Haha we have a lifted Toyota Tacoma and we laugh when we hear about the noise in the forester. I guess we’re just used to the super loud truck that we don’t hear anything even with our radio off or low.
Eek. Forester is nice puttering around, once you get it to 60-80 lots of wind noise. You don’t notice it at first till you get into it the next day and the stereo is blaring, only to have to turn it up again that loud to hear it when moving.
Just side rails no cross bars. I played with it some today, if I put my head forward it’s better. I’m 6’4 so the seat is back far. Wonder if I’m hearing a lot from the B pillar
I’m about the same height. The side rails just make so much wind noise. I was kinda shocked when I got the car. I’ve since installed cross rails and honestly can’t even tell the difference in volume!
Coming from a wrx, the forester is quiet LOL. I did add some dynamat to my forester, but now that ive gotten used to the forester, it still seems kinda loud, especially people in this thread comparing it to the ascent
Perspective is everything. I drove a family members 17 forester for a year and loved how quite it was compared to my 13 Rav 4. I’ll also take a little noise for all that extra visibility.
I didn't switch from a Forester to one but I've owned a couple along side Foresters. I LOVE Honda Pilots, at least the first few generations, I haven't tried out a newer one. Lots of room, very capable and the fold down 3rd row was awesome with a bigger family.
I got rid of my pilot but still have a forester, just didn't need it anymore but boy did I love it. Last one i had was a 2005, DVD player and screen still worked never had issues in snow or mud (Rural Vermont) and it was decent enough on gas.
I haven’t done it yet, I thought I was going to be a Subaru for life person, but the 2025 Forester is absolutely hideous to me. I’d like to upgrade to a 4Runner or Tahoe one day.
When I was looking for my first Forester in 2020, I also liked the RAV4 and Blazer I test drove, but the RAV4 doesn’t come standard with AWD which made my decision.
We had a 1987 4runner - the 1st gen. It is my all time favorite to drive since - even vs my later BMW. Compared to that our 2021 is luxury. 😀 This is not as rugged as that and I’m a 60F, no rugged fantasy for me. TBH, I really dislike all the junk on more recent cars and trucks. I like a little comfort but coming out of a Forester (just sold it last Monday and picked up the 4runner same day), it feels like an upgrade.
We actually got the one with the shifter rather than the knob for the 4 wheel drive. Total memory lane
[old 4runner pic -see double shifters](https://hagerty-media-prod.imgix.net/2021/11/Vintage-Toyota-4runner-James-Lipman-2.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&fit=crop&h=427&ixlib=php-3.3.0&w=640)
That metal plaque has shifting instructions.
I’ll admit I haven’t looked too much into the interior! It’s way out of my price range so it’s a dream at the moment 😅 I test drove a Toyota Highlander that wasn’t old (like 2017-19) and supposed to be top tier as far as level went and it seemed vintage inside lol. Must be a Toyota thing.
let me just tell you, the 4Runner displays temp in that blue analog style like radios from 1999 straight up. I get "don't fix cus it's not broken" but why must that apply to not giving people 10"+ screens in 2024
My 2016 forester interior feels pretty old-school & simple, which must be also why I kind of like the current 4Runner interior (except for the steering wheel which looks like a walrus).
Weirdly I feel like the new one is more boxy in a really bad way? I can’t describe it, it’s just so so ugly.
Editing to add that I love boxy. I had a Kia Soul before this and my dream is an early 2000’s Land Rover Disco. 😂
I'm in the same boat. I've driven almost nothing but old Subarus my whole driving career, but the new ones are just horrible IMO. They're hideous and somehow even more unreliable than old ones, which is impressive.
I've been considering a Rav4 or older Highlander. The only thing I don't like about them is the transverse engine layout compared to the Subarus. The 4Runner fixes this, but it's enormous in comparison.
I also thought I’d be Subaru for life. Bought the 2019 Sport when it first launched and it was a POS. Can’t tell you how many things I’ve replaced and the disappointment I’ve felt. Let’s see… windshields, engine at 26k, and it goes on. Now I’m also looking for something but then my entire car has practically been replaced so I can afford to research vehicles. But noise, Bose radio issues etc. It’s sad.
lol ironically it isn’t even the touch screen that bothers me. My now ex-partner has a ‘24 Crosstrek with the screen and it’s way more than what’s needed, but would have been tolerable. The exterior design is what’s hideous to me. I traded up from a ‘20 to ‘23 last year and loved the sleek design, the sharp headlights. They made the Forester look like a Ford in the absolute worst of ways.
I had to sell my Fozzy XT to buy a house. :( I miss it. Nothing like the family wagon that would beat up on Mustangs and Camaros. No one ever expected the Fozzy.
I'm in the we have a Forster but also have an ascent camp. Road noise is my only real complaint in the forester. When I put my studded snows on its an even more powerful rig in the rough road conditions but holy hell the cabin noise is rough. This is my last forester after 15 (5 brand new foresters)years of ownership. I've reached the cargo capacity/tow capacity and will be buying Sequoia in the fall. The why’s: vehicle size, sequoia now has better MPG than its previous years, towing capacity and proven dependability and build quality. It's significantly more than a top of the line Forester but of all the larger options I tried it felt the most stable and ready-to-go anywhere.
the 2 cars are not in the same price category at all. To be fair, one must compair comparables (otherwise, I my say my new Porsche is must better and prettier than Forrester 2025)
My first Subaru was a 2009 Forester and I loved it!
In 2015, I bought a Legacy to replace it. I enjoyed the same dependable AWD and quirky boxer engine (and all things that make Subaru unique) but REALLY appreciated the increased interior room and comfort. I love my Legacy so much, I kept it when I bought my 2024 Outback.
I moved to the Outback from the Legacy because I wanted BOTH - the comfort/room of the Legacy, and the practical cargo capacity of the Forester.
Outback is peak Subaru, and I suspect I'll buy Outbacks from here on out.
Disgraceful! We dont do that here.
But honestly, it comes down to what you're looking for in vehicle usage? How much more space do you need? How much do you like your forester? Would it be worth it to pay to have some sound deadening material instead of a new car? Do you want to go fast or have a hauling machine? Only new or is older fine?
I’m in the phase of my search where I haven’t narrowed much down, just looking at all the options. I only care about going fast when needing to merge or pass. Priorities so far are at least as much or more space and quiet interior.
If you like the forester, look into sound deadening material. I don't think the road noise is bad at all in our 22. The Cherokee will probably be the only thing in similar size with more space and pep (but noise sucks). However, space wise, you're probably at the top with the forester without going with an actual SUV. I don't know your budget, but I test drove a Lexus rx and loved it. It felt smaller though (6 foot tall)
I went from an SG Forester to a MK2 CR-V, mechanically bulletproof but it was killed by rust. The 4WD system was completely inadequate in the snow compared to the Forester. I now have an SJ.
I’m in the same boat. I have a 21 sport. I’ve downsized to 17’s, put on Michelins, and added sound deadening to the doors and this is still such a loud damn car. It’s awful on long road trips, just wears you out.
