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The 40 mpg Cars of 2013

2013 Subaru Forester

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Curious about the newer model? Check out the 2014 Subaru Forester

Overview

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2013 Subaru Forester Review

By KBB.com Editors

KBB Expert Rating: 6.7

Big, heavy gas-guzzling SUVs have their place, but if you don't need room for seven or the ability to tow a heavy trailer, a vehicle like the 2013 Subaru Forester makes much more sense. Easy on gas, the 4-cylinder Forester combines car-like ride and handling with the ground clearance and AWD tenacity of a light-duty off-road vehicle. Unlike most compact crossovers, the Forester's Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive is permanently engaged, providing excellent traction in all weather conditions. The Forester's roomy interior is highly versatile, and Subaru offers an abundance of roof-rack accessories for securing everything from cargo to kayaks. Best of all, the Forester is reasonably priced, holds it value well, and is an IIHS Top Safety Pick.

You'll Like This Car If...

If you like the ride and handling of mid-size sedan, but the need for maximum cargo space requires a more SUV-like solution, the Subaru's 2013 Forester gives you the best of both worlds. Its low-profile boxer engine gives it remarkable poise in the curves, and its AWD lets it go places no car would dare to venture.

You May Not Like This Car If...

If you need room for seven, the ability to tow more than 2,400 pounds, or a rear seat DVD entertainment system, the Subaru Forester probably won't make the grade. Its outdated 4-speed automatic transmission doesn't provide the best fuel economy and the 5-speed manual isn't available on the sportier turbo models.

KBB Expert Ratings

Overall Rating

6.7
Driving Dynamics

6.9
Comfort & Convenience

6.7
Design: Interior & Exterior

5.9
Value

6.5
Safety

7.9

How It Ranks

#9

out of 11

MPG

#6

out of 11

Horsepower

View all rankings

Consumer Rating

7.9 out of 10

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consumer ratings

2013 Subaru Forester Low/wide front photo

What's New for 2013

For 2013, the Subaru Forester 2.5X receives a new radio with built-in Bluetooth and streaming capabilities, as well as iPod control and a USB port. Steering-wheel audio controls are standard on the base trim, while Premium models get a new Value Package that includes an upgraded radio display, fog lights and the Cold Weather Package.

Driving the Forester

2013 Subaru Forester Front angle view photo

Driving Impressions We took our 2013 Subaru Forester on some light off-road trails, which showcased the vehicle's firmer suspension, direct steering and notable ground clearance, all of which came into play when...

traversing rocks and ditches. Also helpful was the Forester's standard Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive system, capable of transferring up to 100 percent of the engine's power to the individual wheels with the best traction. Back on pavement, we liked the added get-up-and-go of the turbocharged models (who wouldn't?), but those with a more practical and budget-minded outlook will be just as happy dashing around town with the naturally aspirated engine. Getting in and out of both rows of seats was a breeze thanks to wide-opening doors, and we found the all-around views from the driver's seat to be excellent – a boon when changing lanes, reversing, and exploring dirt roads.

Favorite Features

REAR VISIBILITY
Being able to see what's behind a vehicle when backing up, changing lanes, or even venturing off-road can make a big difference in imparting driving confidence. The 2013 Subaru Forester's large rear window allows the driver to see an object only 39 inches tall within 39 inches of the vehicle.

PANORAMIC MOONROOF
Although not as large as others we've seen, this oversized glass roof provides pleasant light to both the front and rear passengers, bringing a bit of the outdoors inside.

2013 Subaru Forester Details

2013 Subaru Forester Dashboard, center console, gear shifter view photo

Interior

The Subaru Forester's colorful gauges are set into a sweeping dashboard with a logical layout. A multifunction display with fuel-economy and outside-temperature readouts is standard, as is a versatile center console with numerous cubbies and two 12-volt sockets. The roomy front seats are height adjustable, and the materials feel reasonably rich. Rear legroom is plentiful, and the 60/40-split seat folds easily and even reclines in all but the base 2.5X. The wide liftgate opens to 33.5 cubic feet of cargo space, plus such niceties as hooks for grocery bags and other items, plus tie-downs in the floor and a storage well underneath it.

Exterior

While earlier Foresters looked like tall Subaru wagons, the Forester for 2013 is a svelte take on the SUV. Prominent wheel arches and nearly nine inches of ground clearance lend it a clean yet businesslike profile. Up front, a large grille and wraparound "hawkeye" headlights add a hint of sporty aggression, especially in combination with the functional hood scoop on the turbo models. Sporty alloy wheels (optional on the base 2.5X, standard in a 17-inch size on all the higher trims) and a tasteful measure of chrome accenting add just enough finesse to its clean, functional design.

