2006 Subaru Forester SUV

I leased the 2006 Subaru Forester in July of 2006. I traded in my 1999 Subaru Outback because I wanted a newer smaller version of an SUV with better gas mileage.

This car is a 4 cylinder automatic with all of the basic options and nothing more. I was looking for a low cost all wheel drive vehicle with a good safety rating, and after 2 years of driving this, it has been a great car. Compared to the Outback, this car has much better acceleration and control in any driving situation. It gets about 23 miles to the gallon on average in suburban type driving. The only issue with performance is that the engine sometimes turns at high rev/min and feels overstressed at times when passing or accelerating quickly.

The exterior (gray color)of the car has maintained its new look and shows very little wear. The fabric interior has also held up well.

The interior is a bit small when travelling with four adults, but this car is mostly used for my commute to work. The dash and sides are little heavy on the plastic. There is also an unusually placed storage compartment above the radio. Someone got a little carried away with the ergonomics there. The front drive seat has a manual seat height adjustment. The seat slowly sinks back down over time and needs to be manually raised every few week. Not a big problem.

The car has been extremely reliable as I have not had any issues with it so far. Other than oil changes and inspections, I have done very little else to this car. The unfortunate part is that I will not be getting another Subaru when this lease expires as my needs have once again changed. With gas at over $4.00 per gallon where I live, I will be trading this in for a Toyota Prius. If the Subaru were available in a Hybrid, it would be my next car as it is the perfect car for me.

In the end, anyone searching for a great All Wheel Drive vehicle that is good in the snow and rain and handles very well, the Forester is the car for you.