Best ALL-around vehicle we have driven. Does great in Montana's snow, ice, mud and mountain roads. Has great visibilty. Handles great and is comfortable. Is a fun machine to drive. Thus far, it has been extremely reliable and we are looking forward to years of driving pleasure.

Back seat leg room is limited.

A year ago last May we bought a silver 01 Forester L, automatic. We almost didn't buy a Forester because of a sentence in the Edmund's review that says "The trade-off is lower ground clearance and less capable off-road ability, but you weren't going that far off the beaten path that anyway, were you? (wink, wink, nudge nudge.) My oldest daughter and her husband are building a cabin about 15 miles North of Yellowstone Park. The cabin is at the end of a steep, narrow, rocky, badly eroded, forest service logging road at about 8500'. We needed a vehicle capable of hauling passengers and food up the road.

Last summer and again this summer, I am happy to report that we hauled five adults and lots of food to the cabin, successfully. I was pleasantly surprised by the AWD traction, and we were able to straddle the deep ruts successfully. It was comforting to know that the rear differential was protected by the cover if I did slide off the high spots. Last year, I slid off a rock and high centered my 86 four-wheel drive, half ton pickup. It would have been nice having more power going up the steep road. I had the accelerator on the floorboard several times and a couple more cylinders would have helped. It would have been nice if the H-6 or turbocharged H-4 had been available for the Forester. Looking back, however, that was the heaviest load that we have hauled in the Forester, so I guess we truly tested the vehicle. It should do great with a lighter load.

We now have 14,000 miles on the car (about 1/3 of the miles are on back roads) and we are truly happy with Forester. It is the best "all around" vehicle we have driven. My wife will be driving it most of the time, and it is nice to know that she will have the safety of AWD on our snow-packed and icy roads (a first). My biggest complaint is that it hydroplanes on wet pavement, but I suspect that is a tire problem and not a car problem. I now have Goodyear Trackers on my pickup and am getting the best all-around traction that I have had since I bought the pick-up new. I will probably put similar tires on the Forester when the Bridgestones wear out.

We have been getting about 23 mpg regardless of where and how we drive it. It would be nice if the mileage improved with age, but I can live with 23 mpg.

My wife tells me that if I am real nice that I MIGHT be able to inherit the Forester from her when I wear my pickup out. I am looking forward to it.

I get a little irritated when folk fuss about it not being true ute. I can go anywhere in the Forester that I can go in my full size 4WD pick-up in 4-high. I have owned the pick-up 15 years and only need 4-low twice. So the Forester truly fits my needs.

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Better than all small SUV's that we tested.

Very peepy 2.5 L 4 cyl boxer engine. Far far better than that of the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4. Great seating position in the front and ample head room. Controls are laid out well for the most part. The headlights and fog lights are priceless! Was driving a Plymouth Voyager and I could not complain enough about the poor headlamps. Pleanty of storage. Subtle and stand out-able exterior.

Though nothing major, I wish I would have purchased one with Leather seats. I found the leather to be more comfortable. Also the stereo could use a boost in power. I have no problem with the controls however. Going back to the Voyager I was driving, the stereo in that was 100% worse than in the Subie. And one last gripe would be those cup holders.

Definitly a recommendable vehicle. After an eternity with a V-6 engine, I'm very pleased with the boxer 4 cyl. Practical, Economical, and rather Enjoyable.

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Honda CR-V.. very creamy ride, but felt like a mini-van and the engine could be more powerful and whines at highway speeds.
Toyota Rav4.. great exterior styling, but way overpriced.

Handling, especially in poor weather conditions.

The rear seat leg room is a bit tight for a vehicle of this type. Paint also seems to chip a bit too easily.

What compelled me to buy a Forester was how well it handled when I test drove it. It was the second-best-handling vehicle I tried (and the very best was a Subaru Legacy GT sedan; for further comparison purposes, my personal third-place choice in handling would be a Mazda Protege ES). Doesn't drive like a mini-truck, and actually has less body roll than a number of four-door sedans I've driven.
Combined with the high-reliability ratings I've seen accorded to Subaru vehicles, good crash-test results and the utility of the mini-SUV-type design, the handling sold me on the Forester, and I have no regrets yet.

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None

Handling. Safety features. Price factor.

Back seat is rather crampy. What's up with that cup holder?

