2004 Subaru Forester

Rating from DL

(3)
Comfort:		1 out of 5
Performance:		1 out of 5
Handling:		2 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		1 out of 5
Interior Design:		3 out of 5
Features:		4 out of 5
Value for the Money:		5 out of 5
Reliability:		4 out of 5

"This is the vehicle for you if you see driving as a chore, live in a snowy climate, need something reliable, and like a tight turning circle. It also has nice visibility, is reasonably nimble for a thing that rides so high. So my recommendation to a friend comes with the above stipulations. It's great for New England, and you see a ton of those things around here. Virtually unstoppable in the snow with its "symmetrical full-time AWD" and reasonably high ground clearance. Of course you still need to exercise caution, since it can still easily go sideways on slick roads. However, my biggest dislike is that it rides unnecessarily roughly without any ability to stay flat around twisty roads. Either ride comfortably like a Lexus and you can lean all you want like a boat, or ride firmly but let me take fast corners. That's the explanation for the low scores on "Comfort," "Performance" and "Handling." Reliability would have been a 5-star, except the shift-lock in our auto broke very early on. We would have to wiggle the shifter nob and/or the steering wheel to convince the dang thing to start in "P". Very annoying and not cheap to fix. On top of that, the dealer gave us the runaround. Our local guy fixed it. Best thing about the features is that, in the XS trim, the "premium" audio, despite only 4 speakers, has a sweet sound and can get quite loud. "Interior Design" would be a 5-star for you if you like the feeling of sitting high (I feel like this thing will topple over and throw me out) and don't mind the (ugly) fabric with cheap vinyl trim. Finally, the OEM Geolandar truck tires are terrible. They squeal at the least bit of later g-force, are not very comfortable or quiet, and seem to have weak sidewalls (maybe only a personal thing here, driving style or something). Replaced them with "performance all-season" tires, now the performance is much better in terms of holding on to the road much better with "enthusiastic" cornering. I suspect the improved traction also improved braking distance!!"

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: New

Primary use for this car: Commuting

Rating from Snowshovel

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

"When I bought this car, on Car Talk recomendation and safety ratings, I was worried as I had a beautiful Nisson Maxima; a beautiful luxury car that I loved. I needed a car that was a little tougher, and this great car fits that bill, from mountain roads covered in snow to driving on the sand in the Outer Banks. I drive through twisty, mountain areas and need a car that is good in snow. My grandkids love the huge moonroof. My original brakes lasted 50,000+ miles. No major problems or repairs, honestly no minor problems either. It has loads of room for gifts, groceries,my huge dog. I am short and I love that I can raise the seat to be able to see clearly, and yet my very tall "friend" can also adjust the seat for his driving comfort."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: New

Primary use for this car: Having fun

Rating from Granite Junkie

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

"I have to say this Subie has been one of my favorite cars. Its not a Lexus or Infiniti, but it has practical creature comforts (heated seats, mirror and windshield defrosters, auto climate control, etc) combined with industry leading reliability and function, especially for those that live in harsher conditions. These vehicles are made for people that want safety and reliability that may venture beyond the pavement or deal with snow, weather, etc. If you will do any mountain driving, this car handles incredibly well, especially if you upgrade the tires a bit. Visibility is exception, as is the usable cargo space...MUCH bigger and square-shaped than the other small crossover SUV competitors. We now have a 2008 Toyota Highlander, but even with the sport suspension, it is not even close to the handling ability of the Subie in the twisties. We just needed a bit more room, but I really miss the Subie for drivability. With the nice improvements in the 2009, I will likely get another Forester later."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: New

Primary use for this car: Just getting around

Rating from car critic

(5)
Comfort:		4 out of 5
Performance:		5 out of 5
Handling:		5 out of 5
Exterior Styling:		5 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

"The subaru forester has an excellent combination of room, performance, safety features while remaining economical to drive."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: New

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

Rating from Jackson

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

"I have currently 59,600 (about) on this car and have never had a problem. It handles well and rides pleasantly in any kind of weather. The only thing that I would change in this car's design is to give more room the the passenger in the rear seat. (The 2009 model has addressed this problem and resolved it.)"

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: New

Primary use for this car: N/A

Rating from Quick

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

"My wife's car, an older Honda Civic Si had served us well for years (150K +). It was time to consider a more appropriate vehicle and I was thinking CRV and RAV4. Cartalk had mentioned small SUV ratings of Consumer Reports, and Subaru Foresters were recommended. So off to the dealers I went. After unimpressive road tests in the CRV and the RAV4,the Subaru salesman said he had just the spot for me. We drove out to the end of a road, and he suggested that I drive up to the base of a cut bank at roads edge at about an 1:3 slope. I tried the normally aspirated X and XS models, but they were only 50% successful. The Forester XT climbed all the way to the top... Braking? No problem, I took my hands off the steering wheel, and gradually left off on the brakes, backing down without a hitch. I was impressed. Comfort? When it came time to move to Alaska, we put our top-side carrier (with camping gear)on top, our black lab with 'his gear' in the wayback, our luggage/gear in the back seat and headed north. 3,978 miles, 7 national parks, 5 states, 3 provinces later we pulled into our new home. Repairs? We had a oil temperature sending unit go out, still warranted and fixed. Dependable? It has never failed us, come rain or shine. Traction on glare ice? With studded snow tires (Nokian Hakapeliita 2), we'll drive confidently over glare ice that I'd hesitate to walk across. Features? Seat heaters, huge sunroof, mag wheels, defrosters for front and rear windshields and power mirrors, and last but not least, a turbo-charger. This last option is the best...boosting enormous additions of torque and horsepower, there is no lack of power for passing, climbing, and you can stay with the flow of traffic until way beyond reasonable. Mileage? When I'm driving the Forester will get between 17-23mpg; when my wife is driving, it'll get 22-28mpg. Unquantifiables? Smileage! Lots of smiles... Have we named the car? Yep, Quicksilver."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: New

Primary use for this car: N/A

Rating from soccer mom

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

"Great for tall people/ also fun/ great traction on mountain windy roads/ great amount of cargo and passengers"

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: New

Primary use for this car: N/A

Rating from End of the Road Explorer

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

"As a continual Consumer Reports "BEST BUY" these wagons are a wise buy for anyone. Certainly worthy of a test drive. Agile handling, high quality, unmatched saftey, and the ability to get you there...where ever that may be... My XS leaves me wanting for nothing. After owning over 70 cars I'd say the Forester wagon is a wonderful utilitarian vehicle capable of meeting or exceeding most demands. It does most everything well."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: Used

Primary use for this car: N/A

Rating from New Mom

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

"We bought our 2004 new and have never had any issues mechanically. Great runner. Nice for hauling groceries and the dogs- but not kids. Little did we realize when we bought this vehicle, but a rear facing carseat doesn't fit in the back seat!!! How disappointing! The safety rating and idea of nice family car is what drew us to this vehicle, but we'll be trading it in because basically it is a two seater."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: New

Primary use for this car: N/A

Rating from Dad of two

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

"I bought this car for my wife to replace her 2004 Honda civic. It is not just better. It is way better. Almost perfect except for th exterior design which looks not as fancy as other small SUVs (but not bad). Otherwise this car is a perfect example of "perfect"."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: Used

Primary use for this car: N/A