2014 SUBARU Forester

So. Much. Oil.

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 1 Performance Rating: 2 Interior Rating: 2 Reliability Rating: 1 Safety Rating: 4 Technology Rating: 3 Value Rating: 2

I knew I was in trouble when, 6 weeks after purchasing this car, the low oil indicator came on. I've had to throw a quart in every 6 weeks or so ever since ... until 2 months ago when it dropped to every 4 weeks. I'm now done. There is no reason I should have to continue throwing oil into a car like this. I've Googled, I see that people are given the run around, I see I can haul myself to the dealer over and over for consumption tests (no thanks), and I know there was a class action lawsuit about it that they lost. I just want this car out of my life (I'm going tomorrow to get something else). In addition to the oil issue, the seats aren't comfortable at all. The seat itself is too short for my legs (I'm 5'8"). Yes, I did test drive it, but it was fine for that 10 minutes. I only noticed it after spending more time in it. The armrest is too short. The controls make NO sense. I can't hook up an iPod without being forced to control it through the car's controls, which is an exercise in futility. If you have a rear-facing car seat, the person sitting in front of it is jammed into the dash (my husband rides in back with our son more often than not because it's more comfortable). And, finally, the ride itself is rough. The car is at a low price point, and it never lets you forget why. Are there any plusses? Yes. Aesthetically, I like how it looks. The cargo area is roomy. It comes in manual transmission, which is a dying breed. Gas mileage is good. But overall, I hate this car with the white hot intensity of a thousand suns.

Roomy and Reliable But Not. Great Ride

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 2 Performance Rating: 3 Interior Rating: 3 Reliability Rating: 5 Safety Rating: 5 Technology Rating: 3 Value Rating: 3

Little things, no auto locking doors, have to hold door when getting out it it will swing all the way out to bang the car next to you, poor seat adjustment options, and not a terribly smooth ride. Stereo sub par. Otherwise has good acceleration, handles well, great fuel efficiency, reliable and roomy.

2014 Subaru

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5 Safety Rating: 5 Technology Rating: 5 Value Rating: 5

This is my 2nd one,and I got best (poster child)I have all the bells and whistles on my SUV and I just recently found out that they stopped putting navigation in the Subaru so I'm holding on to mine. It turns on a dime,it has the speed it's great on gas.Went to trade off for 2016 till I found out that I could get a 2017 but no navigation,inside knobs are cheaper looking and you pay a whole lot more for nothing.The 2014 are the best!

Great vehicle

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 4 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 4 Reliability Rating: 5 Safety Rating: 5 Technology Rating: 5 Value Rating: 5

Worth the purchase. Performance solid, family outgrew the car is why we are changing to a different car. Loved this vehicle and value to experience was very high.

An easy love affair.

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 4 Reliability Rating: 5 Safety Rating: 5 Technology Rating: 5 Value Rating: 5

This gets the best reviews. As my Forester is only two weeks old it is hard to rate the snow and rain traction in a dry summer for obvious reasons. And I'm not familiar with all the bells and whistles yet... It feels like a luxury jeep to me. One concern is going up steep hills. Only one time have I had a chance to test this grade up, but it was not as perky as in driving on level ground. But in all fairness I did not put it in a low gear test. So far the title remains true! Update, a few weeks later; No problem climbing hills in drive. The four stars for Interior; very nice dash but wish they used less hard plastic and metals. Although 2014 is an improvement on a more soft interior, Subaru needs to move more in a soft feel interior. I give it a thanks for trying; and it is not bad by any sense of the imagination.

An easy love affair.

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 4 Reliability Rating: 5 Safety Rating: 5 Technology Rating: Value Rating: 5

This gets the best reviews. As my Forester is only two weeks old it is hard to rate the snow and rain traction in a dry summer for obvious reasons. And I'm not familiar with all the bells and whistles yet... It feels like a luxury jeep to me. One concern is going up steep hills. Only one time have I had a chance to test this grade up, but it was not as perky as in driving on level ground. But in all fairness I did not put it in a low gear test. So far the title remains true!

Love my Forrester

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: Reliability Rating: Safety Rating: Technology Rating: Value Rating:

I love this Forrester, but the family is growing and it doesn't work for us anymore. Great ride, safe, secure in bad weather. Totally wonderful car. Excellent gas mileage.

Oil Issues and Beyond

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 4 Reliability Rating: 4 Safety Rating: 5 Technology Rating: 3 Value Rating: 4

I have a 2014 Subaru Forester and love it! But, I can echo some of the oil issues. But mine have been minor comparatively. A few times in the last three years the low oil light has come on just before I was about to take it in for routine maintenance anyway. I keep a qt in the back and have topped it off apx 3 times since I bought it. When I learned about the class action lawsuit against Subaru I was quite upset and wrote my car off. I took it to the dealership and they gave me a pamphlet about oil consumption that was kind of pathetic. I know how to check the oil in any car and I expect that any modern car doesn't need that type of attention. I also expect that Subaru (to which I have friends and family that have had several different models that lasted for way over 200k miles) won't ever have a silly issue like this. However, that was 2 years ago and at almost 45k my Forester has been a champ. I also got an extended powertrain warranty from Subaru on my Forester for 8 years /100,000 miles as a result of the lawsuit. So if you buy this car used that should transfer from what I am to understand. This also gave me some much needed confidence back in the model and the brand. All this aside, the MPG are amazing for an AWD car, the interior is roomy and well appointed, it has great acceleration and it has gotten us through some tough snow and adverse weather situations safe and sound. Overall I am quite happy with my Forester and plan to keep it for a very long time. Now that the oil issue is out in the open and many cars have been updated I would highly recommend the Forester. Because without this one issue (albeit, a bad one for a few owners) this is one amazing car.

