This is our second Forester bought in 2002 new. We continue to have routine oil changes and have replaced the tires once. Have over 80M on this vehicle, with no mechanical problems ever. Excellent car, good mileage, roomy and very reliable.

Excellent value for money. Improved safety, good driving abilities combined with able off road capabilities.

I love my Subaru! I got this is a Christmas gift from my husband, and I have never been happier with a car. I drove this car from Maine to Florida, and had plenty of space and was very comfortable--and I got incredible mileage (30 mpg on the highway!) I had a Jeep Grand Cherokee before this car, and I think the Subaru has more space. I use it to transport my kayak, and I have no trouble getting the 12 foot boat on and off the car by myself. There isn't a whole lot of legroom in the backseat, but my kids usually ride back there, and they don't notice yet--and they have more than in the Jeep. It does sometimes start a little rough, and sounds like a diesel truck for the first few minutes, but once the engine is warm it quiets down and is nearly silent.

I don't think 'll ever buy another model of vehicle!

I have a 2006 and a 2008 Forester and have had good luck with both. My wife puts about 70 miles round trip to work per day on hers and has had no problems with it. We took the 2006 on a road trip vacation out west - from Illinois up thru South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, and Utah before heading home - even with all the luggage for 3 adults plus souvenirs, air conditioning on and running around 70 to 75 MPH - we averaged around 30mpg with it! (Higher than the EPA estimate)

We do miss the weather band not being on the radio in the 2008, as it is in the 2006 - I think Subaru made a mistake by removing that from the radio - it's a great asset when travelling. That's really my only complaint on the vehicle. Have had no complaints at all on the 2006 - great cars!

I bought it in 2006 and so far it proved great in every aspect. Felt bad that Subaru changed it drastically in size and design philosophy. In my opinion this car definately needed improvement, while maintaining the same spirit of the past model (more crossover than SUV).

I researched the market before buying my 2003 Forester. I have MS, so the high seat and headroom as well as the low door sill were very important to me, for ease of entry and exit.
This is the best car I have ever owned. When we are ready for another car, we will keep this one and buy a new Forester. It has great handling, safety features, and reliability. It's a great little hauler, too, with lots of room in back. We have made several cross-country trips and have had great mileage.
Subaru has a winner with the Forester.

I have driven my Forester 6500 miles, so it is broken in by now. The gas milage for an all wheel drive was good from the beginning but now as the weather is warming, I am getting 27-29 MPG on mixed commuter driving, I have yet to do an all highway drive.. I drive into Boston to work, mostly on state route type roads, but I work nights so the traffic is mostly going the other way, at least in the morning. I love this car. Good road visibility, nice sterio system, love the handling, smooth ride eats up the bumps, heated front seats are very comfortable, smoothest shifting manual transmission I've ever driven. I was a little iffy about committing to always having to shift, but this is so nice i have no regrets, the shift and clutch are really smooth and easy. The hill holder feature is great !

There is no other car, and I've driven most, that handles and performs safely in any kind of inclement weather, it is simply fantastic. Safety is as good as anything out there, and the visability is marvelous, much, much better than the CRV(which I admit that I had a bad experience) and RAV-4. By the way, the guy at the Huffines dealership is great

Have had my 2008 Forester 2.5X Premium for a month and I like it quite a bit except for one aspect: the road and tire noise. I didn't notice it on the test drive but when I drove it home I felt like the dealer should have given me earplugs. The nosie is a roar from the rear cargo area and it's very dependent on the road's surface quality. On newer, smoother roads, the noise isn't too bad, but on older, rougher roads its hard to hear the person in the passenger seat. Some of the Forester owner sites blame it on the Yokohama Geolander tires. They've gone as far as nicknaming them "Geosquealers" and say that changing to better tires helps. Others say it's just plain lack of insulation in the cabin area. It's too bad because it's such a nice vehicle otherwise. There's the AWD, the great overall visibility (minimal blind spots), a comfortable front seat w/ lumbar support, satellite radio, large moonroof, and large cargo area. Gas mileage is not too bad for an SUV. I've had 20.3 and 23.3 mpg on my first two tanks in mostly city driving. Newport Pearl Blue is also a great color. So, if you're looking for a quiet ride, you might want to pass on the Forester and choose another vehicle. If road noise doesn't bother you, I would recommend it wholeheartedly. Hopefully Subaru worked on the noise problem with the 2009 redesign.

The Forester 2.5 X Premium model was by far the best appointed and handling small SUV my wife and I looked at. Its interior appointments - seats, sunroof, climate control, overall look and feel - were better than the RAV4 or Honda CRV. We got more inside for $1000 less. Add in a very smooth drive train and the unique stabilty control inherent in the Subaru design and it was our clear winner. A year later, we still feel the same. Its been all pluses.