2008 Subaru Forester Consumer Reviews
Most Helpful Reviews
Positive Review
The best part about the Forester is of course its versatility: it has the ruggedness of an SUV, but handling of a sporty hatchback. I've been using it as my daily driver for over 12 years, and it still runs strong and gets the same mileage as it did coming off the lot. Power was never great, but it is adequate for most driver and situations and every time I replace the spark plugs, I can feel the boost. The front seats are roomy and comfortable, with good road visibility and seating position. The rear seats are not as comfortable, but they do offer good head room, and fold down nearly flat, making it possible to haul furniture. I self-installed a trailer hitch and have pulled several u-Haul trailers, further adding to the amazing value I've gotten out of this car. Only had one complaint the first 10 years of owning this car: the noise. This was in part due to the horrible Yokohama Geolander tires that come stock, but the larger issue was a design flaw in the window gussets that cause them to come loose and tear. Switching to high-end Michelins and replacing the window gussets has been well worth the money. Also replaced the stock stereo with a Sony bluetooth model. The factory subwoofer was Subaru proprietary, but I still get above average sound thanks to the large front speakers. As it hit the 10 year mark, some maintenance issues began kicking in. The front oxygen sensor went flaky and had to be replaced, then the spark plug socket seals started to leak causing engine misfires. With the right tools and some patience, I was able to fix both of these myself. Around that time there started to be a humming sound from the rear which turned out to be a failing wheel bearing. Found a local shop that did both wheels for under $600. The big maintenance caveat of the 03-04 Foresters though are the head gaskets, which will fail in the 150-200k mile range. Head gasket replacement in Subarus is a $1,500+ job as it requires lifting the engine. Mine are still holding, thanks to always using genuine Subaru "green" coolant with their coolant conditioner mixed in. This underscores why it's important to get the 30/60/90k maintenance done at a competent dealer, or shop that specializes in Subaru. Overall, would I buy this car again? Heck yes. It's gotten me from Wisconsin to Seattle, to work every day, and on some fun camping trips. It's an ideal car for a teenager to drive as it's safe and easy to manage, but not underpowered. If you're in the market for a used one, just check the status of head gaskets and oil seals - there's going to be some degree of leaking and it's just a question of how bad.
VS
Critical Review
I think this is my 9th Subaru, and my 2nd forester. This is not a good model year, in my opinion. If you have to drive in winter conditions, give this model year a pass is my advice, move to an earlier Forester. Subarus typically handle great, especially in snowy conditions. I've always found them to have really responsive steering, great traction, and able to pull themselves out of trouble. My old Legacy wagons and Legacy outbacks were used to pull other cars out of ditches when other vehicles couldn't. I *use* my cars, they are my workhorses, I expect a lot of them. The models I have range from a 1989 wagon, a 1995 Legacy wagon, a Legacy Outback, on up through a 2001 Forester with heated leather seats and the heart of a truck--which was my favorite. This one is really disappointing. Even with brand new, good quality weather-appropriate tires--and in fine shape mechanically--it just doesn't handle nearly as well, esp. in winter. It slides too easily. It gets stuck easily, traction is much worse. It is less able to pull itself out of snowdrifts than any car (Subaru or not) that I have had, and I' have had some dogs. The doors freeze shut. This is also the least comfortable vehicle I've owned. The door handle is in an awkward place and cuts into my knee. Small parts of the interior have fallen off--the latch for hood and gas cap, the dials for heat/ac, and other annoyances. We have the usual cell phone/GPS using power sometimes. It seems to be hard on batteries. I have also had latches fail without warning. The hood latch failed and the hood flew up on my on the freeway. Luckily, I saw it start letting go and could pull off before it actually released, and saved my windshield. The hatch latch let go, and buckets of paint spilled out of the hatch and exploded on the road. "The door open" light did not go on. My friends who are used to average vehicles say "This car handles just fine!" I'm not used to "just fine" when it comes to Subarus. I am used to "This car is AMAZING, even with all this snow!" I expect more from a Subaru. Consider a different model year, esp. if winter driving is part of your life.
2008 Forester Reviews
Showing 8 of 402 reviews.
