2014 Subaru Forester Consumer Reviews

2014 Subaru Forester

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2014 Subaru Forester

Starting MSRP $21,995–$32,995

Average Rating

4.9 out of 5
Review This Car
Comfort:4.6 out of 5
Performance:4.7 out of 5
Exterior Styling:3.9 out of 5
Interior Design:4.3 out of 5
Value for the Money:4.9 out of 5
Reliability:4.9 out of 5

7 out of 7 people would recommended this car to a friend

Consumer Reviews

Page 1 of 1

What a difference one model year makes

by subu noob
from Boston, MA | May 12, 2013

Rating from

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

"I was so disappointed with my Forster 2013, that after just a few months, I began looking for a replacement. The 2013 is a cheap tinny car, that features lots of road and wind noise, a 4 gear auto transmission that forces the engine to whine in overdrive with any press of the gas pedal, and don't get me talking about the horrible gas mileage. But I did like a few things about the Forester - that excellent window visibility and inspiring 4 wheel drive. So when good reviews of the 2014 makeover broke, I stopped by my Subaru dealer and gave the 2014 a test drive. I traded in the 2013 that day. What you get in the 2014 is what we should have had from the very start. Polish. First off, the car is now *much* quieter. At 80 mph, you can have a conversation without raising your voice. The engine is rarely heard, and the wind noise is tamed. The drive is much better too. The bouncing is gone as so are much of the vibrations. The electric steering is ok - I would like a bit more feedback through the wheel, but overall, it's a fine driving experience. The CVT is great, keeping the engine at about 2k at all times, though I think it is tuned to deliver a jarring start from a start (probably done to give the illusion of power). Gas mileage is wonderful. At 75mph, I log 29 mpg. City seems to be more around 22 mpg. The interior is still forgettable. There are a few ergonomic improvements: the seat warmer switches are no longer hidden, the elbow rest is a bit longer. But there are some misses - the speedometer is smaller, and the backup camera screen is a bit too small and far down the dashboard for my eyes. Yeah, there are more softer plastics, but you won't confuse the Subaru for a VW interior. The Bluetooth system has improved a little, though the voice recognition system is still more miss than hit. The std radio is rather blah, but the sound does improve thanks to the quieter cabin. The gas mileage and vehicle operations are nicely displayed on the dashboard - and now you can view real time gas mileage consumption as opposed to only seeing the average (which was the case for the 2013). Overall, I'm a huge fan of this makeover. The Subaru Forester finally feels refined and caught up to peers like the CRV, CX5, and the Rav 4."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: New

Primary use for this car: Commuting


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3 out of 3 found this review helpful

Second Subaru

by Subaru lover
from Colorado | May 6, 2013

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

"This is my second Forster, my other was a 2007. Love the new design of the 2014. More room, fun to drive and much better gas mileage then similar cars. The back up camera is a great feature to have as we'll as the all weather package. Heated side mirrors for the icky mornings. The audio display takes getting us to as we'll as the red night lights. It is an all around great car for the money."

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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0 out of 1 found this review helpful

unbelievable road grip on curves at high speed

by Highway chemist
from NJ | May 1, 2013

Rating from

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

"When I started to look for a small SUV, I spend quite some time looking into the handsome looking 2013 Toyota RAV-4 since I had 2 toyota and a Lexus and got great experince. In the end, I bought my first Subaru, a 2014 Forester. Why? Because I learned that it is far superior than all the competitors priced under $35,000. It has the best full time all wheel drive, highest ground clearance, better power seat than RAV-4 limited. I drove about 2000 miles, 95% highway. The grip on the curves is totally unbelievable. I have no trouble to drive at 75 MPH on any sharp curves on highway and I feel the car is in total control. Love it!!! Like to see the gas tank a gallon or two bigger."

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 1 found this review helpful

Love my Forester

by Mountain Traveler
from Texas and Colorado | April 21, 2013

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 have owned a variety of SUV's and crossovers, from the Pilot, to a RAV 4 and Venza. Needed something for long distance travel as well as AWD. This fits the bill to tee. So well built and all of the details are thought out. Especially love the great visibility. Very smooth."

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 1 found this review helpful

best transmission ever

by eeyore
from texas | April 18, 2013

Rating from

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

"have 1700 miles on my 2014 forester xt and loving it so far. getting 26.5mpg with aggressive driving 85% hwy and 15% city. very comfortable open car. and yes, it does love the dirt roads. the xt is very fast for an suv and fun to drive. my only complaint so far is a little too much road noise ( but this may be due to the xt suspension changes). the engine and transmission are unbelievable, and this is comparing to a 2012 lexus rx350 and a 2011 bmw x3 28xdrive. the actual fuel milage numbers are comparable to any diesel or hybrid suv out there, and so much more fun to drive. i have 36in legs and have tons of room left in the back seat. it rocks!"

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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2 out of 2 found this review helpful

2014 is at the top of it's class

by First Subie
from Dallas, Texas | April 17, 2013

Rating from

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

"Our new 2014 Forester 2.5i Touring with Eyesight and Nav is a huge improvement over the previous Forester which felt tinny, noisy and cheap to me in test drives. I drove the first 750 miles through blizzard conditions, a sandstorm, 60-70 mph winds and rains and this car tracked like a trooper. The CVT is perfectly smooth and responsive, the suspension is smooth yet well planted, the 2.5i (smaller engine) provided plenty of pep at all speeds, and the ride was quiet (even in high winds.) Road noise is lower than than the competition, but still evident on concrete highways. The Eyesight has already paid for itself--saving me from a collision with an errant driver. But I absolutely love the cruise control which accelerates and brakes the car depending upon traffic around you. It's like the car drives better by itself than with me in control on highways. Around town the Forester is nimble, quick and easy to park. Outward visibility (front, side and rear) is tremendous compared with the competition and interior flexibility beats them too. My one complaint is the audio/nav. system which is needlessly complex to use. I'm finally getting used to it, but it seems dated (at best) although the Harmon-Kardon sound system is excellent. I love the high ground clearance with low step-in height and all the small touches Subaru put into this vehicle to make it livable. I test drove a CR-V, RAV4 and Ford Escape and none matched the Forester. It just feels right."

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 1 found this review helpful

First Subie, Last Everything Else.

by Jeep What?
from | March 27, 2013

Rating from

(5)
Comfort: 4 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

"Had been eyeing this since news of it came out last year. Remarkable all-around vehicle. On the road, it is right at home, but when you take it off the asphalt...boy, does it ever belong! The exterior is far more masculine than previous models, and the interior is more refined with its soft feel materials. The giant moon roof along with all the windows makes it feel like you're still outside without the noise. I could go one and on, but if you're someone who has to endure city living and still goes off the beaten path, there really is no better vehicle."

I would recommend this car to a friend: Yes

This vehicle was purchased: New

Primary use for this car: Having fun


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4 out of 5 found this review helpful

Page 1 of 1

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