Subaru Forester

"Very noisy ride, feel every little bump"

"AWD is very impressive. Previously has 4WD and no comparison."

"Does great in winter road conditions. My daughter had it at Purdue University in the Indiana winter."

"handling is very good in snow and wet conditions. Acceleration is not exceptional but good for a 4-cyl non turbo engine"

"Transmission is way behind current technology; not smooth, a bit noisy when reved. Acceleration is swift but a bit jerky; doesn't respond smoothly to accerator pressure."

"Does not handle curves well, sometimes will only rev engine but not move forward like when trying to pass someone on a two lane road."

"Very good handling and cornering. Exceptional traction in the winter with confident driving through snow, slush, and rain."

"Throttle tip in too quick. Brakes too spongy."

"My husband was not happy with acceleration while driving in the high sierras"

"Comfortable and I feel safe. I like the view out of windows to see approaching cars on the right."

"Touchy throttle, sometimes acceleration is delayed when RPMs drop such as rounding tight corners. Acceleration and power is severely limited at elevation and when loaded. Fuel efficiency is very poor when loaded and driving at highway speeds of approximately 70 mph, generally below 16 mpg. Worse milage was 10 mpg on interstate in southern Idaho. For loaded highway speed long travels my Forester is less than satisfying, same applies for high elevation off road driving."

"Handling, acceleration"

"Zippy acceleration , great handling ."

"Somewhat unstable in high cross winds; constant steering correction required."

"Very predictable handling."

"Poor acceleration. Corners well for a mini-SUV."

"The fuel consumption is higher than I expected it would be."

"Satisfied."

"Two things stand out. One, it handles very well on the road - nimble. Two, the visibility is excellent."

"Power: I would like to see more power from a 2.5 liter than 170 hp. Transmission: 5speed manual revs too high. It really needs another gear for the highway. Ride & Handling: both excellent"

"Handling on back roads is excellent"

"Handles steep icy hills with aplomb!"

"I'm certain some other cars accelerate better, but it's so darn consistent I'm used to it and like it. The handling is superior, just like my previous Subaru."

"Good acceleration for freeway on ramps and passing, What I really like about the Subaru Forester is its handling in Winter driving conditions. Here in North Dakota we have snow from November to April and the Forester is a pleasure to drive. The all wheel drive easily moves the car through several inches of snow after a fresh snow fall. Starting on snow covered roads is very good and the overall handling provides confidence. The anti-lock brakes work well when driving on snow and ice."

"The Forrester handles winter driving well. Gets through snow and handles safely on ice."

"The Subaru Forester has been the best handling vehicle in winter conditions."

"Just a wonderful handling SUV with great gas mileage. I got 33 mpg on a recent 600 mile trip. But I drive EZ and don't drive the 75 MPH speed limit on the interstate system."

"There could be more horsepower."

"Handling is good. Acceleration no bad. Cornering less desirable."

"Handling and cornering are great. I feel very confident. Acceleration are so-so with the 2.5 litre NA engine. A transmission with more than 4 speeds might help."

"Handling is good but its not overpowered and is a bit noisy when accelerating."

"Acceleration and handling are the very best."

"outstanding"

"This car will crawl over anything with little jarring! We've driven it on the worst rutted narrow dirt ranch roads and it handles so well! Up or down hill. That is what Subaru is all about. Awesome turning radius, too. Acceleration is adequate for a car this size and it can navigate a twisty road easily."

"Completly satisfied"

"The acceleration is adequate for freeway on ramps and passing. Handling is very secure, the Forester always under control. It is a pleasure to drive during our long North Dakota winters as the all wheel drive effortlessly takes the car through even deep wet snow. I have never come close to getting stuck in seven long (5 months) winters."

"Driving control is excellent. Handling is excellent. Acceleration is average for a small engine and no turbo."

"It's a great all around car."

"I feel secure driving in any weather, & I particularly like the tight turns the car can make."

"Fast enough and four wheel drive."

