Who owns a current gen Legacy or Forester?

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We are new car shopping and as always happens, I've bounced around from one new car idea to another in our quest.
Let's say that the primary driver of this car ends up as my wife.
In that case, a stick is off the table since her left knee bothers her so she has no desire to daily drive a stick as she once did.
If this car would be for my wife, then she'd really prefer a Subaru, since she was very happy with the '09 Forester that I basically gave to my son and DIL so that their then coming offspring would have something decent and safe to be driven around in. She is not as fond of the '12 Accord.
Therefore, I'm curious as to what owners of these cars think of them and what their experience with them has been. These are entirely different cars from the '09 Forester generation as well as the Legacys that were current at the time, with different engine designs as well as CVTs.
I'd hope that I'll see no trolling replies, since one hears stories about how awful cars of every brand are from Audi to Zaporozhets, mostly from folks who've never even ridden in one much less owned an example or worked on one.
 
Over the years I've owned four Subarus. I just traded in a leased 2015 Outback only because I needed something with more cargo capacity. If its a choice between a 2017 Legacy and a 2017 Forester, what do you need, a small wagon or a sedan? I know the 2015 and newer Legacy gets very positive reviews and ratings. Then again I think a 2012 Accord is a really good vehicle, Top 10 Car and Driver. I know the Outback was very easy to service, and I got up to 35 mpg highway.
 
We got a 2014 Forester (2.5 premium) for my wife brand new in December 2013. The only time it was at the dealer was because I found a service bulletin for the A/C compressor, so I took it in and told them it was behaving erratically, clutch not engaging intermittently (subject of the bulletin). They replaced it under warranty with an updated version.

That's the only "repair" the car has had in 70k+ miles. Replaced the original tires at 59k. They weren't totally shot, but they were getting loud.

Other than that it's been all oil changes and filter replacements. Plugs replaced at 60k but probably could have gone longer, they didn't look very worn. Oh, and a headlight bulb went out a few months back.

I really didn't want the CVT, but wife wanted a Forrester really badly and doesn't know how to drive manual trans. Hard to get used to it but the thing has been very solid. No problems at all. Planning on doing CVT service pretty soon.

I wouldn't hesitate to buy another one. I've heard some say theirs burn oil, but ours is only consuming around a half quart between oil changes every 7k mi.
 
I just traded in a 2012 (EX-L) Subaru Legacy with 54,000 miles on it. The paint quality was beyond horrible-and the car had many squeaks and rattles. This was a car which was purchased brand new that listed had a MSRP $28,000.00 when I bought it.

Subaru is fat and happy right now. They are selling every vehicle they can build. If you have any issues that are a borderline warranty item (such as paint) they will tell you to pound sand.

Obviously-my experience seems to differ than most.
 
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Paint on Subaru's has always been very thin and a frequent complaint for as long as I can remember. My '09 is what they call dark gray metallic which for practical purposes is almost black metallic. If I look at it cross eyed it will almost get a swirl mark. I like the car but not the paint quality. If you're getting a Subaru, I recommend a light color not a dark one.

My brother and his wife have a white 2015 Forester Premium, which she drives. My brother is a Ford truck guy and prefers his F250 for about everything, but the new Forester impressed him which is a feat in and of itself.

Although they're tough to find in captivity, some new Forester XT's (turbo) in Premium trim can be found for 28K. Or coould be around the end of last yr.
 
I've got a 2016 Forester 2.5i base model, CVT. SIL has a 2016 Forester Premium with the 6spd manual and my brother just bought a 2017 premium 2.5i CVT.

My Forester is my 3rd Subaru in a relatively short period of time. My first was a 2012 Legacy 2.5i Premium CVT I leased. Turned that in somewhat early and bought a 2014 XV Crosstrek 5spd. Hated that 5spd so much I traded that for my 2016 Forester. The Forester would be my favorite of the 3 in terms of size, comfort, functionality and economy. They are not the prettiest or sportiest looking vehicle by any means, but the goods outweigh that. I'm at 33K miles and need tires soon is about it. The refill/level check plug is a bit of a pain to get to on the late model CVTs, but they do have a drain plug on the pan. I may do a DIY drain/fill some time in the future. Fuel economy is awesome for this class as well.
 
