Used 2009 Subaru Forester Consumer Reviews
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Great Car at the Time for the Money
Ted Smith, 05/04/2018
2009 Subaru Forester 2.5XT Limited 4dr SUV AWD w/VDC, Nav (2.5L 4cyl Turbo 4A)
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
I bought this car in 2009 when it had been awarded the Motor Trend Car of the Year. It is a great car for the year I bought it, and I've loved the AWD feature of Subaru that lets me drive this car with equanimity through rain and snow and ice (like a postman :) Of course, over time, other SUVs have come up with improvements. I can think of two things I specifically miss on this car: 1) A true GPS map system that doesn't require expensive DVDs to replace new street information in developing neighborhoods (critical for a REALTOR); and 2) a video rear-view camera for backing up (I've put a few dings in my bumper and fenders along the way). Other than, I'm satisfied and will probably drive this SUV to 180,000 miles!
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Decent car, when it was working
B.G., 08/08/2017
2009 Subaru Forester 2.5X 4dr SUV AWD w/Premium Pkg,VDC (2.5L 4cyl 4A)
8 of 9 people found this review helpful
We had numerous problems with this car. Around 72k miles, the car failed suddenly while driving the kids to the beach. The diagnosis and repair took nearly 6 weeks, during which time we were operating on one car (with 2 kids in school and 2 working parents). The problem turned out to be two major electronic components, the Vehicle Dynamics Control Module and the Automatic Transmission Control Module both failed. Repair cost was around $3000. A year later, also on a family trip, the engine seized. Turns out there had been an oil leak, but of course no warning lights whatsoever until AFTER the engine seized. This occurred only about 2.5k miles after the most recent oil change. This time, the repair cost was about as much as the car was worth, so we junked it. At 83k miles.
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The car I really wanted to love
crr40, 04/09/2013
2009 Subaru Forester 2.5X 4dr SUV AWD w/All Weather, Premium Pkg, VDC (2.5L 4cyl 5M)
18 of 23 people found this review helpful
I decided on a Subaru Forester after extensive research, and bought a 2009 model new. It had flaws in the beginning- the ipod adapter didn't work well; the stereo in general was not very impressive, the driver's seat was uncomfortable, the mpg was consistently on the low end - but I didn't regret my purchase until the big problems started at just 29K miles, within weeks of the bumper to bumper warranty expiring. Between 29K and 38K miles the car has had the engine coil replaced, the brakes replaced and now the transmission. It's not my driving, either - my last car went 9 years and 80K miles without a single repair and I've never spent this much in repairs on any car in 20+ years.
It is what it is.
fitethefututre, 03/11/2014
2009 Subaru Forester 2.5X 4dr SUV AWD w/VDC (2.5L 4cyl 5M)
14 of 18 people found this review helpful
Manage you expectations. It's a crossover. So it doesn't do anything exceptional. The insides are unremarkable. So is the exterior. We have 2 little kids. So we need lots of space, with two car seats. It has a reasonable amount of space, but we can't fit everyone in--and the dog. I like the head room. Also, it has pep in the city for local driving, but with only a four banger, it is gutless on the highway. Maintenance is OK. Go under the wire for the warranty on the AC and replacing the rotors at 3 mm. 46K miles so far. So if you want something with more room, get a real SUV (We have a Sequoia for long trips). If you want a sports car, get something with more guts.
Very Pleased
J.W., 11/24/2008
2009 Subaru Forester 2.5X Limited 4dr SUV AWD w/VDC (2.5L 4cyl 4A)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
We have had our Forester about 3 weeks now and I am very impressed with the whole vehicle. It`s very comfortable and quiet. It just feels solid when your driving and, has great response in steering and breaking. We love everything about it so far. Have had compliments on body style and color, (sage green). First tank of gas avg. 24.3 mpg. combination city and highway. Also pleased with that. I was also surprised with the pep of the 4 cylinder after driving V6`s &V8`s. No need for the Turbo in my opinion. If you are looking for a great compact SUV this is the one.
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