When hasn't everything been a contest? Who's bigger/better/faster/cheaper/_____. Someone, somewhere, is always measuring and comparing.
Subaru Forester #1 SUV for 10 Years in a Row, Consumer Reports
- Thread starter Al
- Start date
My FORESTER was one of the best vehicles I've owned.
2020 Crostrek, wifes-our first all wheel drive. She wanted it. I wish we could turn it off. I'm dreading the day we have a tire go bad and have to buy 4. We've been lucky, have run over some wood, dodged a kitchen sink in the road, hit a 50 gallon drum band that just kept rolling......just can't go around the crap sometimes. My Tacoma has the electric locking rear axle, So awesome at the boat ramp. I know 4 WD might come in handy on a slimey ramp but so far so good.
My wife and I are on our second Forester, a 2021 Sport. We had a 2020 Forester, but an 82 YO man ran a red light and broadsided the passenger side of it, right on the B-pillar. Shop wanted to repair it, but Subaru says no-no to cutting / welding "safety cage" of passenger compartment, so it was totaled, only having 14K miles.
We have been really pleased with our Forester, now with around 27K miles. The Forester gets about 20% better mileage than a previous Honda CRV AWD we had (before the first Forester), that was totaled when hit by an 18 YO female in an offset head-on collision. Ironically, the last 2 collisions both involved Toyota RAV4s.
We bought an extended warranty upon initial purchase, and right now, I let the dealership do all the maintenance. Fortunately, they are well established and have won several consumer awards themselves in our community. Their pricing schedule is also very competitive and fair.
We have been really pleased with our Forester, now with around 27K miles. The Forester gets about 20% better mileage than a previous Honda CRV AWD we had (before the first Forester), that was totaled when hit by an 18 YO female in an offset head-on collision. Ironically, the last 2 collisions both involved Toyota RAV4s.
We bought an extended warranty upon initial purchase, and right now, I let the dealership do all the maintenance. Fortunately, they are well established and have won several consumer awards themselves in our community. Their pricing schedule is also very competitive and fair.
Can you get a matching rim and start doing 5 wheel rotations? I don't know if this uses a space saving tire in the trunk, so, it might have to be stored in the garage or similar. But, if you do a 5 wheel rotation like every 5k, then the tires would stay close enough; and if the worst happens, just use the spare--and hope you don't lose another tire.
Maybe next set, have 24K on these. Thx. But I think it has the SSSpare
The AWD system is quite amazing in slow ice conditions. We had a freezing rain coat everything with a thin layer of skating rink ice. I couldn't walk uphill to get out of my sister-in-law's driveway but she was able to drive her Subaru slowly up the icy slope. The problem comes when people use that ability to accelerate to speeds they shouldn't be going under those conditions. Where I live in upstate NY the first signs of a slippery road are the 4WD pickups and Jeeps in the ditch. The combination of plenty of horsepower and big fat "offroad" tires is terrible on ice. I'd take any ordinary sedan or small SUV with regular m+s tires any day on ice. Sure, winter tires are even better.
I'm not really partial to any one brand. I think most auto manufacturers make at least one or two really decent cars. Our Impreza has been a tank. Zero issues the last 4 years. It's slow as hell though.
Fantastic AWD system. Arguably the best. They're great cars for those that live in climates that see bad weather.
Fantastic AWD system. Arguably the best. They're great cars for those that live in climates that see bad weather.
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I really liked the longitudinal setup on mine and the serviceability was way better than other vehicles.
But the AC thing kinda ruined it for me .
But the AC thing kinda ruined it for me .
I think of shopping the older ones, but their bad headgasket years are in my price range, and that means the heads are in the wheelwells, not sure how hard of a job that makes it. Other than outside of my abilities.
Not sure if Subaru ages well, seems like they have the usual rust problems, maybe a bit worse? times that many more parts due to AWD, and in these older years, lower mpg with the automatic.
We've had a '22 Forester for approaching a year now. The reasons we bought it over the competition:
- It has a real awd system and can actually do some work offroad
- visibility is second to none. Seriously there simply cannot be another vehicle on the market with better visibility. There is almost more glass than metal it seems.
- For being awd it actually gets very good mileage
- Up here at least, it is a very good value. Lots of standard features, including very advanced safety systems for thousands less than the competition
- Wait time was 4-6 months (ended up being 4.5) opposed to some other brands at 9-18 months
That's off the top of my head, I'm sure there were more considerations. Overall we are very happy thus far.
- It has a real awd system and can actually do some work offroad
- visibility is second to none. Seriously there simply cannot be another vehicle on the market with better visibility. There is almost more glass than metal it seems.
- For being awd it actually gets very good mileage
- Up here at least, it is a very good value. Lots of standard features, including very advanced safety systems for thousands less than the competition
- Wait time was 4-6 months (ended up being 4.5) opposed to some other brands at 9-18 months
That's off the top of my head, I'm sure there were more considerations. Overall we are very happy thus far.
CR unlike other magazines does not require advertisement money from automakers. They are completely subscription funded.
Unlike other magazines, they don't ask automakers and other companies for product samples for them to evaluate. They use their subscription fees to go out and purchase all of their test samples.
Aside from their staff opinions, they also take into account results of surveys they send out to their subscribers.
Pull the engine is pretty much the easiest way to do it. And pulling engines on Subarus are super easy. I think you can get all of the bellhousing bolts top side! Even the starter is accessible topside.
IMO there are only two good things about a Subaru:
Ease of engine removal and their AWD system.
Ease of engine removal and their AWD system.
I've made the same observation about my WRX.... It feels like an older car due to it's good outward visibility and ease of entry/exit. By contrast I have rented Corollas which were like torture chambers trying to get into and out of.
The Forester has good visibility, which is rare now. And it's also available in green 
Subarus are much better than they used to be.
Honda theoretically offers FWD on the CR-V and HR-V, but most Honda dealers refuse to sell the FWD versions of them, so just because FWD is listed on the website doesn't mean you can actually get one
And Honda's AWD isn't as good as Subaru's anyway.
Subarus are much better than they used to be.
Honda theoretically offers FWD on the CR-V and HR-V, but most Honda dealers refuse to sell the FWD versions of them, so just because FWD is listed on the website doesn't mean you can actually get one
And Honda's AWD isn't as good as Subaru's anyway.
I'd buy another one, it was $2000 well spent. Currently at 272k Kms:
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I suspect you never owned one or drove one long term. I drive one every winter and there is a lot more to like than not.
I have driven plenty of them and find them to be no better than any other economy car. Actually, worse.
But we don't have snow here, so I really don't see the appeal.