Thirsty for oil 2014 Subaru Forester 2.5i Limited

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 3 Performance Rating: 3 Interior Rating: 4 Reliability Rating: 3 Safety Rating: 4 Technology Rating: 3 Value Rating:

I bought the 2014 Subaru Forester 2.5i Limited in October of 2013. I'll start with the positives: I'm very impressed with the style (used to look dumpy prior model years), the reasonable gas mileage, the room, the fact that I can easily get in/out of the SUV (I'm short), the leather seating (I have chronic back pain so it helps), the huge moon roof, the lift gate, the safety, AWD handling, the brakes are nice (not super touchy and doesn't pull you forward). The cons so far: the options if it's not standard can be pretty pricey, what comes standard is not always the greatest (Acura per example, would beat out Subaru in that department, specifically the technology dept.), the heat takes awhile to get warm, a lot of trouble starting the car if it's colder than usual (-0), heated seats do not stay heated, sometimes I hear road noise even though windows are all up, not all doors have a light so if you're sitting in the back, it's hard to see where the window button is if you want to roll down the window when it's dark, the driver visor mirror does not have a light (pretty cheap if you ask me!), and most importantly, my car is one of the year/VIN/models affected by oil consumption issues. Recently, my oil light went on, on my way to work. I brought it to the dealership that day since it's under the power train warranty and there is an active lawsuit against Subaru that I was notified about. I was told that my car (2K more miles to the next oil change) lost 1 1/2 quarts of oil (not sure where it went b/c it didn't leak from what I could tell). They changed the oil and replaced a gasket (pretty bad that needed replacement but thankful it was under warranty), and I was told to bring the car back 1200 miles later for another oil consumption test (coming up), do not add oil if the oil light comes up and they will replace the engine if it goes while under the warranty. I haven't had to pay anything out of my own pocket for that yet, knock on wood, but this shouldn't happen to a car that doesn't even have 40K miles on it yet and is Japanese engineered! Subaru really needs to fix this problem! Enough people are affected that they should notice and be proactive!! I'm very disappointed and I don't know if I'll ever get another Subaru! So far, I seem to have better luck with Honda's....

Oil Consumption Issues

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 3 Performance Rating: 2 Interior Rating: 4 Reliability Rating: 1 Safety Rating: 5 Technology Rating: 2 Value Rating: 1

Our Subaru Forester is having reoccurring oil consumption issues – the oil light comes on well before the manufacture recommended oil change interval. We started our first oil consumption test this past spring, coming into our dealership every 1500 miles for a total of 5 times. The test resulted in limited work on our vehicle. Once the final test came and went we were told there was nothing the dealership could do and we were sent on our way. It’s been a few months and about 3,500 miles since the dealership sent us on our way and the oil light has come on again. So we’ve brought the Forester back to the dealership who is recommending that we start the oil consumption tests over. This is our first Subaru purchase and it’s starting to look like our last because of the amazing inconvenience to my family. It’s difficult for my family to travel to a dealership every 1500 miles to have the oil topped off, and if the dealership/Subaru won’t take steps to fix the root cause we’ll be selling our Forester and moving on to a new brand.

2014 Subaru Forester using oil

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 4 Performance Rating: 4 Interior Rating: 4 Reliability Rating: 5 Safety Rating: 5 Technology Rating: 3 Value Rating: 3

Well, thinking about trading my 2014 Forester in for something else...undecided. At 40,000 miles, I am now up to using a quart of oil in about 3000 miles. I've been having some usage, about a 1/2 quart prior, but now up to the quart stage. Terrible! So very disappointing! I had heard such great reviews on this vehicle, and now I have to pay attention to the sound. I can tell when it starts to get low, and stop and get a quart. Keeping a quart with me at all times. I have my class action suit papers here on my desk. I shouldn't even have to read all these sheets of paper, as I paid good money, and still paying! I will fill them out!!!! Now what do I buy in it's place. I did so much research to come to the Subaru conclusion, now I have to start all over!

Dangerous Flaws in an otherwise decent car

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 3 Performance Rating: 2 Interior Rating: 2 Reliability Rating: 4 Safety Rating: 1 Technology Rating: 2 Value Rating: 2

