Used 2018 Subaru Forester 2.5i 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl 6M) Consumer Reviews
Used Forester for sale
Better than Expected
Mark in the North Georgia Mountains, Blairsville, GA, 05/01/2018
updated 05/08/2024
Subaru Forester 2.5i 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl 6M)
113 of 113 people found this review helpful
We purchased a base model 2018 Forester as an economical everyday/trip vehicle to replace our 16 year old Mazda hatchback. We needed something with a little more room, but was still economical to own and operate. Another requisite was a manual transmission which is getting harder to find outside of sport models, but was still available in the Forester. This is our first Subaru, and we hope their reputation for durability and reliability are warranted. The vehicle has so far (1600 miles and about a month of use), proven to be better than expected. The interior comfort, quietness of the cabin at speed, ride quality, ease of entry and exit, storage space, and fuel economy have all been excellent. The fuel economy has been a surprise (over 29 mpg combined), in that we exceed the EPA estimates for the model without really trying. The manual 6 speed shifts well and the engine has plenty of power and torque for everyday driving. It has a roomy and comfortable back seat capable of long trips with little trouble. The only criticism so far is that some of the interior materials seem to have hard plastic finishes. The base infotainment stereo unit has an excellent sound and easy Bluetooth connectability, as well as great radio reception, and shockingly, a CD player for us old folks that like such things. The standard backup camera comes in handy for parking in tight places. It handles well on our mountain roads with some expected body lean (for the class of vehicle), and tracks well through the curves. The turning radius is excellent for a vehicle of it's size, for great maneuverability in tight spaces. The all wheel drive and ground clearance will come in handy for exploring the Forest Service roads around here, and when the snow is an issue. Overall, we are very pleased so far with the purchase. Update 11/1/2018 - We have now owned the Forester for 7 months and 9800 miles and are still very pleased with it. One thing I neglected to mention in the earlier review was how fantastic the brakes are in this thing. They have great pedal feel and stop the vehicle very quickly, which has come in handy on a number of occasions. The visibility from the cabin is much better than on any of our other vehicles which helps with confidence on the road. Plus we are still getting over 29 mpg combined mileage. I was disappointed to hear that Subaru has dropped the manual transmission option from the 2019 Forester, and hope they reconsider it in later years for those of us who prefer them. Update 11/1/2019 - We have had the Forester for a year and a half with over 21,000 miles on the odometer, and are still pleased with the purchase. We have had no issues at all and are still getting 29 mpg combined. If I had to nitpick, I would wish for the original equipment tires on the base model to have a little more aggressive AT style tread and a higher treadwear warranty, as the current tires are showing significant wear at this point. Given that we live in the mountains and have pretty much continuous curves and hills to traverse, I'm not surprised with the tire wear, but one can wish. Update 5/1/2020 - We have had the Forester for a little over 2 years now and the vehicle is still running great with no issues at all. Still comfortable, quiet, over 29 mpg combined, and holds contents like Hermione's purse. Still very happy with the purchase with no regrets. Update:5/4/2021 - Forester still running well, but I have 2 improvements to suggest to Subaru. First, at 32k miles, the OEM Yokohama tires are mostly shot, and have been getting more and more squirrelly in the rain for quite a while. Better, deeper grooved more AT type tires would be an improvement. Second, the rear brake pads are about in need of replacement with normal driving, which is way sooner than any other vehicle I have owned. Larger pads and/or calipers from the factory would be a great improvement, so that all four wheel's brakes could be replaced at the same time. Still comfortable and dependable, however. Update - 5/2022 - A little over 4 years and 40k miles and still happy with it. We replaced the OE tires at 38k miles, as they were shot and really bad in the rain. The Cooper CS5 Grand Tourings we put on are a huge improvement in wet and dry handling, although they are a tad less fuel efficient. Still averaging 29 MPG overall, comfortable, and reliable. Update 11/2023 - Over 50K miles now, with no issues and just basic maintenance costs. Still reliable, comfortable, and 29 mpg over the life of the car. Happy wth the car, and hoping it lasts a long, long time with the current vehicle pricing up to what it is now thanks to inflation and regulatory pressures. 5/2024 - Still going strong with no issues.
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Very good value for the price
Abe, Brooklyn, NY, 10/20/2018
updated 10/25/2023
Subaru Forester 2.5i 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl 6M)
12 of 12 people found this review helpful
I just purchased 2018 Subaru Forester, the basic model. This is the first Subaru I ever owned The car has a nice interior and is quite roomy. The trunk has plenty of room for storage, The car gets pretty good highway mileage (over 32mpg) and fair mileage fir city driving(mid 20's) I had a Honda CRV but I think the Forester handles better. It drives like a car rather than a SUV. The climate control is easy to manage and the blu tooth is a nice feature, The best feature ,I think of the Forester, is the visibility and no blind spots in the rear or side windows. For the price and its reliability grades, the Forester is a good SUV for its value After owning it for 2 years with 20,000 miles on it,, I never had an issue with the Forester. It is very reliable. Of all the cars and SUV's I owned before, the Forester is on top of my list
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Good until you hit 100k
Chappy, Milwaukee, WI, 02/01/2023
Subaru Forester 2.5i 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl 6M)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
Great little car….until it hit 100,000 Miles. I bought it new. Always serviced it at the dealer. Then things went bad. Two wheel bearings, two air conditioning pumps, two catalytic converters. No joke it went in twos. And not under warranty.
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A great combination of features
Jay Robinow, Olathe, KS, 02/04/2022
updated 08/08/2022
Subaru Forester 2.5i 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl 6M)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
My Forester Premium has a 6 speed gearbox which helps preserve an active connection to the driver. This was the last year for the choice of a manual transmission. I was not at all interested in a car with a CVT which is the only other transmission choice. The cabin has impressive spaciousness. The large windows and sunroof allow for great visibility and natural light. Informatics are good. AC and heater setting are managed with large simple analogue dials. This design is a huge advantage over touch screen management. Plastic surfaces are hard and a bit cheap feeling but add to a favorable “no nonsense” industrial feel to the car. With a roof rack , large interior cargo compartment and hitch receiver in place, it is a very accommodating hauler of practically anything. It is truly a versatile “Swiss Army” knife of a car.
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Oh my aching leg...
jackie J, Reno, NV, 10/08/2018
updated 04/20/2020
Subaru Forester 2.5i 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl 6M)
4 of 6 people found this review helpful
I love my 2018 Forester except for one MAJOR problem....driving long distances. Let me start from the beginning. I am newly retired but prior to that I have driven long distances to work. The greatest being 50 miles one way. The car that I had prior to my Forester was a Suzuki SX4 small SUV. I drove this car to my new home which was a 5 1/2 hour drive a few times, to and from work (the 50 miles) for 2 years and NEVER had problem. Now, I rarely drive long distance except to visit friends and family. Here's the major problem, after about 1/2 hour of driving, the back of my right leg above the knee starts to throb. After about 1 hour the pain is so severe if I am not on cruise control, I need to stop and walk around to ease the pain. I have no idea why this happening. I have tried changing the height of the seat which did not work. I did buy one of those large purple seat cushions which helps a little but it did not eliminate the pain. The seats of the Forester are shorter in the seat. Maybe this is the problem.
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