Notable Equipment

Standard Equipment

The Subaru Forester 2.5X comes with a 5-speed manual transmission, AWD, Hill Start Assist, air conditioning, keyless entry, 16-inch steel wheels, six airbags, driver-seat lumbar adjuster, auto-off headlights, and Bluetooth for audio and phone. The Premium (in 2.5X or turbo 2.5XT form) gains a panoramic moonroof, 17-inch alloy wheels and a 10-way power driver seat. The turbo also adds fog lights, a rear spoiler and heated front seats. The 2.5X Limited adds leather, an automatic transmission, climate control, heated mirrors and a 6-speaker audio system. The top 2.5X and 2.5XT Touring models include electroluminescent gauges, dual-zone climate control, 7-speaker audio, rearview camera and xenon headlights.

Optional Equipment

Among the Forester's most attractive options for 2013 is a touch-screen navigation system with premium audio and iTunes song tagging on Limited and Touring models. Premium models can be equipped with a removable TomTom navigation system. An All-Weather package for the 2.5X Premium adds heated front seats, heated side mirrors and a windshield wiper de-icer. (It's standard on the higher models, though oddly not available on the 2.5XT Premium.) Other than satellite radio, most other options are bundled into the various trim levels. The 4-speed automatic transmission is optional on the 2.5X and 2.5X Premium, and standard elsewhere.

Under the Hood

Powering all 2013 Forester 2.5X trims is a competent 170-horsepower 4-cylinder boxer engine (a "flat" engine in which the pistons lie horizontally, one advantage of which is a lower center of gravity). This engine features chain-driven dual overhead camshafts for greater power and longevity as well as quieter operation. A 5-speed manual transmission is standard on 2.5X base and Premium trims, with a 4-speed automatic optional (and standard on all higher trim levels). The Forester 2.5XT enjoys a 224-horsepower turbocharged boxer-4. Although the base engine is practical around town, those seeking more power without suffering typical SUV fuel-economy penalties will appreciate the turbo, as long as they don't mind paying for premium gasoline.

2.5-liter boxer-4
170 horsepower @ 5,800 rpm
174 lb-ft of torque @ 4,100 rpm
EPA Estimated City/Highway Mileage: 21/27 mpg

2.5-liter turbocharged boxer-4
224 horsepower@ 5,200 rpm
226 lb-ft of torque @ 2,800 rpm
EPA Estimated City/Highway Mileage: 19/24 mpg

Pricing Notes

A base 2013 Subaru Forester 2.5X with manual transmission starts around $22,000, while the 2.5X Limited with navigation bumps the price to about $29,000. The turbocharged 2.5XT Premium brings the price closer to $28,000, with no options offered. The top-dog 2.5XT Touring with navigation tops out just over $32,000. At the Forester's base price, its closest competitor is the Nissan Rogue, but the base Rogue does not include AWD. The Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4 and Ford Escape all start around $23,000, also without AWD. However, as inexpensive as the Forester seems at first, adding options quickly escalates the price and it ends up at the higher end of its segment. To compare actual transaction prices for the Subaru Forester, be sure to check the Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price. For resale value, the Forester is expected to maintain value better than the Rogue, but a few points below the CR-V, Escape and RAV4.

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2013 Subaru Forester Consumer Reviews

Overall Rating

7.9

Out of 10

Based on 37 Ratings for the 2013 - 2014 models.

Review this car

Value

8.5/10

Quality

8.4/10
Reliability

8.8/10

Performance

8.2/10
Comfort

7.7/10

Styling

8.6/10

Outstanding vehicle, great mpg, room & visability

By FAN (NJ) on Thursday, August 01, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 7,300

10 10.0

overall rating 10 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 10/10
Value: 10/10
Reliability: 10/10
Quality: 10/10
Performance: 10/10
Styling: 10/10
Comfort: 10/10

Pros: "Price, mpg, security, room"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"Just took 2014 on vacation - long drive - very comfortable and secure on the road. I am averaging just over 30mpg overall and nearly 35mpg on this trip ConsumerRepts this tops class by a large margin over the CRV< toyota< ford and mazda"

1 person out of 1 found this review helpful

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Perfect for New England

By HK (MA) on Monday, July 29, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 1,700

10 10.0

overall rating 10 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 10/10
Value: 9/10
Reliability: 10/10
Quality: 10/10
Performance: 9/10
Styling: 9/10
Comfort: 10/10

Pros: "AWD all the time, Perfect visibility, great MPG"

Cons: "Back seat doesn't recline."

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"I recently traded-in my Ford Mustang (convertible) for the Subaru Forester, i2.5 Premium. I loved the car starting from the test drive. Me and my wife moved from florida to new England area and wanted a car which can survive the new England weather. We had Honda CRV, Toyota RAV4, Mazda CX-5, Ford Escape, Hyundai Santa Fe, Nissan Rogue, Subaru Forester and Jeep Compass in mind. We test drove them all the final three cars were Mazda CX-5, Subaru and Honda CRV. The most comfortable out of all these was CX-5, but it was a bit expensive comparatively. Forester has an All wheel all the time compared to CRV which is on auto. This one has given me upto 35 MPG on highway."

