Item: Used Subaru Forester 4x4 1997 - 2002
Author: What Car? Team

What is it like?

Ownership cost

Advice for buyers

Our recommendations

Alternatives

Once best known for its flame-spitting, rally-bred Imprezas, Subaru’s focus now is on cars that will appeal to a far wider audience, and especially one that values go-anywhere ability and no-nonsense values above all others.

The result is a mixed bag of offerings, none of which rise beyond being average in their class but most of which have facets that make them stand out from their rivals. Core to its range are the Forester and Outback SUVs, while the Levorg is a more conventional estate.

At other extremes, there’s also the BRZ, an entertaining coupé that is let down by its price and resale values, and of course the Impreza, which comes in a variety of forms, including a hot model.

SUBARU

FORESTER

The Forester's great drive and practicality are let down by its drab looks

Used Subaru Forester 4x4 1997 - 2002

Used Foresters are now widely available and make sound buys, as they're generally a little cheaper than the equivalent Land Rover Freelander or Honda CR-V.

The 31mpg fuel economy of the basic car also looks good when the CR-V returns only 29.1mpg. And, don't think the Turbo will cost the earth to fuel - it returns an impressive 28.5mpg on the combined cycle. Such good fuel economy figures are important, as there was never a diesel version of the Forester.

The Turbo's big downfall is its group 17 insurance rating, but at least the group 11 and 12 ratings of the other models look a lot more reasonable, if still a little higher than their rivals'.

Servicing costs are also on the high side next to the CR-V's and Toyota RAV4's, but the real headache could be unscheduled maintenance. Warranty Direct says that average repair bills on Subarus are among the highest of all makes.

The Forester's great drive and practicality are let down by its drab looks

If you can, buy a face-lifted car from April 2000 (W-plate) onwards, as both the drive and interior were improved.

Although the Forester was on sale for several years, the range never gave much choice. There were only ever two petrol engines, for instance, and three trim levels.

Both engines are Subaru's trademark flat-four units, with either 121bhp or, thanks to a turbocharger, 168bhp. The more powerful unit has enough performance to scare genuine hot hatches, but unless you really need that pace, you'll be happy with the less powerful - and cheaper - 121bhp engine.

Originally, this engine came only in GLS trim, with the option of an All Weather pack, which added luxuries such as air-con, a sunroof and side airbags. This would have added some £2000 to the basic price when the car was new, but the gap today is just a few hundred pounds on the used market, and we'd say that it's worth the extra.

From early 2001, GLS trim died, and the entry model was renamed the 2.0 AWD, but it remains our favourite model.

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Plenty of space for all passengers</li> <li>Large boot with lots of clever storage solutions</li> <li>Good fuel economy and running costs</li> <li>All-round comfort</li> <li>High-quality interior finish</li></ul>

We define a large SUV as anything longer than 4.5 metres. These cars aren’t usually particularly cheap to buy or lease, so in return we expect a roomy cabin, a lengthy list of standard equipment and excellent cruising refinement. A few models in this class are two-wheel drive, but the vast majority have four-wheel drive for at least a modicum of off-road ability.

The Mazda CX-5 is firmly road-focused, but its 2.0-litre petrol engine is a strong, refined performer, making it looks good value for less than&nbsp;£25k. If you can stretch the budget a fair bit, the Audi Q5 provides a combination of comfort, driving prowess, quality and space that's hard to beat. Unlike some rivals, it can't be had with seven seats, though.

A more affordable, yet well-equipped alternative is the Peugeot 5008. It’s more than capable of coping with family life&nbsp;– and all versions have seven seats as standard.&nbsp;

Large SUV

Subaru justifiably has a reputation for making solid, reliable cars, and the Forester does nothing to damage that. This version finished in the top two in its class in the JD Power survey in 2002 and 2003.

There have been no recalls on this version of the car and most online owner reviews have been very positive. The only complaints that come up more than once are that the bonnet chips very easily and that the clutch and transmission can judder noticeably, especially when cold.

Warranty Direct confirms that the Forester is one of the most reliable cars on the company's fleet, but warns that the clutch and driveshaft can give up after 60,000 miles.

Warranty Direct also says that claim rates are very high on Subarus, but that's largely due to the high numbers of Imprezas on their fleet, which are prone to expensive failures after being driven too hard.

Although the Forester was considered a rival to the likes of the Land Rover Freelander, it isn't really a dedicated off-roader. Instead, think of it as a four-wheel drive estate car on raised suspension.

The overall impression is of a no-nonsense, hard-wearing workhorse. There's none of the funky styling on a Freelander or Honda CR-V, but there is (just) enough space front and rear to take a family, as well as a decent boot.

What's perhaps most impressive is the way the car drives, with a fine blend of ride and handling. It sits a little lower than dedicated off-roaders, so the body is well controlled through the bends.

Despite what we said above, the Forester is actually quite capable off-road, although the limited ground clearance means it won't get into the really deep stuff, like, say, a Freelander.

Used Subaru Forester 4x4 1997 - 2002 review

Fill out our 2022 Reliability Survey - and win a prize!

Citroen C3 Aircross

Audi E-Tron

MG ZS EV

Cupra Formentor

Fiat 500 Electric 

Kia Niro EV

Renault Megane E-Tech

/news/complete-the-2022-what-car-reliability-survey-for-the-chance-to-win-a-prize/n15554

New car deals >>

site ribbon config

Looking for alternatives to the used Subaru Forester 1997 - 2002? The expert What Car? review team guide you through some great options.

New car deals >>

Used Subaru Forester 4x4 1997 - 2002 review

Alternatives

What alternatives should I consider to a used Subaru Forester 4x4?

What Car? has a buying service

Quick search

Tools & services

Legal bits

Information