Subaru Forester Car Review - Kelley Blue Book

[djkasdjkasdjdjdj]

fuel economy that wont break the bank?? really ha??

[Annihilator1111]

the 2008-present Subaru Forester is assembled in

Ōta, Gunma, Japan

[GopherELI]

"independent rear suspension provides car-like handling..." as opposed to helicopter like handling?

[Mr1cdopps]

@GopherELI no as it means it handles like a sedan

[Vaxile]

The automatic is a 4-speed?! Really?! For a 2009 model!!!

Disappointed!

[bartmatton]

@Vaxile really it's not all that bad paired with the xt it shifts really quickly

[DustDog]

I'm continually impressed by the '09 Forester I've got. The only thing it's missing is some extra horsepower but I quickly forget about that as soon as I take it off pavement.

[outdoorkunu]

I liked the previous body style. This looks like a CRV, and by that I mean really girlie.

[jickopik]

Love Subaru. But this design is still too feminine.

[erealpe13]

Since what year does it come in this design ?

[koenigseggsrule]

Our new forester arrived today! Our old 90s model lasted for 12 years, never broke down once :)

[MorganKrista1]

I need to get this car

[kicksoffs]

Best allrounder ride ever 

[photo2010]

The Forester is the best vehicle I've ever owned, including a Honda and a Toyota. I've never encountered a weather situation it couldn't handle, when other cars were stuck on the sides of the road. Plus it's comfortable, fun to drive, and easy to get in and out of. I only wish I could afford a new XT!

[nigahiga6400]

love subaru. used to have a 1999 crv revs hard but the thing just refuses to go. trashed it for an outback vdc wagon for 2003, until 150,000 miles where the starter started glitching. my mom shoulda had a tune up done, and we never did. never did my mom check tranny fluid levels so we had 2 tranny replacements. but overall, love the rear cargo area, h6 engine, awd. honda's "realtime" 4wd simply sucks. so does our acura's sh-awd. both front biased and both suck. subaru for life!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[unknownstudd69]

Subaru are very Reliable cars

[MetaView7]

how can you review a 4wd without testing the 4wd capability ???

[tmtm325]

I want to take a road trip with my buddies in this car.

[baileytom78]

I have an 03 forester I just love the critter it goes every where I want to go.

[MrWiltonpetersen6]

look at it right here mimb o .net remove space

[masterfongv2]

I highly doubt that not being able to have a dvd player in a car would stop me from buying it.

[MetaView7]

how's the resale value compared to RAV4 or CRV?

[Aratixwrx]

@MetaView7 I would say better, subarus are built like a tank

[MetaView7]

@Aratixwrx how could you know without testing it first?

[Aratixwrx]

@MetaView7 I've had 2 subarus and they were both great to me. An old toyota or honda is just that, and old, cheap car.

[uoyuoy444]

Americans wonder where the jobs went?? HAHA

[lovelyjsb]

jeep patriot rapes forester....road/off road

[newmanthecat3940]

@lovelyjsb not on road forester beat the bmw x5 in a drag race

[newmanthecat3940]

@lovelyjsb the xt version that is

[eumacatron]

@lovelyjsb hence the 30,000 dollar price tag compared to 19.......

[MetaView7]

@lovelyjsb patriot with its CVT ????

[AndersonSubaru]

you payless at anderson subaru in pensacola andersonsubaru on you tube

10% over dealer cost on parts biggest high performance dealer on the gulf coast (850)438-2227

[ggbrown]

I've had my 2009 Forester for 18 months now, and still think "God...I love this vehicle" every time I get into it.

Just drove it 5000 kms to the BC interior and back. While a Turbo would have been great, the base model was a champ.

I love cars, of all types. This is without question my favourite vehicle ever. The AWD plays a big part in that...on dry roads, wet roads, and heavy Canadian snow.

G

[cab711]

eh, 4 speed auto? WTF?

[jacoale]

No rear seat DVD? How can you POSSIBLY have a car without one? Damn, now I guess I'll just go by a legacy.

[wtrdogg20]

I liked the "you may not like this if..." part. In other words: you may not like it if you are not looking for a car like this. Simple!!!

Al pros, no cons...Forester is a great car for the money! The only thing I may change is the interior design, it is too similar, if not the same, to the Impreza's interior design. Anyway, I love the 2.5XT.

