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Hi there,
I'm considering purchasing a Subaru Forester X 2006/07. Tossing up between engine sizes and transmissions.

Does the 2007 Automatic come with Hi/Lo range? If not, how well will this perform coming off the mountain- are you likely to be on the brakes the whole time? (can make for a sliding/slippery way down even with chains)

Does the 2.0 ltr have plenty of grunt passing traffic up hills on the open road? Is the 2.5 ltr that much more powerful i.e.10%, and that much more expensive to run?

Is the manual cheaper to buy as new, and is it easier to fix?

Are there many 2.5 ltr manuals on the market generally?

Hi there,
Subaru in general are made for the snow and gravel and this is where they thrive, so regardless of engine and transmission type- one in good condition should get you up and down with ease. You may not find too many manual transmissions out there, and they would most likely be NZ new. The 2.5 would naturally be more powerful, but the downside is that if there is any cooling system issues, those engines can blow the head gaskets quite easily. A 2.0 ltr turbo XT would be my pic as they are strong and reliable. I think from memory a few NZ new ones might have come with hi/low ratio control (or might just be the legacy)

thanks very much for some fantastic advice. really appreciate it.