Used 2016 Subaru Forester 2.5i PZEV 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT) Consumer Reviews
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Scooby DO
Luzbel, Lehigh Acres, FL, 02/02/2016
Subaru Forester 2.5i PZEV 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
59 of 62 people found this review helpful
I believe this car is for the person who is focused on having a reliable, functional, simple yet user friendly, safe SUV. If you want a car that will change and powder you, this isn't it. This a car for someone who wants some of the luxuries of what is expected in modern cars but not really super fancy. When I set out to find a new vehicle, I looked for, reliability, power, all terrain capabilities, handling, decent looks, space, economy, and comfort. All of these have been met and surpassed. <br><br> The car looks well built and symmetrical. No weird chattering or shaking, no cheap plastics, no seemingly loose parts, and according to my research on engine and trans, they are bullet proof (figuratively speaking). That's to be expected from Subaru though. 5th on the best quality cars in 2015. <br><br> I was afraid that the 170hp 2.5 Boxer would not be enough for an suv but I have never been more wrong. It has ample power and moves briskly. Its not the turbo version by any means but definitely gets out of its own way and, not that I recommend it but, it has enough power and torque for spirited driving, off-roading, and hills. I've never liked a car that cant react quickly to the throttle, and the throttle response is great. I believe Having power is just as important as good breaks and handling to get out of dangerous situations and the forester has it all. I'm also a manual transmission kind of guy and I went with the CVT because of my Girlfriend and the economy. I'm blown away by the performance of this thing. Die hard, traditionalist, Manual trans folks, it ok to trust the CVT its nothing like the laggy ATX's of the past. <br><br> I have not done much off-road driving but what little I have done, I can hardly tell the difference between tarmac and gravel. This car likes to grip the road and not let go. Im newish to AWD and the level of command this car has on less-that-desirable road conditions is outstanding. Compared to something like the RAV4 this is true AWD and behaves as such. <br><br> As stated above the handling is great, you point the steering wheel and there it goes. At first I was a little turned off by the lack of steering feedback but the comfort it provides when driving down bad roads is a blessing. You don't have to fight this car, it is under your command and will do your bidding. The body roll is minimal. It has less body roll than many sports cars I have driven, coupled with the symmetrical AWD, its fun on the twisties, for an SUV that is. The braking is also very responsive and I have already had experiences with people cutting me off and it just digs in to the ground but doesn't take away your control. If you want to test a cars brakes, come to Florida during season. This car is Florida season approved, if there was such a thing. <br><br> Looks are great, much preferred over the past models Subaru has put out, but then again that's a matter of opinion. The forester doesn't brandish fake scoops or anything to augment its looks and thats how I like it. I like simple and it looks great while being simple. <br><br> The space is ample inside. I traded my crew cab chevy 3500 for this and I am happy with the space. Nowhere near a large SUV but I keep thinking its larger on the inside. Might have to name it Tardis but its not blue. <br><br> For the power and space the 2016 Forester offers is really economic. It has enough get-up-and-go but also has superb gas millage and if you find the sweet spot and hit the cruise control you can easily surpass the EPA rating. <br><br> The way I define comfort is that the car does what it needs to do when it needs to do it while making the experience a positive one. It doesn't have temperpedic seats with butt warmer and a coffee maker, but as previously stated this is not what Subaru had in mind with this car, or so I think. This does not mean its uncomfortable, I like the seats (great lumbar suport), tilt and telescopic steering wheel is really nice to get that perfect "in control" feel. The leg room is ample and the storage is great. Getting in feels like a large car, and looking out of the windshield feels like an suv. The windows are big and there is virtually no blind spot to speak off. a quick glance to the side, after looking out of the mirrors, is more than suited for merging. Batman could drive this and not worry about raising his insurance premiums due to his limited neck rotation. <br><br> Overall, I couldn't be happier with the car, Its what I wanted, something nice, comfortable, reliable, strong, with excellent off-road capability and economy that matches that of cars. Very well rounded vehicle.
