USED Subaru Forester 4x4 (02 - 08)

My car

After owning a very impressive 2.5 Legacy I made the change in December 2005 to what is now a very impresssive Forester. Ground clearance and stability when towing a caravan are most impressive - no wonder it achieved Caravan Club Tow Car of the Year.

The inner trim is basic but functional, all round visibility is excellent , fuel economy is what it states, passenger comfort is also good, heated seats are a touch of luxuary - nice on a cold winters day!

Cant find any negatives so far - you could say I'm 'IMPREZA' with the Forester.

My car

I love this car! It has won many awards in it's category in Australia year after year see http://subaru.com.au

I have owned the car for over 12 months and I have not had a problem with it at all. It has a 5 star safety rating (which is important to me and at the time it was the only one in its class to have this). The ground clearance is one of the highest in its class, it is very zippy and we have found the running costs to be reasonable.

If I didn't have kids and a dog I would have bought a WRX, however I do have kids and this is the more practical estate option with an engine that is comparable to that of the WRX.

This car is very popular in Australia and as a result of this it maintains its value very well. So well that at time of purchase a near new used model with about 10,000kms on it was only about $1000 cheaper than buying a brand new model (including on road costs).

The only criticisms I have of this car are 1. the tyres tend to squeal on tight corners and 2. the high beam on the headlights is not great, just OK. To be fair it is being compared to our other car which has very powerful xenon lights.

Overall this is a great family car and as I said I love it!

My car

The Forester's versatility - it's well balanced with sporty performance, estate-like height and practicality, and light-off roading all-wheel-drive - set it apart from other SUVs. Five-star safety and superb reliability further strengthen its positioning in the market.

The slightly higher running cost seems ignorable, compared with its peers. Cramped space in the rear and outdated styling is no trouble, at least to me. I love it as it is.

My car

My Forester is an 06 model 2.5 XT auto. I like its ease of access, visibility, drivability and specification and equipment levels. It is three cars in one (sports, estate, and 4x4), and a genuine "hot hatch."

It has five-star crash and five-star security ratings (note: as tested in the USA and Australia), and has superb performance through the rev range. Not many cars can compete: it has 'street cred' with young people, and good (if not exceptional) carrying capacity.

You see very few around, so is different, though unpretentious. Fuel consumption is acceptable (it seems to be the only car that achieves what it says on the label). For me, the only downside is the short squab on the driver's seat, and limited adjustment so that my knee feels it is suspended in space.