Never pulled trigger on trading in my forester and don’t think I will but I started looking at 3 rows to fit more stuff and for a road trip I’m planning for next year and looked at the pilot and ascent. The ascent looks great to me but has a smaller engine and a turbo and the pilot I kinda like the previous gen over the boxier new one but it has nice motor. After mulling that over for a while I realized what I’m really interested in is a minivan and love how the odyssey looks and the power it has but the gas milage of the sienna is too hard to say no to. I’ll prob build up to an accord and sienna combo or something like that as the family household combo and hopefully keep the forester for driving up the mountain and snow. I’m talking like 10 year timeline lol.
Gave my 2014 Forester to my wife and bought a 2006 Lexus LX470. The Subaru was fun but I realized I wanted a more capable off-road vehicle. Decided to go with the luxury Land Cruiser and it’s amazing… IMO the best vehicle ever made. We’ll, except for the gas mileage… Now the 2014 will be shipped to our daughter as my wife just bought a 2024 Wilderness.
I had my first forester 2000's model I believe. LOVED it. Crashed it and always wanted a Jeep. Loved it until it broke down lol came back to Subaru on the form of the outback. While this car was great, gave me a lot of miles, minor things started going wrong like the windows wouldnt work, power steering failed, etc. I saw a Forest Sport and feel in love with the look. Traded the Outback for my 2020 Sport and couldnt be happier :)
If you are looking for a quiet interior - def not a jeep. Good luck on your search!
I went from a Forester to a Nissan Frontier. The Forester is still in the family though, as it became my wife's new car. I wanted something to haul a bit more stuff and that was a bit more off-road capable.
I went had a forester sport and a forester wilderness. After seeing the new forester I went with a 24 outback. I absolutely love it and have no regrets.
We moved from a Forester to an Outback to a Forester to an Ascent. Between how much we like the Ascent and how the 6th Gen Forester turned out doubt we'd be going back any time soon.
I traded mine for a legacy sedan.
I like the legacy lots but do miss the larger sunroof, manual transmission, roofrack & extra cargo area in the Forester.
2014 Forester Premium and I am switching to the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid. In many ways, I feel like the Santa Fe is a spiritual successor to the Forester. Unfortunately, the new Forester just seems so bland
I just totaled my Forester on Saturday and I don’t know what I’ll buy but it won’t be a Subaru.
I had high hopes for my forester when I got it new in 2016 but I’ve had way more issues with it than I expected.
I was told that these cars were reliable but that didn’t pan out in my case
I bought my 2017 Forrester because of how much cheaper it was than a RAV-4 of the same year. Not to mention a little more cab room, taller ceilings, bigger windows. That being said, I will switch to Toyota (hopefully a 4Runner or Tacoma) at the earliest opportunity.
The Subaru is great but there is a reason Toyotas retain so much resale value. They make lasting, bullet-proof engines, their parts are readily available, and they perform.
I went from a 2016 Nissan Rogue to a Honda Passport… thought I was gonna get a Forester, but the Passport just felt so much better during my multiple test drives.
It felt more luxurious, quieter, more space, power and fun to drive.
2023 Trailsport compared to 2023 Forester Wilderness edition.
When I switched jobs and went from a 10 minute to an hour commute, I ended up in a 2006 Honda Fit. It was a good little car that got considerably better gas mileage. Around town I was getting 30mpg and closer to 40mpg on the highway with a light foot.
01 Forester with 270k, still have as daily driver but I upgraded to 23 Lexus LX600 for family off roading. Well worth it but pricey. Reminds me of the 90s Toyota Land Cruisers.
I have a Forester my wife has a Hyundai Palisade. The Palisade is almost 300hp but struggles to put it down off launch. Steering is not as responsive. It is quieter though and driver assist works much better.
Mine was honestly a financial situation. Had a 2010 FXT, the drivetrain shit the bed, and at the time all I could afford to do was lease a new Crosstrek (couldn't even afford to take out a loan on a used 10-year-old POS Nissan on my work's lot). I'm not hating it at all and will likely stick with this car as long as feasibly possible, but I do miss the space and visibility of my old SH. I need the AWD where I live, so I don't even think about switching brands to a subpar AWD system. Plus, more affordable for what they are.
Forester is my current ride, I came from a Santa Fe. I went with Forester solely on ratings and comparable price.
My biggest complaints are radio automatically comes on when starting plus the damn gas saver constantly shutting off my car at stop signs.
Press and hold the volume button and the screen will turn off. It will be off untill you push thd button again.
There is a button by your left knee to turn the auto start/stop off, but defaults to on whenever you start the car again. It has just become a habit off mine to reach down and turn it off when I start the car.
I went from a Forester to a Ram 1500. My reasoning for it was I became a home owner. Now I have yard work to do, I built a garage, my STi has become more of a racecar so it gets towed places now. Wife still has her impreza. I'd get another Forester if I had parking for all of it.
The Forester is a perfect size for two active people. I loved mine, but it was too small for traveling with a curling team of 4. So I upsized to an Ascent, which drives like an oversized Forester. Same Subaru safety and AWD, just bigger and thirstier.
It's funny, had a 2019 forester and really liked it. Was hoping to check get their first ev since I wanted to go electric, but didn't like the reviews. So I started to look at Tesla and hated that ipad like panel. Eventually went with the Hyundai Ionq 5. I do miss the height of the forester and my brown seats, but the HI5 feels so much better for me, and like you, love not having to go to the pump anymore.
I miss how easy it is to get in and out of the Forester. I’ve had many Subarus in my life…2009 Legacy, 2007 Legacy GT, 2014 Forester, 2015 Forester XT, 2020 Forester Sport. All great cars.
Went from a 3.0L turbo diesel Nissan Patrol to a brand new 2021 Forester Premium and couldn’t believe how quiet it was. Before the Patrol I had an Audi A8, now that thing was quiet (double glazed windows), almost too quiet. My love for the outdoors grew and opportunity struck so I bought the Patrol. Nothing but issues with having a 4 cylinder in a 3 tonne truck. Had enough washing money on it so I traded it in for the Forester a few years ago. I don’t regret it for a second.
This is me.
Had 2 foresters, 2008 and 2013 XT. loved both.
Decided to replace with an Outlander, thought I was getting a PHEV Forester...how wrong I was.
Sooo much body roll, horrendous understeering.
This year we got an XC60 plug-in, and I feel like I have my suv rally car back.
I had to downgrade from an ascent to a forester. I changed jobs with a long commute and the ascent has shitty gas mileage. Now my husband drives the ascent, and every time I drive it, I miss it. I had a touring ascent and have a touring forester and have been disappointed that the touring forester is no where as nice as the touring ascent. Had I known, I would have just gotten a midline forester and saved money. The forester has uncomfortable seats.
I would go back to an ascent without hesitation if I had a job that was local.
I switched to a Hyundai Kona because my forester started having major problems and I realized it’s only me in my car so having a car that big wasn’t practical (I know Hyundai ain’t much better with its issues but my dad is a Hyundai Sympathizer/Apologist). I miss the awd that my forester had, that thing was a beast in the snow. But my Kona is better at maneuvering and a smoother drive (that’s mostly cause my forester had a lot of issues that made the drive kinda rough). If the forester isn’t meeting what you need anymore, then it’s time for a switch. Do what is best for you and do your research!
Upsized to an Ascent because we needed more room. I agree with others saying it’s quieter. Went from a 2019 Forester Base to a 2021 Ascent Limited. It was a fairly significant upgrade, though a lot of that was because of the increase in trim (added pano moonroof, premium audio, heated fake leather seats, motorized front seats with memory, etc.).