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Absolute best bang for your buck
Kevin Spacey, Rochester, NY, 03/06/2016
Subaru Forester 2.5i PZEV 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
23 of 24 people found this review helpful
I have spent nearly 100 hours over the past several months reading/watching everything I can about midsize suv's and trucks. I test drove a number as well. I had shyed away from Subaru mostly because I was never a fan of their appearance which is why it took me so long to start researching them and eventually test driving. I was blown away at how much you get for the price. The quality is obvious the minute you see one in person and take it for a drive. The standard AWD is unbeatable. It feels heavy yet has this velvety smooth acceleration that makes you feel one with the pavement. The outward appearance is deceiving. It doesn't look huge but when you step inside its like an entirely different vehicle. It's extremely roomy inside and the oversized windows open it up even more. I test drove a RAV4 with comparable features and it felt like a large Corolla and was way pricier. If you're even thinking about a vehicle in this class you need to test drive the Forester. It'll sell itself.
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2016 Subaru Forester for sale near you
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Great Value in CUVs
John Cihak, Owings Mills, MD, 02/08/2016
Subaru Forester 2.5i PZEV 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
37 of 40 people found this review helpful
First of all, I am writing this review keeping in mind its for a CUV and not a sports car. A traded a 2010 Honda CR-V for my 2016 Forester 2.5i. I also test drove a Honda CR-V, HR-V, and many Subaru models and trims Since I already own a sporty car, my purpose for buying the Forester was practicality. My reasons for picking and loving the Forester over other choices: - Quality of material are superior. The seat fabric feels better and more durable than on the CR-V. The plastic trim feels really nice and is soft-touch in most places. The switch gear (knobs) are very solid. The doors, door panels and seat frame are solid. - The 2.5 boxer engine and CVT provide much better acceleration than my old CR-V. Its on par with the new CR-V but it handles better. - Visibility is outstanding. I feel much safer being able to see around me so well 360 degrees. Most CUVs have poorer visibility. - Subaru AWD is best in class. The OEM tires are mediocre, but that is true of most OEM tires. - Storage space is excellent - on par with the CR-V. - Cabin tech is much better than I was used to. I paired both my wife's and my iPhones. You can set it up to automatically connect to either phone when do so manually when the car starts. I use Apple Music and have steering wheel control of Apple Radio, playlists, albums, etc. Pandora integration is also excellent. It all works over BT or over USB - your choice. - Handling is better than I expected. I drive a very rough, windy road for a few miles each day. The suspension tracks very well and inspires confidence. - MPG is very good. I used to average 24.5 mpg with my 2010 CR-V. In the first 1000 miles I average 28.5 mpg with the Forester. I expect that to get better after break-in, with warmer weather and summer gas. - My dealer was great. I asked them if I could get heated seats added to the base model. They took care of getting them installed (after-market). Considering the Subaru's TMV and my trade, they didn't charge me anything for the upgrade. And a few cons: - With the base Forester I got manual seats. I wish they were more adjustable. - Subaru could have provided more storage nooks in the dash Considering the passenger volume, cargo volume, great CUV mileage, and quality, the Forester is a steal.