"handles very well in wet and dry conditions in both city and highway driving....easy to see with minimal blindspots"

"Not fast from a stop; noisy acceleration; excessive oil consumption."

"There isn't a vehicle that his more adept at getting us through a Central New York winter, where we often receive snowfalls in excess of three feet. This car can handle roads with that much snow on them, when even plows cannot negotiate them."

"Acceleration is problematic, I think due to Continuously Variable Transmission- you step on the gas and all is get is nothing for a second- could result in injury if you need to really move fast. Handling is OK but doesn't hug the road like Legacy, etc."

"It handles well. It's acceleration is relatively slow and noticeable on freeway on-ramps."

"It burns oil at the rate of 1qt per 1500 miles. That's excessive"

"Love the 4WD. Handling is good and predictable. Ride is bumpy and cabin is loud, but overall a great vehicle. Acceleration is weak, but putting the shifter in "sport" mode does help."

"well enough."

"GOOD DRIVING AND FUEL ECONOMY FOR RURAL AREA; FOUR WHEEL DRIVE AND GOOD SUSPENSION."

"It handles well. Excellent control when driving on snowy and icy roads. Great on wet roads. Very responsive to acceleration."

"I enjoy using the sport shift to help make up for the low horsepower engine. The car seems to handle well on curves and bad weather conditions."

"Acceleration in normal mode is rather poor, slight improvement in "SPORT" mode."

"Acceleration is sufficient to readily merge into traffic. Handling is good for a small SUV, with some improvements with better tires."

"I find at high speeds on highway the steering too sensitive and I avoid highways."

"This car is quick and holds the road well while cornering"

"The handling is excellent. However, I wish it had more power."

"Awesome in the snow, higher clearance than a similar sized car."

"Shifts a little hard when accelerating."

"I drive a fair amount of mountain roads and this car handles great on the twists and turns of mountain roads."

"Peppy car, great power and acceleration"

"Acceleration is adequate but the handling is spectacular. The awd makes this vehicle handle remarkably well and go anywhere."

"(Manual transmission) Very easy to shift, but have to be in fourth gear to go 40 mph without exceeding 3K rpms. Travels at highway speed with no problems. Does not have exceptional acceleration. Easy to parallel park. Handling is efficient, if not exciting. Very reliable."

"Handles nicely, good road traction, comfortable to ride in, and if needed plenty of power for acceleration if I need it."

"Awd handling get. Turn radius is great"

"Just as described by CS this vehicle has great car-like handlng and drives very good on single lane roads..A joy to drive."

"Very capable driving in all weather conditions"

"The 2012 forester drives fairly well overall. I believe it was the first year that they used a CVT and it's fairly choppy. When driving, you can feel the engine jump to slow you down when you let go of the accelerator."

"Forester handles well; acceleration is good"

"handling is excellent always feels safe, especially in wet weather"

"No problems when full loaded and going up hills."

"For a 4 cylinder engine it has good pickup and very good mileage"

"The handling is sure and doesn't give you a false sense. Neutral?"

"Prompt response, goes exactly where I point it, and excellent ability to see outside the car--large windows."

"Acceleration is quite good, especially when passing. Handling is also quite good for an SUV."

"The Forester has a good sized engine and drive train for the vehicle. Driving it is easy and fun."

"handles very well, easy to park"

"Driver visibility. Excellent road feel from AWD. Good acceleration for a small engine. Great turning radius."

"Not bad at all for a four ceylinder!"

"4 speed gearing inadeqate , power weal uphil ."

"Poor acceleration"

"Great in snow, best clearance 13 inched"

"great handling, excellent traction in snow."

"A lot of wind noise."

"I find the road noise somewhat excessive, especially on highways. My husband, who is not esp. tall, finds the legroom in the passenger seat too short."

"Loud road noise, high rollover rate, automatic shifting problems where it doesnt go faster but just revs up while trying to pass."

