1998 Subaru Forester consumer reviews

My Forester was very beat up (hail damage, minor collision damage, broken windshield, muddy interior, etc) when I got it and I did my best to clean it up and restore it mechanically because it leaked, smoked, made terrible noises and generally felt like it would grenade itself at any time. After spending time and money fixing it up, I would call the car very average as a car. For it's age, the plastics and interior rubber bits held up extremely well. The seats held up very well despite the abuse. Storage space was quite ample in the rear and it behaved like a wagon transporting things as large as a water heater or two mountain-bikes in the back with the hatch closed and seats down. Driving it was not "fun" or "engaging" it just did it's job and didn't complain. AWD was amazing in the snow, rain, and ice. It's relatively light compared to many modern cars and handled as such. If I needed that much space again, I'd look at another Subaru in better condition.

Loved it so much that I purchased a brand new one ! 🤠👍 I have recommended it to family and friends. My mother and brother have also purchased one.

This car has been amazing. I bought this car years ago with 150,000 on it. It currently has over 200,000 miles and is still kicking. I have the S model so I have the dual adjustment heated cloth seats which are amazing, and I also have the compass which is still very helpful. For a car from the 90's, it has all the things I need and more. SO much storage space and a comfortable ride. I would definitely buy another one of these but in a 5 spd. One complaint though is the gas mileage is terrible for a 4 cylinder, but it was good for the 90's.

Excellent and very reliable vehicle. Solid AWD performance in sunshine, Rain, Mud & Snow. The fold down rear seats provide plenty of cargo and the roof rack is an added bonus for carrying ladders or additional luggage.

This car was awesome. I bought it with 140k+ miles and it well exceeded my expectations of a 15 year old car. As my first car, I rode it pretty hard and it ended up needing frequent repairs. I traded it in after 2 years but still miss it very much.

This car is absolutely amazing. I bought this car from my brother who never took care of it about a year ago for super cheap. He never changed the oil or any fluids (11,000 on oil and transmission fluid was black and no power steering fluid) and it still runs amazingly well. I honestly wasn't expecting it to last too long. I've had to put some work into it due to the lack of maintenance like replacing the power steering pump, but overall this is a very well built car. The suspension is super solid and I love taking fast corners in this car when I'm just cruising around. The all-wheel drive has gotten me out of a lot of sticky situations as well. This car is just fun, simple, and reliable. I recommend it to anyone looking to buy a car for their son or daughter or as a cheap grocery-getter for yourself. My Forester currently has 140,000 miles and is still running strong!

Accidentally left all the interior lights on all night long and the car still started up no problem. 5 speed manual, very easy to drive. front and rear cigerettlighters so could charge my cell phone up in both places. Over the console there is a compartment for thing like sunglasses or other small things. Driver & passenger airbags.

Oh I love this car! It's so reliable and man do I love going to Costco and putting the seats down for all the extra room, not to mention the hatchback makes loading up easy. I have the sports edition and wow I love my car, never had any major issues, it's great off road too! I highly recommend this car!

I love it, even though it sometimes it needs some maintenance. Very good handling and brakes. Steering is good and the frame is very nice and compact. I would recommend this car to anyone needing a safe and decent car to drive.

I bought this car for $4500 four years ago, and it was the best investment I ever made. This car has saved my life in multiple scenarios, whether they be driving through some of the worst winter conditions ever after being stuck in a flash winter storm, or truckers trying to run me off the road for one reason or another. The handling on this car is so advanced for its age. I have grown so attached to my Forester that I want to give it to my children when I have them. I got this car around the same time I started dating my girlfriend, and it has safely got her to and from anywhere we have ever needed to go; for this I consider the car invaluable. I would recommend that anyone that is considering getting this car for the safety factor picks it up immediately. I deducted a star in Interior for the lack of leg room for passengers, and a star on Exterior Styling for the fact that there are really no parts made for this year such as grill guards, tail light guards, or much else for that matter. It is very hard to find aftermarket parts that fit the car. Other than this, the car has been perfect, and has only just recently been showing signs of age. Every car gets old, but this one aged finer than any car I have driven.