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2016 forester 70,000 mile review from Apex MT
FreeDeep, Dillon, MT, 10/26/2018
Subaru Forester 2.5i PZEV 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
11 of 11 people found this review helpful
The good No mechanical or electrical problems so far. Doors open extra wide, helps at times. Fuel economy 22-28 mpg at highway speeds, 300 miles for sure on a tank of gas. 4wd snow traction is good with Altimax or Hankook tires. Wet road traction is excellent with either of these tires. OEM tire traction was terrible on rain or snow, outright dangerous at times. Switched to 16” steel wheels, 16x6.5, these are spare tire wheels for year 2012 or older. Put regular valve stems on them and just run with the dashboard tire light always on. Engine good low speed acceleration, mostly ok highway passing. Good brakes. Good outside visibility in all directions. Steering wheel adjusts up/down and in/out. Air filter lasted for 60k miles. Sounds like a lot of folks don’t know how to properly check an air filter or dealer is selling parts not needed. I am an ASE certified mechanic so I know air filters, etc. Split rear seat is nice, room for skis, bags of mulch, etc. Nice heavy duty floor mats, much better than after-market. Hood release is out of the way of snow boots, so lifting foot does not release hood. Previous Toyota was real bad. The bad Engine oil consumption: immediately switched to 5w-30 conventional oil for 11,000 miles with oil changes every 3k miles. Should have done this for 20,000 miles. Then switched back to 0w-20 full synthetic oil. Current oil consumption is less than 1 quart between 6000+ mile oil changes. Fine print in manual said 5w-30 was ok. Slight vibration seems like from CVT transmission during mild acceleration. They say no need to change trany fluid, so will sell car if it makes it to 120k miles. Interior heater only good down to freezing, below that best to let the car warm up for at least 10-15 minutes so windshield can defrost. Wife says it is a COLD car. So much for the PZEV. The seats are real firm, takes getting used to, we added a towel since there is too much lumbar, no adjustment. Original Subaru seat covers catch everything, stain easy, clean-up water stains them too. These are the worst seat covers for stains, that I have ever owned. No windshield tint, lots of sun glare around rear view mirror. Made cardboard insert to stop glare. Key buttons are too small for large hands, too easy to set off panic mode or wrong button. No place for left foot if wearing snow boots. Don’t run over snow chunks, they break the entire mud flap off. Delay of vehicle movement shifting from forward to reverse or back is bad/dangerous, have to plan for this lag time. High beam headlights do not add much distance or brightness. Really poor lighting when animals are on the move. Too much blinding glare from radio entertainment screen when sun shines in at the right angle. Resetting the clock is for the young generation that feels rewarded when they push lots of buttons.
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First Subaru and very happy
Mike from southern Indiana, Martinsville, IN, 08/29/2017
updated 09/09/2024
Subaru Forester 2.5i PZEV 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
10 of 11 people found this review helpful
I'm pushing 70 and have owned many, many vehicles in my life. I have another SUV and a nice sports car, but I wanted something for snowy days that didn't cost much to own and operate and was reliable. I have about 20k miles on this 2016 now and am very happy with the purchase. It was the best value available. I was a little concerned about the oil burning issues of the previous three years, but this one doesn't use a drop of oil. Likewise, I didn't know what to expect from the CVT, but it is just fine. It just doesn't sound like other cars when accelerating. Also, when we first test drove the vehicle, I thought the seats were too bouncy, but I've come to like them, and I find they are very comfortable on long trips. The back has plenty of cargo space and the windows are like driving around in a greenhouse. The visibility is something you need to experience to know what you are missing in other vehicles. You will need to get them tinted, especially if you live in a sunny location. There are just a very few things I don't care for or that could be improved. The sheet metal is really thin, but so were all of the competitors. The paint shows a few chips, but the vehicle is white and the touch up paint blends in well. I wish the doors would automatically lock. I can't figure out why the Subaru engineers don't do this. It wouldn't cost a thing and it would improve safety. The accelerator is a little sensitive. I suspect the engineers wanted to give the illusion of being peppy. It is not needed. The radio is OK, but I don't use any of the tech. Lastly, I don't care for the Subaru dog commercials. I know they sell cars, but I wish they would just focus on letting people know what a good value these vehicles are. I intend to keep this one a long time, so I installed some of the plastic door protectors and a rear bumper guard. The only other extras this vehicle has are alloy wheels and the roof rack. The vehicle is just perfect for us. Update at 30K miles: MPG still about 30. No problems with oil or CVT. I'm beginning to have a lot of confidence in this car. Update at 55K miles: Still no problems or any unusual expenses, but will need to replace tires this summer. I think I have a keeper with this one. Updated at 80K miles. Started using about 1/2 quart oil per 5K miles, so I switched to Mobile 1 and everything has been perfect for the last 20 K miles. I trust this car so much that I just bought a new '22 Forester. With only two Subarus I am hardly an expert, but it seems to me that if you just perform regular maintenance and pay attention to such things as oil level and tire pressure, these cars will last a long time. This is the only vehicle I've ever owned that still feels safe in bad weather. Update- September 2024 - 98K miles - I did have to replace the original battery last month. Otherwise, everything is working just fine. There is no oil consumption, and both the exterior and interior look nearly brand new.
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