Hello everyone!

So I'm in the process of trading in my 1992 F150 4x4 and my 2002 Acura RSX Type S to consolidate insurance payments and reduce repair costs either buy a 2014 F150 Crew cab 4x4 or a 2015 Subaru Outback. Although comparing these vehicles is like comparing apples to oranges, I wanted to get some thoughts since it will be both my daily driver and weekend hunting transportation. One big hurdle I have is the stigma of owning a Subaru (not going into details on that, you all know what it means lol).

Luckily, I'm only 5'5 so I am able to sleep in the back of both vehicles, they both have about the same ground clearance (F150 has .6 inches more), will tow anything that I ever plan on towing (small pop up), and are about the same cost to buy new. Obviously the F150 is roomier and has a bed for hauling, but the outback does get 25/33 mpg while the F150 gets 14/19 with 4x4, crewcab, 5.0 and the Outback does have a tow hitch and roof rack for cargo. I work in fleet and our data shows that the 5.0 actually gets better MPG than the ecoboost, and the ecoboost costs more and has more parts to repair so a 5.0 is the decision there.

Anything I'm missing? Overall, for the $70-$100 in gas savings per month, the Outback is the clear winner but is it worth losing my man card? Thoughts from fellow hunters?

Keep your man card. By American. You can sleep in your pop-up. Never heard of a Subaru Outback. I imagine you'll get a better re-sale value on the Ford.

Id bet the fuel mileage of eco vs. 5.0 varies with driving habits. Most people drive the carp out of company vehicles. The 3.5 will outperform and out drink the 5.0 when power is called upon.

Have you considered the 2.7 ecoboost? it is rated up to 27 hwy. How about a full size v-6? The dodge 3.6 or 3.7 whatever it is pentastar is rated at 25 or so. Honesty if what your going to tow can be towed by the Subaru your wasting money and fuelmilleage on the v-8.

How about a mid size truck? The GM canyon/Colorado is rated close to 30 mpg and will do all you say and still have a bed.

Just thoughts.

It it's actually the opposite. Outback has really high resale it's like the toyota taco resale wise

With the seats down, I surprisingly fit. With most other people this would not be the case.

The other side to the Ecoboost is the repair costs, because then you have turbos, cooler lines, intercooler, intercooler piping, etc...

You make a good point on the 2.7; however, the cost to get one of the 2015s is about $10k more which puts me out of my price range.

I've never cared for Chrysler, and the Colorado starts at about $32k for a 4 door 4x4. But I never thought of that until you mentioned it as I put midsized vehicles into an odd segment.

My MIL just got rid of her 3 year old Outback, it needed $2700 worth of parts and labor to fix a defective front strut that damaged the sway bar and front drive axle.

Never seen all terrain or mud terrains on an Outback, that would be cool. We had a guy on our old lease that had an Outback. We hunted around Ranger, very rocky area, he would park it at the front gate and bum a ride to camp.

It all comes down to what you need to use it for, especially where payload and towing are concerned. For me, it's a no-brainer as I often have 1k lbs plus in the bed along with a fully-stocked tool box. Will you ever need to haul 3+ big coolers for a mountain elk hunt? Will you ever need to go make a feed run? Is there possibly an ATV or UTV in your future that would need to be hauled or trailered? How about hauling stands/feeders/tripods/blinds? That truck bed sure is handy for stuff like that.

Subis have their place but dedicated ranch and hunting vehicles they are not.

Get the truck, be happy

Sounds like a Tacoma is perfect for you!

Hard to agrue that. And I'm a ford guy.

I have had 2 of the new 5.0 Fords a 12 & 14 only traded the 12 to get a 14 4x4 loved both of them. it will take at least 5k miles to break in the 5.0 motor and start getting decent mileage. I have 6k on my 4x4 ( 15 around town & 19 hwy)
the 2 WHD 12 I had was a little faster and would do 21mpg on the hwy. they are both supercrew(4 door) very nice to take trips in.

Get the truck-$ for mileage over a year vs. having a truck, truck wins.

Chevrolet/GMC. There are no other options.