Originally Posted By: LoneRanger
Paint on Subaru's has always been very thin and a frequent complaint for as long as I can remember. My '09 is what they call dark gray metallic which for practical purposes is almost black metallic. If I look at it cross eyed it will almost get a swirl mark. I like the car but not the paint quality. If you're getting a Subaru, I recommend a light color not a dark one.

My brother and his wife have a white 2015 Forester Premium, which she drives. My brother is a Ford truck guy and prefers his F250 for about everything, but the new Forester impressed him which is a feat in and of itself.

Although they're tough to find in captivity, some new Forester XT's (turbo) in Premium trim can be found for 28K. Or coould be around the end of last yr.


For a car that Subaru feels is is worth $28,000.00 it should have better paint....Period!
 
If the car had such bad paint, then that should have been apparent when new. Why did you even take delivery of it?
Subaru was also fat and happy when we bought our '09, but overall quality was and remains good. The car is now around 90K and has no squeaks or rattles. The dark charcoal paint still looks good although the car has spent most of its nine years outdoors.
That the Forester was built in Japan and your Legacy in Indiana may be a factor.
OTOH, we have an ancient '99 Legacy wagon AWD 2.2 and it remains surprisingly tight and solid.
 
Originally Posted By: fdcg27
If the car had such bad paint, then that should have been apparent when new. Why did you even take delivery of it?

Subaru was also fat and happy when we bought our '09, but overall quality was and remains good. The car is now around 90K and has no squeaks or rattles. The dark charcoal paint still looks good although the car has spent most of its nine years outdoors.
That the Forester was built in Japan and your Legacy in Indiana may be a factor.
OTOH, we have an ancient '99 Legacy wagon AWD 2.2 and it remains surprisingly tight and solid.



Because it wasn't apparent when the car was purchased. That's why. Subaru has set sales record every year since '09. Consequently-they have no reason to keep a current owner happy- as long as they are selling cars at the rate they are. IMHO-it's a short sighted business plan until sales slow. I crawled underneath that car sliding cardboard under plastic skirts-trying to find the rattles. The general build quality-as I stated was horrible.

I just purchased a brand new Hyundai Santa Fe XL Limited-we will see how this one holds up verses the Subaru. My son has had a Sonata with almost 100,000 miles on it with no issues what-so-ever.
 
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Subaru's OEM tires are horrid across the line, but that's pretty standard for any make/model in this price range IMO. The Yoko Geolanders on my Forester are downright scary for winter driving, even with AWD. I will be throwing some used Firestone Winterforces on it for this winter and get new summer tread down the road.

A few things I left out above. I really did enjoy my 2012 Legacy 2.5i CVT other than the very low seating and non-existent ground clearance. The Crosstrek was the coolest looking IMO and and overall nice Subaru, it's just that dollar for dollar, the Forester is your best Subaru bang for your buck. I got my 2016 Forester base CVT with some options like alum wheel package, mats, guards, etc, for just over $23K + TTL.
 
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The Yokos that came on our '09 worked really well in all conditions.
FWIU, the current tires are pretty awful.
This could be a bargaining point when we get down and dirty in the purchase process.
Okay, I'll pay X, but you'll put a set of whatevers on it before I accept delivery.
Otherwise, knock about $400.00 off the asking and we'll write you the check.
 
Currently have a 2017 Forester XT, previously had a 2015 Forester XT that was written off in an offset angle head-on collision from a red-light-runner, all of the forward airbags went off, the front driver and passenger doors no longer closed properly, the driver side had gaps that you could see through. You could almost do the oil change without having to raise the hood:

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It's my wife's car, and she trusted it after the accident, no injuries for the three occupants, and she wanted another hence the 17FozXT. Seating position and visibility are excellent (some people do not like the seats, I find them ok). I find that the A/C is a bit weak, it really benefits from the recirculation button as it seems like it is slightly underpowered for the size of the greenhouse. Power from the 2.0T is nice. Excellent road-handling in winter weather when equipped with proper winter tires for your environment.

I prefer the 2014/2015 "snowflake" alloy wheels than the current ones:
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We have two in the family - a 2015 Legacy and a 2014 Outback. 50,000 miles on the Legacy, 70,000 on the Outback. Neither one has ever needed a repair, and there are no squeaks or rattles.

