My Queen's New Gilded Carriage: The 2010 Subaru Forester

Note: The lead ran into computer problems and was unable to open a 2010 Forester page. At his behest, I'm writing this under the 2009 Forester. It will be moved when the 2010 Forester review page becomes available.

Ten years ago I was so impressed with it I wrote a Review on the 2001 Subaru Forester, breaking away from my normal genre of evaluating software and hardware. After 175,000 miles, that old Subaru was like a Timex watch--it just kept on ticking. In 10 years we only had two major maintenance events. We had to replace a leaking head seal, and we had to replace a mysterious fuse that affected the windows and shift lever. (This, of course, happened while we were deep in the boonies, so we had to get towed to a dealer who removed the dash to get at the fuse.

It was tough to trade in the old car. We had bought it as a commute vehicle, but it evolved to taking us deep into the woods on camping forays. My wife, finding tickets for speeding and drag racing too expensive, could traverse logging roads and ford streams without checking the rear view mirror. Camping and backpacking trips became a frequent occurrence rather than an annual event.

Still, when I looked at the odometer, my wallet pocket started itching. While I'm sure we would have easily doubled that mileage, I foresaw an ever increasing need for replacing such things as fuels pumps, water pumps, radiators and the like. It made sense to launch a search for a replacement.

This was painful for me. Not only would we be trading in an old friend, but I hate car shopping. I'm firmly convinced Hell is not fire and brimstone, presided over by pitchfork-wielding demons. It's a used car lot filled with pushy salesmen carrying clipboards of warranties chock full of loopholes.

Choices... and More Choices
 
I recently read an article about families buying cars. The wife makes the final decision. Women check comfort, color and appointments. Men look at all things mechanical, and they are the one's doing the web research. That describes my wife and me to a T.

I had three primary criteria. Foremost, the car had to protect my family. Second, it had to be fuel efficient. (This, of course, was tempered by our family lifestyle requiring an SUV or four wheel drive pickup truck.) Third, I wanted the best bang for the buck on the initial purchase as well as follow on maintenance expenses.

I looked at several vehicles, including the hybrid Ford Escape. Unfortunately, I'm a born skeptic and applied my computer OS rule. I don't load an operating system until it has gone through a few major revisions to fix the bugs. Hybrids are new and don't have a track record. How long will it go before replacing that $4000 battery? More important, if I want to become a "greenie" by buying a hybrid, how will they dispose of the battery?

The comparison with other like vehicles was an academic exercise. The Subaru was, quite frankly, the best car we have ever owned. Ten years, 175,000 miles and less than $2000 in follow-on maintenance? It's one of those few times I listened to my wife. She was adamant we would replace our Subaru with another Subaru-preferably a Forester or an Outback. I didn't argue because I felt the same way.

Safety: Regardless of what model Subaru you may choose, it's likely to sport a 5 star safety rating. The Insurance Institute rates the Forester as one of their picks for the safest small SUVs. It's no wonder. The Forester comes with a pair of rolls bars and three sets of airbags: front, side and top. It has daytime driving lights (standard,) ABS and Electronic Stability control, also standard. My insurance agent loved it and gave us a great rate.
 
Fuel Economy: The Forester is rated at 21mpg city and 26 mpg highway. That's slightly better than the rating on the 2001 Forester, though we averaged 24 to 28 on long trips. The problem here is our lifestyle. We don't like campgrounds. Our family tends to wander down logging roads in search of a trout stream and an isolated campsite. A car wouldn't do. So, when comparing SUV-type vehicles, the Forester is pretty easy on you at the gas pump.

Bang For the Buck: I was pleasantly surprised. The 2010 Forester was roughly the same price as the 2001 Forester, and that's before making any adjustments for the weakened dollar or one-time-good-deals the dealer might offer. Further, the new Subarus come with a ton of standard items that were options back in 2001. (My wife groused for years that we would have had to pay $100 extra for the visor vanity mirrors on the 2001.) In 2001, the car security system was optional. On the 2010, it's standard and renders the car impossible to start if someone breaks in, as well as flashing lights and making noise. (You can also install an optional shock sensor that sets off the alarm if the car is bumped, but I cannot imagine that would be popular at a trailhead.) It was a "no-brainer."

At this point, we ruled out the Outback. It's a little pricier and we did not see where we gained enough additional utility to justify the purchase.

Researching on the web, I did have some trouble with differentiating between the models and found it difficult to locate a page on the web that offered a side-by-side comparison of features. Here's a quick synopsis:

Forester 2.5X: This is the basic model. The lowest priced model comes with a 5 speed manual transmission and steel wheels. (The manual transmission comes with a brake assist system to prevent rollback when starting on a hill.) There is no roof rack. If you want an automatic transmission, add $1200 to Subaru's lowest priced model.