I owned a 2014 Forester for nearly 3 years and 36,000 miles. This was my second Forester having liked my 2010 so much, but it's also my last Forester and likely my last Subaru. The Forester provides a balanced package of performance, utility and price. As car shoppers we should understand the cost benefit analysis and the compromises inherent in every automobile we purchase. For the Forester, in my experience, the benefits include Subaru's AWD system, good safety ratings, relatively good reliability and decent driving dynamics... all at a decent price point. Downsides include poor interior design and fit and finish, noisy highway driving and lousy electronics. My ownership of the 2014 revealed that this redesigned model comes with something else: terrifying handling in sub-optimal driving conditions. At highway speeds I found the driving stability lacking, and very noticeably worse than my 2010 model. The car felt top heavy and unsteady when executing lane changes or navigating exit ramps. Also, highway driving in windy conditions or very wet roads was less than confidence inspiring and the car often felt poorly planted. I attributed these handling defects to the taller profile compared to my other Forester. The first winter I owned the car I was driving on a highway with less than a 1" layer of slush. I am 53 and have driven in winter conditions my whole life and I had my family in the car with me so I was driving even more cautiously than I normally do. Up ahead was a car on the shoulder so I slowly made a change into the left lane and then it happened... the car started to oscillate and the rear end felt like it wanted to come around. It was like driving with no traction at all and I struggled to get the car back under control for what seemed like an eternity... honestly, I am amazed we didn't go off the road. Yes the conditions were not great, but no other car on the road seemed to have problems driving and in all my experience driving I have never had a car handle that way. I attributed the incident to an unwise decision to switch lanes exacerbated by the truly horrible Yokohama OEM tires Subaru puts on these cars. Needless to say I got rid of my nearly new OEM tires and bought a set of top rated Continental True Contacts. The new tires helped the handling a bit, as did a dealer performed alignment, but the car still felt skittish and I again experienced the loose rear end feeling, albeit not as bad as the first time. Meanwhile I was growing tired of the endless rattles that the dealer could not address, frustrated by the awful Subaru navigation system and bluetooth that could not make outgoing calls and alarmed by the extended warranty issued for excessive oil consumptions (a problem for many Subaru owners, but not for me personally). As I casually started researching cars I found that the handling problems I had were not unique. There are countless cases of the same DANGEROUS handling flaws for the Forester and the mechanically very similar Crosstrek. Just search for "Ghost walking" or "dangerous Forester" or "Forester slush problem", etc. and you won't believe the extent of problems out there. And that's with most people, like me until I researched, thinking they did something wrong to cause the problem. I am now convinced that there is a serious design flaw (not sure if it's the suspension, AWD, chassis design, or some combination of these factors) with these vehicles that can render them an accident waiting to happen. I traded in my Forester (and it has not held its value well... depreciation is much higher than for Subaru's I have owned in the past) for a new Volvo XC60 and couldn't be happier and I feel much safer. It's a shame really. Subaru makes a decent product and it pains me to write such a scathing review. This Forester has been reliable, yields very good fuel economy, offers lots of second row and cargo space, had great visibility, relatively comfortable seats, and offered good maneuverability. I like my local dealer and have had generally good ownership with my four previous Subarus, but the dangerous aspect of this car has shaken my faith in the brand and I am not likely to ever purchase another Subaru.

No Oil issues with my wife and I after 21k

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 1 Performance Rating: 4 Interior Rating: 4 Reliability Rating: 3 Safety Rating: 5 Technology Rating: 3 Value Rating: 3

Overall I like it for short trips ONLY. I have a 2014 Subaru Forester . I have several issues with it after driving it for 2 -1/2 years. I will try to explain. 1) Around town you may not notice it but on long trips, it becomes very uncomfortable. Here is why: The drivers side door panel causes my knee to cramp up from hiting the window and door instrument panel that is slanted. This Is totally uncomfortable on trips. 2) The CVT transmission takes many miles of driving go into high gear in the cold weather of winter Gas mileage suffers greatly. 17 mpg city 23 highway--Summer it is 27mpg city and 32 mpg highway. 3) The wind noise is very bad at highway speeds 60+mph after the Forister reaches 2 years old. 4) in our Limited edition with Power seats, the front seat is too close to the dash. My legs get cramps on long drives. 5) Radio could be better. 6) Rear camera is next to worthless...I can never get use to using it when backing up. I use the side mirrors.. The back up Camera is a waste of money IMO but you're forced to take it in the limited. 7) A hard ride-you feel every bump What I Like 1)Great handling 2)Good Passing engine power 3)solid feel 4) Great Gas Milage in the summer only (when the transmission warms up, which can take a long while in the winter) 5 Visibility when driving is Great 6) Great looking Dash and Console.. The gages are Not trimmed with obtrusive shiny chrome that belongs on the wheels and not the dash or Console! 7) The Forister i have found, is the most comfortable vehicle to get in and out of. Once I get in and close the door, it becomes a diffrent story. This is how I see it folks. I hope Subaru can make some of these improvements on their 2017 models which I plan to look at coming up. Happy Motoring!

New Engine Needed at 12,500 miles

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 4 Performance Rating: 4 Interior Rating: 4 Reliability Rating: 1 Safety Rating: 5 Technology Rating: 3 Value Rating: 2

I was told yesterday that I need a new engine in my 2014 Forester ASAP. They wouldn't let me drive it home and bring it back. Loud knocking in the engine after start up. They told me it was due to oil consumption. Makes me sick to my stomach to think that I was going to keep this car for my daughter to drive in 8 years. Not any more!

In prosess of leasing my 3rd Subaru Forester!

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 4 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 4 Reliability Rating: 5 Safety Rating: 5 Technology Rating: 4 Value Rating: 5

Understand how CVT transmission functions

Great Model Year, Great Car

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5 Safety Rating: 5 Technology Rating: 3 Value Rating: 5

Bought a used 2014 Subaru Forester 2.5i Limited from Lithia Reno Subaru in Reno, NV. My wife and I drove all the way from the Bay Area to snatch it up, and the ride was well worth it! The car is fantastic, everything you could want from a Forester and then some...the snowy ride through Tahoe on I-80 was cake compared to our experience with the small rental we drove up to the dealership; on the other end of the spectrum, a winding drive through Death Valley was also met without issue. Why the 2014 Forester? This is the first model year with CVT, which greatly increases fuel economy. And because it is slightly older, you can get more car for your $...we were originally looking at lower-end trims, but are glad we went with the Limited; the leather seats won't stain as easily as the fabric, which was a concern as we usually have coffee in the car and are a bit on the clumsy side. If you find a well-maintained 2014 Forester with reasonable mileage, it should feel as good as new, because it practically is! ***Update October 2016*** 8k miles and a one-way cross-country trip later, the car still drives like new and no apparent problems. Regular maintenance performed per owner's manual, nothing extraordinary. I reiterate my original opinion that this make and model year is a fantastic option for anyone looking for an AWD small SUV or the like.

Forester 2014

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 4 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5 Safety Rating: 5 Technology Rating: 5 Value Rating: 5

Love my Forester!