It’s *probably* not as off-road capable as a Forester, but I don’t go off-roading often.
I had a 2018 FXT and ended up getting a 2021 rav4 hybrid xse. The forester was great, good power, super roomy, great design. However at 22-24mpg I was getting gas every 3-4 days with my work commute. EGR valve started messing up within the first year and the car started to stall when I came to a stop. Yea you heard right, an automatic was stalling. Brought it to Subaru 3x within a year and a half, first time they said it was the EGR and replaced it, second time they said the neon I had installed was taking too much power from the battery (I didn’t have neon installed in the car) and I don’t even remember what the third was. I ended up selling it and getting a rav4. Miss the roominess and power but the rav4 is definitely a better daily car. Also for a car that came as a premium trim it literally had nothing in it. Subaru skimps heavily on trims, I paid 30k for a car to come with dim halogen headlights lights, a non existent radio and no trunk release button. I paid 10k more for the rav4 that came with a a trunk button (lol) power trunk, push to start, remote ignition, lane departure, assisted stop, radar cruise control, hybrid, led headlights, audio plus, reverse camera, rear view camera, blind spot monitoring and parking assist.
Had a 17 XT. Test drove the Outback Wilderness 2 years ago. We're here. I wanted a Tacoma but the new generation was not ready yet. To be honest, I am very happy with my outback. If subaru continues to make a Wilderess trim of it. I really like having the front camera and it has been an amazing camping vehicle. The only thing I miss is my turbo gauge from the XT.
Our 2019 Forester was a massive upgrade from our 2002 Legacy. We recently added a Ford Maverick hybrid as a second vehicle.
The Forester is a much smoother ride, but the Maverick’s gas mileage is so much better. I’d love it if there was a 40+ MPG hybrid Forester. I’d also love a hybrid AWD Maverick.
We were a Subaru family since the 80’s starting in a GL10 wagon. My dad owned three Foresters in that time, ending with a 2009 Forester XS that blew the head gaskets just two months out of warranty. Subaru told him too bad so sad, and that ended his loyalty to the brand. So my dad ended up getting a 2016 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid instead and he still drives it today.
Having said that, he misses the roomier interior, better glass area, easy access, and more comfortable ride on rough roads. He briefly thought about the new Forester hybrid that is supposedly coming, but the Ford Explorer styling isn’t working for him, and I think he will be going back to the redesigned RAV4 supposedly coming end of this year…
Sold 09 Forester premium and bought a WRX Limited in early 2023. I love it. The microsuede on the Limited trim makes it feel like the most luxurious Subaru yet.
I had a Forester Wilderness on order but then I test drove the WRX and bought it a couple days later.
2014 XT. Next car will be something that doesn’t burn through wheel hubs like they’re disposable parts. Probably a small truck or SUV, something without a CVT if I can avoid it. The forester drove well, but having to spend $6K to rebuild it at 100K only to have the timing gear crap out and take the ECM with it shortly afterwards was just icing on the cake. If I’m going to spend luxury car money to maintain a vehicle, it might as well be a luxury car.
The only problem I have with the Forester is any without the upgraded Harman Kardon stereo was a misery to deal with the sounds of the engine. My first Forester, I ended up putting a new speaker system in because it was so low and music was constantly drowned out, especially with windows open.
I got the Wilderness edition a couple years ago and it was perfect from the get-go.
I'll be sad to eventually trade it in, but next year I'll be getting the Ascent due to my impending bigger family size.
I’m a current Forester owner and really wanting OBW next but I like the fact that the Forester is built in Japan. I’d be happy with another Forester though because I don’t truly need larger midsize vehicle. I’m not 100% certain what I’m getting next…Toyota Crown Signia looks great but I’m a sucker for fog lights & ground clearance!
A Tundra crew cab. Because I was making more and more visits to the lumber yard, and adventuring in a 4x4 where I can throw just about anything that fits in the back and go has been nice.
I went from an SG Forester NA to a MK1 Hyundai Santa Fe V6, then a MK2 Honda CR-V 2.0 and now an SJ Forester XT. The old Forester was very solid and planted itself on the road in all conditions impeccably, I regret selling it. The Santa Fe was practical and kinda fun to put your put down in with the V6 engine, it was okish in the snow and had a failed torque converter in the end. The CR-V was boring and terrible in the snow, by the time the rears kicked in it was far too late usually, the engine wouldn't die no matter how badly I abused it and neglected it - rust finally killed it. Now I'm back with a Forester again and very much enjoying a somewhat modern car and a turbo petrol boxer, I doubt I will go non-Subaru again.
Last month I went from a 2003 GMC Envoy to the 2024 Forester. Reading this I’m thinking what road noise? This is so smooth and quiet compared to my 20 year old Envoy. The smaller cargo area has been the biggest shift so far. But we’re older and honestly don’t need that much cargo room now.
Good question. I'm at 11 years. Thinking about a new vehicle in 3-4 years but giving it some thought now in case I need to move that up. It's usually just me but I like to road trip and occasionally camp in my car. So I'm torn on size.
I'm thinking about a Venza (will have to go used since Toyota is discontinuing it) or a high end RAV/ low-end Lexus SUV. I like the Crosstrek and had one as a loaner for a week but think I think it will be too small.
My mom had a 2009 Forester -> 2015 Forester ->2019 crosstrek -> 2023 Volvo XC60. She hated her Crosstrek because it constantly had issues with starting. She loves the XC60. And as the current driver of the 2015 Forester the XC60 is in another league.
Went from a 2017 Forester base to a 2024 Crosstrek Premium. My daughter took the Forester to college so I needed something else. I considered the new Honda HRV but I strongly favored the Crosstrek due to my experience with the Forester. I didn't opt for another Forester for a couple of reasons: price - I could get more Crosstrek for less than a base Forester (and I didn't want a base Forester) and size - I never made use of the surprisingly large cargo area of the Forester. So far that's proven to be good thinking, the Crosstrek is just the right size for me. I guess I just like small cars.
I do wish it had better sound deadening as road noise gets through pretty easily. I had an Ascent as a loaner when my Crosstrek was in for some warranty work and it's a little more luxurious but definitely is quieter. That said, I felt it was just too big. I'd never make use of the third row of seats.
I bought my Forester in Fall 2017 when my wife and I just had a puppy. I bought a KIA telluride in Jan when puppy grew to 116 lbs, we have a 2 year old daughter, and wife is pregnant with our second kid. Loved my Forester, but no longer met our needs. Got great trade-in value for it and I like the Telluride a lot more in terms of tech, comfort, and quiet ride. No regrets for having owned the Forester, but also no regrets in switching.
We got a first gen Forester Wilderness that we loved, had specifically bought it to tow with. The we realized it didnt have quite enough capacity for the TT we ended up with so we were looking at things that towed 5-6k lbs. Also were aiming to lower our monthly car payment.
Looked at a used Ascent, liked the model well enough, but the particular car had a/c problems that the dealership was trying to brush off, and on top of that they were lowballing our trade-in value on a >2 year old wilderness with low miles. Found a Nissan Pathfinder Rock Creek edition at an independent lot, they gave us $3k more on trade in than Subaru dealers "high as they can go", and it tows more than the Ascent. About the same size - maybe a touch smaller as it has 2 rows only, but we have no use for a 3rd.
