Let’s gather in the Forest of Frozen Things: Subaru Forester SG9 (Part 1) | Lao Ai talks about cars
In the weather in early December, the temperature in the north dropped sharply. The temperature of minus 10 degrees in the imperial capital also made Lao Ai still have "frozen hands and feet" even though he was restrained by gloves and heavy boots. However, the low temperature cannot cool down our love. The heart of the car. In recent exchanges with car enthusiasts, a familiar "little guy" suddenly appeared on the page.
The title "little guy" comes from Russia. Speaking of this model, as a compact SUV, its sales and reputation in Russia have always been good (recalls in recent years are another matter), and its evaluation has always been very high. In 2013 The "Golden Klaxon" model won the "Best Compact SUV of 2013" award in the "Golden? Klaxon" model selection held by the Russian automotive publication "Klaxon" in 2013. This award is extremely demanding in the Russian automotive field. Being able to win this award shows that the Forester is very Popular with Russians.
The nickname "Little Guy" comes from its compact car without any oppressive space. Russians have the habit of taking their families on weekend outings to their suburban cabins. They value a small SUV that can accommodate a family of 3-4 and carry light outing equipment. The price/performance ratio is what they value. For Russians who are tall and "heavily armored" in winter, the Forester's physique is indeed a "little guy".
What I want to say here is: the cost performance the Russians pursue is different from ours, and their needs for foresters are also different from ours. Let’s talk about it together.
1.?Climate factors: Most of Russia’s territory has a north temperate climate with a large temperature difference. The temperature in January is basically -1-37 degrees. It is highlighted that the car has corresponding cold resistance. It’s not that Foresters have done special cold-proofing, but in order to meet the needs of short-distance outings on weekends in Russia, the car usually carries tents, gadgets, ski equipment, and even boats for lake tours, as well as related equipment to deal with winter and cold air. Items etc. It also takes a long time to replace winter tires within a year. Taking into account all costs, a cost-effective SUV is very popular among Russians.
2. Environmental factors: Russia is vast and sparsely populated, with 80% of Russia’s population concentrated in Moscow and several major cities in Europe. As far as Moscow alone is concerned, the forest coverage rate is as high as 40%. In other words, when you drive in the city, everything you see is trees. Coincidentally, the Forester car deserves its name. The Forester's veritable urban off-road performance is also most suitable for typical Russian cities such as Moscow and St. Petersburg.
3. Human factors: Russians also have a fanatical pursuit of machinery. Different from the modification styles of the United States, Japan and Germany, Russians have their own opinions on cars. In fact, it also stems from the love for horizontal opposition, the demand for full-time four-wheel drive, and the drastic modification style. Russians are willing to play with cars, and they prefer cars with characteristics. The only boxer cars that can be played now are Porsche and Subaru. From a cost perspective, it is better to use Subaru, not to mention that Porsche does not have a boxer engine SUV. In addition, there is the need for hard-core off-roading. The simplicity and roughness of the fighting nation makes the Forester very suitable for the Russians. If you want to decorate it, just do it directly, and it will definitely be able to be installed in the hands of the Russians.
4. Price factor: Forester is sold very cheaply in Russia, with the basic landing price equivalent to just over 190,000 RMB. Let’s not talk about whether the configuration will be modified in China, but in terms of various taxes, it is estimated to be more than 100,000 yuan. This directly lowers its competitiveness in our country. In addition, for both China and Russia, Subaru is an imported car, but its parts import and price system are extremely different. It is easy and relatively cheap to buy authentic Japanese accessories in Russia.
Okay, this is why the Forester sells well in Russia from the perspective of Russian people’s consumption habits (sell well here refers to the sales volume of niche models, please do not make products of the same type) Model comparison....because it will be very hurt). The Forester has many advantages in the eyes of the Russians, and even the shortcomings in our eyes are advantages in their eyes. Let’s take a look at a few examples~
1. Power problem: The power problem of the small horse-drawn cart that we have criticized does not exist for daily Forester users in Russia. The low center of gravity of the boxer engine and the Forester's high torque meet their daily needs on ice and snow. This enables them to happily drive the Forester on slippery or icy forest roads, and enjoy the surrounding scenery and driving pleasure safely and comfortably.
Don’t look at the Russian version of Forester, which now only has 2.0 and 2.5 mild hybrids. The vast majority of Russian Foresters still have the old version of 3.0 displacement naturally aspirated and 2.0 turbo. Favorite, because the service life of batteries in cold weather has made Russians not very interested in so-called new energy sources. Although the new generation of Forester launched in Russia in 2021 also adopts a light-hybrid model, it is not promoted as a highlight in the daily publicity in the Russian market.
2.? The problem of burning engine oil: For Russia, burning engine oil? Just burn it, don't care, it's cheaper than water anyway. In Russia, we only hear about people who can’t afford to wash their cars, but not about people who can’t bear to part with engine oil.
You can’t afford a Porsche, and you can’t afford to burn engine oil
3. Noise: The Russians’ pursuit of noise in the Forester is extremely polarized. If the requirements are high, the entire sound insulation effect of the car body must be reinstalled, and even aviation-grade sound insulation materials must be installed. (Is it very noisy in the universe?) It doesn’t matter what the original manufacturer is. The original model, which pursues low noise, is already very quiet. Don't care about the noise at all. So the original factory is generally enough. As for wind noise and tire noise, no matter how much you care about it in Russia, the biting winter wind, coupled with the sound of all vehicles' winter tires rubbing against the asphalt road after being studded, is not enough to describe it as sour. No soundproofing equipment feels powerless, so just "enjoy" it.
4.? Car space: Russians have much lower requirements for car space than we do. In the official promotional video, a mother is also playing with her baby seat at different angles. It is very spacious. And they are very good at making use of the Forester's exterior space and installing many exterior accessories. The rear door is 1.3 meters wide and has a relatively spacious depth, which also meets their short-distance needs. Excess items can be placed on the roof and rear door accessories.
5.?Interior: For Russians, the interior... seems to be less important. Lao Ai couldn't even find articles or posts complaining about Subaru's interior on Yandax. It is said that after the car is driven home, any useless items inside (as for what items are useless, please make up your own mind based on the car-using habits of the fighting nation) will be dismantled and placed in the garage. Then add some weird stuff.
In any case, Subaru’s Forester SG9 is a very suitable car for the Russians, and it has always been favored by them. On weekends, the whole family drives the car to the suburbs, where it has a heater and a small lake. , a forest path, how pleasant it is~ This issue also contains pictures and cases from cold areas, giving everyone a feel for this unique style. In the next article, we will take a look at the Chinese complex (Jie) of Subaru Forester and Brz. Pics?from Ins
This article comes from the author of Autohome Chejiahao and does not represent the views and positions of Autohome.