Subaru Forester (02-08) - Review

Review by Ben Wall on
The Forester won't seduce you with its looks, lacking the high performance posturing of the Impreza WRX, the imposing bulk of a proper off-roader or the sophistication of an Audi Allroad. However its compromises are also its strength, for it is far better to drive than almost any off-roader and more practical than most normal cars. It won't deal with serious off-road driving, but will cope with towing jetskis out of the water or traversing muddy fields. The biggest downside is the lack of any diesel option. A new 2.5-litre engine was added in 2004 and the range was facelifted later that same year.
4 out of 5

Other Subaru reviews

3 out of 5

Running costs

It does retain its value well, and Subaru has recently slashed its parts prices by 50%. But insurance and fuel prices are quite high and there is no diesel option for those seeking better economy.

Summary Running Costs

Servicing period

12,000 miles.

Warranty

Three years/60,000 miles.

Road tax (12 months)

£250.00 - £460.00

Vehicle excise duty (VED) varies according to the CO2 emissions and the fuel type of the vehicle. For cars registered after March 1st 2001 VED or road tax is based on the car's CO2 emissions. For cars registered before March 1st 2001 it is based on engine size.

Full running costs data

1.5 out of 5

Green credentials

  • A
  • B
  • C
  • D
  • E
  • F
  • G
  • H
  • I
  • J
    200
  • K
  • L
  • M
    261

CO2 emission figure (g/km)

Fuel economy rating

The arrows indicate the best and worst CO2 bands for this model.

Emissions summary

Forester is a polluting model. With an average of 227 g/km CO2 across the range, its emissions are a little high for a large 4x4. It's worth noting that the line-up does not feature any diesel models, which typically produce less carbon dioxide than petrol engines with similar power outputs. The range is quite thirsty, averaging 29 mpg.

Find the exact engine and CO2