Overview & Reviews

The base engine is enhanced this year with electronic throttle control, and a new four-speed automatic transmission is available. An air filtration system is now standard on all Foresters. Also new this year is the 2.5 XS L.L. Bean Edition, which includes a myriad of interior and exterior trim enhancements, rugged cargo area trim and a self-leveling rear suspension.

• Standard all-wheel drive, two engine choices, availability of upscale features, class-leading crash test scores.

• Price can be higher than some of the competition, tight on legroom in the backseat.

User Reviews:

Showing 21 through 30 of 134.00

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  forester feedback - 2005 Subaru Forester
  By margo - May 15 - 1:33 pm

  My 2003 s forester has consistently handled all road conditions at high speed as well as bumper to bumper trafic.

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  Great Car - 2005 Subaru Forester
  By Louis C. - September 18 - 5:36 am

  Ive had three Subarus and this has to be the best overall package. Not that Ive had any problems with the others, but the Forester has its advantages. Ground clearance being one of the strong points along with handling. You feel really safe and in control. Good brakes, good power and very reliable. This car is underrated.

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  Great Sleeper - 2005 Subaru Forester
  By Corkfish - July 14 - 5:40 am

  With 10,000 miles on the clock, Ive had no problems. The car was just what I was looking for because I wanted something that was fun to drive and offered serious (not just spirited) performance, but in a plain jane package. Im 45 and conservative so I did not want a sports car, muscle car or anything else that would attract a lot of attention. There isnt anything out there that offers so much versatility and performance for the money. AWD, 0 to 60 in less than 6 seconds, and you can carry a big TV in it. No, you wont be blowing the doors off of Mustangs or 350Zs, but its pretty amazing that they wont blow your doors off either.

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  Want to love it, but cant. - 2005 Subaru Forester
  By scoobiephobe - March 25 - 12:56 pm

  Like the car, the look, the capabilities. We are very disappointed with the early head gasket leak. This weakness, as I later found out, is a common problem to this engine model. Keep in mind this car only has 9,000 miles on it. The transmission is also a weak spot. It seems to hunt constantly and will hesitate to engage. We will not be keeping this car past warranty. There are websites devoted to the problems weve had, I wished we had done a little more research before we bought. Most reviews for this car were excellent. We have had good dealer treatment so far regarding our concerns. We really like the car, too bad we cant keep it the 10 years we wanted to.

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  Too much of a compromise. - 2005 Subaru Forester
  By kdburns - August 27 - 9:00 am

  Rattles, rattles everywhere, so lets go trade it in. This car rattles so much I almost drove it straight to a dealership to trade-in on several occasions. Overall, the Forester is too much of a compromise, it does a lot of stuff okay, but nothing very well. The XT accelerates fast, but doesnt corner to match. The all wheel drive does well on slick roads, but the cheap plastic skid plate will tear off on the first snow berm it finds. 7 inches of clearance is nerve-racking on rocky roads; I was constantly asking myself, "is that rock over 7 inches?" I averaged 25 mpg from a manual XT over 60000 miles. I saw several tanks over 30 mpg, but several tanks well under 20 mpg in city traffic.

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  EPA Mileage Joke - 2005 Subaru Forester
  By Bluepassion - June 19 - 11:53 pm

  I love my Forester, but the mileage is horrible. After several road trips I am lucky to get 22 MPG. This I find unacceptable. I have been driving like a Grandpa as well. I also find the performance to be sluggish at high speed. I can only muster 108 MPH top end from this car. Pathetic. I will drive it and I am going to start driving it hard. I had hoped for a more economical vehicle. At this juncture I almost should have opted for the Honda.The only reason I dont go back to an Audi is the arrogant price.

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  Bad Drivetrain - 2005 Subaru Forester
  By Chris - August 20 - 7:33 am

  Lots of head room, fairly fun to drive, but has a loud clunking sound coming out of the transmission when you take off. Also has some bad rattling sounds already coming from the hatchback. Stuff that shouldnt be happening with 12,000 miles on it. This is the second Subaru i have had with drivetrain problems. They are very expensive to fix! I wont be buying another one and will be trading this one off before the warranty runs out. It sure goes through the gas with city driving. I will try a Toyota next, or maybe a Honda.

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  Great Deal - 2005 Subaru Forester
  By The Analog Kid - May 18 - 1:36 am

  This was my first car purchase, and for the money, gas mileage, performance, safety, and reliability I am very glad I bought the Forester. Great design, fun to drive, and great in the snow/ice/wet roads. The mountains are no match for this car and I have had no qualms or buyers remorse. Lots of space, good for highway or city commute. I would recommend Subarus college graduate program for it too. A lot of car for the money.

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  2nd Subaru in the family - 2005 Subaru Forester
  By Joe Popsy - August 26 - 12:36 am

  This is the 2nd Forester in the family; my father has the other one. Cross shopped the CR-V. Forester feels more solid. Open and close the doors, grab the seats, touch the controls; this is a well made vehicle. Driving around in the vehicle, you really feel connected to the road; it handles corners nicely and feels confident. The 2.5l engine (non turbo) is perfectly fine for every day driving; no it wont pin you to the back of the seat but then again I didnt buy a vehicle like this for that reason either. You want acceptable performance, reliability, good resale, solid build, and nice mileage? Buy a Subaru Forester. Oh, the moonroof if you can afford it is phenomenal.

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  Fun and function in one! - 2005 Subaru Forester
  By Bob Kelly - July 28 - 1:26 am

  The XTs performance is exceptional, not only the engine response, but the overall handling also. It replaced a M-B E-Class and had big shoes to fill. It hasnt disappointed. Hauling capacity is adequate and it is usually our car-of-choice. No problems in over 15,000 miles.