2009 Subaru Forester consumer reviews

we bought two new cars we bought a 2008 Ford Focus which we love and we bought a 2009 Subaru Forester we love both cars but we like the forester more because its just bigger in general. with the forester were getting 21.9 in city driving and 29.6 in highway driving so were doing pretty darn good. (our friends who have 2000 miles on their CRV only gets 18 city and 21 highway...their very jealous) but the space and comfort of this car is amazing we love driving it and just doing everything in it. the rear console thingy is great and having 8 cup holders is a big plus the only thing we dont like is how the gas tank is on the small side were use to having a 26 gal in our windstar and now we have a 16 so its a pretty big difference but overall we like this the best out of the CRV and rav4 (we loved ya the escape too so we might get that aswell.) we cant get enough haha

We has been looking at the Subaru Forester for several years and only recently decided to but the vehicle. We purchased the 2.5X with manual and the Premium and All-Weather Packages. We had a Dodge Caliber with the 1.8L/5-speed which turned out to be underpowered but had good mpg (average 30 mpg). We were about to buy the Subaru in May 2008 but then thought about the VW Jetta Sportwagen TDI (turbo diesel) that was coming out in late summer. We waited and waited as VW delayed the release of the new TDI several times. We finally saw the new Sportwagen and test drive the sedan TDI in June. We actually orderd a VW but VW never accepted the order and has not come through with the vehicles. We got very fustrated with VW and decided to look again at the Forester. We had looked at the TDI primairly for the mpg of the diesel; was really impressed with the real world mpgs in the Forester manual - about 30 mpg. I can confirm the mpg as our first 2000 miles averaged 30 mpg!!

we needed a car...badly our volvo just died completely and we had no means of transportation besides a 1994 toyota pickup but we did some looking and we decided to check out the subaru legacy and we got in it and didnt like it that much but as we drove it we started to like it but then we came across the forester and fell in love when we sat in it. it matches us perfectly 1 mom 2 kids (big kids) the car has good pickup and the storage space is emense. MPG is good with AWD and at 20 26 its nice. the second row is simply awesome with the arm rest and the cup holders the leather is soft and durable the car sounds confident we hit a curb already at 20 mph and the car handled it fine made a nasty noise when the rim hit it though but the car was fine the sunroof is awesome cause well its huge. you just have to try this car out its awesome

This is our fourth Subaru. They have all been extremely reliable. They have never failed to make it home in a New England snow storm. Our newForester has just over a thousand miles on it and is averaging 28.5 MPG in mixed driving. It is everything the reviews say it is. It is quiet, comfortable and rides and handles well. I do not understand why many think it would be better with a 5 speed auto. trans. If you view the Govt. EPA website and compare the Forester MPG with a Honda CRV, Nissan Rogue, or Toyota RAV, you will find that they are all rated within one or two MPG of each other. One has a five speed, one has a CVT, and one is a 4 speed. Why mess with success? One of the most outstanding features is not a convenience or power item, it is a safety item...visibility. Of all the comparative vehicles, the Forester had the most visiblity out of the side and rear windows. The cold weather package (heated cloth seats, heated mirrors and heated windshield wiper park station) will be a great asset this winter. Overall, I feel the Forester is a well built, reliable vehicle that can compete with anything in the market place.

I just took delivery of my 2009 Sage Green Subaru Forester. Granted, I only have 500 miles on it, but I'm getting 28-31 MPG on the highway. Toyota Corolla and Scion owners beware. You don't have to drive a bland car to have fun and save fuel and the environment. The Forester can take you places no other small SUV or passenger car can. Head up into the mountains (unless you live in Iowa) and take it on logging roads, it won't mind. This car also rides well on freeways and 2-lane state highways. The car is remarkably quiet inside and is willing to go. Although it would do better with a 5-speed automatic. The climate control system works well regardless of the outside temperature. I'm somewhat of a gadget freak and enjoy the average MPG readout. The radio has great fringe area reception. The outside visibility couldn't be better. Of all the cars I researched before buying this car just didn't have the combination of reliability and features I was looking for. I've owned 3 Subarus over the past 15 years and I'm sure this won't be the last. I guess being a Subaru loyalist is a bit like a cult following. But once you own and drive one, you'll be sold because of it's versatility and flexibility. Before you buy a CRV, RAV4, Santa Fe or Tucson, or Outlander, look over the Forester, you might just be surprised.

On April 29th, I took delivery of my 2009 Sage Green Forester 2.5x Premium and I am thrilled with the car. The improvements to the 2009 model are significant from the interior room to the styling. With 1100 miles on the clock the car is getting as high as 31 mpg highway, 26 combined and is an absolute thrill to drive. The fit and finish is excellent with quality materials throughout. I would recommend the premium package as it offers some nice features such as that famous huge sunroof, 17'' alloys, steering wheel sound controls and a roof rack which does need cross bars in order to be used to carry anything on top. I would also recommend the color keyed body side moldings, wheel arch moldings, and rear bumper protector for an additional hedge against shopping carts and parking lot dings. Subaru has done its homework on this new car and it shows.

This is my fourth Subbie - '97 Outback, '98 Forester, Forester Bean '07 and now the new Bean '09 Forester. An SUV I can really love and not just because it's safe, reliable and practical. Soo much quieter, smoother ride, bigger area in back for the dogs, and quieter engine upon acceleration. Only complaint is the creaking from the trim on right side which comes and goes. I went from Obsidian Black to Spark Silver and adore the color.

I owned the '05 turbo Forester, which was a lot more fun when gas cost under $3/gallon than now. I traded it in for the '09 LLBean and am thrilled with my purchase. They got the size exactly right: it's still small enough for my city garage yet the back seat leg room is now hugely increased. The bigger cargo space is great too: my golf clubs now fit across instead of diagonally. The styling, though not distinctive, is now much more attractive to the mainstream buyer and all the practical features are still there (like the winter pkg, a must here in Chicago). Handling and engine characteristics are similar to the previous model; the ride is just a tad smoother. I wish the auto transmission had more gears for better fuel economy and some of the interior materials a little richer, but for the price, I think this is the class of its segment. I also comparison shopped the Nissan Rogue and the Honda CR-V and you get more for your money with the Subaru. The Rogue is larger externally yet has far less interior room. I guess that's the sacrifice you make for styling. I hated the seats in the CR-V. I found the cushions much too short for adequate support. I also rejected the Toyota RAV-4 out of hand because of the side-swinging rear gate, which is impossible to live with in an urban environment (how are you supposed to open it if you've parallel parked??).

better looking, in my opinion, than the old style,mileage for the standard all wheel drive is near the best you can find, comfortable without being pretentious, very functional and roomier than one might expect. do your research and then go drive one, it ain't no sports car, but if that's what you wanted...you're looking in the wrong categorie...or get the turbo and pay more at the pump, if you can afford/justify it.

I bought the 2009 L.L Bean Edition. I love it! I took it on a test drive and love it. I had 2001 then 2005 Forester but this is the first time I have bought a first edition 2009. I hope all the kinks have been worked out. The audio system is ok. It is not as loud as my 2005, but I am still learning about my new car.