for a couple of weeks, I've had a chance to come up with some impressions beyond the original reaction.
The Great:
- Space
- Ergos
- Visibility and large greenhouse, which is sadly absent on many new cars
- Enormous sunroof is great
- Back seats recline
- Room for everything and everyone I need
- Excited about the all-weather package, which includes the heated cloth seats, windshied wiper deice strips and heated mirrors. Yeah, I'm Texas, but heated seats without the air heater on feel good even during our 'winters'.
The Good:
- Motor is torqey enough. Idles low and smooth; feels very nicely balanced.
- Gearshift isn't super precise but good as far as SUVs go
- Gas mileage is good. I've averaged 24.something with mostly in-town driving. I've not been on the highway for long stretches as it's not broken in yet.
- 7" infotainment system is nicely done and isn't laggy, but capacitive buttons take a little getting used to. Luckily, the volume is still a knob if I need to use it.
The mediocre. Note: to me they aren't a big deal, but they are listed because one may expect more given the vehicle's price.
- Lack of auto headlamps. I thought they were just about standard these days, but not so
- some parts of cabin feature hard plastics, even though most of it is soft touch with occasional pleather.
- Lumbar support was WAY too aggressive from the factory, which is a common complaint. It was fixed with a 10 minute mod once I got the car. The backs of the seats literally unzip for super easy access and removal of fabric if necessary.
The bad:
- Throttle tip-in sensitivity. This is really the only complaint I have with this car. The throttle mapping is too aggressive on tip-in, which caused me numerous 2k RPM launches before I got used to it. Sometimes this can also cause a slightly choppy shift in lower gears. Minor thing overall, though.
Bottom line is - I love this car. I had small cars or cars with very limited cargo capacity since I sold the Xterra in 2007. I just now realized just how much I've missed it! I finally can have my dog in the back w/o having to fold the rear seats, which means that my friends can come along with me and the dog and I don't have to choose between riding with friends and not taking the dog or having my dog slobber in their car or taking my car just to take the dog. I can easily take more than 1 person + dog on camping trips for the same reasons as above. I'll be able to pick up a small utility trailer to tow my motorcycle. Camping, backpacking and all outdoor activities have just gotten so much easier.
Tested out the AWD already. Got to a local hiking spot that requires SUV clearance to get into the lot even and on the way out one has to climb a 6-7" curb just to get out of rough and loose gravel.
Standby for pics. I'll need to upload them from my phone, since I can't link to photbucket from the office.
The Great:
- Space
- Ergos
- Visibility and large greenhouse, which is sadly absent on many new cars
- Enormous sunroof is great
- Back seats recline
- Room for everything and everyone I need
- Excited about the all-weather package, which includes the heated cloth seats, windshied wiper deice strips and heated mirrors. Yeah, I'm Texas, but heated seats without the air heater on feel good even during our 'winters'.
The Good:
- Motor is torqey enough. Idles low and smooth; feels very nicely balanced.
- Gearshift isn't super precise but good as far as SUVs go
- Gas mileage is good. I've averaged 24.something with mostly in-town driving. I've not been on the highway for long stretches as it's not broken in yet.
- 7" infotainment system is nicely done and isn't laggy, but capacitive buttons take a little getting used to. Luckily, the volume is still a knob if I need to use it.
The mediocre. Note: to me they aren't a big deal, but they are listed because one may expect more given the vehicle's price.
- Lack of auto headlamps. I thought they were just about standard these days, but not so
- some parts of cabin feature hard plastics, even though most of it is soft touch with occasional pleather.
- Lumbar support was WAY too aggressive from the factory, which is a common complaint. It was fixed with a 10 minute mod once I got the car. The backs of the seats literally unzip for super easy access and removal of fabric if necessary.
The bad:
- Throttle tip-in sensitivity. This is really the only complaint I have with this car. The throttle mapping is too aggressive on tip-in, which caused me numerous 2k RPM launches before I got used to it. Sometimes this can also cause a slightly choppy shift in lower gears. Minor thing overall, though.
Bottom line is - I love this car. I had small cars or cars with very limited cargo capacity since I sold the Xterra in 2007. I just now realized just how much I've missed it! I finally can have my dog in the back w/o having to fold the rear seats, which means that my friends can come along with me and the dog and I don't have to choose between riding with friends and not taking the dog or having my dog slobber in their car or taking my car just to take the dog. I can easily take more than 1 person + dog on camping trips for the same reasons as above. I'll be able to pick up a small utility trailer to tow my motorcycle. Camping, backpacking and all outdoor activities have just gotten so much easier.
