Fun to drive and inspires confidance in poor weather. Good size and reasonable gas mileage (22-27mpg with 5 speed manual)

Quality control not what you're lead to believe. Clutch shudder. Easily damaged winshield glass. Rear wheel bearing failures. Expensive routine service. Manufacturer unwilling to help w/ customer problems

This car does not live up to the hype and the dealer service is horrible. I bought my 2001 Forester 2 years ago. Within a few months the clutch was engaging with a terrible shudder, making me wonder at times if the car was going to shake itself apart. Took it in to the dealership who informed me that nothing was wrong and the problem might be in the way I was driving it. Hogwash! Then the oil change (called preventive service by the dealership) cost $120! I began searching online and began to see many owners of manual transmission Foresters with the same clutch problem and were told the same thing: "the problem is in the how you're driving it..." Some owners found a technical servcice bulletin where Subaru will replace the clutch and flywheel IF you can get the problem to happen while a Subaru representative was in the car with you when it happens. Of course it never happens with the rep in the car and the dealer hadn't heard of the TSB before I mentioned it to him. The car also had problems with easily broken and cracked windshield glass and wheel bearings in the rear wheels. If your wheel bearings start making noises, unload the car as I did and run. Subaru disavows any problem with the wheel bearings and charges around $400 to replace them. They will fail and fail again once they go (usually at around 40K miles) Sad thing is this is a well designed car and Subarus reputation is starting to suffer . They seem unwilling to take care of thier customers. I recommended this car to several friends and two of them who bought automatics suffered catastrophic transmissions failures between 75K-100K miles. One instance the dealer tried to charge my female friend $4000 to replace her transmission! She went elsewhere to say the least. This is a car that has so many good points and is well designed, but is spoiled by poor quality of some of its components and indifferent dealer service. Sorry to say after recommending this and other Subaru products to friends, I would not buy nor recommend another.

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96 Geo Tracker 98 Mercury Mystique 03 Ford Focus

Damn thing is fast! Java Black Pearl paint is extremly cool. Excellant interior, dealer treats you like a customer, not the plague!

Some road noise at 70 to 80 mph. Sub-woofer needs work. Needs a little throatier exhaust note.

I have been searching for a new vehicle for some time, test drove countless cars and trucks and for me, the Forester won it hands down. The combination of safety, economy and performance exceeded anything else in its price range. I decided on the Java Black Pearl XT with the automatic transmission. I was thinking seriously about the manual tranny but they made me a killer offer on the automatic. Interior room for a vehicle of this size was very surprizing. I am 6"-2" and there is plenty of leg and head room. The in-dash 6 CD changer is nice but the sub woofer lacks any real definition and if driven too hard it distorts. The seats are great, very comfortable with nice material and textures, not at all cheep looking. I love all the features that come with the Forester. Compass and auto dimming rear view mirror, heated seats (Very nice!), auto climate controls, heated exterior mirrors, fog lights, clock, cruise control, weather band in the radio, 3 power outlets and storage bins all over the place. But what really hooked me was the 2.5 boxer motor with the Mitsubishi Turbo Charger. This is a detuned version of the motor that is in the WRX STI. The manual version of the Forester runs 0-60 MPH in 5.3 to 5.5 seconds. Now if you are not aware, that is very quick. You will be outrunning Mustang GTs, BMW 330i, BMW Z4, Z28s, Porcshe Boxter, Porcshe 911 and a lot more. The only SUV that is quicker is the Porcshe Chayenne S twin turbo. The automatic runs it in 6.5 seconds. The quarter mile time for the automatic is around 14 seconds! I like that alot. This thing flat out gets up and moves but it looks like Moms SUV. Insurance cost is good because of the safety systems and it is a 5 door SUV. I paid below invoice, I guess end of month/end of year deal. If you want safety, stealth great handling and power, but one now, before they figure out what they have and raise the price.

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Frontier, P.O.S.!

Handles well especially on country roads as well as dirt roads.

Check engine light comes on if gas gap not properly secured. You'll be charged electronic diagnostics fees. Suggests to me a manufacturing defect. Northampton MAss dealer states they get "around five a day" with check engine lights due to gas cap not secured properly.

Great car if you need to drive in snow country. Lots of nice features. Leather interior, heated seats, etc. Quite a lot of space for a small SUV. Averages about 24 mpg.

The best car I've ever owned and I've owned at least 5 brand new ones in the past decade. This thing rocks!