[DCism]

I recently looked at the VW Tiguan and even though it looks nice and stuff, I did a little research and VWs are expensive to maintain and aren't worth it. Plus they had very poor reliability in the past few years when they had oil sludge issues in their engines. Subaru and Toyota makes the best SUVs with better engines, cool styling, and better value.

[brietzmann]

subaru is just awesome... i have a 1991 legacy and it's running running running....

[browntowel67]

wtf u just said the 2.5 x doesnt have folding rear seats?..ur reterded they all have it.. wy would subaru waste there time engineering and designing both

[DCism]

Also, the Forester is more mature-looking for a man like myself.

[DJTEVAdotCOM]

too expensive ...bad gas

[NoxNoctisUmbra]

anyone knows which is a better buy? Forester or outback? whats the main differences between the two?

[DCism]

I'm gonna go with the Forester as my next car, no matter what generation it is because all the Foresters are beautiful-looking [I like the 2nd generation and the current generation designs the best]. The reason is because of its constant AWD in any speed, aggressive structure, styling, and even a low sticker price. Since Toyota is having serious trouble with safety and being criticized for acceleration issues, I'll stick with Subaru and get a Forester.

[lexusES350h]

amazing

[Crpnter1]

No way..drive the Jeep as far as you can into the woods until you get stuck, then walk out and buy the Forester.

[txcallahan]

Keep the jeep

[Catlow20]

i need an opinion from someone who has owned a Forester. how good are they? I'm wanting a AWD that is better than a Jeep Patriot. My Jeep gets 25 MPG and i need a AWD that is fuel efficient.

[surlybikes13]

@Catlow20 I have a 2010 forester (non turbo) and it gets about 27mpg. Incredible snow car though.

[libetta]

jeesh!!! this is the ugliest suv that ever came out after the fortuner, and its interior so cheap! the older ones are cool but what did they do with this???

[AmiableAdder]

I actually like the older models better. Maybe lift them two inches and they'd be perfect, but it just doesn't look as good when the entire vehicle is larger. It doesn't look bad, just not as good as they used to.

[SeeSp0tRun]

Who needs rear dvd? I can buy one at Walmart for $149, with 2 screens....

[Porschemovies]

@SeeSp0tRun  I agree and a Navi for under 100 bucks.

[yippe]

i have this exact car Mine is a MY10 xt premium (limited) but mines manual.

[xyaqua]

Okay, i'll bite.. :-) What is a MY10 XT? manual? how many speeds? They may offer a 3.6 normally aspirated version in 2011 or 2012. I'd prefer being able to use regular octane gas, but i won't upgrade, the 2010 XT is fast enough for me. Wants: 2-3 gallons bigger tank. 5 speed tranny Keyless entry AND ignition (RFID- no pushbutton) like Infinity has. other little things: 10 way power passenger seat. More storage pockets more stereo, or a replaceable unit.

[yippe]

MY10 it a 2010 model. yes its five speed, i dont think they come in a 6 speed? maybe in japan. I dont know about the 3.6 because it would be a 6 and i like the 4 cyl turbo. im in australia we dont have push button here, but we got the power seat extra storage etc etc. and keyless entry. also the MY09 and MY10 xtp had different suspension. Also the MY10 has, bluetooth hands free, reverse camera, chrome exhaust tips and a few other little things the MY09 only optioned.

[xyaqua]

Tease!

Okay, the 2010XT in the US is only 4 speed. it works good on the highway. only 2700 rpm at 75mph, but still accelerates like spit.

i put in a 10k ohm resistor in parallel with the climate controller. it has dropped the apparent temp 8°F. i'll put in a 7500 ohm toggled resistor in later.

This drive was so nice, so cool, so fun, so invigorating! It really made a difference. subaru+xyaqua= nirvana!!!!

[yippe]

Yeah i had heard you never got a manual option on the xt in the U.S Dont worry though i would have got an auto had it commanded another $3000. The xt premium i bought with no accessories was $49,750 :( The manual is more of a drivers car i think but in typical subaru fasion the gear box is somewhat "clunky" great car though with plenty of room :)

[yippe]

Also we get pop up head light washers like the JDM model.

[xyaqua]

Cool.

I retract my grudging approval of the navi system. I used it today and took 4 tries to find a local chain store. Arrgh. It's not worth the price. but the rest of the XT sort of makes up for it.

I added a 10k resistor in parallel to the RTD in the climate control sensor. Much nicer. I had to do it too quick, i'll redo it later with a switch to cut it in and out, and drop the parallel resistor to 7-8k ohm, for a little more offset.

Hard part was accessing the wires. Ciao.