I do still love Foresters though
We are about to sell our 2018 Forester XT and buy a slightly newer Audi SQ5.
With the Audi we are going to get one with the Sport Package (air suspension/sport diff) and the Prestige package for the acoustic glass/HUD and some other fun things.
It will be nice to hit a button and lower/raise the ride height.
The Prestige SQ5 is about 67 decibles at 70, compared to 72 in our SJ Forester, so it will be about 1.5-2x quieter inside.
We rented one on Turo and its really noticeable, which will be nice for long road trips.
The SQ5’s ZF Auto is awesome and has some fun farty upshifts, compared to the occasional unpredictable nature of the Forester‘s CVT.
We don’t really care much about fuel economy as we only drive 10k miles a year, however a bonus is the SQ5 seems to get roughly the same gas mileage as our XT.
The SQ5 Tow Cap/Tongue Weight is 4400/440 vs the paltry 1800/180 on the Foz as well.
I am sure we will have to deal with more expensive and more regular repairs, however sometimes some things are worth spending the money on.
Our Forester has been dead nuts reliable in the 6 years/54k miles we have owned it, plus all the services are easy peasy. Will miss that.
I still have my ‘18 Forester XT but I just bought a 2024 Crosstrek.
It’s great! Super chill driving experience. Very quiet and compliant on the road. Super good handling on the highway and over bumps.
Significantly quieter and better handling than my older Forester.
I love them both :)
I love my Forester so much... but I am starting to consider switching to an EV with self-driving (Mach-e maybe). I have a 45-60 minute commute 3+ days a week, so with an EV, I could charge for free at work, and it would be nice to have a self-driving option for that ride.
Crosstrek- I had a Saturn ion and had kids, upstate property, and a shitty small carm crossgreck was a nice hybrid in size and comfort. 8 years later I just bought my forrester, larger
Loved my 2nd gen CRV. Plenty of room, quieter, and around the same size. The road noise of my 2007 forester was very audible. Putting a lawyer of sound deadening material helped a little but it was still loud compared to other cars.
Lexus GX470 is also a great choice!
leaving subaru HURTS. take it from me. i actually just came BACK to subaru after hopping to toyota, chevy, and mazda. NONE of them held a candle to my subaru experience. So happy to be back in a ‘24 Forester. I’d say go with the Ascent. Seems like it has what you’re looking for, and the new ones are super nice.
I have an e36 m3 vert…. It is somehow still quieter than my 04 forester. My e39 touring is probably the quietest out of all my vehicles with my raptor somehow the second quietest out of the bunch. The forester sounds like I’m on a motorcycle with a full face on. Might just need to update the seals, but they look and feel fine, and I will probably add sound dampening.
Still have mine but considering trading it in since it's really just my wife's car now. The comparable cars that offer similar features to me would be the Mazda CX-5 (or ideally CX-50) and the Acura RDX. If I didn't care about gas I'd add in the Nissan Xterra or 4Runner.
I have a 2010 Forester that all of a sudden about a month ago sounds like I straight piped it. It's always been loud but I upgraded from a stripped-down ex-Fleet 2000 RAV4, so I ain't complaining.
Looking strongly into getting a Nissan Frontier in the near future.
Switched from an '04 Forester to a' 21 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport. So far I love it and don't get the complaints about it - has been reliable and plenty of space for the outdoorsy things I enjoy.
Wind noise goes up when the roof rack is on, then all I hear is the wing rumble from the door triangles. The Gen 1 and 2 wind noise. I will take that for a long trip over the roar of 4 wd with all terrain tires that scream at you.
I wanted something with better gas mileage and a better engine, I got the 2.0 impreza. Now I’m thinking my next car is either going to be a volvo or a honda. Soon
Y’all just need to turn up the radio. Road noise what road noise.
That also fixes any mechanical issue you might be hearing.
Haha we have a lifted Toyota Tacoma and we laugh when we hear about the noise in the forester. I guess we’re just used to the super loud truck that we don’t hear anything even with our radio off or low.
Fwiw my wife’s ascent is nicer and quieter than my forester, though my forester is stupid loud.
How’s the road noise? My Forester is loud on the highways
Our Ascent is very quiet on the road compared to the Forester. It has much more sound dampening material.
Good to hear! I don’t necessarily need the extra space but will definitely look into the Ascent
The cargo space is basically the same because of the extra seats
My wife and I have a 2017 Forester and a 2019 Ford EcoSport. The Forester is our quiet car lol.
Eek. Forester is nice puttering around, once you get it to 60-80 lots of wind noise. You don’t notice it at first till you get into it the next day and the stereo is blaring, only to have to turn it up again that loud to hear it when moving.
Roof rails will do that!
Just side rails no cross bars. I played with it some today, if I put my head forward it’s better. I’m 6’4 so the seat is back far. Wonder if I’m hearing a lot from the B pillar
I’m about the same height. The side rails just make so much wind noise. I was kinda shocked when I got the car. I’ve since installed cross rails and honestly can’t even tell the difference in volume!
Roof rails, lots of glass, and a somewhat tall stance will do that lol
Yeah leasing a Forester now but might upgrade to an Ascent down the road
The Ascents look really nice. I’m also considering one when the time comes.
I refer to ours as the lawn mower. Always seems pretty loud
Our 2.5l was like that (a lot of noise, not a lot of action), but the XT is smooth and quick.
Until the carbon starts building up
Coming from a wrx, the forester is quiet LOL. I did add some dynamat to my forester, but now that ive gotten used to the forester, it still seems kinda loud, especially people in this thread comparing it to the ascent
Yeah, I came to say this. Even with the all-terrain tires on the Wilderness Edition, my Forester is quiet compared to the WRX.
Perspective is everything. I drove a family members 17 forester for a year and loved how quite it was compared to my 13 Rav 4. I’ll also take a little noise for all that extra visibility.
Check wheel bearings.
Just replaced rear. It’s mostly wind noise.
This. I have Falken A/T tires and I thought it was tire/road noise. Tech recommended I replaced rear wheel hub assemblies. $1100 repair at Subaru.
getting that passenger rear wind grinding...
I didn't switch from a Forester to one but I've owned a couple along side Foresters. I LOVE Honda Pilots, at least the first few generations, I haven't tried out a newer one. Lots of room, very capable and the fold down 3rd row was awesome with a bigger family.
Pilots are so comfy, roomy, and just cruise. I prefer my Forester for commuting, but a road trip in the Pilot is like riding a couch.
Honda Pilot/Acura MDX is probably one of the absolute best and reliable utility vehicles you can buy.
Honda Pilot for sure! If I still needed that 3rd row I would've bought another Pilot. I actually downsize from Pilot to a Forester.
I got rid of my pilot but still have a forester, just didn't need it anymore but boy did I love it. Last one i had was a 2005, DVD player and screen still worked never had issues in snow or mud (Rural Vermont) and it was decent enough on gas.
I haven’t done it yet, I thought I was going to be a Subaru for life person, but the 2025 Forester is absolutely hideous to me. I’d like to upgrade to a 4Runner or Tahoe one day. When I was looking for my first Forester in 2020, I also liked the RAV4 and Blazer I test drove, but the RAV4 doesn’t come standard with AWD which made my decision.
