The Forester is reckoned to offer the best value for money in its class, with its nearest rivals the Mitsubishi Outlander, the GMC Terrain/Chevrolet Equinox, and the Ford Escape offering less for more.
The Forester's All-Wheel Drive (AWD ) drive remains among the best available in the crossover category, coping ideally with wintry conditions and some fairly challenging uphill climbs.
The Premium Crossover comes with loads of interior finish and accessories extras as standard, including HID headlights, a panoramic sunroof, leather seats, and an upgraded stereo, among other goodies.
Principal gripes among reviewers seem to focus on the Forester's new four speed gear box's sluggish transmission with most reports stating that there are least two gear options short to allow the car to reach any level of efficiency in terms of speed and more important in terms of fuel economy, particularly in city driving.
Not every cloud has a silver lining, and while the Forester 2,5XT Premium offers a lot in terms of head room , this can have its downsides in even the most minor crosswinds. Driver reviews show that the Forester can be difficult to handle in windy conditions, although there are no reports of any Foresters being blown over.
In the best of circumstances, the Forester cannot win too many accolades for the quietness of its engine, which can even be annoyingly obtrusive on certain surfaces.
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