Used 2011 Subaru Forester Consumer Reviews
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I hate this car.
Tom B., 07/20/2016
2011 Subaru Forester 2.5X 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl 5M)
30 of 32 people found this review helpful
I owned a 1999 Subaru Forester and it was the greatest car I ever had. This is the worst. The automatic transmission can't keep up with the engine when accelerating out of a turn. It burns off the required watery oil like nobody's business. The cabin smells like oil when stopped at lights. The back hatch has to be SLAMMED to get it to close. It evidently requires a software upgrade now because it doesn't like to start on the first or second attempt. Subaru really lost my trust with this vehicle.....
- Performance
- Reliability
Nice overall package
naomispilot, 03/07/2011
2011 Subaru Forester 2.5X Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl 5M)
21 of 22 people found this review helpful
After test drives of the competition, the ride in this SUV was the best. Steering is good, and handling is responsive. The tilt/telescope wheel and power seat make it easy to get comfortable behind the wheel. It's been good in the snow so far. I installed aftermarket mud flaps, a good choice. Paint is a little soft/scratches easily. Engine is responsive, a little noisy but revs smoothly. Gear shift is notchy but tolerable and fine when you get used to it. The things I don't like about it, I decided at the test drive I could live with. No complaints on those things. The interior is well assembled, some materials are on the cheap side.
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Very Good Overall Package
premx11, 05/05/2011
2011 Subaru Forester 2.5X Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl 4A)
36 of 39 people found this review helpful
This is a very good overall package and an excellent value. Car is very sure-footed in rain and snow. Has comfortable ride and seats. Excellent visibility, has responsive brakes, steering, highly maneuverable, great sun roof - helps cool car quickly, responsive engine - a bit noisy on cold start, but smooth and quiet thereafter, excellent hauling capacity with rear seats folded, 4-speed AT is a bit antiquated, but shifts smoothly and is responsive. Integrated TomTom GPS & w/audio/video takes some time to figure out, but is not hard to use thereafter once you understand the controls. Mileage between 16 mpg in cold, city driving, & up to 29 mpg on the highway, w/overall ave. of 21.5 so far.
I like the roomy Forester, handles any situation
NWdoc, 03/29/2016
updated 10/02/2019
2011 Subaru Forester 2.5X 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl 5M)
20 of 21 people found this review helpful
I have had 3 Subarus now and always bought used. I bought this one 4 years old and it looked almost brand new. The interior room and back seat room is much better than previous Subarus, passengers have plenty of seat and leg room and head room. The car sits taller so the seats are higher and you can sit in from standing very easily.The older Foresters you had lower yourself into, meaning you have to get up out of the car. This was difficult for my elderly parents. I can take my parents easily in this car front seat or back. However carseats do not fit well due to curved back seat at the sides. There is plenty of cargo room, overall, the car looks nice. The exterior feels like there are more plastic parts than my older Forester. The interior of the 2011 (and i think it goes back to 2009 as well) has silver plastic which scratches easily. The dashboard part that is softer plastic and not shiny is sturdy. They should use the better softer plastic in the whole thing. The best part is that the wind noise is gone! my 2003 was almost unbearable on long trips due to the well known Subaru wind noise. They fixed that with the 2011. You still get road noise though through the tires, but not as bad as some cheaper cars. Accelerates well--i can get up to speed easily on freeways and pass people, but not uphill. That is the biggest drawback of the 4cyl--uphill is slow. The windows do not clear when you roll them down and up. The glass and side mirrors don't clear well as if there is still a film. I like the overall higher height of the car and putting things on top the car rack has not been a big issue. Mine did not have a hitch, so I had one put on for a hitch bike rack. This engine is soooooo noisy when you start it, but the sounds goes away after about 30 seconds. It uses a lot of oil, about 1to 2 quarts per month with the amount of driving i do. This is typical for Subarus. I have driven it in the snow in sport gear and it drove very well with snow tires on. I have had it on pothole dirt and gravel roads and it performed well. It has not broken down on me since i have owned it 4 years. started at 70,000 and now am at 135,000. I would say that the only reason i would consider getting a different car in the future would be to get one with an integrated smart phone connection and screen and nicer, quieter interior. I thought about getting a newer Forester recently but the newer ones only haul 1500 lbs. This 2011 can pull 2300 lbs. i bought a trailer, so i will stick with my 2011.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Best SUV for the buck!
Premium Forester, 11/06/2010
2011 Subaru Forester 2.5X Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl 4A)
19 of 20 people found this review helpful
I researched this purchase extensively. It's by far the best SUV for the $. Safety was my #1 priority. "Rear visibility" (a passive safety feature) is the best of any SUV on the market as is the drive-ability of this SUV (great turning radius). The new engine is great and the vehicle is affordable. The Premium w/All Weather Package is the best value (<$24k++). It packs all the most important and safety technology. It rides like a car and looks unique. Time will tell but so far it is proving to be a very wise purchase. I found each SUV I looked at had it's pro's / con's but in the final analysis of various data points it wasn't even close. I also get a lot of compliments on it.