2012 Subaru Forester consumer reviews

I bauth this car almost a year ago and so regret it. This car as pour millage, lacks of power even with the manual transmission , but the worst of all are the rattle in the cocpit. The lack of quality materiel and the quality of assembly is so obvious. i Hate my car!!! and will never buy a Subaru again!

Between our own cars & rent cars here & there, I have driven a number of cars..... In terms of the seat belt alert chimes, the Forrester is absolutely the WORST, most irritating I tested it during a 45 minute drive, and the machine kept chiming at me for the WHOLE time..... I immensely dislike machines trying to dictate my life..... I wear a seat belt belt because I think it's a good idea. of all he cars I have driven, this was the one that tried to FORCE me to put on my seat belt I wear my seat belt - when someone is not trying to FORCE me to..... I wear my seat belt the LEAST in the Forrester..... otherwise, a good vehicle.....

This is our 1st Subaru. We traded our 2006 Jeep Liberty for a 2012 Forester 2.5X automatic in Jan 2012 after the Jeep racked up thousands in repair costs with less than 60k in mileage. Our primary criteria for a new vehicle was 4WD or AWD as we live in a rural community in the Finger Lakes region of New York State. After 13 months and ~ 12k miles with the Forestor we are very happy. I will start out by saying that we are pretty utilitarian owners and were most concerned with handling - not bells, buzzers, navigation, and electronics. We have plenty of tools for these already and didn't look for them in a vehicle where you are more or less stuck with technology once it is installed. A stand alone nav unit can readily be upgraded, and even better, can come with you when you are NOT driving! Key Observations: 1) It handles really well in all kinds of weather on all kinds of roads. 2) Braking system is awesome. When you need to stop, it stops with confidence. 3) Interior is comfortable and well designed. 4) The vehicle is well made, feels very solid. 5) Mileage is suprisingly good. Average 27 mpg in warm weather with a mixed 20 mile commute (some hilly rural roads, some stop and go suburbs, some highway). Winter drops to about 25 mpg. 6) Excellent visibility and cargo space. 7) Absolutely no problems with vehicle so far. 8) GREAT VALUE for what the Forester offers. Nothing else in the small SUV/crossover market can touch the price point. 9) Sound system is not impressive, but plan to upgrade to aftermarket system anyway. I've read lots of reviews and am really puzzled by the comments that this vehicle lacks power. How the heck are these folks driving???? This thing can MOVE and has plenty of low end torque. I would buy this vehicle again!

This is my second Forester. I've been driving a 2004 and loved it so much that I decided to upgrade to a 2012. However, we are hanging onto the 2004 because we can't let go of it. This car grabs the road, making you feel as though you are always in control in all weather conditions. Give a try, you won't be disappointed!

We noticed the Subaru was prevalent at the Farmer's Market we went to on Saturdays and now we know why. Absolutely love the ground clearance and comfort on the road!!

The all wheel drive easily tames adverse weather and road conditions with confidence. Good overall handling and corners excellent, braking is firm and predictable. The engine is a bit noisy but produces adequate power with good gas mileage. Overall fit and finish are OK but low marks go to the rather bland and plastic interior. Seating is also OK but driver vision is excellent.

We needed to replace our truck and since small trucks are no longer made, we wanted something that would fit our needs. We tried a lot of SUV's and found the Subaru Forester had the biggest bang for the buck. We love it!!!

I've owned the car for two months, have about 2250 miles on it. I can't even run errands without having my back tweak out at this point. It was fine for the first couple of weeks and now I want to cry at the prospect of driving anywhere. And I have a car payment to boot! I've been to the chiropractor, had massages. I definitely cannot afford the medical bills that this design will cause! I agree that the radio is really awful as well. Pros: Visibility, car length, height off ground, 4WD. Cons: Seats, gas mileage, radio, rattling, low power.

I purchased my 2012 Subaru Forester in August. I soon discovered that when I selected outside air to circulate thru the vehicle, the air temperature much exceeded the outdoor temperature making the vehicle unbearably hot. In fact, even with the fan turned off and the gauge turned to cool, hot air still blows out of the vents. I have been to the dealership twice regarding this peculiarity and was told to either turn on the a.c. or hit the recirculate button. The a.c. worked, but the recirculate did nothing to rectify the problem. They told me this is engine air and nothing can be done to correct it. How weird is this??? I only have 1600 miles on it and already vehemently dislike this car. Has anyone else experienced this strange situation?

This appears to be a great vehicle. I've owned it for two months; I've driven it about 1100 miles. I bought the sporty XT Turbo model with all the buttons. It's very peppy. It handles well. The fuel economy for my Forester is comparable to other vehicles in its class. However, the fuel economy could be improved. For the high cost of the Subaru Forester XT, the radio and GPS system which are part of the same unit could be more advanced and up to date. The audio and GPS options, commands, and controls seem archaic; Both features lack sophistication. I owned a new American-made vehicle in 2008 which was also loaded with all the buttons. In 2012, the loaded Forester XT's audio and GPS should not be inferior to that of a 2008 vehicle which was significantly less in cost. The aero roof rack rattles at times. I haven't had the chance to have it looked at. The interior cargo cover rattles a bit. At speeds close to 80mph, something changes. I'm not sure what it is. The tires seem bumpy or maybe it's just the louder tire noise from the road. I'll ask about it at the dealership. Overall, I'm happy with my purchase but I see where improvements can be made. I have peace in knowing that Subaru (as a company) takes customer feedback seriously. The brand has been significantly improved over the years.