Excellent handling, Great view, Very good gas mileage, Comfortable seats in front, Very nice 6 CD changer, Variable intermittent wipers, Good acceleration, Tows 2,000 lbs.

Paint (chips too easily), No locking gas cap/door, factory speakers sound crappy, Rear seats are a bit cramped for adults.

I bought my 2001 Forester in March of 2000. It was my first new car and was a very positive buying experience. I've had absolutely no regrets and no significant problems thus far. I negotiated the price over the internet and by phone and paid about $700 over invoice. I briefly connsidered the Toyota FAV4 and Honda CRV but found too many major flaws for my liking. The only thing that I couldn't tolerate was the whoosy speakers so I've replaced those speakers with 6 1/2" Alpine's in the front and 5" Polk's in the rear and now the sound is considerably better. Final conclusion: Fun to drive. An excellent small SUV.

Similar Products Used:

None.

Strenghts????.........the all wheel drive system is one of the best on the market. I researched this drive system for over 6 months before taking a test drive....see below..
Other strengths are the quick handling, I've got the 17" wheels and tires, great gas mileage.....have put two options on this vehicle, and now average over 32 mph at 70mph........
It's very quiet, even with the larger size tires.......
Safety.........this vehicle was rated at the top as far as crash tests are concerned.......this is important to me, with all the dim wit drivers on the road today.
Limited slip differential.....I traded my 99 Forester in, primarily just for this piece of equipment. For those of you who are not familiar, or who don't drive in moderate to heavy snow conditions, this limited slip is the greatest piece of equipment.

Cupholders.......need two of these, like they have in the new Outback.
Stereo........what stereo??.....this is one sucky system. Had to take it to Car Toys immediately to replace with a Kenwood system, with sub......now this thing really sounds good....better than my brothers Lexus SC400 with Nakamichi.....
Slight wind noise at highway speeds.......I fixed this by removing the cross members on the roof rack.....car looks cleaner this way too.
A tad bit weak on power, but not that bad, this 2.5 Boxer has enough low end torque, especially since they went with the single overhead cam motor, instead of the dual overhead..........
The new 6 cylinder motor, should they decide to put one in the Forester, should make this vehicle the top in its class.......and with the aftermarket supercharger that is available, you'd be looking at a modest 290 horsepower, all wheel drive rocket...........but only around 220 hp with the current 2.5 motor...............

Paid around 28k for mine, fully loaded with leather, power moon, heated seats, heated mirror, heated windshield, running boards, etc.......it's black with tinted windows, and with 17" chrome wheels, it really looks nice, even if it is a Subaru........never thought I would own a Subaru, but this is really a safe and fun car, and I can take it 98% of the places I took my Pathfinder......you just have to take it a bit easier, thats all.....
Two bits of advise..........K&N air filter and Redline Oil products..........

Similar Products Used:

Nissan Pathfinder
Nissan 300Z......3 of these road rockets
Cannot compare these, like apples to oranges!

Great pickup for a compact SUV. Handles like a car. Good gas mileage.

Rear seat room.

I would recommend the Subaru Forester - but their service staff stinks - and this seems to be a sentiment on this website (service and dealers). By far the best compact SUV, but for this price should also have simple amenities like real intermittent wipers. Car handles well in all weather, but inside fogs up real bad when raining. Also brake pedal feel needs some getting used to (very mushy).

Similar Products Used:

None

Power: 250; Mileage: 20mpg; Huge roof; Handling; Looks esp with aero kits;

Back seat space

It took me a year to buy this Forester Turbo after shopping around for a real car. So after 2.5 years I still have the exitement evertime I get into the car. I really enjoy driving with the roof and all windows opended but sometimes I do close all the windows to enjoy music and video. It's so quiet that rivals my 9 year old LS-400

Similar Products Used:

Honda CRV: looks great but interior sucks

Mileage (especially when gas is $1.77 gallon for unleaded), Handling, Quiet drive if under 70 mph, large windshield which gives good front visibility.

Rear area is rather cramped, front panel displays and knobs rather small.

Out-the-door $23,500. I am always being approached about the car, how long I have had it? Do I like it? How it handles? My answers are always the same... it has been a real treat owning this car, highly recommend it to anyone who doesn't need to haul around alot of people all the time (due to the cramped back quarters).

