Used 2015 Subaru Forester Consumer Reviews
Used Forester for sale
Great car except for the transmission
mtski, 01/20/2015
updated 01/22/2018
2015 Subaru Forester 2.5i Limited PZEV 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
14 of 14 people found this review helpful
I did a lot of research before purchasing a new car and liked the performance, safety, and value the Forester offered. My prior car was a 1997 Jeep Cherokee (6 cylinder) that I loved. In terms of modern amenities, any new car would be a change, but I worried about missing the power and off-road ability of the Jeep. The Forester is great on ice, slush, snow, blowing snow, etc. It feels stable and peppy. Although I can tell it is working hard when going uphill, it doesn't feel sluggish. I wasn't sure how much I'd use the X-Mode and Hill Descent Control, but they were handy when we got 14 inches of snow over a layer of ice. It's comfortable and I enjoy driving it. After several years of ownership I still like the car a lot and really appreciate how well it handles rough roads and winter weather. It's very comfortable and I love the seat warmers. Putting the seats up and down in the back is also very easy (except for the rubber seat-back covers, which get in the way often, so I've had to figure out a trick to hold them out of the way while I put the seats back up). The car is a great size for transporting all kids of things, and I can fit 8 foot long 2x4s and other similar items inside. The climate control system works well; it's a little lacking on vents in the middle and back, but I've found that you can adjust the temp in the back pretty quickly by shifting the trajectory for the front vents. There are a few things that bother me about the car. First, the transmission is frustrating. It is sluggish when changing between reverse and drive and jerky at low speeds. I test drove 3 Foresters before purchasing this one and didn't notice the transmission's balkiness then, but it is definitely noticeable when you drive it regularly. I moved to an urban area with more traffic and found that the delay from reverse to drive or park to drive is long enough to make me nervous when pulling out into traffic or backing out of parking spots or areas where you have to move quickly. It also does not have much speed or oomph when you start driving, unless the engine has been running for awhile. This initial sluggishness has also been a bigger concern in the city where I have to pull out on a fast road soon after leaving my house. I'm not expecting performance like my Jeep, but I've had the Forester's accelerator to the floor trying to get it to go a reasonable speed. Eventually it will speed up in a surge and afterwards it starts being more responsive, but that initial delay is too long. I've asked three dealerships about whether anything can be done about the transmission issues and they've all said that it's a characteristic of this transmission. I planned to keep the car for the long term, but the transmission alone has made me rethink that. The second item is also a safety issue. The headlight indicator light on the dashboard is exactly the same for two different settings: 1) when the headlights, parking lights, and some of the other exterior lights are on and 2) when only the parking lights and some of the other exterior lights (i.e. not the headlights) are on (I read the manual and verified this by testing the lights myself). I'm not sure why the indicator light isn't different for these two settings, but this should absolutely be changed. The difference between headlights and parking lights can make a big difference in your visibility to others, but if you are driving in and out of streetlights it can be hard to tell initially that your headlights aren't on. I keep my headlights in the on position so they are always on when the car is, and I've caught the switch a couple of times on the way in or out of the car and shifted it to the parking lights without realizing it right away. The car locks are also a little frustrating. It seems strange that at least the driver's side door doesn't open from the inside when the doors are locked. You have to hit the unlock button - which unlocks all the doors - or flip the lock button for the door you are trying to get out of. Seems a minor inconvenience, but I don't know any other newish cars that do this except some base models, which this isn't. The Bluetooth and connection with my phone worked well at first, but within a few months something had changed and my phone and the car were no longer getting along. I have to re-pair the phone every time I get in the car if I want it to use the sound system. I've asked the dealership about it, they re-set the phone-car connection, but it doesn't last. I've ended up just connecting my phone with a cable to a USB port whenever I'm in the car. This doesn't bug me too much, but it is an area where the car doesn't live up to basic expectations. Overall, I really like the car and find it comfortable with good handling. If Subaru could address the transmission issue I'd plan on being a Forester owner for a long time. However, with the transmission as it is, I'm not sure I'll stick with Subaru.
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3 months / 5000 miles - Great Car!