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5 Safety Rating: 5 Technology Rating: 5 Value Rating: 5

I upgraded from a 2002 Honda Odyssey to a 2014 Forester. My husband, who is 6'6", says he feels he has more room in the Subaru than he did in the van. I have a 2 year old son, and live in Northern Ohio, so do lots of driving in bad weather. I feel safe and confident in my Subaru's ability to hold the road and not slide in icy conditions. Did I mention, it gets amazing gas mileage? Also, the cabin of the car is nice and quiet for when my son is napping, but has a great sound system for when I am driving by myself. On a more superficial note, the redesign looks amazing and it is truly a beautiful car. Mine is a white pearl color, which is just gorgeous in the sunlight. All in all, I love my Forester, and would highly recommend it, particularly as a family car.

Another oil Burner

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 3 Performance Rating: 3 Interior Rating: 3 Reliability Rating: 2 Safety Rating: 4 Technology Rating: 2 Value Rating: 1

Doing my second oil consumption test this week. Down a quart after 3200 miles. I'm frustrated that Subaru finds it acceptable for a car to use a quart every 3600 miles. (1/3 qt every 1200 mi.) when the recommended oil change frequency is 7500 mi. And why do some foresters not use oil and others do? That is a quality control problem. Subaru has become way popular in the last several years and must have ramped up production. Maybe they need to funnel some extra resources into QC and not just spit out an inconsistent product.

Great in the ice and snow

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 4 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 3 Reliability Rating: 5 Safety Rating: 5 Technology Rating: 5 Value Rating: 5

This is my second Subaru Forester (my 2013 forester with 24k miles got totaled after someone ran into the back of me). I noticed the oil consumption issue on my 2013 forester, it would go thru a quart of oil every 5,000 miles. I switched to 5W20 and it solved the problem (still a pain). My 2014 does not burn any oil at all and I use the recommended 0W20 full synthetic. The big selling point for me on these cars is how well they drive in the mountains on snow and ice. I don't have a scientific way to validate my observation but I drive a lot in the mountains and I can tell you that compared to my 4WD Honda Element (which I love), the Forester is head and shoulders better when the road conditions deteriorate.

Do not buy this vehicle

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 3 Performance Rating: 3 Interior Rating: 2 Reliability Rating: 1 Safety Rating: 4 Technology Rating: 3 Value Rating: 1

I purchased a 2014 Forester in the end May of 2015 (19,000 miles). After driving for about 1200 miles the low oil light came on. The dealership topped of the oil 4 times before they would do the oil consumption test. After the test they replaced my engine(so they say). After driving the new engine for a week, the low oil light came on. Topped off oil again. Consumption test again tomorrow. 7 months of owning this vehicle and over 20 hours of waiting in the waiting room. I want my 2006 Nissan back!

Wife's ride

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 4 Performance Rating: 3 Interior Rating: 4 Reliability Rating: 4 Safety Rating: 4 Technology Rating: 4 Value Rating: 4

Good car value wise with all wheel drive and safty record - would prefer greater mileage considering 4 cyl manual trans

Oil sucker

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 4 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 4 Reliability Rating: 4 Safety Rating: 5 Technology Rating: 4 Value Rating: 4

I bought the forester in Jan 15 it had 23,000 miles on it. I drive 104 miles round trip to work each day. I have 47,000 on the suv now and just lately I have noticed it is drinking oil. After a fresh oil change I find that the oil light comes on after about 2,000 miles and I have to add a quart. I put the recommend synthetic oil in about every 6-8,000 miles. I have been in the car business for 40+ years and have always driven newer cars I have never had to add any oil. This is definitely a problem. I bought the Subaru because I thought it would be a reliable car,but now I,m not so sure. I'm going to contact the dealer and see what they do. Stay tuned.

Great car but a real rattle trap!!

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 3 Reliability Rating: Safety Rating: 1 Technology Rating: 4 Value Rating:

If you are sensitive to rattles coming from the dash...do not buy because the rattle will drive you nuts!

No Problems With This One!

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 4 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 1 Reliability Rating: 5 Safety Rating: 5 Technology Rating: 5 Value Rating: 4

I've seen some complaints about the forester burning out, but I've had my for 21,000 miles and two years and never had a problem with oil burning. Overall seems to be a good car for the money. I will update this if there are any changes. Also, I'm a bigger guy at 6' to 6'1'' and around 200 pounds and the car has plenty of room for me.

Trading it in for a honda or Acura- lemons

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 2 Performance Rating: 2 Interior Rating: 2 Reliability Rating: 1 Safety Rating: 2 Technology Rating: 1 Value Rating: 1

As almost all other reviews have mentioned this has a major oil issues (deeper rooted in what I believe to be a major engine design flaw). What makes the engine and oil issues worse is that the Subaru dealer I service the car at has the worse mechanics I have ever seen. Adding Synthetic oil and doing synthetic oil changes this often points to a much larger engine issue- which Subaru is ignoring completely. I will be trading in after only 2 years which I never do (my last 2 hondas went for a combined 358000 miles - so I really drive my cars) From about 3000 miles on I was in every 4 months telling them the car would not turn over correctly. The service center would make up some silly excuse like Use Only Ethanol gases or try different oil brands- when really they were clueless. When finally the engine light went on they still had no idea how to fix this. They told me the oil looked bad and it was my fault- car is only 2 years old and they ended up with over $1700 in engine work (covered by warranty) but for a car only 2 years old- look out that is a lemon! Subaru's are a scam, if you want a rugged long term car go with a Honda.

Oil Addict

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 4 Performance Rating: 4 Interior Rating: 3 Reliability Rating: 1 Safety Rating: 3 Technology Rating: 3 Value Rating: 1

Normal engines don't burn oil at 6,000 miles. My oil light comes on between every oil change. Subaru won't admit there is a problem.