American nameplates cannot touch the Japs on resale. In this case for me I would go with a pickup but it would not be a Ford.

sad but true. Ford is a ford though just like dodge is a dodge and 1/2 ton is a 1/2 and 3/4 is a 3/4 ton. About compermise between buying what you need and think you need

You'll probably be happier with the pickup, but I'll throw this out there. My ex-wife has a Subaru. I borrowed it for the occasional weekend hunt while we were married and took it places for which she woulda' killed me had she known. It'll haul 10 bags of corn easily, and the off-road capability was impressive even with hwy tires on it. I used it like a mule and it never failed. I especially liked that everything was inside and I could park at a Walmart with relative assurity it wouldn't get broken into. The luggage rack that comes on then is useless without the cargo basket to attach to it. If you go the Subaru route you might could work that in as part of the deal.

I personally will always drive a truck, probably a ford, because I won't give up having a truck bed. With that said,though, if you end up getting the outback, I can't really think of a more manly car (not counting sport/muscle type cars). I don't know if that means you will keep your man card, but you could definitely do a lot worse. Either way, I don't think you'll be disappointed.

I use to be like you. It will amaze you how much you can get away with without a truck. No doubt I miss mine, but I haven't had a truck for about a year. I understand if you NEED one. I on the other hand do not believe that the majority of America knows what the word NEED means.

I now have a 150 and wouldn't trade it for anything. I need a truck for what I do these days. That said, I owned an outback for 10 years. My mom has the forester (worth looking into perhaps) and I have been very impressed by those two vehicles. Either will suit you well for your needs. Drive both and see what feels best to you.

Outback.

I sold my beloved BMW 5 series and bought a Toyota Tundra. I don't really need a truck that much, but when I need a truck....I need a truck. The longer I lived in the country, the more that became apparent. So I got a truck. Buy whatever you want. That's my advice. But, if you are thinking low maintenance, think Toyota. I have 110,000 miles on a 2007 model, and the original brakes. Nothing has ever failed that wasn't covered by warranty, and overall not much has failed at all. This is a huge ownership cost savings compared to the BMW. I used to pay $1600 every 18 months just for brakes on the Beemer, and that was at a non-dealership. Dealership cost was double that. So now, 8 years later I still have the same Tundra brakes. I have nothing to complain about on the Tundra. Nothing at all, and the years pass and the miles add up. Something has to break eventually. I guess.

Personally I get the truck. Every ford I own has over 100k miles with low maintenance.
My friends have eco-boost and love them.
Lynn has a 21 foot bass boat and pulls it 5 miles over the speed limit.
He gets 17 mpg, my 4.6 v-8 pulling the same way gets 12-14 mpg with a 18 foot boat.
I am wanting a buy new truck, I have been told if you pet the eco boost, it gets good gas mileage.
I am concerned about the reliably of the turbo system an cost of repairs.
Another friend who was driving a new tundra was having problems bought a brand new ford 150 with a 5.0.
He had trash talk ford very bad about for quite awhile.
Now he tells me that how well he likes his Ford if you know him that is flat amazing.

When it get to fuel mileage these engine are direct injected.
That means the computer will give the engine as much gas as it need.
A turbo charged engine will suck more gas in with the air so it will have the same mixture.
The Cumming diesel is a turbo charged also. This is a quit common in modern diesel that are reliable.
The Ford Eco boost runs about 15 lbs. this in will raise the compression to produce more hp.
I hope the Eco boost will be reliable but I putt 200k on my trucks before getting a new one.
I am leaning to the 5.0 because I know that a larger engine will last.

An ecoboost isn't going to get 17 mpg pulling a 21 foot boat going 5 mph over the speed limit unless the speed limit is 50 mph and they roll down hill to get going 55 mph. That is a crock!

My fil has an eco and he gets 14-16 average empty out of it. Granted he drives the piss out of it, but 17 pulling a 21 foot bass boat 5 over is a golly whopper if I ever heard one. Nobody should buy one expecting to see those kinds of numbers.

I would like to find out some real pulling number. I know his numbers may bs, or a fish tale!
I test drove a 2012 and drove like a old time hot rod. It had more excelleration than the late model 5.4.
I still think that until these ecoboost are still new and I would hear someone else's thoughts.

My wife and I are having the same discussion between truck and SUV. I asked her if she was OK with me throwing a dead animal in the back of an SUV. We are looking at trucks.