Similar Products Used:

None.

full time all wheel drive system (top notch)! gas mileage is excellent for such a big horse powered 4 cylinder. 21-28 mpg mixed driving. i had a 1999 model for a year and half now
have 2001. better stero system, in dash 6 cd changer and six speakers with sub woofer/amp. 2001 also has limited slip differential on s model '99 did not. better overall traction and safety. 2001's monster moon roof almost covers the whole seating cabin. with the added weight of the moon roof is a wider wheel base and pumped up suspension to accomodate the added weight. a noticable difference from the '99 s model. heated windshield wiper deicer is a super cool feature when you live in snowy regions (no more popping your windshield blades at stop lights to get the ice off.) just stay in the cabin and watch everone else do it. ha ha ! stopping ability is great with four wheel disc abs breaks regardless of mushy brake pedal. cargo space is definatly better than the rav and crv. lastly, it looks and drives like a strong car not like other suv's driving like a "rambling along truck", and it does not look like a weak tinker toy like the honda and toyota. this vehicle looks and performs with a purpose not like a novelty trying be something they are not.

my 99 model had a wheel alignment problem from the beginging. after numerous wheel alignments a tire balances and even a new set of tires and rotors it never ever drove straight or without a shimmy on the highway. region rep from subaru america could not figure out after 35,000 miles. so with class subura gave me an offer i could not refuse on a loaded out 2001 s model to rectify the problem and win back my loyalty.

towing could be better with a stronger more powerful six cylinder. back seat could be a bit bigger.

lets face it, subaru was not a name i did not even consider when my friend who owns an chevy dealership offered me a loaded out blazer stickered out at 31,000 for 18,000 brand new. well like any man, i wanted to know that i was getting a great deal so i could brag about it to my friends and family. i went on the internet and read every magazine i could get my hands on to see what the critics had to say. all roads kept on going to the forester, so i gave in and test drove this not so well known and bought it with unihibited pride. regardless if i was getting a smokin' deal on the blazer. 18,000 is still 18,000 dollars.

Similar Products Used:

the chevy "blah'zer" honda crv, toyota rav 4, kia sportage
and chevy tracker and or suzuki grand vitara (w/ 6 cyl. only 155hp compared to forester's 165hp and better gas mileage.
these vehicles aformetioned do not compare to the forester and should not be considered at any time. i did my homework as you can see by the vehicles driven from above.

Fuel Economy: So far I've ranged from 28 - 31 mpg!
Car-like Feel: I've tried the RAV4/CRV's and prefer the low profile of the Forester.
Quiet Interior: Very quiet inside, even at highway speeds.
Powerful Engine: Much better performance than RAV4/CRV

Stereo: Worst car radio I've ever heard, even the 6 speaker option. CD player is located too far down. Radio buttons are hard to push, impossible with gloves on.
Steering: Unlike most Forester drivers, I don't like the handling that much, it's very unstable and every bump causes the steering wheel to shake (could use more positive caster) I like to feel some connection with the road, not like I'm floating around turns. Great in the city, but scary on the highway.
Rear Seats: Uncomfortable, especially on long drives.
Wind: I find even the slightest wind pushes this vehicle around a lot.
Seat Adjusters: The driver's seat adjusters are almost impossible to reach, there's not enough space between the seat and door to get your hand down and manipulate the dials (power seats would have been nice, especially on a $32000cdn vehicle!)
Climate Controls Weak: It's hard to keep the interior from fogging and the fan/AC is not very strong.

Price Paid: ~$32000 cdn (leasing) - 2000 Forester S
I would definitely recommend this vehicle to anyone looking for lots of space. It gets great mileage and has plenty of features. The handling might not be for everyone, not necessarily a problem with the vehicle but rather driver preference.

Similar Products Used:

RAV4, CRV, Mazda B4000 Truck. Foresters beats them all hands down.

Cost, Looks, Reliability, Comfort, you name it.

Its not a Vette... honestly the car really doesnt have any, not for the price anyway

100% yes. Will probably buy another when this one dies (after a few million miles or so) So far 35,000 miles with zero problems, except for a flat which was because of a nail.... (full size spare with an alloy rim!)

Similar Products Used:

I have heavly researched Many cars for over 3 months and have found None better for anywhere near the money

Very Reliable, comfortable car. Seat Warmers and winter package is a great option. Gas milage is good, not great....better than most SUVs

Cup holders are in bad spots and the seats can be a little hard on very long drives.

