Here’s a look at one of the few – possibly, the only – new crossover you can buy with a manual transmission:
Also, some thoughts about the strange “case” of 89-year-olds dying from old age.
It’s a Manual, Man!
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I throttle my Subie Crosstreks 2.0L engine with a manual transmission. Every horsepower of that engine gets used every day, as opposed to say a Hellcat’s with an automatic. I dunno something virtuous I think about making that engine sweat getting me around. Nice visibility, simple tech —no Eyesight—- teutotnic level build quality, compliant suspension. My mountain bike sits in the back for whenever I have time. Get ’em while they last. 2022 is last year with a manual.
Years ago my sister in law was working at a clinic in deepest darkest Detroit. A couple kids came in with guns at closing time robbed the 2 women in the clinic took all the drugs and fled in my sister in laws car. Then the funniest thing happened it was a stick and the kids could not drive it. They came back and took the other woman’s car, an automatic. My sister in law quit that day.
Having amanual can come in real handy in a lot of ways,
Didn’t we used to call that a standard transmission? or is that a regional thing?
Hi cjm!
I’m not sure! I grew up hearing “stick,” “manual” and “standard”!
We used “standard” or “stick” in Smallbany, NY.
I’ve been hearing “manual” the last couple decades, but that’s about as long as I’ve lived in Virginia. I grew up in northern California and don’t recall hearing that used — but now that you mention it, “stick” was used casually. I wonder if it’s an age thing. I was born in the late 60’s and the people that talked cars around me were my father, my uncles, and my cousins who were older still.
Heck, I guess once upon a time, it was just called “a transmission.” Probably called “standard” once the automatic transmission came out. Now that the automatic transmission is probably the “standard” of today, using that word to describe a “manual” transmission makes less sense? Never mind me, just thinking out loud.
I love my 14 year old X3. – why – because its an SUV with a manual transmission which is brilliant fun to drive. It was the first generation where they basically took a 3 series and jacked it up a bit. Yes its not fast or a sports car, but its not meant to be! All the newer and more posh SUVs the Mrs has made me try over the years are just bland (till you kit them up with the big engines bringing them into 6 figure territory). And even then they have a ton of all the beepy flashy crap that annoys me to death!!!
That said one car I recently drove – the Alfa Stelvio – man was that a fun car to drive !!!
Alfa makes a *beautiful* car. Not sure I’d want to own one, though…particularly when it’s off warranty.
I considered a Crosstrek a few years ago soon after it came out. The BIG issue I have with Subarus is their engine; the timing belts (it has two being an opposed engine) cost $1,500 to change! That’s for a REGULAR maintenance item too! Timing belts normally have to be changed at what, 60K-80K miles? That means you’d have to shell out thousands over the years you own the Soobie. If it weren’t for that, I may have bought the Crosstrek or Impreza…
The EJ251 in my 2002 USDM Legacy had a single timing belt driving the cams in both cylinder heads. Changing it (and the water pump) wasn’t too bad.
Does the Crosstrek’s FB20 really have *two* timing belts?
What irked me about the EJ251 was the head gaskets. They started leaking oil externally at just over 100k miles. I figured it was only a matter of time before there was an internal breach, resulting in oil and coolant mixing. I got rid of the car rather than have them replaced.
I don’t know; I was told about the two timing belts YEARS before the Crosstrek was available. I simply assumed that Subaru still used them, since they’ve stuck with the same engine architecture for ages. Anyway, when I heard that Soobies cost $1,500 for timing belt changes, I wrote them off.
The new engines all have chains. The EJs had a single belt, which was really easy to replace. The dealers I know would charge under $1000 and I’m sure many independents much less. I’m also not in a cheap part of the country. You can get a full Gates kit for most EJs on Rock Auto under $150.
That being said, I’ve been pretty disappointed with Subarus over the last decade. I definitely think they peaked in the mid 2000s.
Back in Summer ’19, my mother was asking me what I thought about the XV Crosstrek. I told her to buy a Toyota RAV4, instead, for the legendary Toyota reliability and better fuel economy.
For some reason, she kept insisting on the Subaru. She finally came clean and told me she wanted the Crosstrek because it was the only CUV that could be had with a manual transmission!
It’s official; my mother is more of a “car guy” than I!
Great stuff, Myles!
The RAV is a great little crossover but the Soobie is more fun. It’s a shame, because the RAV used to be available with a manual and a V6.
Yeah, harkens back to when the Mazda 626 was still available with a V6 and manual!
The thing I find interesting about your area of the country and places like it, is the inversion of reasonable speed limits. Near Smith Mountain lake where my dad is there are 55mph zones, where, if one were to drive 55 in a standard car, you’d flip and possibly be killed. In other areas it’s 55mph and could reasonably be 90mph, yet the pigs would cite you for reckless driving.
> In other areas it’s 55mph and could reasonably be 90mph, yet the pigs would cite you for reckless driving.
…like New Mexico state route 9, skimming just north of the border with Mexico. 55-mph speed limit for probably at least the western two-thirds of it, finally going up to 65. There are a handful of twisty spots, but most of it is as straight as a ruler where it goes from one peak to the next. It’s lightly traveled, with more Border Patrol traffic than anything. I got busted a few days ago doing 80 in a 55…though I managed somehow to get away with a warning. (w00t!) If I hadn’t started the day’s driving from Bisbee, AZ, I most likely would’ve gone through that part of the country on I-10 instead.
Hi Scott,
The problem with speed limits is they’re arbitrary – and presumptive. A velocity maximum is decreed – and you are presumed a threat to others if you exceed it. Everyone – almost – understand this is silly. Else almost everyone would not “speed” routinely. Most of us do not play Russian Roulette, for instance – irrespective of any laws forbidding it – because we don’t need to be threatened with a ticket to not put a loaded gun to our heads.
But almost everyone understands that driving 5, 10 or even a lot faster than that above whatever the speed limit is isn’t like that. That “breaking” the speed limit is like stepping on sidewalk cracks – and not likely to break your momma’s back. It is why few of us feel shame or guilt when “caught” going faster than the speed limit; indeed, the opposite. We resent being extorted by the courts and insurance mafia over something we know caused no harm and was not likely to cause harm.