2004 Subaru Forester

Rating from Subaru Fanboy

(5)
Comfort:		5 out of 5
Performance:		5 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		5 out of 5
Interior Design:		4 out of 5
Value for the Money:		5 out of 5
Reliability:		5 out of 5

"I am the single -owner (now former owner after selling this car) of a Subaru Forester 2004 WS car. Bought it new in 2004 and fell in love with it over the course of the next few years. never gave me any problems, no maintenance issues, NEVER gave me a check engine light, performed routine maintenance as per owner's manual, and handled well in snow (I live in the Northeast). If you're looking for a small SUV, with good gas mileage (24-26mpg highway), great cargo room, and reliable handling, you should definitely consider this car!"

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: New

Primary use for this car: Commuting

Rating from Myothercarismuscle

(5)
Comfort:		5 out of 5
Performance:		4 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		4 out of 5
Interior Design:		4 out of 5
Value for the Money:		5 out of 5
Reliability:		5 out of 5

"The only problem is the light tan carpeting. It gets dirty very easily. Would select different color carpet. Wife loves the heated seats as we live in very cold winter climate. Otherwise has been great car and is really amazing in the snow with the all wheel drive!"

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: Used

Primary use for this car: Transporting family

Rating from Lore's husband

(4)
Comfort:		3 out of 5
Performance:		2 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		4 out of 5
Interior Design:		3 out of 5
Value for the Money:		4 out of 5
Reliability:		5 out of 5

"After 66,000 miles, this car has been absolutely trouble free. Due to the four wheel drive, maximum mileage is limited to about 31 mpg, a little low for a car and engine this small. Ride on highway is choppy, due to short wheelbase. Not particularly quiet, due to SUV configuration and 4 cyl. engine. Lots of headroom and overall comfort for this size car. Very surefooted in rain and snow."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: New

Primary use for this car: Just getting around

Rating from ForesterXT

(5)
Comfort:		4 out of 5
Performance:		5 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		5 out of 5
Interior Design:		5 out of 5
Value for the Money:		5 out of 5
Reliability:		4 out of 5

"I bought the 2004 Subaru Forester XT(Turbo) and it has lots of power and speed to pass other vehicles or entering a on ramp and it is really nice in the interior as well as exterior. I really like the car. The down side is the ride is a little rougher than the legacy outback and if you do your own maintenance work, the spark plug replacement on this forester is next to impossible due to lack of space between the head covers and the frame on each side of the engine compartment especially on the #4 cylinder next to driver firewall. I will be taking my forester to the garage and let them fight to get the sparkplugs out and new ones in."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: Used

Primary use for this car: Outdoor sports (hiking, cycling, etc.)

Rating from SubieNJ

(4)
Comfort:		3 out of 5
Performance:		4 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		4 out of 5
Interior Design:		4 out of 5
Value for the Money:		4 out of 5
Reliability:		5 out of 5

"The car is solid. Doors slam shut and feel solid. It is like driving around in a nimble little tank. That is the best thing about the car...the gas mileage, nimbleness and handling are all really good considering the solid feeling of the car. So far so good on reliabGas mileage is solid for a car with awd and this size cargo area. ility, but mine only has 62,000 miles on it. On the downside: Excessive wind-noise at highway speed. I think the boxy shape of the car and window design cause this problem. It is really loud on the highway. There is also some kind of rattle in the engine when accelerating. I have researched this issue and it is common and difficult to fix. If you can deal with these quirks, you got yourself a solid car that is a pleasure to drive."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: Used

Primary use for this car: Outdoor sports (hiking, cycling, etc.)