The Forrester has been an excellent value. It's comfortable, handles easily, feels safe, and powers through the snow. My Grandpa thought it was a better car than my brother's Mercedes SUV. I didn't even tell him what I could do with the extra $20,000 I saved vs the Benz. We test drove several SUVs and this was the easiest to drive.

Well balanced, efficient package. Class leading power, ride and driveability. Subaru's experience with all wheel drive.

Tire wear. Standard sound system. Standard equipment set (i.e. cruise control, remote mirrors) - improved in 1999 and 2000.

My '98 Forester "L" has been a delight to own and drive. For my money it offered a combination of good interior space for people and cargo, comfortable accomodations, good handling, ride and acceleration in a compact, manageable package. All the "utility" I'll probably ever need that still offers a "car-like" driving experience.

The 4 cylinder "boxer" motor provides good power, especially when compared to the Forester's closest competition (CR-V and RAV-4). Sure a 6 cylinder (perhaps someday) or turbo (available overseas) would be nice, but the 165 hp available moves the Forester onto the freeway in prompt fashion. Like other Subarus, power comes on smoothly and quietly with that audibly distinctive boxer rumble. I've got the manual tranny, and it's reasonably smooth shifting although it doesn't quite match the smooth, precise action of a Honda gearbox. It's a bit notchy, but this was supposedly improved in MY99. All wheel drive operation is transparent and certainly gives a feeling of confidence in foul weather. Also, beginning in '99 Subaru went from a dual overhead cam to a simpler single overhead cam design. Changes were made to bump up mid-range torque which were supposed to improve around town driveability. Horsepower remained the same. My gas mileage has been in the low to mid twenties.

Handling is good, for what is essentially a tall station wagon. Not something you'd want to autocross, there's plenty of body roll, but still fairly tossable. Subaru, with it's extensive rally experience, designed the suspension to be somewhat soft with lot's of travel to provide a comfortable ride both on and off road. Again, the AWD helps keep you out of trouble.

There's plenty of front seat room for average sized individuals and decent room in back (for a small vehicle). I wouldn't try to stuff three adults in back unless they enjoy a shoulder to shoulder experience. The seats are firm, but comfortable to my butt. The drivers seat has plenty of manual adjustments. My Forester came with leather seating surfaces which are comfortable and are holding up well. FWIW - I've read some Forester owners complaints of the seat fabric (particularly in the "L") not holding up very well. Leather wasn't something I planned on ordering, but I'm glad I ended up with it. Lot's of storage cubbies throughout the interior. However, if trick cupholders are important, you may be disappointed with Forester's 4 - one in the dash (where any spillage will go right into the HVAC or radio controls), one in the center console and two on the back of the console.

The Forester's standard audio system is probably it's biggest negative point. In a word - it sucks. The OE Clarion AM/FM cassette is decent, but nothing special, however the speakers (at least in '98 and '99) are next to unlistenable - unless AM talk radio is your programming of choice. The first thing I did when I took delivery of my Forester was to replace the Clarion with Sony CD/receiver and installed Kenwood coaxials in all four doors. Perhaps not a system to impress audiophiles or the local bass freaks, but sounds good without a big investment.

Styling (a very subjective thing) wasn't exactly something that moved me to the Forester. To me, it's distinctive - in a Subaru sort of way. Not the handsomest thing on four wheels, but it has grown on me. Personally, I prefer the Forester L's black grille to the toothy chrome one featured on the upmarket "S" model. Also, the unpainted plastic body cladding and bumper of the "L" is probably a bit less prone to cosmetic damage than the more attractive painted trim on the "S". However, if you desire 16 inch wheels, four wheel disc brakes, heated seats and other such amenities, this will be of absolutely no consequence.

My Forester has about 19K miles on it, and I've noticed a fair amount of outside edge tire wear. This has been a subject of much discussion recently on the Suburu newsgroup. From what I've gathered, it's very difficult to get this corrected with an alignment. Also, the OE Bridgestones have a relatively low treadwear rating. I'm taking mine in for a routine maintenance alignment anyway to see if this helps.

Aside from a few nits to pick, the Forester is probably the best vehicle I've ever owned (previous cars - '78 Accord, '86 Civic Si, '93 Civic EX), and I'll no doubt take a good hard look at the next generation Forester when they hit the streets in '01.