Nice, Quality interior Huge sunroof (Optional) Good engine power (quiet too) A lot of cubby spaces Excellent traction on and off road Great ground clearance Safety Handling

Slow transmission response. If you're agressive or choppy, get the manual transmission. Could use better designed front cupholders

So far I've been satisfied with my Forester. The engine is smooth, and it has plenty of power (though it may require a downshift to find the power) for a 4 cyl. You can't expect the power of a V8 out of a 4 cyl. But for getting around the city and on dirt roads it does great. Sometimes when I floor it and the transmission downshifts, it is kinda slow reacting. That is annoying more than anything. When I put the pedal to the metal I want it to go, not hesitate. But that is not normally a big deal. I'm an agressive and choppy driver so maybe other people won't have this issue. The interior is fantastic. I got the leather package and it's well worth the money. It looks very nice. The black dash, tan leather, and silver console really look nice together. The factory sound system is pretty good for a factory system. I of course had to replace it because I'm an audiophile but for most people, it it nice. The weatherband included on the radio is a nice touch. It has so many pockets everywhere to store stuff. I love it. I need to have a lot of stuff handy while I drive and there is no shortage of space to put stuff within the drivers reach. (I have the armrest extension which gives you extra space too.) The cup holders aren't ideal as a normal sized cup sits loose in them and a big cup won't fit. I would like an adjustable cup holder but it's not a huge deal. This is my first time with heated seats and heated mirrors. I have to tell you that the heated seats are awesome. I thought that the heated mirrors and wipers were a joke at first but now that's it's wintertime, they are indespensible. (I hate foggy mirrors.....no more.) Backseat room is good for a small vehicle. But you need a narrow backside to sit in the middle spot. Not a backseat for three fattys. The middle seatbelt is a plus because it retracts completley out of the way. Cargo space is pretty good too. If you're hauling a ton of stuff, then get a minivan or a suburban bur for everyday stuff it it ideal. I also love all the cool cubby compartments under the cargo area by the spare tire. I can put all kinds of cool safety gadgets there as well. Another thing I like is the three 12 volt outlets. With phone chargers and stuff like that now-a-days, you can always use extra outlets. As for exterior, I think it has great styling. I personally love the way they look. They kinda look sporty but not really. At the same time they look like an old lady car. But when you want to buy a car that does everything, that is what you get. And seriously, that is what this car is. It is a little of everyting all mixed in one. As for the way it drives, (besides the slow transmission) it is great. Handling curves is a cinch with it. When you accelerate through a curve it seems to buckle down and hold to the road very well. Not what you'd expect from a compact sport-ute. It kinda has a sports car feel. As for off road handling it's the best I've ever driven. I've tried to get it to slide sideways on gravel roads and it's not easy. The AWD system really does it's job under low traction circumstances. I haven't had any ice or snow here yet but I'll see how it does. Other people who have had ice and snow condition say that it is awesome under those conditions though. The brakes are awesome. This can stop on a dime. (even with no hands) For my test drive, they made me accelerate up to 60 m.p.h. and then take my hands off the wheel and then slam on the brakes. It stopped super fast and straight as an arrow. I have to admit I was a little nervous about slaming on the brakes without my hands on the steering wheel. But it handle perfect. So I know that the ABS works good. The more I learn about the safety features of the Subaru makes me feel safe, considering the side air bags, side door beams, roof strength, and fire mat over the engine. Comercials on TV even say that it is the safest SUV they've ever tested. I believe them too. It's just a well thought out car. Oh I almost forgot the GINORMOUS sunroof. That is one of the reasons why I bought it. The double sized sunroof is awesome. Having it open is almost like having a convertible. So all in all, if you want a car that is a little bit of everything, get this car. It's not the best in any one particular area (except for traction) but it does everything well.

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Test drove the Toyota Matrix and Honda CRV but 4WD system just doesn't compare to the AWD traction of a Subaru.

Quiet. Comfy enough.

Plain vanilla styling. Door finish is cheap (you can hurt your hand just shutting the door) Terrible sound system. Just not enough space. A trip to the grocery store can fill it up.

I've downsized to the Forester (drove a Trooper for 7 years) and I really miss the space. The Forester is easy, easy to drive. But I'm disappointed in the gas mileage, which was the main reason I bought this vehicle. Since I'm only getting 19 mpg, I kinda wish I'd gotten something else. But winter is coming, and time will tell if the Forester lives up to its reputation as a snow car.

handles very well in the snow.

check engine light air conditioning get plugged up and needs to be drained or empties onto floor in car

I have had this car for a couple of years now and am totally frustrated with it. The Check Engine light continually comes on. It's stressed in the manual that this indicates a serious problem. I've brought it in to be checked out; the cost for the computer to check the issue is high; and then nothing is found. I drive long distances and bought this car for security. I have no confidence in it and wish I'd never purchased it. I click the gas cap 15 clicks and the check engine light comes on still. It will flash for over a minute before it becomes a steady light. I am totally frustrated with it.

