2002 Subaru Forester S from North America - Comments

The six-disk CD changer would not eject CD after first use. Dealer ordered new one and replaced under warranty. Dealer said they'd seen this problem before.

I became a Subaru buff with the purchase of my 99 Legacy L sedan. Having previously owned Toyotas, I quickly came to appreciate the security and handling of all-wheel-drive.

So when I needed a car with a more flexible interior, I stayed with Subaru and bought the Forester. I've not regretted that decision.

Other than the somewhat higher seating position, you feel like you are driving a car. Unlike the unwieldy, gas-guzzling truck-based SUV, the Forester is a pleasure to drive. It combines comforts such as cruise control and heated seats with mechanical features like the viscous limited-slip differential - all standard equipment on the S model.

I also like the non-Rambo image of the Forester and Subaru's emphasis on respect for the environment.

No car is perfect, but for me, this one comes close.

I have just purchased a 03 Forester Turbo, I live in England, Somerset to be exact, in a rural place. I have only owned the car for a few days, but am totally in love with it. It provides good space, and a invigorating driving experience. The quality is very good and it is the only car I have owned that has provision for connecting a towbar to the electrical system as standard. The only criticism I have is the positioning of the radio, down low, and the tiny buttons to control it.

Andy

I just traded my 1997 Mercury Sable (108,000) for a 2002 Subaru Forester (30,000) when I ran across it at a dealership where it had been traded in.

It is the most cool car (small SUV) I have seen and I like it much more than the Ford Escape I was considering buying (because it was quieter at highway speeds). It included a rack on top so I can transport a Kayak and MANY other features and inside compartments to store stuff that is just cool; my 9 year old son used the word "awesome" many times on the way home in reference to our "new" used vehicle!

I love the way it handles, and my daughter loves the 6 CD player. It is much quieter than my Sable for road/air noise on the highway (which is actually what drove me to be looking for a vehicle). Has a very smooth, but somewhat firmer ride than the Sable. It has 4 wonderful cup holders (2 front and back) where the Sable had barely one that was properly sized and none properly positioned.

I've only owned it for 2 days, but I'm in love with it.

If it lasts to my target of 130,000 miles (6 years) with no major issue, I'll definitely be considering another Subaru.

The only 2 Sable features I miss a bit are keypad key-less door entry, and automatic temperature control, but I am very happy with the Forester, and love the giant powered sun roof in the evenings.

My wife loves her 2001 Forester that now has 65,000 miles on it. We had the O2 sensor go bad, but it was covered under warranty. We also had to replace one of the CV Boots at 60,000 miles and this cost about 300.00 but still not bad for 60,000 miles with no problems. The car run perfectly, never had an issue of any kind.

We have had the car serviced at the dealership each time and on time with the service schedule.

On a side note, we have the Automatic transmission and on our last service the dealer recommended a "transmission flush" which cost an additional $220.00 for what I would assume is simply draining the trans fluid and replacing it with new, in any event WE DID this service and the transmission DOES shift smoother than before. I had began to notice a very slight "Clunk" between shifts that was not there before, but this "Flush" cleared up the problem. The dealer told us that many of the people who complain about transmission problems DECLINE the recommended services.

The key here is a lot of people complain about problems, but if you look into it, you see that they attempt to "Service the car themselves". This is often a mistake as people try to change fluids and other things without the knowledge to do so. It's better to take it to the dealer and let them work on it. That way you know it's been done right.