Fully loaded all wheel drive heated seat electric driver seat huge sunroof, fold down back seats. Wow!
Reliable, simple, safe, AWD and an excellent surround vision, you see everything… honestly, probably saved my life a number of times. I doubt I could find another 2005 Forester again. Well done!👍
This car, for its price range is excellent.
Newer models more powerful, roomier
When I moved to MT, I knew I wasn't buying a pick-up truck or a gas-guzzling huge SUV. I did want to feel safe if one of those vehicles hit me, however. After extensive research I found that the Forrester had received awards for being a solid, safe vehicle three years running. My Forrester is now 20 years old and all I've ever had done to it is the free dealership check-ups and regular oil changes - never another problem. It handles well in all weather and the AWD with studded tires have gotten me places where my husband's and neighbors' vehicles have failed - show and ice, slick rock canyons, etc. If there is one drawback to this car, it's the fact that the HP leaves a bit to be desired. Naturally, the year after I bought mine Subaru beefed up the Forrester's engine. Still - no regrets. It's going to be very hard to give it up. I actually love the fact that it' not full of electronic/automatic everything and I'm not really looking forward to the day when I will need a new car.
Amazing build quality
I can’t think of anything negative about this car
I was the owner of a 2005 Forester XT that had 80,000 original miles on the car. This car looked great and was very stylish. All the youngsters would constantly give me a thumbs up whenever I drove it around town. The car was fully loaded with a black interior and very comfortable leather seats that were heated. I had weather proof floor mats and the car had an amazing stereo system. This car drove like a new car and never gave me problems. It had lots of power and was terrific with gas consumption. For a 2005 vehicle this car was ahead of its time. I now regret having sold it because it was such an amazing vehicle.
Acceleration and Handling
Comfort, Visibility, Steering, and Interior Layout
In April 2021 I bought a used 2008 Forester 2.5 LL Bean Edition. At first I was happy with it, but once a few months had gone by, there were cons that made me trade it in in January 2022 for a used 2005 Nissan Sentra 1.8 S. Interior comfort didn't impress me for a luxury package. The left foot rest was very shallow. The driver's seat didn't have the right amount of support and comfort. Then there was the steering, which involved sensitive oversteer at highway speeds. Then there was visibility. The dimensions and angles of the front windshield, along with the pillars, made visibility somewhat poor. Front interior storage didn't impress me. The cup holders were in a bad position. No storage under the armrest. Seeing I had an automatic, the shifter was annoying to use due to it moving in a zigzag direction. The windshield wiper lever was a combination of too much and too little. The Sentra has made me much happier. Better front interior. Better visibility. More driver-friendly steering with the perfect touch of stiffness that helps keep the driver in control.
Engine pep is awesome
Burns oil
We have owned a 2006 Forester for 6 years now. We got lucky and found one at the local dealership with very low miles. The ride is amazing! It can get out of its own way which makes it fun to drive. The layout is functional. The size is compact, but for two 5'11 adults, its a good fit. One person can sleep comfortably in back in car camping situations. We've only had minor issues which are typical of this model. The plastic holders for the side view mirrors start to whistle at high speeds over time. We had them replaced and is now a nonissue. The oil likes to burn fast (I think its due to high altitude? or maybe its just this old Subaru?), and our local mechanic takes good care of this issue. My 15 year old is getting to big to fit comfortably in the back due to less leg room. Only had one major engine issue, but it was fixable. We live in a hilly area that get snow. Our friends get trapped reversing out of our driveway on snowy days. We have never had an issue and have always felt safe in icy, snowy, and monsoon rain conditions. We've also gone off road with it in Southern Utah backcountry and it handled really well, kept up with the Tundras on some tricky terrain. Overall...value for the money is spot on for an old Soobie.
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Excellent driving car very comfortable
It requires supreme unleaded fuel which is expensi
I took possession of this vehicle from my Uncle who was moving out of state. I was actually with him when he purchased this vehicle and I drove it often. My Uncle didn’t drive. This car drives amazingly well and it’s fun and very comfortable. It has good power and it is just a fun spunky car. When I drive around younger people give me a thumbs up because it looks cool with the hood scoop for the turbo.
