2002 Subaru Forester Buyer's Guide

Owner Reviews
4.0
2 Reviews
Overall
4.0
Value
4.5
Performance
2.5
Style
2.0
Comfort
3.5
Fuel Economy
3.5
Reliability
3.5

2002 Subaru Forester Owner Ratings & Reviews

Write a Review
4.0
Overall
2 Reviews

2002 Subaru Forester - Adventurous

M
Redding, California
Overall
4.0
Value
5.0
Performance
3.0
Style
2.0
Comfort
4.0
Fuel Economy
3.0
Reliability
4.0
This vehicle is ideal for outdoors enthusiasts. The car has full-time 4-wheel drive, which does bring down the gas mileage. However, it more than makes up for this if you live in a rainy or snowy climate. Camping is simple with this vehicle as it has plenty of room in the back, and the seats fold down, providing about the same space as a small pick-up truck. Plus, these cars last forever thanks to the box engine design. I got my last one up to 200,000 miles with simple maintenance!
Story
I have driven across the country numerous times in this vehicle, including a cross country move with my wife and dog + all of our belongings (minus furniture)
Pros
Engine lasts forever. Four wheel drive works great. Plenty of space.
Cons
Four wheel drive affects gas mileage

2002 Subaru Forester - I love it.

Harry
Plymouth, Wisconsin
Overall
4.0
Value
4.0
Performance
2.0
Style
2.0
Comfort
3.0
Fuel Economy
4.0
Reliability
3.0
Subaru built on heck of a machine with this model Forester. 2.5L flat four with a five-speed manual trans powering all four wheels through the best all-wheel drive system on the road. This thing goes through anything! We get a lot of snow and ice in our state, and the Forester has never once been stuck or stranded me. Now rolling over 200,000 miles, the reliability has remained with little to no maintenance. Now when it comes to the comfort features and interior trims, well it matches the drivetrain, rugged. Little rattles here and there, broken plastic latches and clips on dash storage doors, heavy wear patterns on carpets and seats. The wind noise from factory installed roof racks in obnoxious at highway speeds, and the basic AM/FM radio is not enough to drown it out. The half... (more)
Story
The best time I have had in this vehicle was recently when we received about 6" of snow in a couple hour period. Plow trucks had not been out yet, and everyone was hunkered down at home, so I took the Subaru out just to test its capabilities. After crawling through some deep snow, I found a large parking lot to try some donuts. When pulled a very tight donut and accelerated hard, the car began... (more)
Pros
The driveline in this vehicle is probably the largest pro. The reliable, fuel economic 4 cylinder and all-wheel drive cannot be beaten. The vehicle can haul quite a large amount between the trailer hitch, roof rack and large cargo area in the hatch even with the rear seats folded up. Maintenance is very low on this vehicle with major service intervals (other than oil changes) being 105,000 miles apart, and when they are due, the costs are very reasonable compared to many other brands. Insurance costs are very low for this vehicle as well, which in the long run, can be a large factor in... (more)
Cons
Head gasket issues. The Subaru flat four has always had issues with head gasket failures on higher mileage engines. I will say even though it is common, it is not nearly as costly for replacement because the design of the engine allows for easier repairs and less labor times. The overall cheap feel to the interior, low grade sound system and the abundance of broken compartments throughout the cabin definitely makes it feel like a "lower-end" car. Roof rack noise is terrible at speed.

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