2006 Subaru Forester Consumer Reviews

My first Subaru

Written by: hairdog on 09/24/2009

Vehicle

2006 Subaru Forester 2.5 X 4dr Wagon AWD (2.5L 4cyl 4A)

Review

I just purchased a used Subaru forester on Monday, just three days ago. I am completely surprised at the quality and power that this 4cyl has. I was driving a V6 and this is much more responsive and quicker. This is my first Subaru. I have owned nothing but American cars before. In just three days I would say that I'm a convert for life, not just only based on my mere three days but on other Subaru owners that have told me their experiences. I love my Forester and can't wait to actually feel safe while driving in bad winter conditions. FOR ONCE! I highly recommend it to all. Buy a Subaru and you will not be disappointed.

Favorite Features

Power, Comfort, road feel, climate control, user friendly, good overall gas mileage, It feels like a full size SUV and handles like a sports car.

Suggested Improvements

4 out 4 people found this review helpful

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Disappointing Experience

Written by: Jason Tylers on 06/12/2009

Vehicle

2006 Subaru Forester 2.5 XT Limited 4dr Wagon AWD (2.5L 4cyl Turbo 4A)

Review

I bought this car new and loved it at first. Within the first year the sunroof malfunctioned and would take several attempts to close. End of year 1 door lock broke. Year two car began leaking in the rain. End of year two engine light came on and car has spent more time in the shop than on the road. Subaru has not been able to fix the problem. At this point I am forced to consider legal options. I will never buy another Subaru again.

Favorite Features

Great handling, fun to drive, fantastic power.

Suggested Improvements

Build quality is poor, reliability has been very disappointing for a car of this price.

4 out 6 people found this review helpful

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Repeat Forester Owner

Written by: MaryM on 05/07/2009

Vehicle

2006 Subaru Forester 2.5 X Premium Package 4dr Wagon AWD (2.5L 4cyl 4A)

Review

I love the Forester. Living in New England it has been the perfect car for my family -- it performs well in all weather types, especially the snow. Its compact size is a plus when it comes to parking or city driving. Rear passenger seats could use with a bit more leg room but overall, not a complaint. Recently purchased the '06 LL Bean edition to replace our '06 2.5X that was totaled in an accident. Walked away with only scratches from a seat belt despite the wreckage. If we hadn't been sold on its safety rating the first time around, we are now and we went straight back to the dealer to replace it! Held up its value well & when it comes time to replace our other car, to Subaru we go!

Favorite Features

Heated seats, large windows, HUGE power moon roof, quick to heat up or cool down, great acceleration on the highway and smooth ride. Large side- view mirrors are wonderful feature too! Its low profile made cleaning it off in the winter a breeze! Fits easily in the compact car parking spaces.

Suggested Improvements

Larger rear passenger section (cramped for adults). Reposition cup holder locations (awkward to use when driving), better arm rest. Occasional slight rattle/vibration from dash but overall nothing to worry over. Occasional jerk upon accelerating from a slow or stopped position.

5 out 5 people found this review helpful

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Great Car

Written by: Sue on 04/12/2009

Vehicle

2006 Subaru Forester 2.5 X Premium Package 4dr Wagon AWD (2.5L 4cyl 4A)

Review

Love this car. Trouble free miles. Smooth handling, quiet and good visibility. No major problems. Outside temp sensor failed and was replaced quickly under warranty. Handles fantastic in the snow and ice.

Favorite Features

Suggested Improvements

Change cup holder placement. Difficult to reach and fills up with crumbs and debris.

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Just never fell in love

Written by: collmm on 01/27/2009

Vehicle

2006 Subaru Forester 2.5 X 4dr Wagon AWD (2.5L 4cyl 4A)

Review

I wanted another AWD wagon after trading my 4Motion Passat & purchased the Forrester. This was a logical decision but a big mistake. No mechanical problems just a boring vehicle to drive compared to the Passat. I love wagons but the Forrester exterior is simply unattractive and the paint is cheap! Cheap looking but sturdy interior finishes. My driving is pretty habitual but the gas mileage varied widely in town from 17 to 26 mpg and had to calculate that by hand-no digital "mpg" or "miles to empty" on the Forrester. I've just traded the Forrester after only 5 months for a 2006 Volvo S60 AWD and I have no regrets.

Favorite Features

Weather band radio (I miss it). Heater and seat heaters both warmed quickly & the car was toasty warm in 1-2 minutes. Comfortable driver seat for a small person but the power seat does not offer enough position change. Peppy 4 cylinder. The transmission was usually very smooth.

Suggested Improvements

Uncomfortably low arm rest position-I could never steer & rest my elbows at the same time. Bug guard sends bugs straight to the window! CD stereo only adequate. AWD does not perform as well as VW or Volvo-often felt the car hydroplane even at low speeds. Just never felt as safe in the Subaru.