Basically a good car with a few faults

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 2 Performance Rating: 4 Interior Rating: 4 Reliability Rating: 4 Safety Rating: 5 Technology Rating: 1 Value Rating: 3

I have had this car since new for over two years. The 2014 Forester has outstanding visibility and an excellent CVT that delivers great gas mileage. I'm 6'2" and I find the driver's position very comfortable. The cargo capacity is adequate for my needs (e.g. putting 8 ft long lumber in the interior for my woodworking projects). Two serious faults: the ride is incredibly rough, especially over the poorly paved streets of Denver. Riding on residential streets feels like being pummeled by a boxer! My wife had a back operation and couldn't ride in the car for months! I haven't used it off road, but I worry that the ride will render it unusable. The second problem is a non-functional Bluetooth that will not connect reliably with my iPhone6 (nor did it with a previous iPhone4). Since my iPhone6 connects just fine with other car Bluetooth systems, this is clearly Subaru's problem, much as they denied it. A more minor annoyance is the terrible instrumentation, which uses three separate and different format displays for fuel levels, consumption, audio system status, etc....very distracting and with lots o' useless information, such as driven wheel status, antilock activation (you can feel this, after all!), and several different displays for fuel rate consumption...overall, a very distracting and potentially dangerous system. On the other hand, there is no temperature gauge, just a blue idiot light that goes out when the engine warms up. This is the 7th Subaru that I've owned since 1981, and I generally kept them until they wear out (or were totaled by my kids). However, the flaws in this one, mostly the rough ride, has me considering trading it in for a Rav4 or a CRV.

Shortcuts on the 2014 Forester

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 4 Performance Rating: 3 Interior Rating: 3 Reliability Rating: 3 Safety Rating: 5 Technology Rating: 4 Value Rating: 3

I owned a 1998 and 2004 Outback and they were tight, high quality cars. This car has rattles on the front dashboard and the dealer has tried but cannot fix it. Subaru even eliminated the temp. gauge in favor of a 1960s style light on the dash. The lighting in the very back storage area is poor, no light under the hood either, and there is no hook to hang dry cleaning. All in all, the interior is a disappointment but the back seat legroom is awesome and I'm happy with the highway gas mileage. Not much power in this car. If there was a 2.8 V6 option, that would add something.

2014 Subaru Forester Burning oil

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 4 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 4 Safety Rating: 5 Technology Rating: 4 Value Rating: 4

Great car, bought it new with one big problem, Burning oil. Dealer did oil consumption test on it at 18,000 mi. and found it was burning 16oz of oil per 1200 mi. Dealer replaced engine block, no questions or problems from them. I have put on 2000 mi. since replacement and it's not burning any oil yet. I'm hoping this is the correct fix because it's been a great car. I will update after 6000 mi Grand Subaru of Bensenville in Illinois has been great up to this point. Hoping this solves the problem for good.

UPDATE 60,000 Mile Review ---> Now at 78,000 miles

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 4 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5 Safety Rating: 5 Technology Rating: 4 Value Rating: 5

This is an update to my earlier review posted on 09/09/15 (I got an email notice from Edmund asking me to do so, so what the heck). Apparently there's a word limit, which I'd reached with my first review, so please refer to that original post to see my full review although I'll touch on a couple of items mentioned earlier. It's been 6 months and another 18,000 miles since my first post (yes, I drive a lot of miles). Regarding the oil consumption issue: In my original post I mentioned my low-oil light came on for the first time at 51,500 which was about 1000 miles shy of the 52,500 scheduled maintenance interval. At that time I just changed the oil then and there. At the time of my post I was at 58,000, still in the "safe zone" on the dipstick, and wondering whether I'd see another low-oil light before the next 7500 interval. I did not. I've changed the oil twice since then; once I had to add oil, the other time I did not. So my oil change and oil consumption history to date has been: 0 - 45400: Oil changed roughly every 7500 miles. No excessive oil consumption (i.e. no low-oil light) during this period. 45400 - 51500: Low-oil light came on at 51,500 - changed oil early. 51500 - 59222: No low-oil light. 59222 - 66950: No low-oil light. 66950 - 74388: Low-oil light came on at 73,450 - added about 3/4 quart. 74388 - 77,980 (current): No low-oil light, oil level one-third down from top hole on dipstick. By the way: In January 2016 Subaru announced they were settling the class-action lawsuit regarding oil consumption: "Subaru has agreed to extend its 5 year, 60,000-mile warranty in respect to the alleged defect to an 8 year, 100,000-mile warranty. SOA will also reimburse certain expenses for vehicle repairs, rental cars, towing and the purchase of up to six quarts of oil per vehicle with appropriate proof." Moving on. The other issue I commented on in my first review was the lousy OEM tires and how I couldn't wait to change them, which I did at 65,000. I was down to 4/32s and started to hydroplane in moderate downpours so that was a no-brainer. With a fresh set of General Altimax RT43s grip and handling improved greatly, both in wet weather and especially in light snow (I put my snows back on in January). In fact, if anything these particular tires are a little too grippy as my mileage droped by a couple of mpgs but as I was getting great mileage beforehand I'm not too disappointed with this aspect of things. What I am a little disappointed with however was the new tires didn't improve the ride comfort. I've always felt my Forester rode a little harsh on rough roads and over bumps and railroad tracts, etc. I had attributed some of this to the lousy OEM tires and was hoping a change to fresh rubber would help. The ride has improved somewhat but I still feel more rough road than I'd like. One last testament conerning traction and winter driving: In late January, I had to venture down unplowed dirt roads the morning after a 10 inch snowfall (having by this time changed over to my second-year Goodyear UltraGrip Ice WRTs). Chewed through the fresh snow without incident. Amazing. Not much else to add to my original post, no other maintenance issues to speak of. I fear I'll need new brakes soon and not looking forward to that expense but I'll adhere to the schedule and hope to have my Subie for many more years.