"Power seats lose Support over long drives. Not enough thigh support for left leg."

"Seats are uncomfortable."

"Very comfortable overall except for passenger side squeaks in dash area that have been there since it was new and a smell of something chemical that comes from A/C when it's on recirculate. Never gotten a resolution for the latter, esp. bad at the beginning of seasonal use but happens other times."

"Hard for short people to get in and out of. Ride could be smoother, but the seats are comfortable."

"It's fine for trips of less than 2 hours, but I'd never think of using it for long distance travel. It requires constant 'hands on' correction due to its tires and all-wheel drive on the highway, making it a tiring car to drive. And the seats, while supportive, are not the most comfortable. It has one engineering flaw: no lockout on reverse on the manual transmission. That alone takes it off the list of cars to consider again."

"Road noise is very apparent in cabin, otherwise car is comfortable for medium sized person"

"Would like to see reduction in road noise at highway speeds."

"The seats can become a little uncomfortable on long trips."

"We like the comfort of the vehicle, but wish that it was quieter, when on the road , road noise is quite loud."

"Noisy Driver's seat very comfortable"

"Seats are uncomfortable and adjustments don't make them particularly comfortable. Arrangement of controls for radio/phone on steering wheel get in the way and I often trigger the phone without wanting to."

"The ride noise is high in this vehicle. We have the lower trim level so it may have less sound insulation."

"road noise is too pronounced and ride is somewhat bumpy"

"Seats are good. Annoyingly loud road, tire, wind noise in cabin. OK for local driving, is not a touring car. Under powered/annoying downshifting and wandering/nervous handling"

"Front seats are uncomfortable. Despite 10-way power adj drivers seat it's not very good. Both seats are too soft, need more lumbar, and head rest pushes head too far forward. Noisey interior, needs more insulation and another gear."

"Steering Exceptional Road Noise is a problem"

"Very noisy rides especially on freeways. Hard to hear incoming phone calls, or be heard."

"I am unhappy with not having the choice of lumbar seats for front passenger."

"My Forester is easier for me to get in and out of than any other auto I have tried. With arthritic hips, knees and shoulders easy access is important. Great seats and good room for my long, sore legs."

"The drivers seat is not comfortable for longer drives. There isn't an adjustment to make it better. The controls on the door could be integrated more into the door, as opposed to sticking out, to offer more leg room."

"The Forester needs padded Arm Rests on the door. My L leg frequently gets sore from banging against the unpadded driver's door arm rest. The bony part of the outer knee contacts the unpadded part of the arm rest."

"my only concerns are wind noise on the highway and less than adequate lumbar support"

"engine is very noisy on the highway navigation systemis useless"

"It has very big noise when it started, the body is a little bit shacking too. I had subura forest 2006, which had the same problem with many other problems, spent at least 7 thousands dollars to repire, but still had problems, sold with big discount in 2014. My wife trust Consumer Reports rating, so bought it again. Actually, it is the worst cars we have even bought. You rated it as number 1 in small SUV, which is a big misleading."

"climate control is simple and intuitive yet flexible. Could be quieter but usual don't notice. Only would really notice if going between a quieter vehicle and this one."

"Not as quiet as my former camry- road noise!"

"stable & surefooted ride."

"Being a senior, it is easy to get in and out of the car"

"Leather seats are nicely styled, provide good support and allow my vertically challenged wife, 4' 8", to reach the pedals while simultaneously seeing out the windshield. Not something she can do in all cars. Also just fine for me with electric seats. Having a memory feature would be ever so welcome to us though. The electric seats are slow to warm up on cold mornings."

"Lots of road noiae"

"Seats are comfortable though feel a bit soft during a long drive. Noise was initially better than competing vehicles, and even better after making aftermarket improvements. Ride quality has been very good"

"We love this car, but the seats are just hopeless. NO lumbar support and adjustments to seat angles and height are limited. I wish I'd gotten the next trim level to get the higher quality seats."

