2007 Subaru Forester consumer reviews

I bought my '07 Forester new. I've always maintained it and it's been a great car. I like that it has a little more elevation than a sedan. I can fit everything I need to in it or on top of it. The gas mileage is good and I'm hooked on the AWD. I feel so much safer in wet weather and on the highway. The only negatives are the road noise and the shocks/suspension. I wish it has a smoother and quieter ride. It has a lot of utility in a small package. At over 70k miles, I've never paid for a repair, only maintenance.

While its predecessor, a 1998 Subaru Legacy Brighton wagon (manual transmission), was the best car I've owned, this one was the worst. It had about 30,000 miles on it when I bought it. Since that day, it had one thing or another go wrong every few months--fuel system, electrical system, emissions system--having to be towed twice, during the additional 50,000 miles I owned it, as if it rode under a dark cloud. That's it. I've jumped brands.

I bought the 2007 Subaru Forester used in 2009 and drove it across country 2 months after purchasing it. It was a fairly comfortable ride and quite reliable. My problem with the car is this. The first day the engine light came on, which automatically shuts off the cruise control. So you have the engine light on and cruise control light blinking. I took the car back to the shop and was told the problem was only the gas cap, it wasn't on tight enough. Since then I have had the same thing happen 8 times. I have tried turning the cap only once after it clicks, turning the cap at least three times after it clicks and replacing the gas cap. I still have the same problem. I'm writing this review now in hopes that I can get others input and wondering if anyone else has had the same issue with their Forester.

I purchased the car new in March of 07 and after 3 months and 6800 miles, third gear stripped on me. I understand cars have issues and things do break, but Subaru tried denying my warranty. They pulled out a Service Bulletin, something the general public will never see, and showed me that Subaru denies warranty claims on manual transmission cars equipped with the factory turbo. I was told by the service manager that Subaru was basically tired of warranting transmission rebuilds because it happened so often and after alot of research and asking around, he was right. Took me about a month of complaining and writing letters to corporate that Subaru decided to goodwill the repair. Goodwill!! Only because we have had other Subaru's in the family, i'm still very much disappointed with them. The 5speed transmission used on the XT is the same gearbox fitted to WRX and the previous Impreza 2.5RS which is plagued with syncro issues and brittle gears. Instead of rectifying the issue, they pin it on their customers and move on like nothing ever happened. In November of 08, it happened again and second gear stripped on me. Having gone through it prior, I ended up paying for a rebuild through a trans shop and traded it in days later. I did love the car and the brand. It used the same chassis, drivetrain and other misc parts from the Impreza/WRX. It was a blast to drive, had the power when I needed it and was a great looking car with bold lines. The stock Yokohama Geolander tires performed so so in light snow. It did have a tendency to hydroplane when braking where snow accumulated over a wet road. After about 6 months the car seemed to come out of alignment. When the car made right turns, the steering wheel would be offcenter about 5-10 degrees to right and when you made a left turn it centered it again. The car went through 2 alignments which did nothing to correct the problem. After speaking with other owners with the same issue, its speculated that it might be caused by soft steering rack bushings. I was a huge Subaru fanatic but this last purchase left a very bad taste in my mouth. If you do end up buying one, watch yourself. Make sure to keep all reciepts for any work including oil changes done outside of a Subaru service center and make sure any concerns you contact Subaru service with is documented for possible future warranty claims.

The Subaru Forester is ideal for people who think they need a SUV yet are rational and parsimonious. The Forester has four comfortable seats and a cargo capacity suitable for a vacationing family. Highway manners are first rate. The normally aspirated car accelerates on a par with most sedans and has reasonable fuel economy (22 mpg combined city and highway). The turbo version has more performance, of course, but you pay for it at the pump. The 4x4 drive can handle moderate off roading but is really designed for inclement weather of the snow country. They are ski country favorites. Subaru cars are known for their reliability and the Forester is no exception. I wholeheartedly recommend the Forester both to SUV wannabes or to those downsizing from a Suburban or Expedition.

Purchased last of Oct. Driven it threw the winter. Regretfully have to say have never hated a car more and can not get rid of it soon enough. Car is great in the snow and mud. But don't take it there the wheel wells pack so full that the tires have no room. Every bump you hit feels as if you have no springs and if you drive straight to long then turn front wheels make an awfull rubbing noise and cars ability to turn is effected. Had to chip the wheel wells out 3 times threw Dec and Jan. Should have done it more but could not see the point as they were full again within two days of driving. Seat heaters are great need after 2 hrs. your back hurts so bad. The car seats 5 with 8 cup holders but forget the kleenex or anything that is not drink shaped. Fog lights come on whenever. Can not shut off day time running lights. Go ahead, wake neighbors as you swing them across there bedroom window. Also can not shut off heater/AC. If cold & wet out don't use the wiper heater. Turn on wipers your windshield is covered in a sheet of ice. Can not open hatch back in snowy conditions from ice build up on bumper. Plastic trim and mud flaps I feel will not last threw another winter. s Skid plates are plastic held on by plastic phillips head srews. After second oil change you have to cut them off. The heads are striped out. So far Subaru is sorry that I am not happy with thecar or asked why I hate this car. Yes I have told them how I feel. If you live in town, never drive snowy roads, have a heated garage, love drinks and never carry anything more than grocories this is the car for you. Infact I know where you can get a green one. The most frustrating is knowing that all of this is simple design flaws subaru could fix. This would then be a great car. We parchased this car after a good ownership exp. of a subaru 17 yrs. ago and were looking for a car that we would still be driving in 15 yrs.