Tested out the AWD already. Got to a local hiking spot that requires SUV clearance to get into the lot even and on the way out one has to climb a 6-7" curb just to get out of rough and loose gravel.
Standby for pics. I'll need to upload them from my phone, since I can't link to photbucket from the office.
'19 Toyota 4Runner TRD ORP
'12 Suzuki V-Strom 650
'12 Suzuki V-Strom 650
- AHTOXA
- Master Standardshifter
- Posts: 14693
- Joined: Sun Dec 23, 2007 6:31 pm
- Cars: '19 4RUNNER TRD ORP
- Location: Irving, TX
Re: AHTOXA's new Fozzy
I'll take better pics soon.
'19 Toyota 4Runner TRD ORP
'12 Suzuki V-Strom 650
'12 Suzuki V-Strom 650
- potownrob
- Master Standardshifter
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- Joined: Sun Jun 05, 2005 11:35 pm
- Cars: '17 CX-5 GT
- Location: Dutchess County
Re: AHTOXA's new Fozzy
Nice detailed review, and sounds about right (of course now you know the car much better than me). Will post review of accord soon.
ClutchFork wrote:...So I started carrying a stick of firewood with me and that became my parking brake.
Re: AHTOXA's new Fozzy
Nice! Is there choice of engines or just one now for the Forester? And it's interesting they have cloth heated seats. Most cars require leather to get the heated seats - supposedly out of safety, though it could just be the higher price feature addition idea.
'15 Mazda 3 iSport Hatch 6MT
'11 Ford Fiesta Hatchback SE 5MT
'14 Giant Escape City 24MT
'97 Honda Civic EX 4AT - Retired @ 184,001 mi
For Pony!
'11 Ford Fiesta Hatchback SE 5MT
'14 Giant Escape City 24MT
'97 Honda Civic EX 4AT - Retired @ 184,001 mi
For Pony!
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- Master Standardshifter
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- Joined: Sun Jul 01, 2007 12:42 am
- Cars: '08 Saab 9-5 Aero wagon
- Location: Salem, MA
Re: AHTOXA's new Fozzy
Foz FOSE?
- AHTOXA
- Master Standardshifter
- Posts: 14693
- Joined: Sun Dec 23, 2007 6:31 pm
- Cars: '19 4RUNNER TRD ORP
- Location: Irving, TX
Re: AHTOXA's new Fozzy
It is also offered with a 2.0t engine but you can only get that with a CVT. Pass.Squint wrote:Nice! Is there choice of engines or just one now for the Forester? And it's interesting they have cloth heated seats. Most cars require leather to get the heated seats - supposedly out of safety, though it could just be the higher price feature addition idea.
'19 Toyota 4Runner TRD ORP
'12 Suzuki V-Strom 650
'12 Suzuki V-Strom 650
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- Master Standardshifter
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Re: AHTOXA's new Fozzy
Heated seats are wonderful and dog looks muy excited. That's what excessive slobber means right?
I suppose I should write something about Mrs. Frizzle now that I've been riding her for 3 months.
I suppose I should write something about Mrs. Frizzle now that I've been riding her for 3 months.
- six
- Master Standardshifter
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- Cars: 2015 Chevrolet SS 6MT
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Re: AHTOXA's new Fozzy
I do mostly in-town driving. You get twice the mileage lolAHTOXA wrote:- Gas mileage is good. I've averaged 24.something with mostly in-town driving. I've not been on the highway for long stretches as it's not broken in yet.
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- Master Standardshifter
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Re: AHTOXA's new Fozzy
Ficksettankinbeans wrote:I suppose I should buy something about Mrs. Frizzle now that I've been riding her for 3 months.
'08 Jeep Liberty 6-Speed MT - "Last of the Mohicans"
- AHTOXA
- Master Standardshifter
- Posts: 14693
- Joined: Sun Dec 23, 2007 6:31 pm
- Cars: '19 4RUNNER TRD ORP
- Location: Irving, TX
Re: AHTOXA's new Fozzy
But you have 3 times the power, so quit yer bitchin'.six wrote:I do mostly in-town driving. You get twice the mileage lolAHTOXA wrote:- Gas mileage is good. I've averaged 24.something with mostly in-town driving. I've not been on the highway for long stretches as it's not broken in yet.
'19 Toyota 4Runner TRD ORP
'12 Suzuki V-Strom 650
'12 Suzuki V-Strom 650