Used 2015 Subaru Forester Consumer Reviews

Great Car

Purchased this car new in July 2015. I driven this car to Yellowstone, The Badlands and North Carolina this summer and fall. Averaged over 30 mpg on all three trips. Car drives great on the highway and I have been receiving 29-30 mpg around town. Despite some reviews I read about this car using oil, my car has not used a drop in between 2 oil changes. Highly recommend this car. Just turned 36,000 miles this September 2016. Car still getting 29/31 miles per gallon in the city. Have not had a problem so far. Now have 43,000 miles and have not had one problem. Still getting great gas mileage.

Acorns easily dent hood

I was very dismayed to find numerous dents in the hood of my new Subaru Forester. The cause? Acorns falling from the oak tree in my yard. Not large acorns but about dime-size. While it a wonderful idea to improve fuel economy by reducing weight through the use of aluminum, but a stronger aluminum alloy would easily prevent damage from minor debris like acorns. I now face hundreds of dollars out-of-pocket to replace the hood. And I can look forward to repeating this expense annually.

Very noisy inside and engine too!

Very noisy inside and out( engine too). Too expensive on maintenance every time you go to service have to pay for something extra. The interior is easy to get dirty and hard to clean. Should get a CRV or A Rav4 never again a forester. After we paid it up we’ll trade it its not worth keeping it

My first and won't be my last Subaru

I've had the Forester nearly 4 years now and put almost 75K miles on it. My first impression when buying the car was the front seat wasn't as comfortable as i would have liked and there is virtually no storage "cubby holes" in the cabin. The upside is I knew which model, options and color I wanted and got each one for the right price! I had not experienced the oil consumption problem until I made a mistake early in 2017. I crawled under the vehicle from the side and accidentally drained the transmission fluid thinking it was the oil pan. I added oil thinking i was refilling the empty engine and started the car. At the dealership getting this corrected I was told I wasn't the first nor will be the last owner to do this! Since then I've had to check the oil level periodically but for the life of me can't figure out where the oil is going (no leaks or smoke). The sunroof is huge and didn't care for it at first but use it often now. The leather seat itself is comfortable but I'm 5' 7" so my elbows rest a little wider than I prefer. Gas mileage is around 28 mpg on average overall which is only 3-4 mpg's lower than my last compact car. Cargo space is smaller than most in its class but adequate for what I use it for. The steering wheel material started peeling off where I grip it a year ago and looks pretty cheap. The sound system kicks @$$. The service intervals are set far enough apart the cost is kept relatively low to maintain the Forester. I spend about 4-5 hours a day in my car driving to clients and I'm happy with my purchase.

*** Edit*** after 4 yrs 60k miles, Don't Buy, junk

I've had my forester 1 year and already put 30K miles on it. I commute 80 miles a day and ride/race road and mtn bikes so spend alot of time outdoors in the woods and on long road trips. For my active lifestyle, the simplicity of function over amenities is perfect.. Wouldn't be my first choice if I needed a comfy and fancy family grocery getter but for what Subaru designed and market the forester for, its excellent. Even with limited package, my only real complaint is the head unit/speakers looks and sounds like garbage. Like so many said before, interior is plain and seats are firm but the trade off is durability which is what I was looking for. Drives nice in ALL conditions, reliable so far, good gas mileage, decent power, good visibility good value and appears to have great resale value even though I will probably drive this thing into the ground. ****Edit**** after 4 years and 60k miles, the motor is burning oil. Down a quart every 4000 miles to where the light comes on before every oil change for the last 10k miles. Dealership is useless, say its normal, nothing they can do, deal with it and to just add oil?????. I now use this car as a long distance commuter, weigh 175# and wear hospital scrubs so wear and tear should be minimal yet Leather driver Seat has a tear in the side and visual signs of wear. Valance that pops up when sunroof opens is covered in rust. I passed on the better looks, better technology and comfort from other brands thinking I was getting more durability and reliability. I was wrong, This thing is Junk. Wish I would of bought honda or toyota.****** EDIT***** 80k miles Leather continues to come apart on seats and steering wheel. Had to replace wheel bearings. Continues to burn over a quart of oil between scheduled changes. Paint starting to fail on back hatch even thought parked in shade and garage kept most life. Sunroof valance rusting even more, subaru refused to do anything about it till rusted completely through. Occasionally stalls when put in reverse from park. It is pushing 5 yrs old but gripes above still seem premature considering Subaru are supposed to be more durable than other brands...