Forester 2.5XSE: The "Special Edition" model is identical to the basic model except they've added roof rails and alloy wheels. The increased price is still better than adding roof rails and alloy wheels as options to the basic model.

Forester 2.5X Premium: The Premium package adds several items that aren't offered as options on the basic model: moon roof, electrically adjusted driver's seat, privacy tinted windows for the back seat and cargo compartment, radio controls on the steering wheel and some rear passenger comfort upgrades. Roof rails and Alloy wheels come as standard features on the Premium. The Premium has 17 inch rims while the basic package has 16 inch rims. (Our 2001 had 15 inch rims.)

Forester 2.5X Limited Edition: The Limited model is for those who want luxury. It has an upgraded audio system, leather seats, an all weather package and an upgraded air conditioning system that automatically maintains a set temperature. If you want it all, you can add the $1200 Navigation with Bluetooth.

Forester 2.5 XT Series: The XT series comes with a turbocharged engine. This boosts the power from 170 HP to 224 HP, while lowering fuel efficiency about 1 mpg. The large engine version is available as a Premium package or in a Limited Edition configuration. To the casual eye, without popping the hood, the only difference is a scoop on the hood.

At First Blush
 
Subaru released the first Foresters in the 1997 model year. Our 2001 was toward the end of this "first generation." The 2010 Forester is "Third Generation," first released with the 2009 Forester which won the best compact SUV award.

The Forester dimensions increased in every direction. When I first saw it, it looked shorter, but that was an optical illusion created by the bulk. The double wishbone suspension required widening the vehicle. The "H Block" engine rests in a deeper engine compartment. The net result is the 2010 Forester has grown out of the SUV look-alike impression of the earlier models. This is more brutish, with a larger bulk, extra ground clearance and bigger rims--all begging a trip to the woods on a jeep trail.

That impression carries over to sitting in the vehicle. The hood is higher and you feel like you are sitting behind some serious muscle, which you are. Subaru has done well on the rally circuit behind this same engine, albeit the turbo-charged version, I'm sure.

Right off the bat, I could see some real attention to detail. The map lights now come on with the dome light when you open the door, making it easier to load at night. They added a light on the bottom of the door to illuminate the ground while boarding--all standard. They even put a grommet on the seat belt to prevent the latch insert from sliding down to the floor-making it much easier to find and reach when strapping in.

One of my complaints about the 2001 was the flimsy cup holders. On the 2010 they widened the door storage compartments on all four doors and added pegs, allowing you to put your cup/soda/water bottle there. There are also two additional cup holders for the front seat occupants, located in the center console. These will accommodate larger cups, like those million calorie super gulp specials. (Large center-mounted cup holders are also proved for the back seat folks on the Premium and Limited models.)

New, to me, among the standard features? Center armrests, both front and back. If you rest your arm on the front window sill, they've added a raised lip on the front of the sill that acts as a convenient hand hold. The center pedestal storage remains the same, but they've added another 12V outlet to charge your electronic goodies as well as an AUX plug for MP3 players and the like, so you can play them through the car's sound system.

The clock migrated from the overhead console to the top of the dash. This lost one storage space we had on the 2001, but it's easier to see the time while watching the road. Added to the clock, you have a reading of your average MPG since you last reset the trip meter, outside temperature, and a monitor for the right side air bag.

My overall impression was favorable. The increased width and length makes for a roomier interior. The increased height gives a bit more head room. Whereas the 2001's interior said "utility," the 2010 interior is stylish. Square corners have given away to curves. The instrument panel is well laid out, although there is a learning curve for the meaning of each of those "idiot lights." The switches are all where they ought to be--with one exception. I liked the dash light dimming switch on the turn signal lever, but it has migrated to the left side of the instrument panel, requiring you to take your eyes off the road to change the intensity while driving. The fog light switch moved from that spot to the turn signal lever. IMHO, they should have left them where they were.

With the back seats up, the cargo compartment is about the same length, but the new suspension allowed them to square the sides. (No more fitting cargo around wheel well bulges.) You have a bit more width and height, explaining the cubic footage increase. With the back seat down, you've got more length than the 2001. This is obvious because the gap between the cargo floor and front seats is much larger. That's good because you can easily access coolers and other items resting on the back seat floor.

The Test Drive
 
The Forester remains an SUV planted on a beefy car chassis. In this case, it's on the Outback chassis. (The Outback is considered an SUV, but to me it's a station wagon.) As such, it drives like a car. In some cases that is an advantage. It has a very nice turn radius, far better than an SUV built on a four wheel drive truck chassis. As with the 2001, the 2010 Forester easily does a U turn in the width of a city street.

