Used 2021 Subaru Forester SUV Consumer Reviews
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Lovely
Anoniemoose, 03/20/2021
2021 Subaru Forester Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
58 of 64 people found this review helpful
I'm a 6'2" man with an unusually long torso. Most new vehicles come with standard moon roof, and no height control in the passenger seat. This means I do not fit in most new vehicles without special orders. Some of the only vehicles I fit comfortably in, with the trim levels I want, are the Forester (taller headroom) and Outback (standard option to delete moon roof). Luckily I love these cars. I have a 2021 Forester Premium with the power lift gate package, which adds rear cross traffic alert. The safety is fantastic. Subaru's adaptive cruise control can follow start and stop traffic, or intelligently slow down if the car ahead slows. It can also automatically steer and change lanes, although the system requires a good amount of input. It cannot follow hard corners for instance. Android Auto means I can use my phone's Google Maps for navigation. The tech is quite good even on less-than-loaded models. Overall I think the Premium pack with power lift gate is open of the better options on the market. It has buttons! I hate the Tesla style over reliance on touchscreens. They get dirty, and they're dangerous to use while driving. The Forester Premium has all the right controls (volume, climate) on physical buttons. Once you commit those controls to muscle memory it's a superior experience. The engine rocks. Reviewers complain that the engine is smaller in class, while praising best in class fuel efficiency. The two are related. The Forester has similar EPA gas mileage to my old Civic (!), and feels if anything faster. It corners like a dream. My wife is not a performance driver and she is still commenting on the lack of body roll. The Forester comes standard with a CVT which maximizes fuel efficiency. Drivers used to harsh manual transmissions often feel CVTs are weaker because they don't jerk as much. Think of the Subaru boxer engine more like a luxury experience - the power delivery is immediately and smooth at all speeds. I spend 1/3 the amount on gas that my family spend for their Land Cruiser, yet this thing can probably race my old Civic, with similar gas mileage. It's insane. It is also a Subaru in all the right ways. Tons of storage. I packed for 2 people for a week going cross country, and barely even used the back seat. We arrived at a muddy back road and engaged the X-Mode just for fun. The vehicle had zero issues and I arrived with more energy thanks to the excellent safety features and adaptive cruise control. Equally capable rock climbing as at highway speed. Complaints? The ride is quite stiff. It feels fine on the highway, but over poorly maintained city streets where truckers have built up brake zone ruts it's like a roller coaster. The infotainment system could be faster and integrate more seamlessly with Android Auto. When I plug in my phone I want Google Maps - make it happen. The steering assist is a bit annoying. It requires such constant input that I don't feel I'm gaining much. However, up models (especially on the Outback) have even more advanced navigation that likely makes this better. The stop-start cruise control with engine cutoff for efficiency is still a winner, it's just not a Tesla autopilot. Storage could be better. The cup holders are far back to put the X-Mode button on display, and the console has fairly small bins, so you're often hunting for a spot to put things. It's not terrible, but you get the feeling if they relocated the X-Mode button you could gain the storage you need. Rear headroom is poor with the moon roof, so rear comfort is a bit of a budget experience compared to the front. Interior is worlds better than the last generation Subaru, but they still need a design expert to to get rid of those last vestiges of awful cheap plastic where your hands go (especially around the door handle, and around the shifter, for me personally). Overall. Zero issues after a six-hour trip into mountains and dirt roads and mud. Dealership experience was ideal. Fuel consumption is beautiful. Subaru cruise control means you arrive at your destination fresher. Covid financing and warranty options mean I'll be seeing my dealer if anything happens, and right now that seems wonderful. This car makes me and my wife happy. We literally drove it from the lot to a bike shop. Subaru lifestyle is real.
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Checks all the boxes
Ken in Akron, 04/30/2021
2021 Subaru Forester Touring 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
19 of 20 people found this review helpful
For me, an SUV needs to have plenty of well-arranged space, a quiet and smooth ride, safety features, reliability and decent gas mileage. The 2021 Forester checks all the boxes. The Subaru Eye Sight system has to be one of the industry leaders, and has been improved even since my 2019 Subaru. I suspect some might feel that the car is under-powered, but merging onto the interstate is no problem, the fuel economy is much better than with a V6, and thi is an SUV, not a sports car
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My First Subaru
Ed, 07/12/2021
2021 Subaru Forester Limited 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
15 of 16 people found this review helpful
After years of Hondas and Toyotas and the poor treatment from the Toyota Dealership where I had purchased 7 Toyotas it was time to find different. During the pandemic I had lots of time to do online research and narrowed my choice to the Ford Bronco Sport or the Subaru Forester. The test drive and the style made the Forester my choice. We had two Toyotas to trade, A 2015 and a 2016 as it was time to go to one vehicle. The local Subaru dealer gave us $29,000 for the Toyotas and took $4,000 off the MSRP of the 2021 Forester Touring plus the 0% financing for 36 months made a great deal. The ride is great, the boxer engine is smoother than any V-8 we have owned also no torque steer when you accelerate. Visibility is very good and this is the first vehicle we have owned that I can see the end of the hood in many years. Very easy to get in or out of and the seats are great. The auto start/stop of the engine is annoying.`
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21 Forester Premium
G, 01/28/2021
updated 11/21/2022
2021 Subaru Forester Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
33 of 38 people found this review helpful
What a difference three years makes ! The 2021 Forester’s head and shoulders better than its’ predecessor. Proximity key makes for easy access. With key on your person, put your hand in the handle, and the car unlocks ( done from the passenger side, unlocks all doors !). Rear hatch opens seamlessly, faster than the previous model, also has heavier duty struts. Once the hatch is open, there is now a second button that closes and locks all the doors. Interior is rugged, especially the tailgate area being covered with rubber. Eyesight’s better than ever, but, lane centering option is very jerky. Another nuisance is having to turn off the engine shutdown feature, otherwise at each stop and resuming driving sequence, the engine restart is noticeable, but not to the point it jerks you around. Infotainment and Starlink are also upgraded. With the My Subaru app, you can start the car remotely, also being able set temperature and other settings. Visibility, ground clearance, AWD, interior design, safety features, great hwy gas mileage, plenty of cargo space behind the second row, Subaru’s commitment to quality and customer service. On the “down-side”: Lane keeping/centering is very “jerky” AVH smooths vehicle forward starts from a stop 👍👍👍 If engaged while backing up, reacts slowly, with a sudden jerk (as with lane assists) 👎🏼👎🏼👎🏼
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Will never buy any other brand ever again.
Austin P, 05/23/2021
2021 Subaru Forester Sport 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
11 of 12 people found this review helpful
I am absolutely in love with my 21 Forester Sport after 1 month and 900miles, it brings a smile to my face every time I drive it. I disagree with what is said in this review. I have been a die hard Toyota fan and a sports car guy, once I started to have a family I needed a change, and I couldn't be more impressed. This SUV accelerates and handles well. Is it going to throw you back? No, but what do you expect from a 4cyl N/A motor? I'd take it over a 4cyl Camry any day and I honestly have almost as much fun driving it as some of my previous sports cars, and it sticks in the corners on twisty, back roads.
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