2 years 24k miles. best vehicle I have ever owned

This is the best vehicle that I have owned! Do you want awd for rainy weather, snow, mud, etc? you got it. Do you want safety features? eye sight that helps to stop your vehicle before it crashes into something. if your sleepy it beeps when you start to cross your lane. Do you want easy of driving? I love cruise control but don't like getting close to slower cars. Mine has adaptive cruise control which automatically slows down and keeps a safe distance from the vehicle in front and speeds up when has the distance. 5 people fit in it but 4 is better for a long trip. took my 2015 forester from south Texas to the grand canyon. there were 5 and it was a bit tight. Sometime I take it awd in the mud and have a great time. Have driven on the beach of South Padre Island and it is great. Don't expect great gas mileage (I average 28) when in the mud and sand. Carefully drove up a steep mountain road in New Mexico when it was icy raining. I was happy to have my Forester.

Transmission went out- $8,000 to replace

The transmission went out at 120,000 miles. I have taken excellent care of this vehicle, all of the preventative maintenance (I have spent $1,600 just this year in preventative care). I still owe $8,500 and I am going to have to trade it in for $3,000, as the transmission cost to replace is $8,000 due to it being CVT. Subaru even told this is an issue with the 2015s, but I am out of warranty by 20,000 miles. Never again will I buy a Subaru since they have CVT now as standard.

3.5 yrs and 40K

This is our first Subaru... the reasons for choosin it over the Mazda CX-5 and others were as follows: Safety, the AWD, Turbo, Extended Warranty, easy in/out access for aging parents, reputation for reliability, off road capability, and resale. This is a great car for performance!!! We love the turbo, but they have done away with it for 2019 so we will probably be leaving the Subaru family for that reason and some others I will articulate later. Another thing we didn't think about at first, but that we really like now is the great turning radius. The freeway mileage is over 30 like 32 or 33, but I haven't validated that lately. We choose to get the manufacturer extended warranty (we do NOT recommend ANY third party warranty). Subaru threw in 2 yrs of normal service (not severe which is really what most people need), which is a plus. We opted for the 100K 84mo/7yr Gold mfg extended warranty AND WE ARE USING IT. We have not liked our dealer experience. The problems started on the day I drove it home. On the way home on the 5 fwy it smoked so bad I had to roll down the windows... it was a coating put on the engine to prevent corrosion as it crossed the Pacific. I think it was the first oil change that I encountered a problem with the dealership. The service guys forgot to put the engine cover on, which I discovered at home, and I had to return to the dealership to get it put on. The another time time they put too much oil in the crankcase... fortunately I checked it at home and they fixed that. Then, at about 36K and 2.5 yrs, the drivers side left bottom seat bolster has begun peeling and cracking. They agreed this wasn't normal and in March told me they would call me when the part came in... they never called. In June took it in to have the oil changed & a multipoint inspection using the Express Service (not scheduled), but they said it would be 2 hrs before they could get to it. I left and called the next time and finally got it in. They told me the front differential was leaking and that it would be a whole day to service it. We decided not to have them do it because we didn't want a major service to go wrong on our road trip. We used our Honda for the trip & scheduled it for when we came back 7/31... while we were gone they reschduled it to 8/1 via email with no reason given as to why. I took it in and they said it wasn't the front differential after all, but the CVT (transmission). They said if it was in the front they could fix it there, but if it was in the back they would have to replace the transmission and that could take up to 4 days. I thank God that we bought the Added Security Plus Gold $0 deductible warranty as this would have cost thousands of dollars. This happened at 40K, just beyond the normal warranty. I would NOT recommend buying a Subaru without the mfg extended warranty. Now, let me say that a lot of the problem is most likely my dealership, which has awards and is a #1 Subaru seller I think. It has, up until recently, always seemed very crowded and I attribute that to the increased sales. I would also say that we like the car, but that we feel Subaru is not listening to us as customers. We have talked with corporate customer service about things, but we feel there is a lack of listening on the part of the corporation. One of the biggest selling points for us is Safety... Safety includes not just crash proofing, and crash avoidance; but reliability, braking, and performance to get out of situations. When we purchased the "Subie" as we affectionately call it, it was an IIHS TSP. However, they seem to have done nothing to imporve it year after year, only cosmetic facelifts, which really are a waste of resources in our opinion. We would have prefered they raise the passenger side crash 4 Star rating to 5 Stars and innovatively found a way to change the rollover from 4 stars to 5 stars. We would have liked them to have offered the 2.5L 305 HP STi turbo with a CVT or manual as an option. We would have liked them to have tried to garner the best NHTSA numbers and IIHS numbers for safety and raised their standing/rating with Informed for Life. We would have liked to have seen them add a front passenger seat height adjustment & addressed customer complaints about the driver's seat. Instead of stepping up to the challenge, they have blamed the customers for low sales of the manual and turbo and used these sales #s as an excuse to drop them. The real problem is corporate decision makers... make the turbo run on unleaded & get 28 around town & 35-40 on the hwy & give it more power (after all the WRX STi is a manual with a 305 HP turbo). If 6% of their sales are manual Foresters and another 5% are turbos.. that is 11% of their sales for their best selling model... really it is inexcusable to disenfrancise and lose these customers because you can't won't engineer, innovate, pioneer, and adapt. They could make it a Hybrid with the rear electric rear wheels (Think Tesla Model X).