I don't quite understand why some people would give a one star rating for this wonderful mini-SUV. I guess when you drive a Forester, you need to have the right expectation, just as if you are driving a Porsche (no back seat) or Land Crusier ($$$ at the gas pump, hefty retail price tag), etc. Nobody should expect a car with Ferrari style body styling, Corolla gas mileage, Hyaundi price tag, BMW interior assignments, etc, right?

My expectations are
(1) safety, including good off-road capability and emergency handling
(2) easy to manuver so my wife could drive it without special training
(3) reasonable reliability
(4) optimal price/performance factor

The Forester S is the safest and fun-to-drive mini-SUV I've driven. My situation is rather unusual because my home is almost on top of a hill, only accessible thru a 3/4 mile long, steep, uneven unpaved one-lane driveway with two sharp curves. Add to that with inches of snow and ice and you'd get a good picture of what I am dealing with everyday. Now that's what I call off-road driving. Forester S handles the drive superbly. I feel like the car has velrco with the road.

On the other hand, normal driving is very enjoyable as well. The Forester's body is not as high as other SUVs but that's what gives the driver a very easy time to drive. Handling, acceleration and power are very good. Wind noise is only a small problem when you drive above 75mph.

Here's some other SUVs that I've considered. Not that the followings are conclusive but I hope they'd give you a glimpse of what you are dealing with.

Lexus RX300
- Large turn-circle. I hate that. Take a look on how RX300 drivers drive their car into an mall's parking lot and you'd know how bad it is.

Mercedes ML320
- The best one I've driven in turns of safety and handling. However, I also feel like driving a Dodge minivan with the Benz logos on it as the interior is un-Mercedely cheap. Poor maintenance/reliability record.

Nissan Xterra
- Skidded badly on a small water poddle during highway testing (65mph). I thought SUV is meant to be *safer*. Sucks gasoline faster than an vampire saying "hello".

Toyota RAV-4
- Yes it looks cheap but wait till you add all those options. Plus, it couldn't get up to my home thru that icy driveway. The end.

Toyota 4Runner
- I haven't test-drive this car. My brother-in-law's wife's father is actually operating a Toyota dealer. He told me not to consider it because he drives one and he hates it. Want more detail?

Honda CR-V
- As good as the Forester S in most aspects. The ride is considerably rouger, and if you want similar equipments as on the Forester S, you'd be surprised on how much you end-up paying. (NOTE: CR-V does not have the option to have the side-SRS airbags). Not a true full-time AWD.

I know Acura MDX is an excellent car. But since it is in its first year I'd rather wait for another year or two. For $35000+ I think I should know more about buying it.

Hope this helps.

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See below... (long)

1. Consistently top-rated: #1 overall small-SUV by Consumer Reports; Best Buy by The Car Book; Best Bet by The Car Book; Choice Winner by Car Review; great write-ups in Edmunds.com, Cars.com, Car and Driver.com
2. Proven reliability over a few years: Rated Very Good by Consumer Reports
3. Excellent customer satisfaction: Consumer Reports
4. Best all-wheel drive from manufacturer with most experience
5. Highest HP & torque 4-cylinder engine vs. competition
6. Best-of-class crash ratings: only small SUV to receive a "Good" rating (highest available) in the 40 MPH offset test by the IIHS
7. Best-rated handling and ride
8. More interior cargo volume than Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV-4
9. 60 month/60,000 mile major components warranty
10. Little advantages: de-icing front wiper, integrated window antenna, numerous storage compartments, easiest-to-open rear door
11. Equal-to-competition features: side impact bars, side airbags, moonroof, leather, gas mileage, price, heated seats, ability to use regular gas, full-size spare, 6-CD in-dash changer, loaner car for overnight service while under warranty and door-to-door shuttle service thereafter, front & rear headroom & legroom

1. Couldn't get leather and moonroof together from factory (so got the S with leather, had dealer install moonroof)
2. Couldn't get leather and side air-bags. Chose the leather, gave up the side air bags.
3. No side curtain/head air bags. None offered in any other small SUV's, but are offered in other cars such as VW Passat and Volvo Wagons

I'd recommend the Subaru Forester to anyone interested in the best-buy among small SUV's or small station wagons. If your criteria includes what mine did -- reliability, safety, all-wheel drive, cargo space, gas mileage and price -- this car is for you. No other vehicle offers as many overall advantages in the $20-$30K price range. After a month of research, I fully understand why this product is so highly rated by so many.

