Overview & Reviews

Noting Forester fans' desire for more power, Subaru adds a turbocharged XT model to the lineup. The XT is essentially a loaded XS with a 210-hp engine replacing the 165-hp motor.

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

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

User Reviews:

Showing 1 through 10 of 161.00

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  Excellent winter vehicle, though slightly underpowered - 2004 Subaru Forester
  By ruslan - December 24 - 10:32 pm

  Generally speaking, it is a great small utility vehicle that that drives like a car. It is an excellent winter vehicle, but it is not best for highway driving. It lacks power for comfortable passing, and down-shift is on the slow side. And, highway wind and road noise are on the noisier side. I took it for a 4000mile/6000km drive from Canada to California. It handled nicely when it was +24C and during winter blizzard when I-15 got closed for hours. I havent had major problems with the vehicle, except sunroof does no longer work. And, parts and service are a bit expensive, especially in Canada.

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  Fast but flawed - 2004 Subaru Forester
  By spinynorman - December 18 - 10:00 am

  Great performance but sketchy engineering limits owners enthusiasm. Turbo housing leakage needed 2 repairs. Door lock switch poorly positioned/ not illuminated. Radio/ heater display unreadable with sunglasses on. Automatic heat and defrost has mind of its own (nicknamed "HAL" by other owners). Roof rack has no tiedowns. Transmission whine @ 1-2 shift leaves dealer puzzled. Tires extend beyond wheelwhell, causing paint to chip off rocker panel when struck by sand put down on winter roads. (Subaru repainted vehicle and installed mudguards at no charge.)

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  Love this car! - 2004 Subaru Forester
  By happyferret - November 19 - 10:40 pm

  We bought our first Subaru three years ago and loved it. When we needed a second car we knew we didnt need the size of another Outback so we checked out the Forester. Its great to drive and fantastic in the snow. My aunt bought a Forester in 2000 and an additional one a few months ago. Our family is committed to the bu.

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  I like it more as time goes on - 2004 Subaru Forester
  By HJ Wilke - November 10 - 2:50 am

  I have had this vehicle for over 6 months now. I didnt expect the fun to drive aspect I am experiencing, especially when the going gets wet or tricky. I got rid of the Yokohams it came with and installed Goodyear Triple Treads; what a world of difference, Great audio controls. Erratic A/C, cant find a setting thats comfortable.

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  My Forester Subaru - 2004 Subaru Forester
  By TotalBlank - September 30 - 10:00 am

  First time owner of an SUV/4WD vehicle. Selected the Subaru Forester for its looks and safety record. Really am impressed with the way it handles and the way it hugs the road. Love the way it drives.

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  A superb vehicle - 2004 Subaru Forester
  By lamar14850 - September 18 - 10:00 am

  My Subaru Forester XS is totally a thrill to drive! The ride is great, acceleration is more than ample, & it is very comfortable to drive on long trips. I simply love it!

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  Problems with my 2004 Forester - 2004 Subaru Forester
  By Aaron - July 27 - 10:30 am

  I have an 2004 Forester and had to have in the shop 3 times for them to figure out I had a bad fuel injector head. It was fixed and works fine now. This morning I had to take it in again because the car overheats when the A/C is on. I did my research on Subarus and none of the data indicated that I would have the type of problems Im having. I think Im going to trade my car in for a Honda. My Subaru has become unreliable for my family.

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  Fun Car with Lots of standard features - 2004 Subaru Forester
  By bhamdriver - July 6 - 10:00 am

  We needed a car with power locks and windows since we have small children. We love the safety rating and side impact airbags We went with the Base X and then added on leather and heated seats aftermarket at the local seat shop. much cheaper this way and better quality materials.The pickup is great for a 4cyl and the car sits up much higher than the old Accord which this replaced. Dont hesitate to buy the base model.

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  Bag the Hill Holder! - 2004 Subaru Forester
  By sabregirl - June 30 - 10:00 am

  I have a manual 2.5 X bought in February. The dealer did not show me the "hill holder" feature until after I had signed all the paperwork. I didnt see any reference to it in the literature beforehand either. I HATE this feature! Other than that, the car is brilliant, and I was really excited to begin with. But everytime I have to race the engine to get it to move forward on a hill, or it sticks when I try to reverse (even not on a hill!) my enthusiasm decreases. Has anyone else had problems with this feature? I would not have bought this car if I had known it would act like this at stops. I have a complaint in to subaru now about this.

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  Love my Subaru - 2004 Subaru Forester
  By thetibetan - May 29 - 2:00 am

  Having been a Mercedes M-class owner, I traded for a Subaru 2004 Forester this past August. I have nothing but positives to say about this vehicle! It is far more fun to drive than the M- class, is equally well-built, and very comfortable. The only thing that my Subaru lacks is a built-in control for programming in the garage-door opener. For the price difference, I think I can live with that small failing. I actually am looking forward to a nice snow so that I can try out my go-in-the- snow power. This is no lie-- I have to remind myself to drive my Mercedes C- class and my classic Porsche!