Great car but heating system could be better

We have owned our 2015 Forester for over a year, and have generally been very happy with our choice. Gas mileage is close to 30 mpg, which seems great for this size car. Front seats are comfortable, though the ride is considerably more bumpy for those sitting in the rear. Our only complaint is the heating system. We live in New England, so we need heat! The heating system is quite noisy at any setting above 1 (fan speeds are 1-4), and there doesn't seem to be much warm air coming out of the vents at floor level, so feet can be cold. Thank goodness we got the package with heated seats! My husband noticed that there is cold air blowing in through the glove compartment, so he improvised some insulation there. Subaru would do well to make some improvements in the heating system. The car is now 2 years old and it is still running fine- no issues besides the heat. One other comment I'd add is that the upholstery on the cloth seats shows every little spot, and is difficult to clean. Otherwise we are happy with the car.

Love it!

Still loving my Forester three years later. Drives today like the day I drove it off the lot. May have to think about getting new tires before the winter season. I have 50k miles on it - still original everything. Amazing. My only comment would be I wish they made the seats more comfortable. I understand that the brand itself is based on functionality and safety but more comfort in the bucket seats would be amazing.

Depends on your priorities

Gas mileage - awesome; nothing better out there. Sturdiness - OK, feels very lightweight like a tin can. Handling - very good. A/C - worst of any car I've ever driven, blows hot air at least 60% of the time; sucks cause I live in Phoenix :( and dealer claims it's due to "large cabin volume". Seriously? I've had bigger cars that do just fine with that. Eyesight accessory - love it. Trunk also slow on mine & sometimes doesn't work. Overall mixed feelings but probably wouldn't buy a car with crappy A/C ever again.

Skip the CVT attomatic transmission at all costs!

All I can say is, nice vehicle, but really bad CVT transmission.

My 1st Forester

I'm overall very happy, but truly not head over heals. Initial throttle is a bit too anxious; it launches forward just pulling out of parking spot or at a red light, so I'm training myself to press lightly on the pedal. Front seats: comfortable but wish they were deeper, they lack side support. Biggest disappointment: sound quality; it's a Limited so I thought it would have been better. Sound mainly comes from lower front doors; sounds tinny & the bass response is awful. I repeat my favorite songs & I've loved how my tunes sounded in my previous Jetta & Sorento (with base audio pkg) deep base and balanced in mid to high volumes, w/ Forester bass gets weaker & speakers crackle as vol goes up.

Very Good 2015 SUV

2015 Subaru Forester Premium

I have had my for a little over a week. It's been great so far. It is my first SUV and I have really enjoyed the experience. I am not a car buff, just an average driver, but here is my input. Leg room is best in its class by far. Lumbar support and driver seat make a very comfortable ride. Plenty of room to carry my bike when the back seats are folded. Gas mileage is pretty good and I am getting just below about the 27 average except when I am stuck in traffic. This has been the quietest vehicle I have ever owned, which was a pleasant surprise since some reviews of the 2014 model listed this as an issue. No issues in 8 days, but I do not expect any on such a new car.

Oh no! Tech no!

The computer system on this car is appalling. When I called to figure out how to change the time (Daylight Savings) because I couldn't understand the directions in the owner's manual, the service person who answered the phone said, "well, it's complicated." No kidding! The service tech tried to walk me through the toggling and the hold it for five seconds, etc. Still didn't get it done...I said FORGET it! I'll wait until it changes again! Don't buy a Subaru if you think technology will be simple...it's NOT....WHY do they make it so difficult? On my Toyota, you change the H on the clock and that's it! Come on now...you shouldn't have to have a technology degree from Harvard to understand how to change you clock in your car! I did it on my microwave, my oven...Please make the technology consumer friendly!! Then someone tell me how to change my clock without taking a course in computers!