The Legacy has the 3.6, and I must admit...it is a much nicer driving car as a result. Lots of low end torque, and you rarely need to use the throttle much. If you are someone who doesn't care about that sort of thing, get the 2.5 and save some money.

The Legacy is a nice driving car...but the Forester wins from a utility standpoint. The increased cargo room and ground clearance are really nice. If your wife was happy with the 09 Forester, I expect she will be impressed with their current models.
 
That's another potential concern that craigq mentioned above, the HVAC. On my last 3 late model Subarus (Legy, XV Crosstrek and Forester), the heat and a/c is marginal. Lots of blower on high to keep up and lots of recirc use for the a/c to keep up. Most newer vehicles have the ability to cook or freeze you and do it pretty quickly. Not a Subaru.
 
I like Subarus.

Always have as they were popular with Farmers, Vets and GPs where I grew up.

The only issue is lack of dealers in the UK.

Safe and reliable evwn if the looks of the Legacy were a bit strange for a couple of years
 
2016 Forester with CVT owner here. I have it for a little less than 2 years with about 19K on the clock. Still love the car! So far, just oil changes (as others have said, really easy) and an air filter and cabin filter change.

If I had to complain:

-The infotainment system is a bit "clunky". It doesn't seem at all modern. Forget about android auto or car play.

-Not sure if the A/C could keep up in a hot climate. Most of the time it's OK for New York summers though.
 
2015 Forester owner, 2.5i CVT Premium with EyeSight, ~15800 miles.

I really don't have anything to complain about this vehicle, but if I must complain,
- Infotainment system is a joke and you can not replace it that easily. The steering controls are proprietary and there is no aftermarket cable to attach new head units. Even if you go up to Limited or Touring, things don't change much. Harmon Kardon system isn't worth the money.
- Navigation offered by Subaru is worst I have ever seen. I always thought Toyotas were worse but Subaru beat them to it. Plus, annual update cost isn't worth it.
- Bluetooth is finicky. Some have gotten their head units replaced but I am trying to convince DW to change the head unit, even if its difficult to change.
- If you get Forester and comes with Yokohama Geolanders, change them right away and sell those tires. I hate the ride, plus noisy.
- Interior is basic. Hyundai's interior is far superior.
- As someone said, the paint IS thin. I got it opti-coated on the very second day.
- Heater takes some time to warm up, very important in winter, but your rear end gets toasty rather quickly.
- The car's locking and unlocking feature's operating distance is very short.
- I am not too sure if Subaru started offering blind spot monitoring on the side mirrors but mine has LED lights, which are pretty much useless.

In spite of all this, I am very happy with Forester.

If you go on subaruforester.org, they maintain a thread about owner's pet peeves. Worth reading.
 
Pulled the trigger today and bought a Forester.
With the massive sunroof, alloys, power driver's seat, heated seats, Bluetooth, backup camera and a few other goodies, it's equipped as well as we would want.
There are no great deals to be had on Foresters, but this is what my wife wanted. Trust me, I looked at a number of dealers and sent a number of emails getting a number of replies. She likes the ease of entry and exit along with the high seating position as compared to an Accord or even an Outback.
I got the dealer down to around invoice, which I thought was a decent deal and they were offering 0% financing for four years, so we took the free money.
The car is silver and my wife is very happy with it.
The one thing she disliked about the '09 Forester was its thirst but the current cars are far more economical with no need for timing belt changes to boot.
Subaru recommends six month or 6K oil changes using a synthetic 0W-20 only. Gone are the days when you could use just about any grade of oil with Subaru's blessings.
I'm really wondering whether to do an early first drain or to just let it ride until the end of November, at which point it should have around 6K on it and I can change the oil while the weather here is still decent.
 
The new engines do not seem to be very fussy about oil. Ours is now out of warranty, and running 10w-30 HDEO for the summer.
 
Almost two years on our '16 Legacy 2.5 with 19k.
I do not drive it much only on road trips.
Nothing but fluid and filters so far.
The power seems adequate.
The only two things I do not like are
the throttle tip in and the doors do not lock
when the vehicle is place in drive or reaches a certain speed.
I am late to the party again,
Enjoy the wifes new Forrester.
 
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