Overview & Reviews

The 2014 Subaru Forester is completely redesigned.

• Very good fuel economy
• Stout turbocharged engine
• Standard all-wheel drive
• Off-road capability still a priority.
• Roomy interior

• Finicky touchscreen electronics interface
• Base engine is raucous at higher rpm.

User Reviews:

Showing 1 through 10 of 92.00

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  2014 Forester - 2014 Subaru Forester
  By shafferbcs - September 19 - 7:13 am

  First week - The truck seems excellent.

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  Most comfortable of the small SUVs - 2014 Subaru Forester
  By misprof - August 16 - 9:17 pm

  I test drove all of the small SUVs on the market and the Forester was far and away the most comfortable for me. I am 6 5" and 225lbs and none of the other ones had anywhere near as comfortable a driving position. The visibility is great due to the big windows, especially in the back where the competition seems to have all put large pillars in the way. It is quieter than the Highlander that it replaced and I have been getting a combined 27 MPG commuting and as much as 32 on highway travel.

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  Lots to like - 2014 Subaru Forester
  By mg47 - June 15 - 2:04 am

  Over the past 15 years, my family has owned Rav4, Honda CRV, Hyundai Santa Fe, Lexus RX330. This car is the most "friendly" of the bunch. Mileage at 29 for combined city/country. Plenty of power going up our hill at 7400 ft. Love the lack of shifting jerks common in 4 or 5 speed transmissions. Ride is stiff/responsive, but I wouldnt characterize as "jittery" at all. The voice recognition is way below the Lexus or Hyundai and the computer interface is not particularly user-friendly. The eye-sight works very well and is fun to use. Friendliness comes from the keyless lock and ignition system which turns on a light in the rear view mirrors as you approach, and makes it incredibly easy to lock.

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  Good for the money - 2014 Subaru Forester
  By kw_co - May 30 - 8:47 pm

  I have the 6 speed manual and got about 30 mpg on the highway with average speed of 75 mph. Put 3500 miles on it in the first two weeks (road trip). Drove down the Pacific Highway (CA 1) and it handled pretty well. It was a little underpowered going up steep hills in the Rockies (had to change down to 4th), but thats not why I bought it, as I will do 99.99% of my driving on the flat. It did OK in San Francisco though, with a lower speed limit in 2nd. Its mainly intended as a runabout which will get me through the odd snow day. It serves that purpose extremely well.

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  So far So Good - 2014 Subaru Forester
  By triumphdriver - February 23 - 9:52 pm

  For the most part this is a great car. It has nearly the same amount of room as my previous Izuzu Axiom that got only 22MPG at best. Mechanically, seems very good after 2 months and 2900 miles and the overall design is excellent. Why go away from soft cloth seat material. (dont like leather) Designed for wear not comfort? Theyre scratchy like burlap. The better half loves support they provide but she puts plush towel down first. Stereo amazingly poor- and audio levels differ by mode. Ride is great on tarmac but teeth rattling on concrete above 45 mph. It just cant adjust fast enough to slight bumps- big bumps are fine though. Its tiring on long trips.

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  Excellent! - 2014 Subaru Forester
  By fannibal - April 13 - 11:45 pm

  Safety, visibility, AWD and transmission. These are 4 things which arent very sexy, but oh my goodness do I love them! Safety features are things which I rely on the IIHS and NHTSA to tell me if they are good or not. The visibility and transmission for this car is amazing. I commend the company for not going for sacrificing practicality in the name of design. The windows improves my mood so much! I absolutely love driving this car and being able to see the sky and everything around me! The transmission is also extremely responsive. The AWD is also awesome! performed wonderfully last winter.

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  Very well designed and reliable, but some poor MPGs - 2014 Subaru Forester
  By rickallen - October 1 - 4:12 pm

  I leased a 2014 2.5i Touring with Eyesight back in October and have now driven it 3,000+ miles, 2000 on a road trip. Its my 2nd Subaru, and Im impressed by the amount of boxes they can tick for interior space, design, capability, etc. Im a 64" guy so space and comfort are big points for me. My only complaint with this and our last Subaru (same powertrain, 2.5 w CVT) is the MPG. Both of my Subarus were rated at 24/32. Our Legacy came in at 26 average across the 32,000 miles we drove it last year. Thus far with the Forester were at 23. On the highway going the speed limit, Im not able to break 27 with either car. Going below 60 is the only way which is dangerous for me and others

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  Why the Subaru is Vermonts State Animal - 2014 Subaru Forester
  By catperson9 - April 12 - 7:35 am

  We bought this SUV in July 2013 and now have 6,600 miles on it, using it only in summers at our cabin in Vermont and storing it all winter. We average 27 mpg in Green Mountain driving, get up to 31 mpg. The Forester rides and handles well. Alleged noise from engine, CVT and road is actually no problem. Visibility is unparalleled. Cargo capacity is enormous. If anything, the car is a bit too big for my preference; its truck-sized. But, in a Subaru plus, controls are simple. (We have no nav, since we tend to know where we are, or excessive infotainment nonsense.) Consumer Reports ranked the Forester tops in class, and we can endorse that. Id buy another.

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  Fuel Performance - 2014 Subaru Forester
  By rb211 - January 9 - 11:25 am

  Purchased in October. Was getting 29 mpg on average. The cold weather began in mid December and mileage waned. Now January, Polar Vortex in PA, and the mileage is down to no better than 21. Takes quite a while to warm up...thats ok, I have heated seats. Defrost is ok, but it is just fogged windows I have to cope with - not the frost many of you spoke of. But I turn on the defrost or the heater and in auto, the air conditioner compressor is engaged to regulate the set temp. Cant turn it off. RPM goes up 500. OAT is 8 degrees. Dont need AC, just bring in outside air. Not smart engineering there. Is it because of the CVT, Mr. Engineer? Love the car otherwise.

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  1,000 mile report: Happy so far - 2014 Subaru Forester
  By fandango - August 8 - 9:27 am

  My initial impressions are good. The ride is quite a bit smoother and quieter than my 2007 Impreza. The handling is pretty good for a SUV. The power is quite adequate in the mountainous terrain where I live.