"Would like the seats to be a bit softer with larger adjustment range, especially seat height."

"Driving position fits me very well."

"loud engine noise"

"Seats are not comfortable after about 20 - 30 minutes of driving."

"Seats could be more comfortable."

"Slightly noisey"

"I am six feet tall and find the seats a bit confining and lack of back support uncomfortable on longer trips. The Subaru has also become noisier over time."

"Seats are comofortable. Smooth ride. It is not the quietest drive, but it is not the worst vehicle I have driven."

"Lumbar support"

"Much road noise."

"Car rides very solid, handles curves well, has plenty of power, and seats are very comfortable and hold you in seats during curves very well"

"Extremely noisy while driving"

"the driver's seat is hard and even with the position adjustments not terribly comfortable. The angle from the seat to the gas pedal is not comfortable and can cause a cramp when doing long drives."

"As a disabled senior veteran I appreciate my Forester's easy entry and exit, plus its seats provide good support. I can see well from the driver's seat and all controls operate smoothly and predictably. Great, safe and dependable car."

"Excellent seats, ride, etc. One area that could be improved is lessening road noise."

"The 4x4 system is fantastic and absolute necessary here. We like manual transmission. Confort is ok for regular size person, like my wife. But too small for my 6'3" 215 pounds frame. We carry lots of stuff in the trunk. Ride is ok. It is noisy. It uses one litre of engine oil per month minimum. Our previous Forester 2007 also ate lots of oil. I will not buy another Subaru. Next will be a Rav 4 even if it is ugly. Or a Honda. 4x4."

"Car is a little noisy, but the ride is good. Seat could be a little more comfortable for extended drives (over 4 hrs.)"

"Just the noise, wish it was quieter."

"I find the noise level bothersome. Ride and seats are fine."

"Completely satisfied"

"Seat comfort, driving position and visibility are all very good. Handling is very good, with the ride being on the stiff side. The one aggravation is that there is a lot of road noise, though the situation has improved since replacing the factory tires, Bridgestone Dueler H/T, with Yokohama Tornante tires."

"Seats are comfortable and have held up well. The vehicle ride is neither spongy or too rough. The headrests are not very functional. The vehicle is on the louder side, but still OK."

"The ride is good. The road noise is little loud. The leather seat are comfortable."

"no lumbar adjustment"

"I like everything about it."

"The headrest tilts too far forward for my comfort. Also, the road noise is a little louder than I would like it to be."

"Road noise is bad. Seat comfort is great. Ride is good. Handling is good."

"Great for short, around town trips, but not much room to spread out on longer excursions."

"the seats could have lumbar support. I need to use a pillow for back support."

"I have driven this car for as long ar 11 hours and I have no complaints about back issues, legs discomfort etc even at distances this long."

"Seats and ride are very good for a compact SUV. Noise level is low in urban driving but it's high on the highway (mostly road noise)."

"Sounds like you are in a tin can when closing the doors, very cheap and hollow sounding. Overall noise level when driving is higher than desired."

"Everything is great EXCEPT the Bluetooth automatically turns on a podcast on my cellphone when I start the car. I hate that. Some days I’d really rather listen to music when I drive but the car ALWAYS turns on the podcast."

"Seats could be more confortable."

"The seats could be more comfortable."

"Too noisy inside the passenger compartment. Replacement tires purchased last year exacerbated the problem."

"Great lumbar support. Very noisy."

"No lumbar support and the headrest contacts my back at its lowest position."

"It's too loud -especially when the air is on and the radio."

"The seating adjustments is great. Lumbar support really helps. The ride is smooth and noise level is decent."

"It is a comfortable car, but it take some time for the motor to run smoothly, and during this time, it is somewhat noisy."

"Not firm."

"It rides OK for a small SUV. I guess I'm saying that it's not as comfortable as a 4 door midsized sedan like my other car. The front passenger seat does not have any lumbar support and now that it's 5 years old I hear wind coming in through the back windows when they are closed."