Poor Quality and design

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 1 Performance Rating: 1 Interior Rating: 1 Reliability Rating: 1 Safety Rating: 3 Technology Rating: 1 Value Rating: 1

We purchased the 2014 Subaru in March of 2013. It was during the first month of sales for the 14 model year. My wife is the one that loved it. I preferred the Honda CRV. My wife got caught up in the outdoors hype that they advertise. The first problem we noticed was that it is not meant for tall people. While there is plenty of head room, the seat bottom is too short and does not give any leg support. We noticed this on our first out of town trip. Shortly thereafter, it became our in-town car. The fit and finish is basic. I am used to Hondas where the fit and finish is excellent. The second issue is oil consumption. I followed all schedules described by Subaru. All Oil changes were done at a Subaru dealership. The oil was changed at 3750, 7500, and 15000 with no problems. At 21,500, the oil light came on. This was 1000 miles before the scheduled oil change. I went to Subaru and paid for an oil change, 1000 miles early. (I asked why it was burning oil (does not leak). They said it was within industry standards for oil consumption. In fact, they said that it was OK to use 1 quart every 1000 miles. If my car did use a quart every 1000 miles, I would be adding 7 quarts before the next oil change. This is considered acceptable by Subaru. My last car was a Honda accord. It was totaled at 176,000 miles and it never used any oil between oil changes. ) On the new window decal, they recommended bringing it back in at 27,500 miles. This was 6000 miles later instead of the original 7500 miles between oil changes. At 26,500 miles, the oil light came on again. This was only 5000 miles since the last oil change. I again paid early for an oil change. They started an oil consumption test. When I got home, I let the car sit for an hour and then checked the oil level. They had overfilled it, probably by about 1/4 of a quart. I could not believe that they would perform a scientific test where the starting point for oil level was not correct. I called Subaru customer support. They agreed to transfer this to a different dealership. The other dealership changed to oil for free and started the test. Once again the oil level was too high. At that point I gave up. Every Oil change I am getting about 1000 fewer miles before the oil light comes on. This is disturbing trend. When I purchase vehicles, I keep them for 10-15 years. I dumped this one at 2 years for a substantial loss. I was just glad to be done with it. The third issue is the AWD design. We had a flat tire which was not repairable. When I went into a local tire shop, they said I needed to replace both tires on the axle where the flat occurred. this was due to the AWD. During one of my dealership visits for the many the Oil consumption issue listed above, the dealership noticed that two of the tires were new. They said I had to replace the older ones with new ones otherwise it would void the warranty and cause damage to the AWD. I cannot believe that Subaru has such poor engineering in their AWD where they require all 4 tires to be replaced at the same time. Word of caution. If you have a flat tire that is not repairable, Subaru thinks it is acceptable to replace all 4 even if the others have good tread. Good luck. I went and bought a CRV. I suggest others do this too.

Ow means winter people lol google it. not weight

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 2 Performance Rating: 3 Interior Rating: 2 Reliability Rating: 1 Safety Rating: Technology Rating: Value Rating: 2

Yes in fact the oil recomended for the car is great and the dealer is full of it the 0w 20 means WINTER. That means the oil is better in low temp conditions, the weight is measured by viscosity. And yes i also bought a 2014 lemon that the dealer could have disclosed the oil burning problems of the past and present. But the keep their mouths shut and keep selling subarus. Looks like honda made good on their oil problems and extended warenties so buy a honda i guess or a car from the 90's lolol

A 2014 that burns 2qts between oil changes?! BAD

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 4 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 4 Reliability Rating: 3 Safety Rating: 5 Technology Rating: 4 Value Rating: 3

I've had my 2014 for about 20,000 miles now. I love the car, I love it's handling, safety, form factor, and many other facets. It's like a billy goat in the rain and snow, hugs roads like very few other SUVs and gets 32MPG on the highway. But when the low oil light came on several thousand miles short of the recommended service interval, I immediately thought something was wrong. I topped it off and went right to an oil change shop. When they looked at the mileage and heard that it was 1.5 Qt down 2.5K miles short of the recommended interval, they too though something was wrong, and refused to service it. Looks like I need to head to the dealer and start a consumption test.

Burns oil,

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 4 Performance Rating: 4 Interior Rating: 4 Reliability Rating: 1 Safety Rating: 4 Technology Rating: 4 Value Rating:

Burns oil like crazy. The oil light came on before 3,000 miles after oil change and the problem is getting worse. I have to add oil probably a quart or 2 between oil changes. Might try thicker oil like 5 to see how it fairs because 0-40 is not working. On the bright side the rear viability is very nice compared to other suvs.

Oil consumption nightmare

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 4 Performance Rating: 2 Interior Rating: 4 Reliability Rating: 1 Safety Rating: 2 Technology Rating: 2 Value Rating:

A new car should not require constant checking of oil. I had the car less than 2 months and mileage was about 2-3000 when the oil warning light came on during a trip across Ontario (in an unfamiliar place! on a provincial holiday! when the store were not open!) . I had to interrupt my trip and spend an inordinate amount of time (and international roaming charges) to find a store that was open that sold 0W20 synthetic motor oil. I lost a day of my trip to that. Since that inauspicious first long trip in my Forester, I have to make sure I'm packing 2 extra quarts of oil at all times. The oil light comes on regularly and when I have brought the car in for service, the service people at the dealership try to explain it away as a feature of a high performing, environmentally friendly car that uses synthetic oil. They have also tried to blame the oil consumption problem on things like a loose oil tank cap! Synthetic oil also costs $10 a quart, so not only has this cost time, it has cost money. I have spent far too much time at the dealership than I should have to for a 2 year old car with 22K miles on it. Another reviewer posted that Subaru had told her this oil consumption problem was "fixed" in future models. I sure as hell hope so. I really liked my last Subaru Legacy -- it was a great car. But the fact that I'm paying $300 a month for a lemon that Subaru won't admit has anything wrong with it makes me feel as though they really don't want me as a customer any longer.