3 out 5 people found this review helpful

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Good but not exciting

Written by: dereko on 11/30/2008

Vehicle

2006 Subaru Forester 2.5 X 4dr Wagon AWD (2.5L 4cyl 4A)

Review

I bought my 06 forester 3 years ago and after 46K miles I can't really complain. It always starts w/o hesitation and everything works like new. I have had the occasional engine hesitation; step on the gas slightly and it takes a second or two before it responds. I don't know if this is a electronic throttle or transmission bug. Needs more front shoulder and leg width. The center console will give your leg a mean cramp if you don't use the cruise control on drives over an hour. Backseat legroom is nil. Unfortunately, I'm starting to get the usual squeaks in and around the dash. It's overall a good vehicle but after 3 years it just hasn't grow on me.

Favorite Features

reliability, good visibility.

Suggested Improvements

better mpg, terrible wind and road noise, a real spare tire, a colder a/c.

1 out 1 people found this review helpful

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Won't buy this again

Written by: julie on 11/17/2008

Vehicle

2006 Subaru Forester 2.5 X L.L.Bean Edition 4dr Wagon AWD (2.5L 4cyl 4A)

Review

I went from a Toyota 4 runner to Subaru LL Bean. I am highly disappointed. The leather seats are very cold in the winter until they warm up. Because of the heater design, my legs are too hot in summer and too cold in winter. The air just doesn't circulate down there. It comes out at chest level only. Passengers in the back seat freeze. The exterior paint job is very bad. It scratches incredibly easy. The windshield takes forever to thaw. It handles well in small amounts of snow but not in anything over 6 inches.

Favorite Features

I love the heated side mirrors and how it handles in the snow and ice.

Suggested Improvements

Might need to re think the heater so it spits out more heat and air conditioning on the feet.

1 out 3 people found this review helpful

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Love my Subie!

Written by: Mrs. K on 09/30/2008

Vehicle

2006 Subaru Forester 2.5 XT Limited 4dr Wagon AWD (2.5L 4cyl Turbo 4A)

Review

This is the first Subie that I have owned and I am converted. I bought this car to replace a 2004 Nissan Xterra that was destroyed in a roll over. This car is great in the snow, safe, reliable, and fun to drive. My only complaint is the passenger volume as I have 3 month old twins and need the back seat for 2 rear facing car seats. With the car seats in place, the front seats are pushed forward quite a bit sacrificing a lot of front leg room. This isn't really a problem for me since I am only 5'3" but my 6' tall husband's knees are almost pushed into the dash. I am considering trading in the 2006 for a 2009 just for the larger interior. Overall, this car is a great alternative to large SUVs!

Favorite Features

Turbo power, reliability, safety

Suggested Improvements

More interior room, aux input for iPod

2 out 2 people found this review helpful

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Great vehicle!!

Written by: DRE in KS on 08/14/2008

Vehicle

2006 Subaru Forester 2.5 XT Limited 4dr Wagon AWD (2.5L 4cyl Turbo 4A)

Review

This is my 4th Subaru, but first Forester. XT model is loaded with lots of nice options that make it near a luxury car feel. Comfortable and stylish and it will blow the little sports cars and luxury SUVs off the line (not that I would do such a thing).

Favorite Features

Big sun/moon roof. Stereo system sounds great and vehicle comfort is excellent, even on a long drive - we just went 10 hours and it was great, even for two tall teens in the back seat.

Suggested Improvements

Fuel efficiency. Only avg around 20 in town. 24-26 on hwy. Turbo gets less than the normal 2.5L engine, and it's still not bad for what you get.

2 out 2 people found this review helpful

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Subaru Forester X

Written by: Agent_N on 08/02/2008

Vehicle

2006 Subaru Forester 2.5 X 4dr Wagon AWD (2.5L 4cyl 4A)

Review

I like my Subie! Where else can you get a vehicle that has all-wheel drive and gets better than 29 MPG with mostly highway driving? I have owned my Forester for 3/4 of a year now and have had no problems so far (I purchased it used with 32,000ish miles). It gets around better in bad weather than the Jeep Cherokee Sport that I had previously owned. The interior has some rattles and the materials aren't the best, but what do you expect to get on a vehicle with all-wheel drive for $22,000 or so? Gas mileage has varied from 23 in very cold weather (mostly city) to 36 at 55 MPH. I don't have a lead foot so that helps :) I usually average 30MPG at 65-75 MPH. 70-80% highway & the rest city.

Favorite Features

All-wheel drive. Great gas mileage for what it is. Has small SUV cargo space but gets much better mileage than small SUV.

Suggested Improvements

I am really looking forward to Subaru possibly releasing their boxer diesel in America! I would guesstimate that I would get 15-25 MPG better mileage with a diesel than I currently get with a petrol engine. The 4 speed tranny is sluggish and really needs to be improved!! Better interior material.

2 out 2 people found this review helpful

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