Fantastic car; awful radio

Bought a Forester 6 months ago to replace our BMW because we needed more space and utility but wanted to keep the performance and traction in the snow. We love the car. Acceleration is astounding for such a big car. It gets up our driveway effortlessly in snow and ice when other SUVs struggle. Fuel economy could be better - we get 23-24 mpg with mixed but quite aggressive driving. Radio / bluetooth interface is truly awful. We opted not to get the touchscreen because it is apparently even worse. The radio sounds great but the user interface is overly complex, not intuitive, and highly frustrating. Subaru - fix it!

Transmission lacks proper low gears

This is our fourth Forester. The 2015 version is typical in ride and noise levels. The x-mode is a notable addition for low speed difficult conditions. However, for descending in dry, wet or reasonable snowy conditions the transmission is very poorly designed. The L shift is not adequate for good control and there is no L2. Excessive use of the brakes is required for control. The x-mode is not useful in these conditions because it cuts out over 25mph and it is necessary to slow to 12mph to restart it. If you live in a hilly or mountainous area this vehicle may not be suitable for you. We are disappointed and will trade it in for another manufacturer.

When life gives you lemons . . .

I strongly advice anyone thinking about purchasing a Subaru to read all reviews. Subaru has a known problem with oil consumption issues among their entire line of vehicles and the consumer has to pay the ultimate price. I purchased a brand new Forester in 2015 and at approximately 2500 miles the check oil light came on. Long story short after numerous trips back and fourth to the dealership and after several oil consumption tests (that the dealership had to restart due to overfilling) I had to get a new engine in my car at approximately 8K miles. Have had numerous alerts regarding check audio system, check ABS brakes and dynamic controls. The dealership refused to buy my car back from me but offered an extended warranty instead. I am now stuck with this lemon that requires almost monthly trips to the dealership to have the oil topped off. On my way there this weekend to check out my new audio system problem where my Bluetooth no longer functions with the car. It will be hard to make lemonade out of this lemon . . . Thanks Subaru.

Burns 1 liter oil in 800 miles, Bad Transmission,

I bought a 2015 Forester New had a fuel sending unit issue that was fixed under warranty in the first 15000 miles, engine started burning oil at 30k miles intermittently. on a 800 mile trip It would burn a quart of oil but wouldn't burn oil on short in town trips. I should have pressed the dealership or returned the vehicle under lemon law. Now the oil burning is constant. Tried replacing PCV valves and a couple other suggestions by the dealer but that nothing worked. Next the SRS Airbag sensor started going bad in the seat. The dealership said it was due to liquid be spilled on it but we'd never spilled anything on it. It had just been flaky and slowly started failing (since about 60k miles, $1100 dollar repair). The default is for the seat to turn off the passenger Airbag which leave the vehicle in a more unsafe condition. Bad engineering there. Default condition should be on. It's not like the sensor is capable of distinguishing between a person and a cell phone sitting on the seat anyway. Then comes the rear differential. Started howling just after the 100k warranty was up. when to change the fluid and it looked like it was full of glitter. not good. The sunroof stopped closing all the way had to get that fixed. Now at 150k miles the transmission is bad. $8k for a new CVT plus labor. Avoid Aubaru like the plague. Look at all the class action lawsuits for engine failures, etc. look at all the recalls. in my opinion based on the service recommendations and my experience, these cars are designed to make through the warranty periods and then die. Newer Subaru's are junk definitely don't buy one.

Gone with the wind

The Subaru Forester is a great car - gets great gas mileage, good acceleration, and lots of cargo space. BUT it has very unsafe handling capacity on windy days. Even mild gusts of wind pull and push this car all over the road. One particularly windy day, I was white knuckling the drive home down I95 - the car is so light that it took all my effort to control the steering wheel and not get blown into the other lane! I've also had terrible problems with the Bluetooth. Very poor sound quality during phone calls. And each time I got a new cell phone, the Bluetooth would stop automatically connecting to the phone once I paired the new phone with the Bluetooth device. I got so frustrated with the unsafe driving conditions on windy days and the malfunctioning Bluetooth that I used the car as a trade in and got a new Rav4. Fortunately the Forester holds its resale value and I got a good price on my trade-in!