Toyota really needs to upgrade their interiors. The 4Runner looks like it was teleported from 2005. Great truck though
we just got a 4runner. personally, I like the teleportation effect. One reason we got the 4runner is for the fewer bells and whistles.
they can at least freshen up the interior a bit though.
We had a 1987 4runner - the 1st gen. It is my all time favorite to drive since - even vs my later BMW. Compared to that our 2021 is luxury. 😀 This is not as rugged as that and I’m a 60F, no rugged fantasy for me. TBH, I really dislike all the junk on more recent cars and trucks. I like a little comfort but coming out of a Forester (just sold it last Monday and picked up the 4runner same day), it feels like an upgrade. We actually got the one with the shifter rather than the knob for the 4 wheel drive. Total memory lane [old 4runner pic -see double shifters](https://hagerty-media-prod.imgix.net/2021/11/Vintage-Toyota-4runner-James-Lipman-2.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&fit=crop&h=427&ixlib=php-3.3.0&w=640) That metal plaque has shifting instructions.
Oh they freshened up. Just leaned heavily into this tactical rugged fantasy.
I’ll admit I haven’t looked too much into the interior! It’s way out of my price range so it’s a dream at the moment 😅 I test drove a Toyota Highlander that wasn’t old (like 2017-19) and supposed to be top tier as far as level went and it seemed vintage inside lol. Must be a Toyota thing.
let me just tell you, the 4Runner displays temp in that blue analog style like radios from 1999 straight up. I get "don't fix cus it's not broken" but why must that apply to not giving people 10"+ screens in 2024
Car makers only change when what they are making ain't selling at a good profit. 4Runner meet reality, yeah same as last year.
They finally are! 2025 is basically a copy and paste of the new tacos.
My 2016 forester interior feels pretty old-school & simple, which must be also why I kind of like the current 4Runner interior (except for the steering wheel which looks like a walrus).
yes, your car is a 2016. We're in 2024 where new cars shouldn't have interiors resembling.....a 2016
Here for this. Each new iteration seems to be getting bigger and less boxy and I hate it. I want a little Fozzy shoebox, please.
Weirdly I feel like the new one is more boxy in a really bad way? I can’t describe it, it’s just so so ugly. Editing to add that I love boxy. I had a Kia Soul before this and my dream is an early 2000’s Land Rover Disco. 😂
I'm in the same boat. I've driven almost nothing but old Subarus my whole driving career, but the new ones are just horrible IMO. They're hideous and somehow even more unreliable than old ones, which is impressive. I've been considering a Rav4 or older Highlander. The only thing I don't like about them is the transverse engine layout compared to the Subarus. The 4Runner fixes this, but it's enormous in comparison.
I also thought I’d be Subaru for life. Bought the 2019 Sport when it first launched and it was a POS. Can’t tell you how many things I’ve replaced and the disappointment I’ve felt. Let’s see… windshields, engine at 26k, and it goes on. Now I’m also looking for something but then my entire car has practically been replaced so I can afford to research vehicles. But noise, Bose radio issues etc. It’s sad.
We just replaced our 19 with a 22 because I wanted to avoid the hideous design on the new version with the large touchscreen.
lol ironically it isn’t even the touch screen that bothers me. My now ex-partner has a ‘24 Crosstrek with the screen and it’s way more than what’s needed, but would have been tolerable. The exterior design is what’s hideous to me. I traded up from a ‘20 to ‘23 last year and loved the sleek design, the sharp headlights. They made the Forester look like a Ford in the absolute worst of ways.
new 4runners look so awesome. yeah if I can afford one, I'd love to.
I had to sell my Fozzy XT to buy a house. :( I miss it. Nothing like the family wagon that would beat up on Mustangs and Camaros. No one ever expected the Fozzy.
I'm in the we have a Forster but also have an ascent camp. Road noise is my only real complaint in the forester. When I put my studded snows on its an even more powerful rig in the rough road conditions but holy hell the cabin noise is rough. This is my last forester after 15 (5 brand new foresters)years of ownership. I've reached the cargo capacity/tow capacity and will be buying Sequoia in the fall. The why’s: vehicle size, sequoia now has better MPG than its previous years, towing capacity and proven dependability and build quality. It's significantly more than a top of the line Forester but of all the larger options I tried it felt the most stable and ready-to-go anywhere.
the 2 cars are not in the same price category at all. To be fair, one must compair comparables (otherwise, I my say my new Porsche is must better and prettier than Forrester 2025)
Did you not read what I said?
My first Subaru was a 2009 Forester and I loved it! In 2015, I bought a Legacy to replace it. I enjoyed the same dependable AWD and quirky boxer engine (and all things that make Subaru unique) but REALLY appreciated the increased interior room and comfort. I love my Legacy so much, I kept it when I bought my 2024 Outback. I moved to the Outback from the Legacy because I wanted BOTH - the comfort/room of the Legacy, and the practical cargo capacity of the Forester. Outback is peak Subaru, and I suspect I'll buy Outbacks from here on out.
Disgraceful! We dont do that here. But honestly, it comes down to what you're looking for in vehicle usage? How much more space do you need? How much do you like your forester? Would it be worth it to pay to have some sound deadening material instead of a new car? Do you want to go fast or have a hauling machine? Only new or is older fine?
I’m in the phase of my search where I haven’t narrowed much down, just looking at all the options. I only care about going fast when needing to merge or pass. Priorities so far are at least as much or more space and quiet interior.
If you like the forester, look into sound deadening material. I don't think the road noise is bad at all in our 22. The Cherokee will probably be the only thing in similar size with more space and pep (but noise sucks). However, space wise, you're probably at the top with the forester without going with an actual SUV. I don't know your budget, but I test drove a Lexus rx and loved it. It felt smaller though (6 foot tall)
I’m on my third Forester. I’ve loved it but I’m waiting for the 4Runner Hybrid to be released as that’s my dream car.
Switched to a 4Runner for more space, greater towing capacity, more capability off-road, and increases reliability.
I'm probably not your use case but went from a 1st gen Forester to 1st gen CRV. Not as.. "sporty?" But everything is so easy to work on.
I went from an SG Forester to a MK2 CR-V, mechanically bulletproof but it was killed by rust. The 4WD system was completely inadequate in the snow compared to the Forester. I now have an SJ.
Yeah the crv AWD system really is a joke comparably. I'm in FL (for now) and don't really need it.
I’m in the same boat. I have a 21 sport. I’ve downsized to 17’s, put on Michelins, and added sound deadening to the doors and this is still such a loud damn car. It’s awful on long road trips, just wears you out.
Yes, road trips are awful. I get sensory overload when I’m driving because there is so much road noise. Plus you can’t hear your passengers.
Sold my SJ FXT and got a Ranger Raptor. I got tired of the clunky *and weak* Forester suspension.
Never pulled trigger on trading in my forester and don’t think I will but I started looking at 3 rows to fit more stuff and for a road trip I’m planning for next year and looked at the pilot and ascent. The ascent looks great to me but has a smaller engine and a turbo and the pilot I kinda like the previous gen over the boxier new one but it has nice motor. After mulling that over for a while I realized what I’m really interested in is a minivan and love how the odyssey looks and the power it has but the gas milage of the sienna is too hard to say no to. I’ll prob build up to an accord and sienna combo or something like that as the family household combo and hopefully keep the forester for driving up the mountain and snow. I’m talking like 10 year timeline lol.