[TheCheshireCat86]

are there any major differences between 2009 and 2010 versions?

[yippe]

yes depending where you live and what model you buy, but the 2010 is also more expensive.

[xyaqua]

early 2009 XT's had a oil issue to the compressor- pre-mature failures. The later 2009's and 2010s are okay. Subaru made good on every failure.

[amsquare]

I have a 2009 Forester XT. It is a versitile a fast vehicle that can handle any road or weather condition. It is comfortable, although not as luxurious as the BMW I owned before getting this buggy. I am very satisfied with the vehicle and with my dealer.

[seivad9]

i've just been told by my local subaru dealer that I will soon need a new clutch , for my 52 plate AWD All Weather Forester, and it is likely to cost me in excess of £1,000. Can anyone confirm as to whether this is a fair price ? I never expected to pay this much. Any advice would be welcome.

[ReligiousZombie]

The floozy will get her 7-inch heels stuck in the Swiss cheese floor pedals.

[thehotsixer]

Just got a 2010 2.5x, great car, love the moon roof, but why a 4 speed? Manual mode is silly with just 4 gears.

[CowsKanFly]

It's for faster acceleration. You're pretty lucky to get a 2010 Forester, very good gas mileage. I have a 2005 Nissan X-Trail 4x4 and it gets the job done. :)

[xyaqua]

2010 XT limited. at about 750 miles, i wound it up to 105mph, without breaking the 4000 rpm break in limit! LOTS of torque! Excellent driver visability. Much roomier than it was.

The downs:

1. The Navi system is shameful. it works, but nowhere near as well as a $150 garmin nuvi.

2. Not as fast as the Rav4 V6, it is not meant for racing.

3. Premium fuel requirement and 23 mpg actual @ 75mph with a/c, 10mph added cruise speed drops mpg fast!

Verdict: Excellent sub-luxury small SUV, fast

[yippe]

once you get used to the satnav its actually very good its just set up differently to independant units.

[xyaqua]

Yes, this is true to a degree. The interface is still un-intuitive, the complexity of display is 5 years dated.

But i have a mount for my Nuvi 200 up at the windscreen, and use the two at the same time when exploring rural backroads at different magnifications.

Tomorrow i add a resistor to the climate control system to offset the minimum "65F" setting. It is really about 71F, and way too warms for active people. 

500 miles through a snowstorm last week... VERY STABLE poor-weather ride!

[TSthate]

and it doesnt get near the gass mileage that it sais it does i get maybe 15 -20 on a cold day shifting at 2300 to 2500 rpm with a 5 speed trans. another thing the thin quarter pannels dent vary easy. the doors and hood stand up prety well against hail i only got like 3 dints in last hail storm but quarter pannels are paper thin. and resale value sucks so prety much dont but this car its a waste i loved it for 2 years now its trash and im stuck with it dont buy this car!

[TSthate]

ok so i have an 07 subaur forester sports and i loved it for the first 2 years now i hat it with a passion already at 42k miles the ac compressor bearings are going bad on top of that it runs like shit and gets terrible gas mileage. its the worst ride ive ever had in a small suv. lots of wind nois tire noise and just loud all together. i have to add that ive taken care of this car vary well i change oil in engine every 2.5k miles gearboxes at 30k miles.

[ACEROCKSTAR57]

I just purchased an Xt Limited edition and i havent got it yet its being shiped but it is an amazing car :) 5/5

[bewd6797]

Best car in it's class

[bewd6797]

Wow this car has a hoodscoop wow!

[zlink8]

wow, the hoodscoop on the turbos actually cool an intercooler, wow!

[bamac2008]

only a 4-speed?

c'mon Subaru r u serious

[zlink8]

Most automatic transitions are 4-speeds (but, the 4-speed actually will have an overdrive gear. so, actually its more like 5 gears). Almost all the time you see alot of gears (like 6 or 7) in an auto it will be a "manumatic" sports car like Mercedes AMG, Lexus IS-F, or somethign of the sort.

[xyaqua]

The 2009/2010 Turbo Forester is a 4 speed auto only, with manumatic shifting. (like a motorcycle)

In reality, the gearing feels like a 5 speed with 2nd gear missing. it downshifts well to 2nd, but down to 1st gear is a BIG drop. it is not meant to be a canyon racer but it is a fast vehicle, and will be very fast in the mountains.