"The power leather driver's seat is the most comfortable available in this class of vehicle. We choose this vehicle over the Camry to travel if more than 1 hour is needed. No comparison."

"Great visibility, roomy interior."

"Noisy, needs insulation to cut down road noise"

"Noisy harsh ride, seats not comfortable for long trips"

"The 2012 forester has a great deal of space, which makes it quite comfortable and workable for tall and/or larger people. The only downside is that there's something about the drivers seat or the seat controls that make it difficult to find a comfortable position."

"The seats are high"

"the cabin could be quieter"

"The car is noisier (more road noise) than I would like"

"The easy of entry and exit as well smooth ride."

"With the leather seating, the seats are very comfortable especially in long trips. The ride is very smooth but still gives good road feel."

"Very comfortable seats and also very supportive. Not quiet by any means, but interior noise level is acceptable even at highway speeds. Handles very well for a vehicle shaped like a brick on tippy-toes."

"Low Maintenance Required Seems to hold resale value"

"Car is great. Would have liked audible backup warning."

"The Subaru Forester handles as well, or better, than several similar sized small SUV's we tried, like Hyundai, Ford, Honda models. After nearly 60,000 miles and four years, we still get comments about how nice it looks. As far as handling, it does well and is average as for acceleration, plus mileage is good for AWD, and cargo space is adequate for long trips. Interior noise definitely requires higher volume on the highway, especially during inclement weather, and the electronics have never in"

"The vehicle feels like it's made cheaply. I've had a previous subaru and it was solid. This one, when you close the doors it sounds like it's hollow. I'm afraid if I were in an accident the doors would just crumple. It doesn't feel safe or substantial."

"Seems to have everything I'd want but nothing more or "goodies" I don't need, which is great. Very good fuel economy for having AWD Very impressed with storage area beneath floor in trunk and super easy to access oil filter."

"Great value. If it was three thousand dollars more I would not do it again."

"CVT was not available on this model, so lower gas mileage and less acceleration. The dealer also resisted my attempt to purchase the lower emissions package and told me I had to listen to a sales pitch on extended warranty to finalize the contract, which was through Chase Bank, theough their exclusive arrangement. Really good car, really pricey and poor service departments."

"The car has been dependable, serviceable, and sturdy. But next time, I spend extra and get a BMW or Mercedes.."

"After doing research on pricing on ConsumerReports.org, I feel I got an excellent price from my no-haggle dealership, especially given the low miles on this car."

"Lesser quality interior fabric than previous models and permanently fixed antennae rather than movable."

"the leg room is not sufficient for a tall person, 6' feet or more"

"Love the forester and if it actually maintained the mileage it claimed, I would have no complaints. Mpg was a key consideration for me and it claimed 21 city and 27 highway. I can never get above 25 even on highway driving and I average between 22-23 most of the time"

"Just a great all around value for an all wheel drive comfortalbe and practical car."

"The 2.5x premium offers the most bang for the buck. This was your recommendation of late but I said it first! :-) The upgrade from the base model is well worth the money giving you comforts such as a 10-way power adjustable driver's seat with power lumbar support, the front passenger gets a manual height adjustment which is no small thing. A better stereo, bluetooth connectivity, panoramic moonroof, all-weather package and other comforts plus the cargo carrying capabiltiy make this a comforta"

"It's a basically reliable and serviceable vehicle but mysteriously 'uses' does NOT leak about a quart of oil every 1,000 - 1500 miles. Corporate Subaru tells us that can be normal. Gas mileage also fluctuates between a wonderful 30 to a low of 23 in highway driving. We've been very conscious of wind and any other environmental variables and can't pinpoint any reasons for the variances."

"The manual transmission cars tend to be more basic in features but have a low price for a quality vehicle. The std 4-cyl engine and AWD is more fuel efficient than my previous vehicle and yet is larger with more power"

"very economical"

"Will always get you thru the snow...."

"Good, sensible, and reliable basic car."