I read the 2 negative reviews, but they must be reporting on some other vehicle, the forrester is a very solid, dependable, comfortable car. I'm 6' 1", and i can actually stretch out, although barely, in our forrester. The only complaint I have is the road noise is worse than i expected, but only when we are on rough roads, on smooth roads it's quiet, but i expected it to be. However, the good news is i get better gas mileaage than rated, and i can use 89 octane, instead of the 91 octane Subaru recommends. They recommend it to give a power boost, but since i don't drive it hard the 89 works just fine, even in the mountains. The things to take from the negative reports is don't to be pressured into a sale, make sure you have really researched the new vehicle you are going to buy, test drive several, and then take some time off before you make that all important purchase.

2007 Subaru Premium w/5 speed manual--purchased this vehicle on a whim and regret it daily (tip should have been when dealer refused to give my old car keys back until we worked out a "deal"...) Dislikes: very underpowered especially while running air conditioning; gas mileage 8-10 miles per gallon less while running air conditioning; front seats uncomfortable on trips over 1 hour; daytime running lights; excessive body roll makes vehile unstable at times; easier to unlock multiple doors with key than with remote key fob; door glass very flimsy; some interior pieces very cheap plastic; "hill holder" in reverse feels as if you're backing over something; seatbelt warning chime does not shut off; poor customer service from both dealer and Subaru. Likes: large sunroof; back seat is comfortable; decent stereo. I wouldn't recommend this vehile to anyone I know.

I was sadly mistaken in purchasing a new subaru forrester. the only improvement was in the cup holders. The clock/navigational aids are hidden so only the driver can see them. the door compartments disappeared on new model. I had the car three days and had a flat in the middle of a snow storm and discovered the small donut they expected me to use to navigate. The 1999 model had a real tire. The Sirius satellite radio system cost an additional $495.00. All theings I could endure is the drivetrain did not malfunction. The unexpected acceleration expecially in third gear is dangerous. The engine totally chokes upon stopping after a prolonged drive at highway speed and the valve clatter can drive you nuts. Would like very much to get rid of this car.

The 2007 Forester XT (turbo) is little-changed from the 2004 that I still own. When looking for a new car in 2003, I wanted a high-performance sports car, but really needed an SUV... room for occasional additional passengers, good ground clearance, and lots of cargo space. Other requirements: reliability, precise steering & handling, excellent visibility, good build quality, decent fuel mileage, reasonable cost... virtually impossible to find all these things in any one vehicle. There's no other SUV that has the performance that this offers, with the exception of the 450 horsepower Porsche Turbo Cayenne, which costs around $100,000, weighs twice as much, and isn't as much fun to toss around on the road. I would have liked an automatic, but - if you have a dynamic driving style - Subaru's auto is awful... sluggish, balky, unrewarding. With a good auto - such as in the Honda Accord - if you want a bit more scoot, gentle pressure will induce a smooth downshift. But this Subaru's auto resolutely refuses to downshift under pressure until you floor it. It thinks for a moment; then blasts off with the turbo in full song... not a graceful transition. The 5-speed manual is good, but needs one more gear. The turbo engine demands premium gas; my 2004 gets about 19 miles/gallon around town, 22-25 MPG on the open road. Some of the so-so mileage is due to the friction of the all-wheel drive, which I wouldn't want to give up. The capacity for maniacal acceleration is intoxicating. Torque is prodigious. Once I hit 5th gear on the interstate, there's no more shifting unless the road gets plugged up. Even passing on a long, steep uphill grade can be a 5th gear proposition. I have to force myself to drive "reasonably." The 2007 Forester has somewhat "taller" gears that minimally reduce acceleration, while improving fuel mileage a bit. The structure is tight. No rattles. The handling is a compromise; the car can be made to corner flatter, but then it wouldn't have the superb control that it has on rough roads. The strong structure, air bags and other design features make this the safest small car you can be in if you have to get into an accident. Its many other convenience items, reliability, and lack of pretence help make this the best vehicle (of many, including Mercedes and BMW) that I've ever owned.