High hopes but a bit disappointed

We purchased our 2015 Subaru Forester 2.5i primarily because it was the only crossover on the market available with all wheel drive and a proper manual transmission. Immediately we had issues with oil consumption which the dealer told us was normal. Oil consumption like this is not normal. We also have a BMW with over 250k on the odometer that doesn't consume any oil. After going back and forth with the dealer for nearly two years they finally agreed to fix the problem and replaced the short block, this reduced the oil consumption significantly, but it still needs about a 1/2 to full quart between changes. Around the 80k mile marker one of the rear coil springs broke, it was not under warranty and we were stuck with the cost of replacement. I found this very disconcerting considering the car has never been off road or abused. Then just recently at the 90k mark the passenger CV axle failed and needed to be replaced, again we're stuck with the cost. We bought the vehicle thinking Subaru's are extremely reliable, but this doesn't seem to be the case. I don't mind a bit of upkeep, but while I'm making payments on a car I don't expect to have to put this much into it. Overall it is a decent vehicle, but Subaru quality isn't what it used to be.

Most tire and road noise of any car I have owned

Very loud. It is the noisiest car I have ever owned. Unacceptably loud with studded snows or chip seal roads. Subjectively much louder than my Chevy Van or Jeep Wrangler with knobby tires which seems impossible but true. The front door arm rests are fabric. This is nuts if you have a light fabric because it stains and shows dirt. The fabric in mine was an overshot weave meaning that some threads are above others for several threads. Consequently, the upholstery snags easily pulling threads out. This seems impossible to fix without reupholstering. Also, it is a sold color not a heather or tweed mix that would hide stains. My Chevy van has a light colored interior and the upholstery has a tweed pattern that hides stains. It looks new after 13 years. The Subaru looked used the first time I drove it wearing suspenders that snagged the upholstery. It is very difficult to tie down a canoe or other load front and rear under the bumpers. There are a few places bu they are sharp sheet metal so you have to use quick links (chain repair links that screw open) to protect the tie downs. It has the worst acceleration from stopped of any car I have owned. I live off a busy road and do not dare pull out unless I have a country mile of room. Other than the above, it is a wonderful car. I am going to try to fix the noise by installing noise insulation. May work, may not. But they should have done it at the factory.

Not what I expected

2015 forester purchased new $27,000, trade in value now 13,000. 73,000 miles now. In the very beginning it burned more than two quarts between oil change. Amarillo dealer said that was normal “that synthetic oil evaporated while car sits still”. When it reached one quart per 1,000 miles Amarillo dealer said it needed a new engine and would cost me $ 5,000.00, at 72,000 miles!!!! Dealer in South Dakota did oil consumption test and confirm engine was faulty from the start. They put in a new engine at no charge. I am on my third set of tires, good ones. Rear backup light failed and stranded me in the middle of nowhere (has now been recalled) Air conditioner compressor failed at 62,000 miles, Repaired as “goodwill” gesture; although service bulletin states this is a faulty part. Rear bearings burned out at 42,000 miles; repaired under 60,000 mile drivetrain warranty. Heater is weak as hell. Takes over 10 minutes to warm in cold weather and fan on feet nearly non existent. Very disappointed. The “love” is not there. Check with other dealers before believing your local dealer!!! Only reason they comped the air conditioning compressor was that the south Dakota dealer told me they would not charge; as it was faulty. Also local dealer charged more, and did less, at 60,000 mile tune up. I had it done in South Dakota: showed them the list of items done in Amarillo: they said the list was what they did for 30,000 mile tune up. Different dealers different rules!!!!

I just bought my second one. I now own two!

Try it out , you will like it, insurance rates are likely to be lower too,

New to Subary

Just bought my new 2015 Subaru Forester. Price was good, inside room was great - head and leg room. Only had it 2 weeks, so still new to it but a few improvements / upgrades are needed 2018 - UPDATE; a/c &N heating system is inadequate, radio is OK, Bluetooth system is way to basic....you have to manually enter all phone#'s - does not link to all in cell like most Bluetooth systems do. acceleration is OK but not great. Would like to see this SUV updated abit in both looks and features

40k Update

Having logged over 40,000 miles and driving thru various terrains and road conditions, I am still very satisfied with my Forester. The CVT does take time to get used to its power band. If you live in an area with hills and 2 lane roads, suggest you get the turbo. For most driving conditions, the non turbo model works fine. I have noticed gas mileage will dramatically change with terrain and driving habits but overall mileage as expected. I had no issues driving in snow. X mode worked as advertised. I suspect other reviews that complained about performance in snow were probably driving on ice and no vehicle is safe on ice. Replaced battery and tires. Battery died after 3 years. Original tires were still ok but replaced with my preferred brand, Michelins. Have noticed that the idle , which was always aggressive due to CVT, seems to have gotten a little rougher with miles so upgraded gas to mid-grade. Overall the combination of all wheel drive, ground clearance, great visibility and utility make a terrific small SUV.