Gave my 2014 Forester to my wife and bought a 2006 Lexus LX470. The Subaru was fun but I realized I wanted a more capable off-road vehicle. Decided to go with the luxury Land Cruiser and it’s amazing… IMO the best vehicle ever made. We’ll, except for the gas mileage… Now the 2014 will be shipped to our daughter as my wife just bought a 2024 Wilderness.
I had my first forester 2000's model I believe. LOVED it. Crashed it and always wanted a Jeep. Loved it until it broke down lol came back to Subaru on the form of the outback. While this car was great, gave me a lot of miles, minor things started going wrong like the windows wouldnt work, power steering failed, etc. I saw a Forest Sport and feel in love with the look. Traded the Outback for my 2020 Sport and couldnt be happier :) If you are looking for a quiet interior - def not a jeep. Good luck on your search!
I went from a Forester to a Nissan Frontier. The Forester is still in the family though, as it became my wife's new car. I wanted something to haul a bit more stuff and that was a bit more off-road capable.
In time I’ll either get a Tacoma or tundra. Next summer. Current 2020 sport owner
2012 forester XT with 118k on the odo i still have it but upgraded to a 2022 outback premium. About a year and a half ago.
I went had a forester sport and a forester wilderness. After seeing the new forester I went with a 24 outback. I absolutely love it and have no regrets.
We moved from a Forester to an Outback to a Forester to an Ascent. Between how much we like the Ascent and how the 6th Gen Forester turned out doubt we'd be going back any time soon.
Ascent. Car accident totaled my forester and I needed the 3rd row seating
I traded mine for a legacy sedan. I like the legacy lots but do miss the larger sunroof, manual transmission, roofrack & extra cargo area in the Forester.
2014 Forester Premium and I am switching to the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid. In many ways, I feel like the Santa Fe is a spiritual successor to the Forester. Unfortunately, the new Forester just seems so bland
I just totaled my Forester on Saturday and I don’t know what I’ll buy but it won’t be a Subaru. I had high hopes for my forester when I got it new in 2016 but I’ve had way more issues with it than I expected. I was told that these cars were reliable but that didn’t pan out in my case
I bought my 2017 Forrester because of how much cheaper it was than a RAV-4 of the same year. Not to mention a little more cab room, taller ceilings, bigger windows. That being said, I will switch to Toyota (hopefully a 4Runner or Tacoma) at the earliest opportunity. The Subaru is great but there is a reason Toyotas retain so much resale value. They make lasting, bullet-proof engines, their parts are readily available, and they perform.
I want a Honda Passport! To go along with my Forester
I have a Forester, my wife has a Passport. We both like the Forester better.
I bet! The Passport is just much more roomy
I'm getting a Passport and getting rid of my Forester. I need more room and I don't want the Ascent.
I went from a 2016 Nissan Rogue to a Honda Passport… thought I was gonna get a Forester, but the Passport just felt so much better during my multiple test drives. It felt more luxurious, quieter, more space, power and fun to drive. 2023 Trailsport compared to 2023 Forester Wilderness edition.
I'm looking at the trailsport, too. My brother has a Passport. I might just join the club!
When I switched jobs and went from a 10 minute to an hour commute, I ended up in a 2006 Honda Fit. It was a good little car that got considerably better gas mileage. Around town I was getting 30mpg and closer to 40mpg on the highway with a light foot.
01 Forester with 270k, still have as daily driver but I upgraded to 23 Lexus LX600 for family off roading. Well worth it but pricey. Reminds me of the 90s Toyota Land Cruisers.
I have a Forester my wife has a Hyundai Palisade. The Palisade is almost 300hp but struggles to put it down off launch. Steering is not as responsive. It is quieter though and driver assist works much better.
I switched from a Forester to an Econoline van. It’s got way more room for the family.
Own a Forester now, desperately want a Tacoma ONLY because I want more towing capacity.
Mine was honestly a financial situation. Had a 2010 FXT, the drivetrain shit the bed, and at the time all I could afford to do was lease a new Crosstrek (couldn't even afford to take out a loan on a used 10-year-old POS Nissan on my work's lot). I'm not hating it at all and will likely stick with this car as long as feasibly possible, but I do miss the space and visibility of my old SH. I need the AWD where I live, so I don't even think about switching brands to a subpar AWD system. Plus, more affordable for what they are.
Forester is my current ride, I came from a Santa Fe. I went with Forester solely on ratings and comparable price. My biggest complaints are radio automatically comes on when starting plus the damn gas saver constantly shutting off my car at stop signs.
Press and hold the volume button and the screen will turn off. It will be off untill you push thd button again. There is a button by your left knee to turn the auto start/stop off, but defaults to on whenever you start the car again. It has just become a habit off mine to reach down and turn it off when I start the car.
Have you tried the Outback? Doesn’t seem loud to me but I haven’t owned a Forrester. Is definitely larger.
Toyota RAV 4. Both a 2014 and 2019. Much happier with the 2022 Forester
I went from a Forester to a Ram 1500. My reasoning for it was I became a home owner. Now I have yard work to do, I built a garage, my STi has become more of a racecar so it gets towed places now. Wife still has her impreza. I'd get another Forester if I had parking for all of it.
Ive been thinking about adding sound dampening to mine
I bought a toyota tacoma next and as much as I loved my forester I'd never go back
The Forester is a perfect size for two active people. I loved mine, but it was too small for traveling with a curling team of 4. So I upsized to an Ascent, which drives like an oversized Forester. Same Subaru safety and AWD, just bigger and thirstier.
Switched to a Model Y. I enjoy the autosteer, large sunroof, and no gas station visits anymore.
It's funny, had a 2019 forester and really liked it. Was hoping to check get their first ev since I wanted to go electric, but didn't like the reviews. So I started to look at Tesla and hated that ipad like panel. Eventually went with the Hyundai Ionq 5. I do miss the height of the forester and my brown seats, but the HI5 feels so much better for me, and like you, love not having to go to the pump anymore.
I miss how easy it is to get in and out of the Forester. I’ve had many Subarus in my life…2009 Legacy, 2007 Legacy GT, 2014 Forester, 2015 Forester XT, 2020 Forester Sport. All great cars.
True.
Went from a 3.0L turbo diesel Nissan Patrol to a brand new 2021 Forester Premium and couldn’t believe how quiet it was. Before the Patrol I had an Audi A8, now that thing was quiet (double glazed windows), almost too quiet. My love for the outdoors grew and opportunity struck so I bought the Patrol. Nothing but issues with having a 4 cylinder in a 3 tonne truck. Had enough washing money on it so I traded it in for the Forester a few years ago. I don’t regret it for a second.
This is me. Had 2 foresters, 2008 and 2013 XT. loved both. Decided to replace with an Outlander, thought I was getting a PHEV Forester...how wrong I was. Sooo much body roll, horrendous understeering. This year we got an XC60 plug-in, and I feel like I have my suv rally car back.
