2010 Subaru Forester Consumer Reviews

2010 Subaru Forester

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2010 Subaru Forester

Kelley Blue Book Retail $17,800–$22,500  

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Average Rating

4.5 out of 5
Review This Car
Comfort:4.3 out of 5
Performance:4.3 out of 5
Exterior Styling:4.4 out of 5
Interior Design:4.1 out of 5
Value for the Money:4.4 out of 5
Reliability:4.7 out of 5

44 out of 51 people would recommended this car to a friend

Consumer Reviews

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THIRD SUBARU

by Skippy 1
from Burnt Cabins,Pa. | October 29, 2010

Rating from

(5)
Comfort: 5 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: 5 out of 5

"Traded in my 2008 Outback for a 2010 Forester Limited. Has plenty of power for climbing mountains. The automatic transmission is smooth and doesn't hurt gas mileage. Gets 27-31 mpg. Love the leather seats, moon roof, auto climate control. All of the options I wanted came standard ,like exaust tips ,self dimming rear view mirror,fog lights,cargo tray,cargo cover ,chrome door handles. Only had too add a rear cargo net. The Forester handles good and stops quickly with the over sized four wheel disc brakes and 17" tires. Like the overall styling inside and out. Easy to get in and out of not so with the Outback. Seats are very confortable. I would recommend this product to anyone looking for a reliable car you can trust in."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: New

Primary use for this car: Just getting around


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3 out of 4 found this review helpful

Colorado Winner

by Colorado Driver
from Denver, CO | October 27, 2010

Rating from

(5)
Comfort: 5 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: 5 out of 5

"I love my new Subaru. I haven't had a chance to test it in the winter yet, but I feel safe in the Forester. I am confident in it's handling and safety. I used to own a Mazda 3, which, needless to say, was not a proper Colorado car. I look forward to driving the Forester in the snow."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: New

Primary use for this car: Commuting


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1 out of 2 found this review helpful

Mostly happy

by Howard
from Detroit, MI | October 24, 2010

Rating from

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

"I prefer my new Forester Premium to the '08 Outback it was traded for. Its a much more comfortable car but I've been disappointed with the build quality...two months in and the doors have developed some annoying rattles. The windows also rattle when they are wound down."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: New

Primary use for this car: Just getting around


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1 out of 2 found this review helpful

One Complaint Only

by Yankiwi
from Puget Sound, WA | October 24, 2010

Rating from

(5)
Comfort: 5 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: 5 out of 5

"I've owned this Special Edition 2.5X for only a few weeks, and so far I only have one complaint. I've owned cars from five other manufacturers ... and have always been able to either push a button or slide a lever to immediately stop outside air from entering the car. This is not the case with the Subaru Forester. The air inlet button for "recirculation" does NOT work if your airflow dial is in either defrost position (the ones that put air onto the windshield that you normally need in rainy or icy weather conditions). Also, when in the defrost positions the air conditioner's compressor automatically operates in a clandestine manner (the air con light doesn't come on when in this mode). So ... you're not always choosing when or if you run your air conditioner despite the simple reality that outside air can adequately defog the inside of the windscreen without the air compressor's help. My main issue is that you can't "quickly" prevent sucking fumes from other vehicles into your car, should you prefer breathing oxygen rather than the diesel from that monster truck in front of you. For anyone who drives city traffic, this is a paramount need. You can, of course, stop the outside air, but you have to 1.) switch the airflow dial out of the defrost position(s) AND 2.) push the recirculation button to ON. And you usually have to take your eyes off the road twice or thrice to make it happen. I account this as a stupid design and needs a remake. Things I like: great ground clearance; only 5.5 inches longer than my trade-in and fits my garage; rear door release on key remote (great for quick entry to unload the grocery cart when trying to get out of the rain); comfortable seats with height option; plenty of compartments to put my junk; daytime running lights at low voltage to reduce the chance of having an accident by 80%, especially with so many distracted drivers heading straight at you; outside temperature and current gas mileage gauges on the dash."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: New

Primary use for this car: Just getting around


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5 out of 8 found this review helpful

SubieDoobie

by Victerry
from Northern California | September 17, 2010

Rating from

(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

"Well this is my second Subie. I traded my 2008 Impreza 2.5 Auto(4 speed) read slowww! Always liked the Forester, but could not immagine it without a Turbo. So it had to be a Forester XT. Read good things about it, and the turbo is fast enough. Mine has the "Concept" front body kit from Japan, see www.roadandtrack.com and search "2009 Subaru Forester XTI concept. A black beauty. Added some 19" chrome spokes and it looks sweet. I stickdrive it, the only way I can tollerate the antiquated 4 speed. C'mom Subaru, you're always quick to respond to criticism, whats up with waiting so long to change this?, everybody's criticized it. I still love it though. No sweat merging onto a freeway, and the Subaru reliability makes this one of my last cars I think. The ride is a little wallowy, after all this is an SUV, and I didn't expect any less."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: New