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Toyota RAV-4: Forester higher rated overall, better customer satisfaction, higher HP/torque, better crash ratings, better handling, rear door opens easier, side air bags available, better warranty, more interior cargo volume. Only advantage RAV-4 has is a bit better reliability (excellent versus. very good)
Honda CR-V: Forester higher rated overall, better customer satisfaction, much higher HP/torque, better crash ratings, better handling/ride, much easier to open/use rear door, side air bags available, better warranty, moonroof available (none offered with CR-V and Honda advises not to put one in due to negative structural impact), more interior cargo volume. CR-V has a bit better reliability (excellent versus very good).
Ford Escape/Mazda Tribute: Forester's single biggest advantage is proven reliability. These are first-year products. And Ford & Mazda's reliability records on their other products over the years don't match their Japanese competition -- Subaru, Honda or Toyota. Otherwise, the Escape & Tribute are larger with more room and a bigger engine, but offer poorer gas mileage.
Volkswagen Passat Wagon: Excellent product overall. But for same money you get their 4-cylinder wagon with a bit more cargo space but only front-wheel drive. To get all-wheel drive forces you to spend about $4K more, forces you to go with the 6-cylinder engine which uses only premium gas and yields much worse gas mileage.

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FUN to drive. Rides and handles like a car. Very spacious cargo area (considering its size). All wheel drive with limited slip rear differential will handle snow,ice and light off roading easily. Powerful (I couldn't believe it's a 4 cylinder). Lots of handy storage compartments. Great gas mileage (We're averaging slightly under 25 MPG).

Rear seat could have some additional foot space if you and your passenger sit with the seats all the way back. Rear center headrest reduces visibility somewhat (Easily removed if it bothers you). I wish power seats were available (I'm 5' 11", my wife is 4'11")

Great purchase. My wife has claimed it for herself. Refuses to let me drive it for any extended period. I guess I'm stuck with the Lexus. I would highly recommend this vehicle to anyone seeking a sensible sized SUV type that rides and handles beautifully, has a spacious cargo area and will handle inclement weather road conditions safely.

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Researched this vehicle for over 8 months. Examined and road tested the Honda CRV and Toyota RAV-4 as well as the Forester extensively. Believe me there is no comparison. Test drive them yourself if you are skeptical.

Amazing AWD helps in all weather, really; very nimble; short turn radius; can haul a lot for a small vehicle thanks to hatch and square design; decent braking; excellent mileage for AWD (~23 mpg in mixed driving); strong headlights

Snug, if not tight, interior; hideously flat rear seat; horrible OEM tunes (but easy enough to replace!); frameless door-windows; not a chick-magnet (could be a strength if you're married); cupholders; tires (should be 2 sizes larger)

Offering the best power, handling, safety (the only one =without= the government's rollover warning) performance of the mini-SUVs, the Forester should be on your short list for consideration.

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Test drove the CR-V (wife said it looked like a mini-van). I love Honda, but the CR-V's AWD system isn't real (who has 2 seconds for it to engage when you hit a patch of ice)?, lame power, and mediocre handling. The RAV-4 looked too high-schoolish, was much smaller than the Forester, and is too common, as well as being overpriced for what you get.

it is a neet little 4wd. it gets you places and can go a lot of places with great ground clearance(lift kit).

Rear seat leg room!. Cup holders, & driveshaft to low to the ground creating less ground clearance in the end.

I rate it 8/10 because it is simpily an awsome car. I am very impressed with my purchase.

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It kicks all the other suv's, looks,drive & awd capability.

SOLID RIDE, GREAT HANDLING,BIG VEHICLE FEEL IN SMALL SUV GOOD MPG APROX 24 MPG ALL AROUND BEST OF 26 WORST 21. FIT AND FINIS OF BODY AND PAINT EXCELLENT.

