2006 Subaru Forester X with Premium Pkg 2.5L SOHC 4 cylinder from North America

Summary:

Possible lemon?

Faults:

Head gasket started leaking on the driver's side of the engine at 34000 miles. The dealer checked it at 43000 and BOTH head gaskets were leaking oil and coolant. Given the fact the exhaust manifolds are right under the heads, an oil leak is a potential fire danger if oil drips onto the very hot exhaust piping. Dealer replaced both head gaskets under warranty at 43405 miles and assured me that the problem wouldn't likely repeat itself before 200,000 miles. I bought a Subaru based on the many positive reviews and comments my Subaru owning customers had made. To have head gasket issues develop so quickly has made me doubt the legendary reliability I've heard so much about. I am an ex-Honda/Acura technician and I don't recall those cars suffering any major problems before 200,000 miles.

General Comments:

AWD is excellent in snow, handles fairly well for what it is. Fuel economy is great for an AWD car.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 27th December, 2008

2006 Subaru Forester Premium 2.5 SOHC Aluminum from North America

Summary:

Disappointment in quality of interior fabric

Faults:

The cloth seats are fraying at seams. Dealer replaced the front seats once, but they are once again doing the same thing. Service Field Manager even looked at car last week and took additional photo's. So far only offer of repair is free 30,000 mile service which still leaves seats in condition they are.

General Comments:

Really enjoy the car for driving on ice and snow. Disappointed with response to my concerns for the quality of the fabric.

While having my car's seats looked at by the dealer we looked at new cars on the lot with the same light beige cloth seats that already had strings sticking out on the seams. I even had a loaner Forester with the gray cloth that had the same problems, but to a lesser extent.

My old 99 Ford has 185,000 miles on it and the seats still look new and are in better condition than the Foresters.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 1st March, 2008

2006 Subaru Forester 2.5X premium 2.5 from North America

Summary:

This car is remarkable in most ways

Faults:

Speakers vibrated with heavy bass.

General Comments:

My wife and I are walking the planet today because of this great car. We were on a ski trip to Mt. Hood OR. on a slick, snow and ice covered road, nearing the summit when around a blind corner came a car spinning in circles at around 50MPH. There was very little traffic and the car comming down the hill was an SUV with an obviously overconfident driver. As he spun his way directly toward our Subaru, I came to the realization that he was going to hit us at a high rate of speed. I had slowed some hoping his trajectory would change in our favor but it did not. The only thing I could do was to accelerate around him. I feared I would only be hopelessly spinning my tires but I was wrong. The Forester premium has a differential slippage limiter that kicked in and got us around the other SUV without slipping at all. I seriously don't think any other car could have done this. The Michelin ice tires I run on it helped as well I'm sure but I mostly credit the Subaru. We did not make contact at all and theother vehicle hit a deep snow bank backwards. Incredably no one in that vehicle was seriously injured. It was a close call that could have ended much worse for everyone.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 16th February, 2008

2006 Subaru Forester X Premium 2.5 from North America

Summary:

Subaru's reliability reputation is a facade

Faults:

The catalytic converter was replaced at 27,000 miles. The repair was under warranty, but I had to wait 2 months for the part.

Then the dealer broke some other part, during the repair. My car was in the shop for a week while I was stuck driving a junky 10-year-old Legacy, which I barely fit into.

General Comments:

AWD is excellent.

I think the reliability reputation is a facade.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 26th January, 2008

26th Feb 2008, 16:39

You kiddin?

You are complaining about a catalytic converter going out at 27,000 and then claim it's an unreliable car because of it?

Get a life sir/maam.

9th Apr 2008, 04:05

I agree totally with the first comments, we have had several issues with our car (a $45,000 brand new car less than a year old) including the following;

1. Speedometer is 9km out - this is within 10% standards and so Subaru will not fix it

2. Suspension and Suspension coils broken at 30,000km with no off road driving

3. Cruise Control and Brake Lights needed replacing at 25,000km due to faulty switches

4. Diff which drives the car broken at 5,000km - we are still waiting for the parts to be ordered a month later as they are on backorder (obviously a common problem)

This is in a brand new car!

We are not impressed with the car (despite being nice to drive - when it is working), nor or we impressed with the customer service and will not being buying a Subaru again.

27th May 2008, 13:55

Be happy your problems were only limited to a defective Cat Converter. My 05 Forester's 2.5L engine stopped dead with a huge puff of smoke and roar on the Interstate at 47,000 miles. Problem was coolant pressure related. The instrument panel oil and temp warning lamps never came on. Turns out the head gasket cut loose on the #3 cylinder and all the oil & coolant blew out at 65MPH thus burning up the engine in seconds. Subaru says it's not covered. All of the routine maintenance schedules were followed at the dealer. Thankfully it was a lease car and not owned. This piece of garbage Subaru has since been replaced with a Toyota which runs and drives far better. Stay away from Subaru! Their 2.5L engines are time bombs.

27th Oct 2008, 23:57

I would never dispute that the car may have no issues, but I must say my experience has never been as bad as those stated above me. I've had three Subaru Forester's in the last 15 years, my second was smashed in an accident, after two years of service, with a drunk which left me and three passengers without a scratch while the driver of the Camry wasn't as lucky, but she is fine.

I've never had any major issues with any of the my Foresters, they have all performed tremendously well all year round and handle better than any rental I've ever had in Canadian winters. I can say that my cars have been very reliable and very safe, which is key, and handles great in all conditions.

1st Jan 2010, 16:08

Our engine failed at 118000. We took great care of the car, and have all the service records to prove it. I too think the supposed reliability of Subaru's is a facade.