2008 Subaru Forester Review

Is the 2008 Subaru Forester Right for You?

What Is It and Who Is It For?

The 2008 Subaru Forester is a compact crossover SUV with seating for five people. A practical everyday vehicle and suitable for light off-road adventures, it’s a good fit for drivers who want an SUV with car-like handling.

What Makes It Unique?

Like most crossover SUVs, the Forester is tall, practical, and capacious. Unlike many of its competitors it’s based on a sharp-handling car with a standard rally-bred all-wheel drive (AWD) system, Subaru’s Impreza. The Forester inherits many of the Impreza’s best attributes but puts them into a larger package with more ground clearance. It’s a versatile, go-anywhere machine with good performance and handling on-road or off. An available turbocharged engine, borrowed from Subaru’s Impreza WRX, offers vigorous performance and gives the Forester XT a sports-sedan like feel few other crossovers can match. The Forester also has very good safety ratings.

Forester vs. Other Subarus

The Forester is the smaller of two crossovers in Subaru’s lineup. The larger is the midsize Tribeca. Subaru also offers a midsize crossover wagon, the Outback, which is positioned above the Forester. The Forester is mechanically related to the compact Impreza.

Subaru Forester vs. Competition

The Forester is easy to drive and has standard AWD, but it’s a little smaller inside than most other crossovers and has rather firm seats that not everyone likes. Many rivals offer more cargo or rear-seat space, and some offer more power or better fuel economy:

• Toyota RAV4: The class leader in power and cargo room, the RAV4 is bigger and heavier than the Forester. It performs just as well as the Subaru, on road or off, with superior fuel economy. The RAV4 has a roomier and more comfortable interior.
• Honda CR-V: Car-like to drive, the CR-V has poised road manners. It has more rear-seat and cargo room than the Forester, and more available tech features. The CR-V has a reputation for quality and good fuel economy, but off-road ability is limited.
• Honda Element: The Element is related to the CR-V, but has boxy, upright styling and more ground clearance for improved off-road ability. It’s designed for utility. It only seats four, but the rear seats can be removed to create van-like cargo space.
• Ford Escape: The Escape isn’t as good a performer or handler as the Forester, but it’s practical, user-friendly, and rugged. Most versions of the Escape return better fuel economy, with the hybrid model being best in class.

Is the 2008 Model Year Right for You?

Changes for 2008

• No major changes.

2008 Subaru Forester vs. Older Subaru Foresters

Subaru introduced this generation of the Forester for 2003 and did not change it very much over time. The 2003 to 2007 Foresters are very similar, though the styling was lightly updated in 2006. The previous generation Forester, offered from 1998 to 2002, was also very similar. You could save quite a bit of money by buying a used Forester.

You can find used Subaru Foresters with Carfax’s used car listings. Each used car comes with a free Carfax vehicle history report.

Research the Forester from other model years

Which 2008 Subaru Forester Trim Is the Best Value?

The original starting prices, including MSRP and destination charge:

• 2.5 X: $22,640
• Sports 2.5 X: $22,340
• 2.5 X L.L. Bean Edition: $27,340
• Sports 2.5 XT: $27,640
• 2.5 XT Limited: $28,540

All Foresters are fairly good values, but we’d pick the L.L. Bean edition as the best of the lot. It adds leather upholstery, heated front seats, and a panoramic moonroof to the Forester’s already large array of features. The L.L. Bean comes only with an automatic transmission.

Find a used Subaru Forester

For those looking for a more involving drive or more power, the 2.5 XT Limited has similar features to the L.L. Bean but a much more powerful turbocharged engine. It also has a sportier feel. Sports models have slightly different, more aggressive styling. Aside from the L.L. Bean, all Foresters were available new with manual or automatic transmissions.

2008 Subaru Forester Performance

Engine Options

The 2008 Subaru Forester has two engine options:

• 173-horsepower 2 .5-liter 4-cylinder mated to a 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic transmission and AWD.
• 224-horsepower turbocharged 2 .5-liter 4-cylinder mated to a 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic transmission and AWD.

Compared with the class? The non-turbo Forester is average for the class, the turbo version is well above average, and fun to drive.

Fuel Economy

• 173-horsepower (manual/automatic): 21/20 mpg EPA-estimated combined mpg*
• 224-horsepower (manual/automatic): 22 mpg

*The EPA uses a mixture of highway and city driving for its combined estimate.

Compared with the class? Average for the class.

2008 Subaru Forester Safety Ratings & Features

The 2008 Subaru Forester earned positive results in crash testing by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. IIHS named the Forester a top safety pick for 2008, and gave it Good ratings in all of its evaluations. NHTSA gave the Forester five star ratings in its front and side impact tests, and four stars in rollover testing.

Key Standard Features

• Dual-stage driver and passenger airbags
• Front seat-mounted head and chest side impact airbags

Key Optional Features

• Electronic stability control

2008 Subaru Forester Interior

Cabin Storage and Features

• Cupholders: 2 front, 4 rear.
• Cabin storage areas: Glovebox, small storage bin on top of dashboard, center console bin under armrest, map pockets behind the front seats, storage bins in doors, rear cargo area.

Compared with the class? Average for the class.

Cargo Space

• 30.7 cubic feet behind rear seats
• 68.6 cubic feet with rear seats folded

Compared with the class? The Forester is numerically slightly below average for the class, but the space it has is easy to use.

Seating Space

Compared with the class? Average for the class in front, but below average in back, with less rear head and leg room than most competitors.

2008 Subaru Forester Warranty

The original 2008 Forester warranty has long since expired, but when new the Forester’s warranty was:

• 3 years / 36,000 miles bumper-to-bumper including towing. Covers many parts and systems but doesn’t include regular wear-and-tear items such as brake pads, filters, or wiper blades.
• 5 years / 60,000 miles powertrain. Covers major engine and transmission components.
• Both warranties are measured from the in-service or delivery date of the vehicle, whichever comes first, and are transferable to used-car buyers.

Compared with the class? Average for the segment.