Pearly White, 08/13/2015
2015 Subaru Forester 2.5i PZEV 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
14 of 14 people found this review helpful
Purchased car in Auburn, Washington, and had the best customer experience ever in over 40 years of car buying. Took a road trip to Yellowstone and was very satisfied with performance, handling, standard radio system. Averaged over 32 mpg on a trip that was mostly highway driving, but, included mountains and a few days of backroad touring on paved roads. Around town mileage is somewhat lower, but, averaging better than 24 mpg in suburban driving. Only disappointment so far is air conditioning effectiveness - cooling is marginal in direct sun when over 90 degrees (perhaps due to untinted windows on base model). Not a single mechanical problem has surfaced so far. Very satisfied with the car and ownership experience to date.
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2015 Subaru Forester for sale near you
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2014 Subaru Forester - Failed Transmission
Amanda, 01/06/2016
updated 01/07/2018
2015 Subaru Forester 2.5i Premium PZEV 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl 6M)
68 of 74 people found this review helpful
My problem started in May 2015 with approximately 30000 on the car. The car didn't want to accelerate when first starting. When stepping on the gas the vehicle lurched forward. I took it in to Subaru three times and they told me this was normal with their CVT transmissions. Finally at about 40000 I took it in a fourth time and I'm told I have a failed transmission. this was based on anise they heard coming from the engine. Subarus exact words and what is written on my diagnosis. I'm no mechanic but that makes no sense to me. They gave me an estimate of approximately $9,000 to repair. The vehicle has a 60k power train warranty. You would think Subaru would replace it under warranty. Nope. They are trying to not honor my warranty and stick me with the bill. I have had nothing but problems with this vehicle and with Subaru customer service. I told Subaru I didn't feel safe driving this vehicle with my three year old child. Subaru offered to reimburse my $30 per day for 5 days of s rental vehicle. My five days are up and I have yet to receive any response from Subaru Corp. Unacceptable Subaru!
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Heater problems
Harris Gurowitz, 04/14/2015
2015 Subaru Forester 2.5i Premium PZEV 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
58 of 63 people found this review helpful
Just purchase a 2015 Forrester based on high reviews in CR Magazine. I love the car. The only problem is with the heater. It is very slow to heat up the car compared to my experiences with Toyota Rav 4 and Toyota Matrix. Also the heat, when it does get warm does not heat the driver and passenger's feet area. I brought it to the dealer and they said nothing is wrong with the heater and no one every complained about it. That was not true, because going on line I found in Subaru chat areas that many people complained about the poor heat. I guess I will love the care for three quarters of the year when it is warm. I hope the air conditioner works well. Not hot enough to fine out.
2 year/23k update.
mcm0455, 02/12/2015
updated 02/13/2017
2015 Subaru Forester 2.0XT Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo CVT)
29 of 31 people found this review helpful
The Forester XT has been a solid and reliable vehicle for the past two years. It has performed its duty well as a outdoor activity vehicle that has included almost daily trips in the winter to ski, carrying my mountain bike on the tow hitch carrier, and several 500+ mile trips with my family. The turbo power is greatly appreciated for merging into traffic and passing on two lane highways. The handling is much better with the addition of a 19mm rear sway bar, and v rated summer tires. I run winter tires and wheels during the winter months and consider those mandatory for the snow and ice conditions. Overall gas mileage is good, averaging 22mpg lifetime, mostly in mixed driving. I have seen as high as 30mpg on extended highway trips with the speed in the 65-75mph range. Here with the 80mph highway limits, 25-27mpg can be expected. I changed out the turbo clamps shortly after purchase because the OEM clamps were notorious for loosening up and causing power loss and drivability issues. I check the clamps during the 6000 mile oil change intervals. No unscheduled maintenance issues over the past two years, just oil and filter changes. The OEM tires lasted 16k miles with 6000 miles rotation and correct tire pressure, but I do drive on curvy and steep roads so that may have shortened tire life. I just purchased some V rated performance tires and have really come to appreciate the big improvement in steering feel and overall grip. Overall, I am very pleased with the Forester XT.
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- Technology
- Performance
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- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value