Primary use for this car: Just getting around


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5 out of 6 found this review helpful

Drives better than any SUV around...

by Bob Robert...
from Chattanooga, TN | September 17, 2010

Rating from

(5)
Comfort: 5 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

"After my wife and I finished our test drives of the Forester we compared notes... The car is amazing... it drives like it was glued to the road... we both agreed that the ride and handling was far superior to any other SUVs we had driven and all that was left to decide was the color and accessories..."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: New

Primary use for this car: Just getting around


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5 out of 6 found this review helpful

A good choice

by Canadian buyer
from Toronto, Ontario | September 9, 2010

Rating from

(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

"I'm retired and traded an Infiniti I35 for the Canadian equivalent of the 2.5x Premium because I wanted AWD and sufficient room for my 6' 3" 275 lb frame and I'm not disappointed. There is great headroom even with the sunroof, driving position is very comfortable and the 360 visibility is a plus. I've read reviews complaining about rattles, poor speaker performance and accelleration but I haven't encountered any of these "problems". The fit and finish on my Forester is outstanding, the doors close with a "thud", nothing seems cheap and everything works as advertised. Yes, the 4 speed auto should be upgraded to either a CVT ( it's not going to happen ) or at least a 5 or 6 speed. The only caviat that I send out to the Canadian readers concerns the GPS system offered with the Sport Tech model. Stay with the Touring ( Premium ) , this unit isn't reliable, isn't intuative and is downright dangerous if it's accessed while driving as the screen is almost invisible in the daylight and takes your eyes off the road to use. I've made arrangements to have it removed and replaced by the standard radio. I look foreward to many years with my new "toy" and I'm sure it will be as troule free as my Infiniti but oh so much more drivable when winter arrives."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: New

Primary use for this car: Just getting around


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7 out of 8 found this review helpful

A Month In

by New Forester Owner In Denver
from Denver | September 8, 2010

Rating from

(4)
Comfort: 5 out of 5
Performance: 4 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

"Have had my new Forester for a little over a month and so far I am still very happy with my purchase. I have the 2.5X Premium, so not top of the line but not the base model either. I bought this car mostly for the interior room, AWD for the snow, and the good gas MPG. So far I am getting around 26mpg city/30mpg highway. I've had a full passenger load a few times and I can say that this car easily fits 4 grown adults with no issue. My complaints are very minimal and I hesitate to even call them 'complaints' because I have remedied each issue with little hassle. First, the standard 4 speaker stereo system is pretty weak. If you like listening to your music loud, then chip in for the stereo upgrade which gives you door tweeters and a disc changer. I usually listen to my iPod and the aux input is nice to have. I am upgrading the stereo to an aftermarket Kenwood next week which will also give me bluetooth for my phone and will have a little more power to the speakers. Don't get suckered on the 'cargo package.' All it gives you is a rubber mat for the trunk and a cargo privacy cover. I believe they charge you an extra $800 for this package but each of those parts can be ordered on-line for about $100 apiece which saved me around $600! The last thing I am going to upgrade to is the all-weather floormats. The carpet mats that come standard with the car are sufficient but I know they will get absolutely filthy when it starts snowing. But again, these can ordered for way cheaper on-line than what the dealer charges. Overall, this SUV has been great and I am very satisfied with my purchase. I've been on one fairly long road trip and never got uncomfortable with the standard cloth seats. The car rides very smooth and I actually caught myself going a little too fast a few times not even realizing it. The cargo room in the trunk is great and has ample space for everything that I haul around as a photographer (camera's, tripods, etc.). There is separate storage in the trunk if you lift up the carpeted floor which reveals a few cubbies where I store jumper cables, a first aid kit, and a tow strap. I haven't done much off-roading in it yet but a few of the dirt roads I've been down has been very sure footed. The AWD is exceptional making me feel like I am in control at all times. Overall, great bang for the buck!"

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: New

Primary use for this car: Commuting


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8 out of 9 found this review helpful

My third Subaru

by DRG
from Elm Grove, WI | August 12, 2010

Rating from

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

"This is my third Subaru and they keep getting better. I bought my first new Subaru in 1988; my second in 1998 (my son now drives this car). My new Forester is a joy to drive with a great combination of power, handling, and adequate fuel economy. I average 26 mpg, although I have had highway trips as high as 31 mpg. I find the driver's seat very comfortable and infinitely adjustable. My 6'1" son prefers the room and comfort in the back seat to than in our minivan. The construction is solid, the fit is good, and the finish is fine. I've enjoyed using all three modes of the auto transmission. I've never enjoyed a car more during my first 6 months of ownership."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: New

Primary use for this car: Transporting family


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8 out of 10 found this review helpful

i love it

by capt.
from New Smyrna Bch Fl. | July 24, 2010

Rating from

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

"I would certainly buy another, but I duobt if this one will ever wear out. From some of my friends experiance they last a long time."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: New

Primary use for this car: Just getting around


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5 out of 7 found this review helpful

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