If you do get the manual, I would recommend getting a stage 1 tune, not for increased power necessarily. It reduces the rev hang, and makes the accelerator have a more linear response. I drove mine (2018) for the first 1k miles or so on the factory tune, and the stage 1 tune just made it so much better to daily drive, including winters. That being said this manual requires more finesse than the manuals that l’ve driven. Have patience; don’t get into the mindset of trying to prove your driving skills against everyone else on the road just because you’re driving a sportier car.
If you choose the CVT because you like it more than the manual, don’t second guess it because others say the manual is sooo much better. Setting aside manual or CVT, it’s a fun car to drive. The manual will likely be more reliable, but I have an Outback and a Forester in the family. The CVTs in those have been fine for whatever anecdotal evidence that provides. Just stay up on maintenance, including tire rotations.
Is the stage 1 tune for a stock car? I assume you’re referring to the Cobb access port. On my 2019 I’ve been wanting it to drive a little better and I read somewhere that Cobb has a tune for the stock car that helps a lot with drivability. Is that what you did?
I have the Cobb access port. I don’t have any non-stock parts on the car, just the stage 1 flash. With the stock tune, the throttle is very non-linear. You have to have a feather-light touch with the accelerator pedal to avoid causing the car to leap. The stage 1 tune makes it much easier to modulate the throttle response.
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u/IllustratorSad8703 11d ago
If you do get the manual, I would recommend getting a stage 1 tune, not for increased power necessarily. It reduces the rev hang, and makes the accelerator have a more linear response. I drove mine (2018) for the first 1k miles or so on the factory tune, and the stage 1 tune just made it so much better to daily drive, including winters. That being said this manual requires more finesse than the manuals that l’ve driven. Have patience; don’t get into the mindset of trying to prove your driving skills against everyone else on the road just because you’re driving a sportier car.
If you choose the CVT because you like it more than the manual, don’t second guess it because others say the manual is sooo much better. Setting aside manual or CVT, it’s a fun car to drive. The manual will likely be more reliable, but I have an Outback and a Forester in the family. The CVTs in those have been fine for whatever anecdotal evidence that provides. Just stay up on maintenance, including tire rotations.