Used 2018 Subaru Forester 2.5i Premium SUV Review
Consumer reviews
Read what other owners think about the 2018 Subaru Forester 2.5i Premium SUV.
Most helpful consumer reviews
My 2nd Forester
RSJ, Winter Haven, FL, 06/13/2018
2018 Subaru Forester 2.5i Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
I owned a 2017 Forester Premium 2.5i that I bought in the Summer of 2016 right after the '17 updated model came out. I had a few bugs over the two years I owned it but nothing debilitating. I decided, when some great incentives and 0% interest came along at my local Subaru dealer, I would upgrade to a 2018 model with Eyesight - I did not opt for this on my first one due to my lack of … knowledge about it. After researching the last couple of years, the Eyesight became a safety priority for me so I purchased a 2018 Premium model with Eyesight, cross-traffic alert, blind-spot monitoring and also the all-weather package which came with fog lights and a power tailgate. I looked at a touring model with the brown saddle leather - nice look but here in Florida it was like an oven in the car with the dark leather so opted to stick with the premium trim - and saved over $4,000! I am pleased so far with my upgrade to the '18 model, seems as if the minor "bugs" have been worked out and it has a very solid, quality feel to the entire vehicle - the Eyesight is amazing technology and am so glad to now have it on my vehicle...the last model I owned was my first vehicle with a CVT transmission and it took a lot of getting used to but I have become accustomed to it and find that many aspects of it I like - yes, it has a strange "feel" sometimes compared to old style transmissions but it accelerates nicely and doesn't "hunt" for gears on inclines or in slow driving like old style ones do and in the '18 model, they seemed to have gotten the programming right since it feels very smooth so far....for kicks, I went and test drove a new Accord with the 2.0 Turbo and 10 speed automatic transmission...what a disaster that transmission is! The thing stumbled and skipped the entire drive...not a pleasant experience and I compared the new CR-V while I was at it and it pales in comparison to the Subaru with slow acceleration, lower visibility and a less-connected feel to the handling in my opinion...bottom line is, to me, there is no comparison to the solid feel, amazing visibility, handling and the award-winning Eyesight safety system of the Subaru compared to the other major players -- the amount of equity I had when trading mine recently, shows the strong resale and residual values of the Subaru. Keep the Forester on your list if you are in the market for a compact SUV.
UPDATE: I have now owned my 2018 Forester for over 2 years. I am still very happy with it and have had no reliability issues with it at all. It remains a simple, reliable, easy-going vehicle to drive every day.
UPDATE: I have now owned my 2018 Forester for 5 years. I have had no major issue with it at all and still enjoy driving it very much. In fact, I am headed out on a road trip this summer so counting on my Subaru to be a great companion on the road! Next year, I am considering trading for a newer model Forester - we'll see what the 2024 re-design is like.
Pleasantly Surprised
Eddy Chestnut , Mentor, OH, 03/31/2018
2018 Subaru Forester 2.5i Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
I can’t speak to the long term reliability but the 2018 Forester is in the last year of its current generation, so theoretically most of the bugs have been worked out and a lot of the little imperfections have been smoothed out. These facts made my decision easier, any knowledgeable mechanic will tell you not to buy a vehicle in the first couple years of its current generation.
I’ve … drove automatic V6 vehicles for the last 10 plus years and was apprehensive about a 4 cylinder CVT drivetrain. I was instantly shocked how smooth and powerful the combo transfed thd power. The 4 cylinder boxer/Cvt feels soo much more refined than my V6/autos up hill, highway merging, passing on highway, absolutely no compromise or concerns! I can’t say enough how happy I am with the mechanical performance. I also got to drive it around in 3 inches if snow it was as surefooted in the snow as any 4wd vehicle I’ve ever driven. With last years added sound deadening I found the cabin to very quiet and comfortable. Also the suspension feels composed on rough roads.
It would of been nice if the 2018’s came with Apple Car Play but it wasn’t a deal breaker, as the factory Starlink 7 in. unit is pretty slick, and has performed perfectly.
Gas mileage has been really good so far, and I would expect it to get even better after the 1000 mile break in period us done.
I wanted a Jeep Wrangler my entire life but once I started researching Wranglers I quickly saw the Jeeps lacks value, and safety features. To me the Forester seemed like the perfect substitute for a Wrangler. The Forester has an panoramic moonroof, way more safety features, gets way better mpg, and most likely way better reliability. Not to mention Subaru gas better financing and are considerably cheaper msrp than a comparable Wrangler. Not to turn this into a dump on a Wrangler review, nothing else totally compares to one but for my situation this is what made sense.