HAD ENGINE NOISE SINCE I PURCHASED WORSE WHEN COLD UNTIL WARMED UP. SUBARU CLAIMS THIS IS COMMON ON SOME VEHICLES. I SAY DESIGN FLAW. MY VEHICLE NOW HAS 87,000 MILES NOISE IS CONSTANT AND GETTING WORSE NOW A VERY METALIC SOUND. BEEN IN TOUCH WITH SUBARU OF AMERICA. AM WAITING TO SEE IF THEY WILL HELP WITH REPAIRS. IF YOU HAVE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS CONTACT SUBARU OF AMERICA. LET THEM KNOW AT SUBARU OF AMERICA.COM

LESS THAN SATISFACTORY. HAD OIL PUMP LEAK AT 58,000 MILES DEALER DID NOT STOCK 6.00 DOLLARS WORTH OF O-RINGS FOR REPAIR DOWN FOR OVER A WEEK. ENGINE NOISE AT 40,000 MILES HAS PROGRESSIVELY GOTTEN WORSE SUBARU WONT ADMIT THERE IS A PROBLEM ON 2500 CC ENGINE. STILL WAITING TO SEE IF THEY WILL HELP WITH REPAIRS BEEN OVER 2 WEEKS SINCE I CONTACTED THEM. EVEN DEALER THINKS THEY SHOULD HEPL OR FULLY REPAIR

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OWNED 82 GL WAGON GAVE ME MANY YEARS OF TROUBLE FREE SERVICE STILL RUNNING STRONG WHEN SOLD AT 288,000 MILES. OWNED 91 LOYALE TRADED IN ON PRESENT FORRESTER FOR SAME REASON AS MY REVIEW ABOVE ENGINE NOISE BUT HAD 178,000 MILES NOT PROBLEM SINCE 40,000 AS MINE DOES NOW

Comfort (I don't ride in the back seat), surefooted, smooth operation overall, decent looking, excellent fit and finish and nice interior layout (ah come on - the cupholder is there at least), strong resale, does many things well

Rattles and squeaks at 30k (maybe rear gate - seems to be hard to find), Vague brakes that seem to need extra effort (even with the 4-wheel disks), tendency for the auto to push the car when trying to stop (I'm used to standards), knocky motor until warm

Bought the Forester used with 28,000 miles on it. Traded in my 2000 Outback Sport (Impreza) which I had put 16,000 miles on in 5 months. That car was fun and sporty, but too small and had a really lousy clutch - especially in traffic! By the way, I bought the Outback Sport new as a leftover in October 2000 for $16,800. They gave me an honest $15,000 for it in trade. It is now on the lot (and has had several lookers) for $17,800. Go figure how Subaru pricing/value works...

I got the auto in the Forester, and it is mostly fine. Kind of jerky on some shifts (up and down), and it whines like so many autos. But at least it doesn't hunt up and down like so many auto 4 cylinders.

Bad news - significant oil leak almost immediately and a bad idler pulley. Saturn was great - they gave me a rental and took my car to another city for warranty work when the local subie dealer couldn't do it for a week. They even went back a second day. Car now seems OK, but it has me a bit worried. Don't like the engine clatter on start-up, but I've driven a number of others that do it too.

I find the Forester to be comfortable and well powered. I don't mind the "sucky" stereo so much (mine has the CD, and it is a bit better than the one in the Impreza that looked just like it), but the one in my 93 Pathfinder was a lot better. I get about 25 mpg average. The original Yoko Geolanders look very good with 30K on them (I think those 16 inch wheels on the S make the tires last longer). I love the heated mirrors and the heated seats are a plus on cold days (until they start to cook your butt). The AC is not overly robust. I'm putting a trailer hitch and kayak racks on it soon, and expect it to be competent in those departments. It could use sway bars on my curvy back roads, but not bad at all. Overall, the car is quiet enough, and a great highway cruiser. The cruise control is phenomenally accurate. The horn is stupid. The hard trim on arm rests is a pain. Picky picky.

Mostly, I really find this car fits my needs much better than most other options. I am concerned that Subaru seems to build random cars that have major problems - what we used to call Monday cars. I had a 90 legacy that was a flawless joy untiol it hit 80K when something else major went almost every week (engine computer, abs, radiator, wheel bearings), but I have friends who have 90-92 legacys with 200k on them and narry a problem.

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93 Nissan Pathfinder - drove it 154,000 almost trouble free miles, but it was a truck. 2000 Subaru Impreza Outback Sport - mostly fun, liked the look, but too small and herky jerky. My wife likes the Forester a lot better - she hated the hood scoop on the Impreza (I did too, because there wasn't really a Mopar hemi with a supercharger under it). I tried a few used Outback (Legacy) wagons and found them claustrophobic and tacky compared to the Forester.