It is not a luxury SUV, but it is a very well appointed version of a truly capable AWD vehicle with traction control, with a turbo engine tuned for high torque.+++

[Nibras987654321]

The subaru forester is a good SUV, served my dad for 8-9 years before he bought the GMC yukon Denali 2009

[bewd6797]

How is the yukon

[Nibras987654321]

Its great, though its a bit bigger than i thought it would be.........and its luxurious!! : )

[WRC555P1]

Are you out of your damn mind?!

The new Subaru beat all other crossover/SUV's in it's class on a road/offroad course.

It also won in visibility.

In addition Subaru motors (when kept stock) will last upwards of 250k-even the turbo models.

A friend of mine is driving a 1990 legacy turbo with 265,000 miles on original engine. His words, and I quote, "I drive it like I stole it every day"

[nigahiga6400]

@WRC555P1 yeah we got stuck once in a honda cr-v that my friend's dad had. it sucked plainly in the snow. we had to push it out, no simple task as the thing weighed 4500 pounds. now, can't say that for my friend's 2003 outback sedan, never got stuck in the snow once. have to drive acura's overpriced cr-v which i am gonna trash as soon as i am done with college and get an impreza wrx sti. or a forester.

[crazy4bb20]

@WRC555P1 thats a gay friend

[JewTimes2]

omg. Dude I know for a fact that subaru's are not junk they are made with the utmost quality there cars are absolutely amazing. Go drive a subaru forester turbo and tell me it doesn't handle like a sports sedan

[djkasdjkasdjdjdj]

but for sure this car is far better than that piece of shit cr-v!!!

[WRC555P1]

Definitely.

Subaru is just as reliable as Honda and Toyota AND you can beat on them AND you get more bang for your buck (better value)

I don't know enough about the current model, but the old one was based off the impreza-which if you know the handling you get with one of those you also know what you will get with this car.

This model's AWD system is WAYYY better than the CRV's or the Rav4's system.

[djkasdjkasdjdjdj]

is subaru reliable and durable especially this??

[SKITZOOTURK]

i luv my forester subaru rulz

[flip92]

I loove the old foresters. This new one looks too mainstream, subaru should have renamed it, forester doesn't suit it well. 2009 xt is horrible on gas

[bobbykrepek]

Da old 1 is nice but the new is beter

[luwoodso]

My $23k Limited does more than you could ask for. Its 4spd flies fast and accurate, and the 4cl engine purrs and zips like big Bonneville, you'll love it. Its a car you are tempted to handle gently, but there's no need to ftw.

[LOTUSx123]

This car is a good car it is a performance, a durability valuing, and without the affectation.

[LiLTMac123]

lol they called it hawk eye headlights

[drratrrd]

Get one,you'll like it

[KPKonliner]

second row seats doesn't look supporting

[kevintwilson]

It looks great but selling a 4-speed transmission in this day and age is an absolute embarrassment. I talked to the salesman and he said that as soon as people realize it is a 4-speed, they are no longer interested. No wonder so few are sold.

[Beenanddoneit]

The 4 speed auto box should be history these days. It's a shame because the XT 2.5L turbo (Impreza engine) is one of the quickest vehicles from standing start at the traffic lights grand prix.

[JewTimes2]

lol they sell more foresters than any other model, do your research before making a blatently stupid comment :P

[corvettefan96]

nice, but the grille looks odd

[GrahamCrackers94]

do all the Forrester engines run on premium gas? Or just the turbo? -- by the way, this review was excellent. =]

[Karnage542]

Just the turbo

[infrawiz]

just the turbo's i believe.

my 2003 N/A run also on LPG but im in europe :)

[Marketer4Benz]

subaru-offroad.blogspot.c0m

[sharkmanforever]

suzuki is really worst of the worst,the people whoever wanna get suv dont even need to consider suzuki at all.suzuki has value at all

[jazc2003]

Suzuki Grand's are piece of shits you must be a retard if you think a suzuki is better than a forster

[Shishizurui]

I test drove one of these when my dad was getting a new car. It had no balls My dad bought a brand new Suzuki Grand Vitara with the V6 like my Suzuki Xl-7

[kevintwilson]

I wanted to buy one until I found out it is only an archais 4 speed...

[Soob4ME]

Hope the 2.0TD comes to the states. I will definitely buy one if it does.

[MichConnor]

so much :(

[ferdinand66ph]

its 9 secs

[MichConnor]

I still want to know how fast it goes from 0-100km??? Some say 6.7 sek. and some say 7.9 sek. ??? :)

[astonmart5]

Very good review! Thats all i want to know about forester...