3 people out of 3 found this review helpful

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Good Car, too Early to decide

By Zaffi (MO) on Sunday, July 21, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 1,899

10 8.0

overall rating 8 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 8/10
Value: 8/10
Reliability: Not Rated
Quality: 10/10
Performance: 8/10
Styling: 10/10
Comfort: 9/10

Pros: "Gas Mileage, CVT is responsive, AWD, Driver room"

Cons: "So so Stereo, small trunk"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 5

"I have this car for about a month. Ride is comfortable, it is full of amenities. Smaller that my Pilot, and not as stable as Pilot. One time already I had to apply hard beakes at 70 miles, and car fish tailed. In 7 yrs in Pilot, not one time that vehicle fishtailed. Gas mileage is great, Road noise it bit more that Pilot, but not unbearable like some small SUV. Though I am worried about Subaru's claim that engine eating up synthetic oil is acceptable. Have to see about that."

1 person out of 3 found this review helpful

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I would not buy it again

By Lu (CA) on Saturday, July 20, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 9,500

10 1.0

overall rating 1 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 1/10
Value: 1/10
Reliability: 1/10
Quality: 1/10
Performance: 7/10
Styling: 8/10
Comfort: 7/10

Pros: "Great interior and gas mileage"

Cons: "Oil Consumption Problems"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 1

"I own this car and would not buy it again, I owned a 2011, it had oil consumption problems that took 6 months to get help with and then on the freeway my catalytic converter blew out from too much oil build up! They convinced me that the 2014 was the way to go and I would not have this problem again, well yesterday my low engine oil light came on(I change my oil as recommended by Subaru) and I was a quart low! Here we go again. Oh and by the way Subaru says burning that much oil is normal."

13 people out of 14 found this review helpful

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Amazing Car for the Money

By JarekG (IL) on Thursday, July 18, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 3,500

10 9.0

overall rating 9 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 9/10
Value: 10/10
Reliability: 10/10
Quality: 8/10
Performance: 10/10
Styling: 8/10
Comfort: 9/10

Pros: "AWD, Visibility, MPG, cargo and rear leg room"

Cons: "Seats could be better, weird trim levels"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"I am reviewing the 2.5 Limited with CVT. I bought this car about three months ago after researching a lot of other cars and i have to say that for that amount of money (About $27,000) you will not find a better crossover. The visibility is the best in any SUV that I have ever seen. You can see everything while driving this car. Windows are huge and the mirrors are perfectly positioned to not obstruct your view. The gas mileage is also outstanding. I am currently averaging 28.5 MPG with a mixture of about 30% highway and 70% city, which I am very pleased about. The cargo space and back seat leg room and comfort are amazing. The CVT takes a few weeks to get used to because it's different than a traditional automatic but I think people, for some reason, make too much fuss about it in reviews and test drives. It's not a sports car. It has enough response and power for the type of car and I never find myself wishing for a more powerful engine. The interior is very functional and quick to access compared to the Toyotas and Hondas. Yes, it doesn't have the most top of the line entertainment system, but everything is extremely quick and convenient to use. Climate control, bluetooth, MPG and trip data and graphs, it's all there and accessible with a press of a button. I never have to look for something. I know exactly where it is. Very intuitive design. The only problem I see with the car is that the leather seats are a bit bland and not exactly well made. They are flat and very basic. The Crosstek's seats are much nicer than the Forester's. I wish they were a bit more contoured to your body. Another disappointment were the packages. The Premium, Limited and Touring trims just have just a weird combination of features that do not really make sense when you are shopping for the car. The GPS is also a joke and that's why I opted not to buy it. I wish it was a bit more in line with the overall quality of the car. Overall, I think that for a car priced under $30,000 you can't get a better vehicle. Yes, it's not as polished as an Audi or a BMW...but once again, if you want better seats or some top of the line tech, you will have to spend close to $40,000. But the overall package with this vehicle for the money is outstanding."

7 people out of 8 found this review helpful

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Wouldn't buy it again

By Nibs (OR) on Wednesday, July 17, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 50

10 4.0

overall rating 4 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 4/10
Value: 5/10
Reliability: Not Rated
Quality: 5/10
Performance: 8/10
Styling: 5/10
Comfort: 5/10

Pros: "Has power,turns easily"

Cons: "Feels unsafe,rear view mirror is too dim"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 1

"I bought the car a few days ago.It feels very unsafe. I can't see out the rear view mirror at night because it is so dimmed. I feels like there are blind spots that I didn't have in my old car. Cargo cover is extra on even the premium model though the model I was shown had it. I feel like I am stuck with a car I hate driving."

4 people out of 15 found this review helpful

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