Rating from JCMB

(5)
Comfort:		4 out of 5
Performance:		5 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		4 out of 5
Interior Design:		4 out of 5
Value for the Money:		5 out of 5
Reliability:		5 out of 5

"This was the first time I used Cars.com to search for a car, and the results were fantastic! I've purchased 14 cars in my lifetime, and this was without a doubt the most amazing deal out of those 14 transactions. One of the key factors involved was the fact that I was searching and had lots of time to "wait" for the car that I wanted (or better yet, the right deal). This car was purchased as my daughter's college car, and I had a good six month window of time before needing to pull the trigger. This gave me plenty of time to "watch" the cars being listed and sold- which gives you a good idea of the pricing in the market for the particular model of interest. I found a 2004 Forester XT (turbo charged model), and the deal was amazing- as the dealer was not a Subaru dealer and just wanted to move the car off the lot quickly. Low miles, excellent condition- and most importantly, I have a very happy daughter that is going to have a very reliable and safe vehicle for her college years. Thanks, Cars.com- I'll be back again when it's time to search for our next car."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: Used

Primary use for this car: Commuting

Rating from PAC

(5)
Comfort:		3 out of 5
Performance:		4 out of 5
Handling:		5 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		1 out of 5
Interior Design:		5 out of 5
Features:		4 out of 5
Value for the Money:		5 out of 5
Reliability:		5 out of 5

"I've had my Forest for six years and it drives as well as it did the day I bought it. I live in a snow belt and have never had a problem getting anywhere, even in 2ft of snow. I also live on a dirt road and the Forester handles both the mud (in the spring) and the bumps with ease. While not the most exiting car to drive or look at, it is one of the best most reliable cars I've ever owned. Its got 109,000 miles on it and no major maintenance other than standard things like timing belt replacement. In fact it still has its original exhaust system."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: New

Primary use for this car: Commuting

Rating from Paul, US Army

(5)
Comfort:		4 out of 5
Performance:		3 out of 5
Handling:		3 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		3 out of 5
Interior Design:		3 out of 5
Features:		3 out of 5
Value for the Money:		4 out of 5
Reliability:		5 out of 5

"The all wheel drive is very effective and impressive in snow and rain. Great seating position, visibility, headroom and overall comfort. Averages close to 30 mpg. Outstanding overall quality, reliability and value."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: New

Primary use for this car: Just getting around

Rating from Thrifty Bob

(2)
Comfort:		3 out of 5
Performance:		3 out of 5
Handling:		3 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		2 out of 5
Interior Design:		2 out of 5
Features:		2 out of 5
Value for the Money:		1 out of 5
Reliability:		1 out of 5

"This was a top of the line Forester with leather, heated seats, etc. we bought new. It was our 3rd Subaru and had the specified dealer service and lots of washing & waxing. Had 3 major problems: - some part of the door latches were defective and broke off inside each front door - couldn't open the doors. - a sensor malfunctioned and we had to get the car towed to the dealer, only to be informed the extended warranty didn't cover anything. A letter to the Subaru U.S. President finally got us reimbursed. - at 75,000 miles the engine head gasket began leaking oil with failure imminent (according to dealer). Antifreeze head gasket leaks were covered by a special extended warranty, but not oil leaks. The dealer explained that the horizontal cylinders mean that the head gaskets are always in contact with the motor oil. By now the typical Subaru piston slap was so bad it sounded like a riveting machine, so we traded it in on a Mazda 3 and split the repair cost with the Subaru/Mazda dealer. We are all done with Subarus - the engines seem to act up and are not reliable."

I would recommend this car to a friend: No

This vehicle was purchased: New

Primary use for this car: Transporting family

Rating from Turbo Man

(4)
Comfort:		4 out of 5
Performance:		4 out of 5
Handling:		4 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		4 out of 5
Interior Design:		4 out of 5
Features:		5 out of 5
Value for the Money:		4 out of 5
Reliability:		4 out of 5

"Was looking for a Subaru Forester that had high trim line, low mileage and reliable. The car was listed on Cars.com but wasn't priced. Didn't know it was Turbo but with 4 cylinders. Went to dealer to inquire about it, he didn't know if it was available. He showed me everything else but found out that it was being detailed as I was about to leave the lot. Saw it,drove it, priced it, thought two seconds and bought it. I love it especially with the turbo. Glad I checked it out from Cars.com first."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: Used

Primary use for this car: Commuting