The AWD drive on the Forester is rated among the best in the Crossover SUV class. It will hold the vehicle firmly on the road in snowy or icy condition as well as on the most challenging uphill climbs.
According to all trade reviews, the Series three Forester is the best in its class for value for money leaving it main Japanese rivals, Honda and Toyota trailing.
The Forester has always been described as "a big car with a small car feel" in terms of both handling and fuel economy and the series three is no exception. Classed as an ideal dual purpose vehicle, for a large family, both in numbers and size, with loads of leg room both front and back, coupled with the capability of carrying loads of luggage, goods and equipment without extending too much effort.
The Series Three Forester's transmission has been rated as underpowered by some critics and the need for at least one more gear to its standard four was called out for. The lack of gear options is reckoned the blame for the Foresters uneven petrol consumption, especially in city driving.
In even the most minor of cross winds, driver reviews point out that that the Forester becomes tricky to handle, because of its height and displacement ratio.
In its earlier versions the Forester was known to be noisier than it should have been and especially on certain road surfaces. With the series three Subaru are yet to iron out this problem.
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