So close to great but ride spoils it.

Just purchased a 2015 Forester Touring 2.5 without NAV or Eyesight. I'm not totally convinced I made the right decision. The car feels solid, accelerates more than adequately for my driving style, love the CVT (always has torque on tap when you want it), fuel economy so far is amazing (going by trip computer), Harmon Kardon stereo is excellent, HID headlights light up the road. So why the doubts? First the ride is hobby horse rocky on poor roads. There was a section of I-5 where I thought the vehicle had a mechanical problem it was rocking so much. Second, the Bluetooth phone implementation is unacceptable in a 2015 car. I hope I get used to the ride but I'm not optimistic.

Buyers Remorse? The jury is still out.....

3rd Subaru, upgraded(?)from the Legacy. The Forester has me in a quandary. I read reviews did a test drive and thought 'not so bad'. Fully loaded with Eyesight, NAV and the Homelink mirror. 24 hours in the car,drivability is typical Subaru. Like other reviews, the interior is another issue. The steering wheel is a bit too anemic for the Forester. The center console is horrendous and did not notice that with Eyesight you lose the glass storage. This mismatched fit has me feeling out of sorts when driving. Right now not so happy with this and probably be the last Subaru. This will be a long 3 year lease.

Mostly a disappointment

2015 Subaru Forester 2.0 XT Turbo purchase late in 2014 - This is my first and my last Subaru. On the plus side, it handles and accelerates well and its safety record is (according to everything I've read) exemplary. On the downside, having just driven it through one of the worst winters we've had in these parts, I honestly don't see how this vehicle's symmetrical all wheel drive system is any better than any other SUV I've driven. I was not impressed. And Subaru's technology is both archaic and dyslexic with the Bluetooth being pretty much useless. When I tell it to dial a number, it repeats the number back to me and it ALWAYS gets the number wrong. The dealer has told me to speak louder - tried that, didn't work. Then they told me to speak softer - tried that, didn't work. Then they told me to turn off the fan - tried that, didn't work. Receiving calls while driving isn't a problem, but given the state of the Bluetooth system, when I want to make a call, I have to pull over and do it the old fashion way. Gas mileage is not at all as advertised. 23mpg city is an absolute fantasy. The reality is more like 15-18mpg. Throw having to use premium gas on top of that and you have one more reason I won't be buying another Subaru product. Air conditioning is ok, until the temperature hits the mid 80s. Then you sweat. Supposedly high end Harmon Kardon system fades in and out. Also had a tough time getting the rear hatch to open. Three different ways to open the hatch but none of them is manual. I've had occasions where all 3 didn't work and had to bring it back to the dealer. All in all I bought the Forester because of all of the great things I've heard about Subaru products. Sorry, I just don't see it. No more Subarus for me.

Could be happier

2015 Forester XT with Eyesight. Eyesight has some good features but could be better, slams on the brakes when a vehicle traveling in the same direction makes a right or a left turn, when gate arms rise up. The remote start only starts from 30 ft / 10 meters because it uses the same antenna in the car as the door opener and because this car has Eyesight.. not happy been a cold winter and I Live in Michigan, may as well not have it if I have to go outside to start it. body/hood is a bit flimsy. I liked my GL-10 better. Dident need or want a sun roof.

2015 basic Forester

I was told that the Forester was better for shorter people because of the high seat position, that's nonsense, I'm 6'5 and the extra headroom is fantastic, I have no leg room problems, I think this car is better for tall people. On the highway the car fells like its begging you to go faster, at 80mph you hit the accelerator and it booms forward, very solid at high speed. To leave my house I have to go up a horrific steep hill and with 10" of snow on it this winter the car in the L gear it went up as if the snow didn't exist, I watched other suv's struggle to do it, Honda's and Nissan's. The car can be noisy and it can be a little rocky but this is minor.

Great Car, But a Few Notable Complaints

We've had our 2015 Forested Limited for 8 months. Dislikes: Cheap (tiny) light in rear cargo compartment; cruise control can be adjusted up or down in 5 mph increments only (really hate this!); counter-intuitive nav system; driver-side power window is difficult to adjust to desired height. Finally, I've never been able to get 30 mph on a trip under any conditions, but this isn't a deal-breaker. Would I buy another Forrester: Probably, but I could be swayed toward a new Cherokee in a year or two. Just my two cents.