Best brakes and steering Comfortable to get in and out of. Easy to see. great visibility Respectable mpg, for an SUV Simple, no-nonsense controls, dials

LEAKS UPON LEAKS UPON LEAKS! After the car was only 1 year old, there was an antifreeze leak (smell and "smoking" under the hood). Then the second year, the head gaskets needed replacing because of smoking, odor, hot smell. At 50,000 miles our "check engine light" went on, and we had $450 worth of repair bills. This year (still under 60,000 miles), there was an oil leak which caused smoking when the oil hit the hot engine. We thought the car was going to blow up, and we were several hours away from home when it happened. Has little "glitchy" things go wrong: Seat heater light goes out, rear windshield washer hose gets kinked, tapping sound in valves. I don't want to spend all of my days at the service shop, or be afraid to travel 10 miles away from home!

All in all, we love our "Su-bee", despite the problems listed below. It has wonderful handiling, and is an attractive car - without being too trendy. I think, however, we got a less-than-standard model (1999 S), because NO OTHER SUBARU OWNER WE KNOW has had the amount of leaking problems we've had. What gives? We want to try Subaru again, but are a little hesitant. Did we just get a lemon?

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none

Awesome All-Wheel-Drive Snow driving Comfort Spacious enough High speed dirt road 2003 models Style Great visability Headlites Great utility car towing capacity for this size engine is awesome. Resale value

Well, for agressive drivers, and I am - more power would be nice, 20-40 horses will do. Automatic transmission is too slow, I find it even sometimes dangerous on highways, but again I am agressive driver. Up 2002 model - interior style - what style? Tooo old fashioned. Weak paint - scratches too easily Stock stereo, for music lovers, sucks. At least upgrade speakers right away. No armrest Limited room for tall people - 6 feet or so.

1st thing 1st - this car is great for the money you pay. To those people with bad reviews - do your research and then buy. This is not SUV or 4x4, this is practically family sedan with a great All Wheel Drive system and dirt road manners, not bouldrs and ditches, just a rough gravel and dirt road. Anyway... I have it for about 18 months now and have no regrets at all. Good power, great handling, safety, reliability, OK on gas for all-wheel-drive. I've driven it in any condition possible - rain, snow, dirt, gravel, loaded, unloaded, high speed gravel road (140 K/hr (about 90 miles/hr)), even towing 2 dirt bikes on a dirt road. This car perfomed just great. Snow. The best car in snow I've driven in my life. It can go through practically anything...of course snow tires help. We have snow storms here in Toronto, and once I had to park it outside for a night, and in the morning there was about 2-3 feet of snow. So much, I could not open my door. All I did, dug the door out, got in, started it, gave a minute to warm up and went forward...I was out in a second, while neighbours were digging their Explorer out. Enough said. Dirt. No it is not 4x4 or real SUV, but Forester performs great on dirt road, especially if you want to go fast. Handling is great, controlled sliding is AWESOME. Body-roll is there but it stops at one point and car stays solid all the way through the turn. Get skid plates and bottom protection from your dealer for this kind of driving - strongly recommended. Road. Nothing special, but nothing to complaint about. Good performer, good handling. A bit of body-roll, but it stops at one point and stays solid through any turn. If you don't mind burning a little extra gas, it will pass with confidence. Good tires, good headlites. Anyway, this car worth the money, and the new Foresters with latest styles inside and outside score ven more points from me...too bad I got mine 2 months before new style came out. Of course it's not perfect...read WEAKNESSES below. For those of you who can't decide between Honda CRV, RAV4, Mitsu or Ford Escape...I would only put CRV next to Forester and it is tough call, but I'd vote for Forester, and hey, it is few Ks cheaper.

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Honda CRV, Toyota RAV4. Ford Explorer, Bronco.

HOPEFULLY THE SAFETY FEATURES (WHY I BOUGHT THE CAR) IF I'M EVER IN AN ACCIDENT

SURE DO MISS KEY ENTRY FOR THE BACK HATCH

HIWAY MILEAGE GOOD, CITY IS BARELY 23. SMALL THINGS HAVE FALLEN APART EVEN BEFORE ONE YEAR IS UP, IE BOTH VANITY MIRRORS CAME OFF THE VISORS AND THE REAR NET HOLDERS DON'T STAY ATTACHED. QUALITY JUST HASN'T LIVED UP TO MY EXPECTATION

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