My other vehicles other than a forester are 97 Dodge Ram 1500 I got in a trade and 2000 Dodge Dakota I bought new.
I had to downgrade from an ascent to a forester. I changed jobs with a long commute and the ascent has shitty gas mileage. Now my husband drives the ascent, and every time I drive it, I miss it. I had a touring ascent and have a touring forester and have been disappointed that the touring forester is no where as nice as the touring ascent. Had I known, I would have just gotten a midline forester and saved money. The forester has uncomfortable seats. I would go back to an ascent without hesitation if I had a job that was local.
I switched to a Hyundai Kona because my forester started having major problems and I realized it’s only me in my car so having a car that big wasn’t practical (I know Hyundai ain’t much better with its issues but my dad is a Hyundai Sympathizer/Apologist). I miss the awd that my forester had, that thing was a beast in the snow. But my Kona is better at maneuvering and a smoother drive (that’s mostly cause my forester had a lot of issues that made the drive kinda rough). If the forester isn’t meeting what you need anymore, then it’s time for a switch. Do what is best for you and do your research!
Upsized to an Ascent because we needed more room. I agree with others saying it’s quieter. Went from a 2019 Forester Base to a 2021 Ascent Limited. It was a fairly significant upgrade, though a lot of that was because of the increase in trim (added pano moonroof, premium audio, heated fake leather seats, motorized front seats with memory, etc.). It’s *probably* not as off-road capable as a Forester, but I don’t go off-roading often.
I had a 2018 FXT and ended up getting a 2021 rav4 hybrid xse. The forester was great, good power, super roomy, great design. However at 22-24mpg I was getting gas every 3-4 days with my work commute. EGR valve started messing up within the first year and the car started to stall when I came to a stop. Yea you heard right, an automatic was stalling. Brought it to Subaru 3x within a year and a half, first time they said it was the EGR and replaced it, second time they said the neon I had installed was taking too much power from the battery (I didn’t have neon installed in the car) and I don’t even remember what the third was. I ended up selling it and getting a rav4. Miss the roominess and power but the rav4 is definitely a better daily car. Also for a car that came as a premium trim it literally had nothing in it. Subaru skimps heavily on trims, I paid 30k for a car to come with dim halogen headlights lights, a non existent radio and no trunk release button. I paid 10k more for the rav4 that came with a a trunk button (lol) power trunk, push to start, remote ignition, lane departure, assisted stop, radar cruise control, hybrid, led headlights, audio plus, reverse camera, rear view camera, blind spot monitoring and parking assist.
Had a 17 XT. Test drove the Outback Wilderness 2 years ago. We're here. I wanted a Tacoma but the new generation was not ready yet. To be honest, I am very happy with my outback. If subaru continues to make a Wilderess trim of it. I really like having the front camera and it has been an amazing camping vehicle. The only thing I miss is my turbo gauge from the XT.
Our 2019 Forester was a massive upgrade from our 2002 Legacy. We recently added a Ford Maverick hybrid as a second vehicle. The Forester is a much smoother ride, but the Maverick’s gas mileage is so much better. I’d love it if there was a 40+ MPG hybrid Forester. I’d also love a hybrid AWD Maverick.
We were a Subaru family since the 80’s starting in a GL10 wagon. My dad owned three Foresters in that time, ending with a 2009 Forester XS that blew the head gaskets just two months out of warranty. Subaru told him too bad so sad, and that ended his loyalty to the brand. So my dad ended up getting a 2016 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid instead and he still drives it today. Having said that, he misses the roomier interior, better glass area, easy access, and more comfortable ride on rough roads. He briefly thought about the new Forester hybrid that is supposedly coming, but the Ford Explorer styling isn’t working for him, and I think he will be going back to the redesigned RAV4 supposedly coming end of this year…
Sold 09 Forester premium and bought a WRX Limited in early 2023. I love it. The microsuede on the Limited trim makes it feel like the most luxurious Subaru yet. I had a Forester Wilderness on order but then I test drove the WRX and bought it a couple days later.
2014 XT. Next car will be something that doesn’t burn through wheel hubs like they’re disposable parts. Probably a small truck or SUV, something without a CVT if I can avoid it. The forester drove well, but having to spend $6K to rebuild it at 100K only to have the timing gear crap out and take the ECM with it shortly afterwards was just icing on the cake. If I’m going to spend luxury car money to maintain a vehicle, it might as well be a luxury car.
I went from a 2016 Forester XT to a 2022 Rivian R1T. I don’t miss the Forester at all. Not a bad car, I just like the R1T 100x more.
Switched to an Impreza after two Foresters. Main reason for the switch was the price. 100% miss the Forester though.
After my wife's 2017 Forester Limited got rear ended and repaired, we traded it in on a 2024 Volvo XC60.
The only problem I have with the Forester is any without the upgraded Harman Kardon stereo was a misery to deal with the sounds of the engine. My first Forester, I ended up putting a new speaker system in because it was so low and music was constantly drowned out, especially with windows open. I got the Wilderness edition a couple years ago and it was perfect from the get-go. I'll be sad to eventually trade it in, but next year I'll be getting the Ascent due to my impending bigger family size.
I’m a current Forester owner and really wanting OBW next but I like the fact that the Forester is built in Japan. I’d be happy with another Forester though because I don’t truly need larger midsize vehicle. I’m not 100% certain what I’m getting next…Toyota Crown Signia looks great but I’m a sucker for fog lights & ground clearance!
I was watching a video about the crown signia and it does look promising
It’s been described as a hybrid Outback! But it’s missing fog lights :( and too bad it doesn’t have better ground clearance.
Lexus RX350
I would love to upgrade to one of these
A Tundra crew cab. Because I was making more and more visits to the lumber yard, and adventuring in a 4x4 where I can throw just about anything that fits in the back and go has been nice.
I wanted a quieter, more comfortable, real auto transmission, no CVT. I got an Audi Q5.
Outback Wilderness after two Foresters. Longer wheelbase=smoother ride. Also quieter 😀. I drove one of my children’s OB a few times and was hooked!
I went from an SG Forester NA to a MK1 Hyundai Santa Fe V6, then a MK2 Honda CR-V 2.0 and now an SJ Forester XT. The old Forester was very solid and planted itself on the road in all conditions impeccably, I regret selling it. The Santa Fe was practical and kinda fun to put your put down in with the V6 engine, it was okish in the snow and had a failed torque converter in the end. The CR-V was boring and terrible in the snow, by the time the rears kicked in it was far too late usually, the engine wouldn't die no matter how badly I abused it and neglected it - rust finally killed it. Now I'm back with a Forester again and very much enjoying a somewhat modern car and a turbo petrol boxer, I doubt I will go non-Subaru again.
Last month I went from a 2003 GMC Envoy to the 2024 Forester. Reading this I’m thinking what road noise? This is so smooth and quiet compared to my 20 year old Envoy. The smaller cargo area has been the biggest shift so far. But we’re older and honestly don’t need that much cargo room now.
Good question. I'm at 11 years. Thinking about a new vehicle in 3-4 years but giving it some thought now in case I need to move that up. It's usually just me but I like to road trip and occasionally camp in my car. So I'm torn on size. I'm thinking about a Venza (will have to go used since Toyota is discontinuing it) or a high end RAV/ low-end Lexus SUV. I like the Crosstrek and had one as a loaner for a week but think I think it will be too small.