Money Pit

I purchased a 2015 Subaru Forester because I heard how the Subaru has a million mile club. I am a person who keeps my car for a very long time. In 2017 I purchased the 2015 Subaru. I have approximately 95k miles and the air conditioner compressor and the transmission need replaced. Over 5k of work needed on this vehicle. When I went to purchase my vehicle, they made fun of my 2009 Kia Rondo and wouldn’t give me anything on a trade in. I decided to keep the Rondo, it has 145k miles on it. I use it for my dog and some work transporting. So it is 2001 and guess what I am driving and guess what car is sitting in the driveway worthless? I expected so much more out if a Subaru.

Can't wait til the lease is up

MPG is a joke. We are averaging 13-15 mpg. Dealer says nothing is wrong with the car. My v8 4x4 extended cab silverado gets that kind of mileage. We are disgusted at this point. On the way to the dealer we averaged 13.5 miles per gallon. Glad to be rid of it. Subaru didn't want to do anything to help us and acted as if it was somehow our fault. Update. We traded it in on a honda I wish i had looked at them first. Three years with our Honda and we couldn't be happier.

Electronic Disaster

Year 1: Entire dashboard lights up with warning lights everywhere; stuck in the “I” fuel efficient driving mode. Dealership tells me I am not tightening fuel cap tight enough. This happens THREE times before they detect 2 faulty fuel sensors and replace them. Also, Bluetooth and audio system fail intermittently. Year2: After Bluetooth system completely crashes, I am told I am not pairing i-phone correctly and to bring it in and they will do it for me. Once they discover that indeed it is not user error but in fact the system HAS crashed, they reset the software to fix it. Continues to fail off and on. Year 3: Head unit/Bluetooth completely crashes again, they replace the head unit with supposedly updated unit. New unit crashes within 2 weeks. Am now waiting to get this unit replaced so I can dump this nightmare for another not-Subaru vehicle. One last comment: car’s display shows around 25-27 mpg when actual calculations show mpg to be around 22-23. Am told there is no way to re-calibrate this mpg display.

Five months of ownership

In five months I have put over 11,000 miles. It is a limited demo model had 5000 mile when bought. The main reason I bought the forester and not the rav 4 or the crv was the seats, especially the driver's seat. It is very comfortable yet firm. I hope I am not jinxing my car but so far the vehicle runs great.

Great for 30k miles, then constant repairs!!

I loved this car at first - it met all of my needs. But then guess what? Repair bills constantly for every little thing. Should have gotten a Rav4 or CRV!

Good car

It runs fun I love it. If the fuel efficiency can be improved, that's the best!

This One Checks All the Boxes

Let me start off by saying that I'm thoroughly impressed by the Forester. I moved up from the Legacy to give my family some more room & functionality. I enjoy fishing & camping, & this vehicle can take me there, & do so very efficiently. I don't think the vehicle is sexy & won't turn heads, but it's very handsome & clean looking. The interior is simple, yet functional & enjoy the simple straight-forward design and easy to use controls. The Forester is comfortable and roomy, although I wish the seats offered more cushion. Not too many negatives...I wish Subaru would change the way they allow the user to control the A/C, if you own one you know what I mean. Great vehicle, great value!

2015 Subaru Forester

What a junk!... And that is putting it mild. Bought new 2015. Rides like a bouncing ball when street is smooth. Very dangerous when trying to get out in traffic. Has very bad acceleration issues. So bad I took into Subaru dealership they said: We have noticed the same issue(s) but you are the first customer to notice. This leads me to believe Subaru is hiding these facts and are ready to take advantage of someone that does not know any better....

110,000 miles, going for 300,000

My Forester has been one of the best and least expensive cars to own. Regular, normal maintenance is all this car ever needs. They made it so that the timing belt is not required to be replaced at 100K miles. My husband's 2007 Forester is still going strong also. Besides taking me to work everyday and to town for errands, it's taken me between Colorado, Kentucky and Texas with never an issue... almost... Audio issue: It does seem to have a glitch in the audio system with my iPhone. Most of the time it works, sometimes the sound connection goes away. The bluetooth is still connected, as it doesn't drop my call, but I can't talk through the car's audio system, which means, if I want to continue my call, I now have to pick up my phone and put it on speaker (got to be handsfree, right?). This is also true for listening to music or books loaded on or through my iPhones current and past (both 5 and X). They put in a new audio system when it was still under warranty, but it started doing the same thing again. This is my primary complaint about my Forester. I have the Limited, non turbo. It's pretty zippy. Future wish: I do wish that they would configure these cars to be able to pull more than 1500 pounds. My husband's 2007 Forester is rated for 2500 pounds. I appreciate the fact that they fixed the required timing belt replacement at 100K miles. This has been a great car to own and we'll keep it for however many more years we can. It suits our purposes very well and is very reliable and seems to hold the road pretty well in inclement weather.