Great little SUV With antiquated electronics
Mark Baldwin, Rochester, NY, 06/19/2018
2018 Subaru Forester 2.5i Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
I love the car and do not regret the purchase. The Good: Handles and drives as well as a car. Very intuitive controls. Surprisingly spacious back seats. Truly AMAZING visibility, really bucks the trend here! (I drove the Ford Explorer for almost 10K miles and hated it on all those points.) Eyesight is ok, the Adaptive Cruise Control system is a feature I love and will insist on in any … future car. Makes driving in traffic so much less tedious. The bad: Climate system's auto mode refuses to blow on the feet. Switch it to also blow on the feet as well as the top and "auto" is disabled. WHY!?!?? The Adaptive Cruise Control system will slam on the brakes unexpectedly if someone makes a right turn in front of you and doesn't have a clearly painted separate lane for right turns. doesn't matter if there's lots of room or not. The UGLY: Radio is clearly an il-conceived leftover from the last century... No Android auto. Takes 30 minutes to re-index a thumb drive every time the car is turned on. Forcibly autoplays something from your phone when the car is turned on if you had bluetooth selected as your audio source last time the car was driven. The "smart" features are generally counter intuitive, provide no value and the "entertainment" system as a whole detracts from the whole ownership experience. Sadly its complicated dash integration makes upgrading very difficult and most likely unsatisfactory from a cosmetic standpoint.
NOISY and with dangerous steering wheel jerking
FiberArtist, Ozawkie, KS, 03/21/2018
2018 Subaru Forester 2.5i Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
This is the noisiest car I have ever owned. Terrible wind noise through the windows and the sun roof. I consider the steering to be dangerous, as it almost pulled me off the road on a curve and constantly jerks to the right even when I am directly in the middle of the lane. I've read complaints from others that this appears to be connected to the lane sway feature of the electronics … (not the lane departure feature). The dealer says it's all in my head, although the loaner car they gave me was like a normal car that had smooth steering and the steering wheel didn't jerk once. I consider my car a lemon and I regret buying it -- especially when the men who sold me this car keep ignoring my complaints.
UPDATE: Subaru Corporate says the terrible wind noise is "just the way it's designed". According to several test drivers of the 2019 Forester, this problem has been fixed. Regarding the steering wheel jerking, I was told to turn off a "safety" feature to get it to stop jerking in high winds and on bumpy back roads because it reads as "driver drowsiness" and slightly jerks the wheel. If car is buffeted again soon after the first one, it will strongly jerk the wheel to "wake up the driver". It almost put me in a ditch when it did this on a bumpy back road on a curve. I have to deliberately turn off the "safety" feature every time I get into the car.
Edmunds Summary Review of the 2018 Subaru Forester 2.5i Premium SUV
What’s new
- Black Edition package includes black-finished wheels and trim
- Touring trims get the EyeSight safety bundle, automatic high beams and reverse automatic braking as standard
- Part of the fourth Forester generation introduced for 2014
Pros & Cons
- Pro:All-wheel drive comes standard and doesn't sink fuel economy
- Pro:High ground clearance offers better than average off-road ability
- Pro:Airy interior with plenty of room for adults both front and rear
- Pro:Optional turbocharged engine makes Forester very quick
- Con:CVT feels less responsive and refined than a traditional automatic
- Con:Handling isn't as sporty as some rivals
- Con:Cabin design and materials are just average
- Con:Modest tow rating limits overall utility
Which Forester does Edmunds recommend?
The standard 2.5i is well equipped for a very reasonable price, but we think it's worth stepping up to the 2.5i Premium. It offers a sunroof and improved seats and media interface, among other conveniences. You can get other luxuries, but we think the Premium offers the best value.
Full Edmunds Review: 2018 Subaru Forester SUV
Driving
7.5Thanks in large part to the XT's 250 horsepower, the Forester is arguably the best performing vehicle in this class. Combined with confident braking, precise on- and off-road handling and multiple driving modes, the Forester is one of the best in its class.
Comfort
8.0The Forester's comfortable cabin and quiet ride make the case for taking this SUV out of the city and onto the open road. The ride is well controlled across all surfaces and most everyone will be able to find enough room and creature comforts to stay happy for hours at a time.
Interior
7.0There's nothing exceptional about the Forester's interior, but it shows the efforts Subaru has made to bring this SUV up to par with its competition. An overload of screens and redundant menus, along with an unusually high seating position, are the biggest marks against it.
Utility
7.5Practicality is definitely one of the Forester's strong suits. With plenty of headroom for day-to-day items, there's also no shortage of space for larger bags, groceries or camping gear. But all that practicality does come at the expense of room for larger child seats.
Technology
6.5Though the new center display is a welcome step forward for Subaru in terms of both resolution and usability, the lack of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is a big disappointment. Subaru's own suite of safety features is very comprehensive and has improved since last year.
Edmunds Insurance Estimator
The Edmunds TCO® estimated monthly insurance payment for a 2018 Subaru Forester in Ohio is:
not availableLegal