Burning Oil at 7,000 miles

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 4 Performance Rating: 3 Interior Rating: 3 Reliability Rating: 2 Safety Rating: 4 Technology Rating: 3 Value Rating: 2

Car used some oil during break in but after two oil changes, one at 3000 and the next at 5000 it started using oil at the rate of more than a quart every 1,000 miles. Took the car in for a oil consumption test and noted the dealer over filled it by a 1/4 quart. I am now on the third engine. The first Subaru replaced due to oil consumption, the second was RUINED by the service department at Lithia Subaru in Fresno and had to be replaced again by Maita Subaru in Sacramento which did a great job. The third engine does use some oil, maybe a quart or so between changes but I guess that is the best Subaru's are capable of. At least Subaru picked up the cost for the third engine too.

A Very Satisfied 2014 Forester Owner

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 4 Performance Rating: 4 Interior Rating: 4 Reliability Rating: 5 Safety Rating: 5 Technology Rating: 4 Value Rating: 5

This has been a great car. The 6 speed with the 2.5L is a nice combo. I haven't noticed any excessive oil consumption. I change it every 3000 miles without adding any oil. I don't believe in the 7500 mile oil changes. Perhaps that is why I never noticed any consumption. Asked if I would buy this car again, the answer is YES...but I would get leather, not light fabric interior. It stains very easily. The 6 speed is great, but the clutch took some getting used to....very weeny hydraulic. All in all a very good car!

Good choice for the next ten years..

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 4 Performance Rating: 4 Interior Rating: 4 Reliability Rating: 5 Safety Rating: 5 Technology Rating: 5 Value Rating: 5

I considered only the wagons I could buy with a manual transmission. Subaru had the most interior space, headroom and legroom. Mazda offers only a 2.0 liter engine, with 2.5 costing much more and only with automatic. VW? Let's just say I've owned VWs before. And AWD standard, a mechanical system with NO electronics (at least with manual transmission). Radio is decent, dash vents will ALMOST shut off, I even fit behind the wheel without moving the seat all the way back. Not the Subaru I remember (we've owned four). Gas mileage has averaged 28, better than I expected. Engine is smooth and flexible, doesn't lug at low RPMs. Ride could be better, small bumps I never noticed in other cars (even a 2009 Forester) are annoyingly stiff. Color choices weren't the best - red is very subdued, gray interior is hard to keep clean - no black interior with red?

OIl-OIl-OIl

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 3 Performance Rating: 3 Interior Rating: 3 Reliability Rating: 1 Safety Rating: 3 Technology Rating: 3 Value Rating: 1

Anyone buying this car should know that it will very likely use large amounts of oil. Subaru know about this, but do not mention it until the customer complains. Then they have an "oil consumption test", where the criteria to pass are ambiguous, but in essence if the car uses 0.33 quarts or less in 1200 miles, or can be argued to be in that ballpark of usage, they will not take any action. That criterion of 0.33 quarts in 1200 miles would leave the owner adding more than 1.5 quarts of oil between oil changes (synthetic oil, 6000 miles). The dealership appears to use any means available to avoid admitting there is a problem.

CAR IS A SCAM

Performance: 4 Comfort: 4 Fuel Economy: 3 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 3 Exterior Design: 4 Build Quality: 3 Reliability: 1 Comfort Rating: 4 Performance Rating: 4 Interior Rating: 3 Reliability Rating: 1

Second consumption test underway. I've been told that when my oil light came on at 2000 miles into the oil change it was normal to have to put a qt in. Omg what a joke. First and last Subie. Shame too cause I really liked my 2014 Forester. Have lemon law attorney now. Subaru has been settling these cases without going to court in most instances, which I've been told by two separate lemon law attorneys AND a Subie salesman. When I ask about the 2015, they say the problem has been fixed. So if it's normal for me to have to dump oil in every 2 minutes, why was the "problem fixed" in later models?? Check your State's lemon law-in PA the manufacturer has to pay attorney fees as well.

Even the rear seats recline

Performance: 4 Comfort: 5 Fuel Economy: 5 Fun To Drive: 4 Interior Design: 5 Exterior Design: 4 Build Quality: 5 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 5 Performance Rating: 4 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5

I used to be an American vehicles only kind of guy. Not sure what got into me, but I decided I liked this vehicle after looking at it and test driving it. As I said in the title, they seem to have thought of everything. It is all about the little things, such as something as simple and yet so RARE as reclining rear seats. The 2.0XT (rally-cross turbo, if memory serves), has a sporty little get-up to it. Towing is pretty sad at 1500lbs, but I guess there are trade-offs. With Subaru reliability and this smooth drive and CVT with three different "shift modes", I believe it is worth it since I rarely tow, anyway.

DON'T BUY THIS CAR!!!!

