2014 Subaru Forester 4 cylinder from North America

Summary:

Solid basic transportation, good price

Faults:

Nothing. Too new at only 3100 miles.

General Comments:

Very comfortable compared to the 2006 I traded in. Seats are great with an adjustment on the driver's seat to raise or lower it! This is the fourth generation Forester, and it was designed to compete against the CR-V Honda, RAV 4 Toyota, and Ford Escape. The Forester may not be as refined as the Honda, but the full time AWD and nine inch ground clearance will serve you well if you travel the back roads.

The CVT transmission is similar to the one used in the Outback for the past several years. It is smooth and accelerates smoothly. If you are a performance driver, it is not for you. But then you do not buy a Forester for racing and rapid acceleration!

Interior is much roomier with great headroom. The rear seats have double the floorspace of my 2006. Also, with the rear seats folded down, there is another 22 cubic feet of cargo space over previous models! Wow!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 16th January, 2014

2014 Subaru Forester Premium 2.5i from North America

Summary:

Overrated and overpriced basic car with good AWD

Faults:

No major problems yet. The rear hatch doesn't always close and some interior trim fell off, but I was able to reattach it.

General Comments:

A big improvement over the previous model. Very quiet interior, good visibility.

Driver's seat is very uncomfortable and ride is too harsh/firm. The car bounces too much and doesn't feel like it is easy to control at higher speeds, as the steering is too light and is without much feedback.

The CVT transmission has no manual override, and when driving down long hills, you have to rely on the brakes only.

I'll try to update this in few weeks.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 26th July, 2013

5th Aug 2013, 14:46

I think the seats are actually quite comfortable - lots of lumbar support and nice adjustment capabilities. Just play around a bit with the adjustments, and you'll find a comfy position.

5th Oct 2013, 19:14

Always take a long test drive before purchasing something as expensive as a vehicle, to avoid unpleasant surprises.

1st Aug 2015, 01:43

Things like seat comfort, suspension and several others cannot be always clearly noticed in a 10 minutes test drive with the sales man in the passenger seat, and under the emotions of getting a new car.

In reply to 1st Aug 2015, 01:43

2nd Feb 2018, 22:37

True, but you should always insist on taking the car on longer than a ten-minute spin around the block. Many dealers let you take a car home overnight.

Also, if you can, first rent a similar car to what you're interested in buying.

20th Sep 2019, 02:01

I agree, it is better to rent a car for a few days before purchasing that model.