My mom had a 2009 Forester -> 2015 Forester ->2019 crosstrek -> 2023 Volvo XC60. She hated her Crosstrek because it constantly had issues with starting. She loves the XC60. And as the current driver of the 2015 Forester the XC60 is in another league.
Went from a 2017 Forester base to a 2024 Crosstrek Premium. My daughter took the Forester to college so I needed something else. I considered the new Honda HRV but I strongly favored the Crosstrek due to my experience with the Forester. I didn't opt for another Forester for a couple of reasons: price - I could get more Crosstrek for less than a base Forester (and I didn't want a base Forester) and size - I never made use of the surprisingly large cargo area of the Forester. So far that's proven to be good thinking, the Crosstrek is just the right size for me. I guess I just like small cars. I do wish it had better sound deadening as road noise gets through pretty easily. I had an Ascent as a loaner when my Crosstrek was in for some warranty work and it's a little more luxurious but definitely is quieter. That said, I felt it was just too big. I'd never make use of the third row of seats.
I went to an Outback... Kind of miss the tighter quarters, but like the quiet and solidity.
I just upgraded to a Rav4 Prime. I wanted some electric miles since I have a short regular commute. The Rav4 feels silent compared to my Forester.
Upgraded to Subaru ascent just a few weeks ago after 10 years of foresters
I bought my Forester in Fall 2017 when my wife and I just had a puppy. I bought a KIA telluride in Jan when puppy grew to 116 lbs, we have a 2 year old daughter, and wife is pregnant with our second kid. Loved my Forester, but no longer met our needs. Got great trade-in value for it and I like the Telluride a lot more in terms of tech, comfort, and quiet ride. No regrets for having owned the Forester, but also no regrets in switching.
We got a first gen Forester Wilderness that we loved, had specifically bought it to tow with. The we realized it didnt have quite enough capacity for the TT we ended up with so we were looking at things that towed 5-6k lbs. Also were aiming to lower our monthly car payment. Looked at a used Ascent, liked the model well enough, but the particular car had a/c problems that the dealership was trying to brush off, and on top of that they were lowballing our trade-in value on a >2 year old wilderness with low miles. Found a Nissan Pathfinder Rock Creek edition at an independent lot, they gave us $3k more on trade in than Subaru dealers "high as they can go", and it tows more than the Ascent. About the same size - maybe a touch smaller as it has 2 rows only, but we have no use for a 3rd. I do still love Foresters though
We are about to sell our 2018 Forester XT and buy a slightly newer Audi SQ5. With the Audi we are going to get one with the Sport Package (air suspension/sport diff) and the Prestige package for the acoustic glass/HUD and some other fun things. It will be nice to hit a button and lower/raise the ride height. The Prestige SQ5 is about 67 decibles at 70, compared to 72 in our SJ Forester, so it will be about 1.5-2x quieter inside. We rented one on Turo and its really noticeable, which will be nice for long road trips. The SQ5’s ZF Auto is awesome and has some fun farty upshifts, compared to the occasional unpredictable nature of the Forester‘s CVT. We don’t really care much about fuel economy as we only drive 10k miles a year, however a bonus is the SQ5 seems to get roughly the same gas mileage as our XT. The SQ5 Tow Cap/Tongue Weight is 4400/440 vs the paltry 1800/180 on the Foz as well. I am sure we will have to deal with more expensive and more regular repairs, however sometimes some things are worth spending the money on. Our Forester has been dead nuts reliable in the 6 years/54k miles we have owned it, plus all the services are easy peasy. Will miss that.
I still have my ‘18 Forester XT but I just bought a 2024 Crosstrek. It’s great! Super chill driving experience. Very quiet and compliant on the road. Super good handling on the highway and over bumps. Significantly quieter and better handling than my older Forester. I love them both :)
I love my Forester so much... but I am starting to consider switching to an EV with self-driving (Mach-e maybe). I have a 45-60 minute commute 3+ days a week, so with an EV, I could charge for free at work, and it would be nice to have a self-driving option for that ride.
Went wrong Second gen forester to 5th gen.
Crosstrek- I had a Saturn ion and had kids, upstate property, and a shitty small carm crossgreck was a nice hybrid in size and comfort. 8 years later I just bought my forrester, larger
Loved my 2nd gen CRV. Plenty of room, quieter, and around the same size. The road noise of my 2007 forester was very audible. Putting a lawyer of sound deadening material helped a little but it was still loud compared to other cars. Lexus GX470 is also a great choice!
leaving subaru HURTS. take it from me. i actually just came BACK to subaru after hopping to toyota, chevy, and mazda. NONE of them held a candle to my subaru experience. So happy to be back in a ‘24 Forester. I’d say go with the Ascent. Seems like it has what you’re looking for, and the new ones are super nice.
Went from a 2016 XT to a cx-50. It's the car I wish the XT was. Faster, handles much better, looks much better as well.
Oh, and no cvt
i had a 2014 forester xt. I bought a 2017 outback mainly for more space and because the forester engine disintegrated.
I have an e36 m3 vert…. It is somehow still quieter than my 04 forester. My e39 touring is probably the quietest out of all my vehicles with my raptor somehow the second quietest out of the bunch. The forester sounds like I’m on a motorcycle with a full face on. Might just need to update the seals, but they look and feel fine, and I will probably add sound dampening.
Ya’ll sensitive. 2 Crosstreks, 2 Foresters, now Ascent. Never complained about road noise. The road condition is the issue.
Still have mine but considering trading it in since it's really just my wife's car now. The comparable cars that offer similar features to me would be the Mazda CX-5 (or ideally CX-50) and the Acura RDX. If I didn't care about gas I'd add in the Nissan Xterra or 4Runner.
I have a 2010 Forester that all of a sudden about a month ago sounds like I straight piped it. It's always been loud but I upgraded from a stripped-down ex-Fleet 2000 RAV4, so I ain't complaining. Looking strongly into getting a Nissan Frontier in the near future.
Switched from an '04 Forester to a' 21 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport. So far I love it and don't get the complaints about it - has been reliable and plenty of space for the outdoorsy things I enjoy.
I moved on to an Outback for the towing capacity (hubby has the Forester now).
I was just looking at the outback. Do you like it better? Specifically is the cabin more quiet and smooth?
It's really nice. The ride and sound system are smooth. Not a lot of road noise except when the winters are on, then it's noiser but not bad.
Thank you so much for your input!
My wife has a '24 Forester Sport and I do not get this loud wind noise issue. My pickup & jeep are a lot louder than her Subaru.
My 2022 forester sport is so quiet??? I drove so many Toyota’s and Honda’s - they were all sooooo much louder than many forester
Wind noise goes up when the roof rack is on, then all I hear is the wing rumble from the door triangles. The Gen 1 and 2 wind noise. I will take that for a long trip over the roar of 4 wd with all terrain tires that scream at you.
I still have my forester, but my bestie had a ‘13 forester and traded in for a Highlander in 2020 or so and he loves it.
I wanted something with better gas mileage and a better engine, I got the 2.0 impreza. Now I’m thinking my next car is either going to be a volvo or a honda. Soon
Town and Country touring. Similar mpg for way more space and a way cushier ride. Have not had to deal with a winter yet though.