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Subaru Forester Estate (2002-2008) review

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Parkers overall rating: 4 out of 54.0

At a glance

Price new £16,680 - £25,750
Used prices £683 - £3,500
Road tax cost £385 - £710
Insurance group 21 - 35
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Fuel economy Not tested to latest standards
Range 330 - 436 miles
Number of doors 5
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Available fuel types

Petrol

Pros & cons

PROS

Quality, reliability, car-like to drive.

CONS

No diesel engine.

Written by Parkers Published: 6 June 2019

Overview

The Forester won’t seduce you with its looks, lacking the high performance posturing of the Impreza WRX, the imposing bulk of a proper off-roader or the sophistication of an Audi Allroad. However its compromises are also its strength, for it is far better to drive than almost any off-roader and more practical than most normal cars. It won’t deal with serious off-road driving, but will cope with towing jetskis out of the water or traversing muddy fields.

The biggest downside is the lack of any diesel option. A new 2.5-litre engine was added in 2004 and the range was facelifted later that same year.