Used 2009 Subaru Forester 2.5X 4dr SUV AWD w/Premium Pkg,VDC (2.5L 4cyl 4A) Consumer Reviews
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Nice, but I like my 2005 better
javan68, Carthage, NY, 12/23/2011
Subaru Forester 2.5X 4dr SUV AWD w/Premium Pkg,VDC (2.5L 4cyl 4A)
63 of 66 people found this review helpful
I have a 2005 Forester that is the 2.5X Manual version. I bought the 2009 for my wife, with the Auto. It is the Premium version. As a summary, I like the vehicle, but the fuel economy is crap. We get about 20-22 mpg on average, whereas my '05 gets 26-28 on average. If we really baby the gas and drive ultra conservatively, we may be able to get 25 mpg, but that is a huge IF. As for Snow driving, I will take the '09 over my '05, granted, my '05 is more fun to drive. The '09 is like a tank in the snow. We are in the market for a replacement for the '09. Our family is growing again, and the forester is just too small. Perhaps if it got better fuel economy, we would reconsider.
Excellent Small SUV
vkinsocal, 10/22/2010
Subaru Forester 2.5X 4dr SUV AWD w/Premium Pkg,VDC (2.5L 4cyl 4A)
31 of 32 people found this review helpful
I've owned this car two years now and this car has been nearly flawless. I love the low end RPM power this car has. The torque curve is very flat on Subaru's 4 cyl engine. driving in snow is great. Heater and air conditioning is simple to operate. Wiper controls are fantastic and make sense. Cruise control on the steering wheel as well as radio controls are like a a more expensive car would have. Changing your own oil is a breeze as the oil filter is vertical and you can get to everything without driving the vehicle on ramps. Visibility when backing up is best in class. Paddle shifting manual mode transmission is handy holding gear downhill. For ~25K out the door a fine machine.
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- 2.5X 4dr SUV w/Premium Pkg, VDCMSRP: $4,49518 mi away
- 2.5X 4dr SUV w/All Weather, Premium Pkg, VDCMSRP: $4,45030 mi away
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Cant find a downside to this vehicle
subarublue77, Saint Augustine, FL, 01/22/2012
Subaru Forester 2.5X 4dr SUV AWD w/Premium Pkg,VDC (2.5L 4cyl 4A)
36 of 38 people found this review helpful
Did not know SUV existed until I read Consumer Reports. They rated this #1 in small SUV category. I test drove also small SUV Nissan, Honda, Mitsubishi, Toyota and the Forester out classed them all. I bought it used from the Subaru dealership (Jax, FL) and they had the Carfax. Took it to my mechanic and he said everything looked great! Wanted something that seats 4 & back seats go down so I can carry wood for my woodworking projects. Took it on a couple of long drives already and nice smooth ride. Car accelerates well given it is a 4 cylinder. I bought the SUV because of its reliability history and price. I read all the reviews on Edmunds.com and almost everyone liked their Subaru.
Bad Subaru Story
pick417, Reynoldsburg, OH, 07/05/2015
updated 07/06/2016
Subaru Forester 2.5X 4dr SUV AWD w/Premium Pkg,VDC (2.5L 4cyl 4A)
21 of 24 people found this review helpful
This past April, I purchased a 2009 Subaru Forester from Byers Subaru, Dublin OH and eagerly anticipated the ownership experience Subaru promises and proudly bases its reputation. Contrary to the Subaru promise, my experience over the first 3 months has been a nightmare. The first service was performed within a few weeks of purchase ($700). A month later the vehicle stopped running and required a tow to a Subaru dealership. Initial thoughts were a timing belt failure. $600 dollars later, we learned it was a timing belt pulley failure and would require extensive engine repairs or an engine replacement ($2500 to $6000). The timing belt was not due to be replaced for 10,000 miles. Continuing saga .....check engine light came on.....traced to faulty brake booster 300.00 repair cost. Does this kinda of crap ever end? Subaru is selling the public snake oil regarding how reliable their cars are!!
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Decent car, when it was working
B.G., Danville, CA, 08/08/2017
Subaru Forester 2.5X 4dr SUV AWD w/Premium Pkg,VDC (2.5L 4cyl 4A)
9 of 10 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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- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value