Used 2003 Subaru Forester Wagon Consumer Reviews
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A Happy Camper, Overall
Timber, 02/21/2009
2003 Subaru Forester XS AWD 4dr Wagon (2.5L 4cyl 5M)
8 of 8 people found this review helpful
It has been a wonderful vehicle thus far. I bought it for the AWD, and I feel really safe driving it in the snow and ice. I don't ride in the backseat, but I've heard from my passengers that it can be a little tight if you are over 6'0". The cargo room is just perfect for what I need it for. I enjoy finding new places to hide/store things. The front windows are rather noisy when driving at high speeds, but overall, I have been very pleased with my purchase. I did my research and it has paid off.
Piston Slap
Duke, 01/29/2009
2003 Subaru Forester X AWD 4dr Wagon (2.5L 4cyl 5M)
6 of 6 people found this review helpful
Bought the Subie a month ago with 62K on the OD. The boxer engines are prone to piston slap and mine was no exception. I bought it stipulating that the piston slap would be remedied and it was (valves were adjusted).The car does what it's supposed to do - gets you around with decent gas mileage and sure-footedness in inclement weather. This suv is 6 years old and I am confidant I will still be driving it 6 years from now.
Totally reliable, but a bit spartan.
Jon P, 04/23/2010
2003 Subaru Forester XS AWD 4dr Wagon (2.5L 4cyl 5M)
9 of 10 people found this review helpful
I did a great deal of research on mid-size SUV's and narrowed my choices to the 2003 CRV or the 2003 Forester. After 4 years and 45K of driving I think I may never buy anything but a Subaru again. The car handles any weather condition you can throw at it with ease. Snow, rain, ice, sub-zero temps. The car behaves well in any element. Most importantly though the car just runs well with no major mechanic or electrical problems to date. Certainly there are some minor, mostly aesthetic and comfort changes I would welcome. However this car has earned my trust and has been an excellent ambassador for the Subaru line-up. The best vehicle purchase I have ever made.
The little red car that could
Wendy S. Delmater, 01/16/2019
updated 07/21/2023
2003 Subaru Forester XS AWD 4dr Wagon (2.5L 4cyl 5M)
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
We loved our old 1999 Subaru so much we drove 4 hours each way to get a newer one, a 2003 model. When we found it on the internet we said to ourselves, "Surely someone else must have scooped it up before us." But we called and checked and it was still available. REVIEW: Like all Subarus it has incredibly good handling and instinctive instrumentation. This one had the largest of the engines for that model, and the gas mileage suffered a bit (23 mpg instead of 27 for our older one) but wow, can this thing move! We had the same minor problems with this as the last one: annoying wind noise from the side mirrors and a factory radio that was only good for static when the engine was running. We'll replace the radio, and learn to live with the wind noise. Edited to Add: A year later this car is everything we had hoped: reliable, attractive, and a real workhorse. Comfortable on long trips, too! Two years later we've had no maintenance issues with it and people think it's a much newer car. We still love it. Three years later it continues to be a stylish workhorse. In our fourth year owning it our main problems were replacing a tire and having a body shop fix a sideswipe. 4th year owning it: We love hauling trailers full of firewood with our 2003 Subaru, because it can pull almost 2000 pounds with its heavy duty truck chassis over uneven ground with its all wheel drive. It's a reliable car. Five years: It's burning a bit of oil. We will probably replace the engine like we did for our 1999 Subaru Forester, which we still own.
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- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
superroo
roopower1, 05/31/2002
2003 Subaru Forester XS AWD 4dr Wagon (2.5L 4cyl 4A)
8 of 9 people found this review helpful
Hi. Just purchased a 2003 Forester XS auto. Love it-in spite of paying too much. Never buy a car for your wife on your anniversary. Compared to my 1981 Subaru Brat, I have no complaints about power! Plus you can drive Forest Service roads at 65 mph and pretend you are Tommi Makinen in the SWRT WRC. Visibility is great, lots of room (haven't sat in the back, just the 2 of us). The auto-climate control is nice, go for the upgraded speakers if you like quality sound (the base is so-so). First tank of gas-got 25.1 mpg on 50-50 mix city/highway. No defects noted, no problems noted in first 500 miles.
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