2006 Forester Opinions

Auto or manual? Each has their own special foibles ;) The manual Forester XT is only recommended for real drivers with a fair bit of skill behind them. I drive an '02 XS, to be upgraded to an XT in the future (Probably 07/08).

-mark

Front passenger seat doesn't fold flat. No audio input jack for sound system. There's that wierd warning sticker on the roof rack telling you not to use it (without some accessory or other). 24 mpg (CA USA).

It's been nearly a year and I still like my 2005 Forester.

not sure what the skill reference to the XT is....

I drive an 04 XT, and even though, I do track the car, know several people with them, who are not highly skilled drivers, who still do very well with said car...

Have friends with a new MY06 XT, and it's a lovely car to drive....

Go drive one on a wet day, and you'll never go back to a 2 wheel drive....

AFAIK, it's on the roof rail telling you you can only attach a subaru roof rack to it.

-mark

I had a '98 that got totaled 2 years ago - not my fault - and immediately replaced it with an '03. Love the Forester. Frank

I own an 05 XT Forester and find it very capable for around town, on the open road, and for "soft roading". If you want to do something more daring off road, consider the Jeep Liberty, or for even more extreme, the Jeep Wrangler. The Jeeps have higher ground clearance and can go places where the Subie can't. The low range also helps if you are really planning on true off road hill climbing. Problem is the Wrangler lets you know what it was designed for when you are on paved roads as the ride is pretty rough. This is based on experience in the local mountains; crossing areas where the spring thaw severely washed out the dirt roads. We drive in to reach trailheads for back country hikes. In the local desert areas it's fine on the dirt and sandy improved roads.(I live in Las Vegas NV where we have plenty of desert, and mountains to almost 12000' within a 45 minute drive). Would I trade the Forester ? No, because 95 pct of my driving is on paved roads where the Subaru excels. The 4 pct soft roading is not a problem for me either. When I know I am heading for the really rough stuff, I bum a ride with someone in a vehicle designed for the terrain.

My only true complaint is the design/color of the instrument cluster. When you are driving into a bright sun, or bright desert sky, your eyes adjust to the brightness. When you glance down at the instrument cluster, your eyes can't adjust fast enough to the dark cluster to read the panel before you have to look up at the road again. Turning the lights on to illuminate the cluster doesn't do much good either. Also, bright ambient light makes it almost impossible to read the radio display panel. At night, there is no problem at all. It's just when it's very bright outside that there is a problem.

Greetings: My wife has an 04 XT automatic with leather, sun-roof, etc. Under

30g after sales tax (8.25%). It is like Dr. Who's phone booth. Looks like a small suv until your inside and then it is huge. I see other foresters on the road and think, wow, how can this be that little thing. I would say it is just the ticket if you would like a safe, capable, usefull, vehicle, that can outrun 90% of the stuff on the road. It is not edgy, and could be driven by an old lady. The steering isn't very quick, so going with a standard and racing might be experts only territory, but as an everyday city/highway ride it is as good as it gets for the money in every reasonable category.

Michael

PS: I have been thinking about getting an 06 WRX and putting on some Yokohama advev neova 225/45", So I can tail STI "s and EVO's on back roads until they crash or realize they have way more car than they can handle. J

Wise decision. Firestone!

You've had good maintenance success, but that 28 MPG isn't that great.

My '95 Concord 3.3L gets the same 28 MPG at 70 mph. year round; with no engine maintenance in 72 k miles, but spark plugs at 60 K miles. Still 5,000 miles per qt. of oil as when new. I expect it's engine to last forever.