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Subaru Forester Review
See also the main fact sheet for the Subaru Forester.
High Points
Low Points
- The three rear headrests block rearward vision (The Detroit News)
- Stiff suspension makes for a rough ride (Kelley Blue Book)
- Less refined than the Honda CR-V (Kelley Blue Book)
Performance and Handling
Gas Mileage
As seen on Autos.com, in the compact SUV MPG rankings, the 2007 Subaru Forester is in 19th place with 22/29 MPG.
Safety
The Subaru Forester comes standard with the following features:
- 4-wheel antilock brakes (ABS)
- Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD)
- Daytime Running Lights
- Driver and front-passenger front airbags
- Front seat-mounted head/chest side-impact air bags
- Active front-seat head restraints
- LATCH system: Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children
- Safety brake pedal system
- Energy-absorbing collapsible steering column
- Ring-Shaped Reinforcement Frame body structure
Reliability and Maintenance
Subaru's warranty provides its 2007 vehicles with BASIC COVERAGE for 3 years or 36,000 miles, whichever comes first. Subject to the exclusions listed in this warranty, it covers the entire car. WEAR ITEM COVERAGE is 3 year or 36,000 miles, whichever comes first. Items covered are brake pad/shoe linings, clutch linings, and wiper blades. POWERTRAIN COVERAGE for all models is 5 years or 60,000 miles, whichever comes first. Subject to the exclusions listed in this warranty, it covers the major powertrain components listed below.
Interior and Comforts
Exterior
The 2006 Subaru Forester has been restyled front and rear, though those who know the Forester won't confuse it with any other car. The new grille is a bit larger, and the headlights and taillight clusters have been reshaped. The net effect is slightly more serious, perhaps more rugged, maybe a bit less frumpy.
Subaru fanatics, and believe us, there are plenty of them out there, will immediately notice the new Forester's slightly taller stance. With adjustments to the suspension, ground clearance has been increased from 7.5 inches to 8.1 inches (7.9 inches on the 2.5 XT Limited) to enhance all-road driving capability. That half-inch is a significant difference.
The Forester isn't likely to turn a lot of heads, although it's sculpted aluminum hood, and particularly the working air scoop on the 2.5XT Limited, subtly scream for attention. Compared to the typical mid-size SUV, the Forester is a small vehicle, but it makes efficient use of interior space. It is, by intent, a fairly boxy machine, and its beauty lies more in its functional design. Despite its upright shape, the Forester is impressively aerodynamic, with a sedan-grade 0.36 coefficient of drag. Other things equal, the more aerodynamic a vehicle is, the less wind noise inside and the better its fuel economy.
The standard roof rack remains flat black. Yet for years, less-expensive Foresters had unpainted gray lower body cladding that only cluttered up the car's shape. For 2006, the lower bumpers and protective cladding are painted to match the body on all variants except the L.L. Bean Edition, which has a contrasting metallic finish down low. It's a welcome improvement, and gives the vehicle a classier look. All Foresters except the base 2.5X also get larger body-color side mirrors with integrated turn signals.
Styles and Options
The Subaru Forester is available in 3 trims: 2.5 X, 2.5 X L.L.Bean Edition, and 2.5 XT Limited.
Main Competitors
- Toyota RAV4: side-by-side comparison
- Ford Escape: side-by-side comparison
- Jeep Liberty: side-by-side comparison
- Chevrolet Equinox: side-by-side comparison
- Mazda Tribute: side-by-side comparison
- Nissan Xterra: side-by-side comparison
External Links
WikiCars Contributor Favorites
Subaru Manufacturer Sites
- Subaru Forester - Official US Site
Community Sites
- subaruforester.org - Subaru Forester Owners Forum
- offroadsubarus.com - Offroad Subarus
- jasononcars.com - Subaru Forester 2.5 XT Review