Performance: 1 Comfort: 1 Fuel Economy: 1 Fun To Drive: 1 Interior Design: 1 Exterior Design: 1 Build Quality: 1 Reliability: 1 Comfort Rating: 1 Performance Rating: 1 Interior Rating: 1 Reliability Rating: 1

I don't believe the rating system is accurately stating how disappointing this car is, based on some of the statements below: Using Oil ! – but 4 stars? Oil burner & Subaru does not want to admit problem – but 3 stars? Do Not Buy – but 2 ½ stars? Constantly having to check engine oil – but 3 ½ stars? BURNS OIL & has a slight hesitation – but 2 ½ stars? Incessant Rattling – 4 stars? Purchase Was A Mistake – 2 ½ stars? DISAPPOINTED - TERRIBLE RIDE – 4 stars? 2014 Forester BURNS OIL – 3 stars? Let me put it succinctly. Subaru thinks it is "normal" for an engine to use 1 quart of oil per 1200 miles. That's insane. This is my 6th Subaru; I won't own another.

Using Oil !

Performance: 4 Comfort: 4 Fuel Economy: 4 Fun To Drive: 4 Interior Design: 4 Exterior Design: 4 Build Quality: 4 Reliability: 3 Comfort Rating: 4 Performance Rating: 4 Interior Rating: 4 Reliability Rating: 3

Disappointed with purchase of new Subaru 2014 Forester. I have had this car only 1 year, purchasing from local dealer. The vehicle is using oil between oil changes as other consumers note. The last occurrence was returning from out of town in the rain after midnight - light comes on - we are miles from anything open to purchase a quart of oil. Finally get to a 24/7 station, check oil - it is almost below oil stick!!!! This is 2,000 miles before the vehicle is due for another oil change!!!!!!!! Quite annoyed. Will see what Subaru does to correct this problem. So sorry I did not keep my Honda Odyssey Van, mileage 230,000, which never had oil burning issues, even with high mileage.

Love the 4X4 drive, not the rest

Performance: 4 Comfort: 4 Fuel Economy: 4 Fun To Drive: 4 Interior Design: 1 Exterior Design: 3 Build Quality: 3 Reliability: 3 Comfort Rating: 4 Performance Rating: 4 Interior Rating: 1 Reliability Rating: 3

the seller's repeated sale's line was "This car loves winter, you will really feel the difference in winter" and I do... the driving is awesome... except: i now cannot refuel because the latch to open the tank is frozen in ice! I now had to drive the car to an indoor garage and pray that tonight it will work. Not so impressive for a car that "loves" winter. The windshield also cracked about a month after I got it... I never had a windshield crack and have always driven in the same conditions. Again, unimpressed. Little gadgets also started to give way inside the car. Already I've been to the garage for oil leakage (the car had 2,000kms then)... My car is still under 6,000 kms!!

Soft brakes

Performance: 4 Comfort: 4 Fuel Economy: 3 Fun To Drive: 3 Interior Design: 3 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 4 Reliability: 3 Comfort Rating: 4 Performance Rating: 4 Interior Rating: 3 Reliability Rating: 3

Bought 2014 Subaru Forester in March and found some features below standard. The rubber coated dash is hard to clean and seems to attach lint. The rear hatch does not open when the open button is pressed but has a delay so at first the open button was pressed repeatedly causing some frustration unless you wait until hatch starts to move. The brakes feel soft and the pedal slowly moves when stopped at a light. Need to pump brakes to get pedal up and this causes car to move which is scary when sitting in traffic. Dealer says all Subaru brakes operate this way but this is my first Subaru and I do not remember this problem on previous American or Japanese cars I owned.

2014 Subaru Forester 2.0XT

Performance: 5 Comfort: 4 Fuel Economy: 4 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 3 Exterior Design: 5 Build Quality: 4 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 4 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 3 Reliability Rating: 5

Lots to like about this vehicle if you do 50-50 street/highway driving and off-road mountain and desert roads of moderate difficulty from time-to-time. I wish it came with all-terrain tires rather than the stock Bridgestones. There are only 2, maybe 3 tires that will fit this vehicle's 18 inch rims with oversized front disk brakes. I've done the research and I think the Yokahama Geolander A-T-S is still the only all-terrain contender that will fit without troubles with the brakes or sidewalls. Gas mileage has averaged 23 mpg with about 70% highway and 30% streets, conservative accelerator and brakes.

Safety, quality, great AWD and fun to drive

Performance: 5 Comfort: 4 Fuel Economy: 5 Fun To Drive: 5 Interior Design: 4 Exterior Design: 3 Build Quality: 4 Reliability: 5 Comfort Rating: 4 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 4 Reliability Rating: 5

Purchased certified used 2014 Limited 6 months ago. MPG has solidly averaged 26mpg and on road trips I get 30-33mpg if I stay under 70. Prior Car: 2004 Volvo XC 70 The Subaru had everything that is important to me - safety, visibility, quality, AWD, quiet ride, passenger space and few extras I wanted--awesome sunroof, heated seats, fog lights. I am impressed with the handling. Problems with competitors included awful cabin noise (RAV-4, CR-V, Equinox), cheap components (Compass, Equinox, CX-5), higher price for same features/quality (Escape, Volvo), terrible visibility (Venza), extra charge for AWD or 4WD that isn't as refined as Subaru, poor mpg (Volvo). Forester had it all.

Oil burner & Subaru does not want to admit problem

Performance: 3 Comfort: 3 Fuel Economy: 3 Fun To Drive: 4 Interior Design: 2 Exterior Design: 4 Build Quality: 4 Reliability: 1 Comfort Rating: 3 Performance Rating: 3 Interior Rating: 2 Reliability Rating: 1

I have owned 7 subarus now, 2 brought new and my 2012 Forester brought new is a disappointment. Have had all services done with Subaru, it uses excessive amounts of oil, and dealer / Subaru said this was acceptable and did not want to fix it, despite so many people reporting similar problems. In the end after continual protestations on my part, after a year of oil consumption tests (inconvenient) and with me having to be very assertive in articulating my complaint, they eventually have just now replaced the piston rings under warranty, a complete pull down of engine. Just because of the way I have been treated, I would not recommend to buy one.