Don't buy a CVT transmission

Car manufacturers have completely destroyed an entire generation of cars with this Continuous Variable Transmission. Stay far away and just keep looking for a regular 4 cyl. Automatic transmission. Down side is most newer Japanese cars 2014 and on have them so be cautious. They need to be replaced. every 90-100k miles. The car is nice inside and out but the transmission is crap.

Happy n Here's Why

It's been a year and we are still very pleased. Below is my original review: All early reviews were great, but later reviews were a little more negative. We traded 2006 BMW X3 and were looking 4 safety and reliability. We are very happy and love how it drives. Feedback to negatives: Burning oil: It’s a CVT, it requires synthetic oil. Duh Red console: While red is the hardest color in the spectrum to read, it is also the easiest on the eyes. It is “safer” to have red, blue/white= bad. This SUV provides for a very comfortable ride & not as loud as described. Quick Acceleration: Reminds me to slow down & saves gas. I'm slowly becoming a Subaru dude. I don't know what that means, but my friend says I will start eating granola. We love the car!

not safe. intermit loss of power.

not safe: intermittent temporary loss of power up to 4 sec. service dept ran dx test & then refused to acknowledge the prob & stated the car is safe to drive.I refused to drive it and traded it in for a Honda CRV.there was recall & notice sent out a year later on a part that cracked & caused this.i was very disappointed in the car & how the dealer handled me. I would never buy a Subaru again. I was very disappointed in Subaru. FYI!:recently Subaru had recall for this problem!

Never another Subaru don't ever buy this car

We had a 2014 Forester, after about a year wanted to get some upgrades. After some looking we decided to stay with the forester and get a 2015. Now after only 13k miles and 8 times in the dealer tech has come to this conclusion on 2 issues. Issue 1. Our ac fan will not stay on high for more than a couple mins. They have said the car is not designed to have the fan on high for min than a couple mins. From there on it will cycle from high to about every 2 seconds. Really!! It gets better. Issue #2. When you step on the gas the car will not go over 15 or 20 mph for about a quarter to half mile. I am told that I should not expect the car accelerate continuously. Due to the cvt I should let my foot off the gas for about 10 seconds then try to accelerate again. I have nearly been in 4 accidents, I am going guess in the near future there are going to a lot more problems. And of course the bucking and rough idle normal too. This car is junk. Do not buy it.

Japanese Volvo

This car is well thought out size & space wise. The ride& handling is quite good. Interior is well thought out both size & layout of controls. I drove this car for several hundred miles & the seats are very good. The engine had enough power for the flat terrain I live in, the test will be in the very hilly & snowy area my son lives in.

Best car I’ve ever owned

It seems to have more room for storage in back than many of the SUVs we drove. It has zip and feels like it really hugs the road. We have had some pretty icy conditions on and off this winter and this car feels so secure. No issues in the year and a half I’ve had it. I have to say that I still think it was a great buy. I love my car!

Buyer Beware

Keep an eye on your oil consumption. We have to add a quart of oil every 1,500 miles and we are at 52k on a 2.5 year old car. A lot of online talk of many owners upset about oil consumption. MPG highway much less than advertised. Supposed to get 32 MPG in optimal conditions. the best average is 25mpg. Factory tires awful. Could only get 27k out of them and slid all over icy roads at 15k. Trying to reset time and date on dash, near impossible.

Traction Concerns

Trading in a 2011 Suby Legacy for a 2015 Forester, we expected the same sort of traction & stability on snowy and icy roads. The Legacy was far superior on winter highway trips around the lake from Wisconsin to Michigan, and I'd love to know the reason why. The Forester back end seems to want to slide out even when traveling on a highway in a straight line at modest speeds. Yes the roads were slick, but we shouldn't be the vehicle in the slow lane holding up traffic while being passed on the left by Civics and Camrys. Checking the tires next, but first Winter impressions were not good.