"fantastic"

"I paid about $ 28 K for this vehicle. I received a $ 4 K trade in value so, total of $ 24 K + taxes. I have the middle of the road Forester model for 2012. Considering the price and with what I received it is an excellent vehicle with the basics and then some additional nice extras. I like the appearance of this model compared to the newer ones, because the body lines are smother, while the newer versions are more boxy on the head/tail lights."

"good running car and fun to drive"

"Good solid choice for the money paid."

"great vehicle. Acceleration and engine noise can be improved"

"Reliability very good,all wheel drive very good"

"Since the engine block was replaced under warranty, and the problem with the head gaskets (leaking) is still happening, I can only hope that my opinion will not get any worse, As it is, there won't be a second Subaru in my driveway. The engineering in the car is just not up to my standards."

"Great value! Dependable vehicle"

"It is a great car to drive and living in the country I haul many different things init."

"I have had this car for almost 7 years now and 65000 miles and have had only normal maintenance costs, oil changes and new tires. It has held its value very well so a trade for new would be reasonable. A few years ago the engine used a small amount of oil between oil changes but Subaru replaced the short block at no cost to me. It now requires no oil between oil changes. Subaru is a good company that stands behind their cars. At 7 years the car still looks and drives like new."

"Good gas mileage, and performance. But I did have a throw-out bearing go out on the clutch... at around 81,000 miles. Very unusual for this to happen for me!"

"I keep up with regular maintenance at the dealer, and have always had good service. the car continues to function well in great shape, and I plan to keep it for several more years."

"The car is very reliable and have no worries in any weather"

"Best handling car I have ever owned. Trouble-free. Good acceleration when it is needed. Most comfortable seating with many adjustments. Good handling in all kinds of Ohio weather."

"Great car for the money spent"

"Felt confident that the price I paid was good value for what I got, compared to the other cars I considered."

"Great value on the vehicle"

"The car was a great value and I love it but it is not as comfortable as my Porsche (surprise surprise)"

"very capable, dependable for less than $25000"

"All wheel drive is wonderful"

"Vehicle was purchased at a fair price, and has functioned flawlessly for six years."

"Fair price and phenomenal customer support from Subaru!"

"Few repairs other than regular maintenance, reasonable repair costs. Body paint still good, continues to have a decent mph and is very reliable."

"Great car for the money. Replaced a Toyota RAV4 and the Forester is a definite improvement."

"Now 6 years old: still looks and performs as when first purchased. Minimal maintenance time required."

"car performs and rides very well."

"It burns oil at the rate of 1qt every 1500 miles. That is excessive. I probably won't buy a Subaru again."

"COSTCO promotion gave me a good price and a $1000 gift card. Very low financing also made a sweet deal. Forester has held up well and has fine trade or sale value. Great car."

"Has held up well except for the oil consumption problems. Had the block replaced but still had some issues for about a year. I believe this was due to poor workmanship at the dealer. Dealer finally got it right. Received a Dyson cordless vacuum from Subaru for the problems."

"Great, reliable car with good ergonomics. Subaru keeps things simple and their all-wheel drive system is super."

"Reliable, low maintenance, roomy and versatile interior."

"Great Colorado car for active biker, skier, hiker in weather we get in Rocky Mountains."

"I'm disappointing with the oil consumption problem. It uses 2 quarts in 6000 miles."

"Disappointed in reports of possible high oil consumption in 2012 Foresters. Bought it primarily because of reliability ratings only to learn the oil consumption may be a problem!!!"

"Overall Value is tremendous."

"Good quality build"

"The cost of running the car is low."

"I have a base model with manual transmission. fun to drive adequate pickup, and good room to carry stuff"

"I"m happy with the way the Forester has run for these years and although I thought I was getting a better "deal" than I was - I'm quite satisfied with the vehicle overall."

"Runs great. Quality of construction is only fair. Decent for the money , but far from luxurious."

"very sharp looking - good paint color"