I found both Foresters a pleasure to drive. The steering is responsive. The visibility is great. I wasn't impressed with the "sport shift." I prefer the ability to pick a lower gear by number, not with a plus or minus selection. Further, I would have preferred an automatic with five speeds, not four.

The get-up-and-go pleased my wife immensely. Hopefully I won't have to pay any more tickets for drag racing as she has two speeds: stop and fast. The braking is smooth and positive, more than adequate for the vehicle at maximum gross weight and, I suspect, towing the allowable 2400 pound trailer weight.

I thought the new suspension gave a smoother ride, but I should qualify that. The struts on the 2001 were ten years old, and I've long since forgotten how it rode when new. I did note a slight tendency on the 2010 to lean or roll during sharp turns, something I never noted in the 2001. I suppose this is a result of the new suspension. The real test will come after the snow melts, and my wife is free to search for one of those off-road areas that will put the new Forester to the test.

After the test drive my wife had one complaint. The fore-aft seat adjustment. It was a lever on the 2001. On the 2010 it is a bar that spans the width of the seat. While I found it more convenient, my wife said it hurt her ankle because she frequently drives with her left foot tucked up close to the seat.

The solution here was the ten direction electric driver's seat. Unfortunately, that is not an option on the basic model. To get it, you have to upgrade to the Premium or Limited Edition models. My wife looked at me and said, "I can get used to it." Any man who is married knows what that means.

We started looking at the Premium Forester.

Up, Up and Away
 
The Premium and Limited Edition models come with a moon roof, something we had previously decided we didn't need. As it turns out, this sucker is huge. When fully open, the gaping hole in the roof extends all the way to over the rear seat. When it's hot, my wife has always said she wished we had a convertible. Now she has one. Me? I figure I can stand up in back, poke up through the roof and direct her around rocks, potholes, boulders and logs.

The Premium came with some upgraded amenities like a center cup holder for the rear seat. I liked the fact it also adds radio controls to the steering wheel. It's safer than fiddling with the radio when you should be watching the road.

We also got privacy tinting on all of the rear windows. This presented a new problem: I had to gain the dog's approval. If she couldn't see out, we faced long journeys with her attempting to sit in the passenger seat--whether it was occupied or not. I can happily report she can see out just fine. Further, the tinted windows don't show nose prints as well as clear windows, meaning the dog will receive fewer lectures from the lady of the house.

The Premium comes with a roof rack and 17 inch alloy wheels. (Our 2001 had a full sized spare, but the 2010 has one of those thin, emergency tires.) I was mildly irritated when I learned the roof rack crossbars were extra. They came standard on our 2001. I likened that to giving someone a free can of soup, then charging for the can opener.

The 2001 came with fog lights. On the 2010, they're an accessory. After being caught in a white out last month, my wife thought them necessary. I pointed out that in 10 years we'd used them only five or six times. At the cost of installing them, that made them $60 to $70 per use. She decided we would just have to avoid another white out. Note: the daytime driving lights were an accessory in 2001, but are standard on the 2010.
 
I would have really liked the Bluetooth package, but my wife said her cellular Bluetooth earpiece was fine. The Bluetooth, even separate from the navigation package, is expensive. We also looked at wheel well guards--also too pricy. As to the protective strip down the side of the car--to prevent damage from other people's doors--my wife didn't like it. She wanted a black rubber or PVC strip. Subaru doesn't offer that option. The strip is painted the color of the car and would have shown dings just like the car paint. The price of replacing the strip was the same as the charge for repairing the chipped paint.

This brings up her most difficult decision--color. (I wisely recused myself from this decision and deftly dodged any questions about my preference.) They use metallic colors on the new Foresters that are affected by light. She narrowed it down to mid-tone gray or Sage Green. The problem here was the Gray or the Sage Green could look like a subtle shade of blue, gray or green, depending on the light. She finally decided on the green. That came with the platinum interior. Some colors came with a black interior. Once you pick the exterior color, you're stuck with the interior paired with it. There is no option to change interior colors.)

We did get some options. The rubber mat in the cargo compartment is a must, especially when you consider our Forester doubles as a truck. (I currently hold the world's record, I'm sure, for the most cinder block hauled in a Forester.) We also opted for the cargo compartment cover, a window shade affair to hide what's stored back there.

Since the painted rear bumper is on a level with the floor of the cargo compartment, I got the rubber cover for the bumper. I considered this necessary to a happy marriage as I would have most certainly dinged the paint hauling "stuff." That would have resulted in a one-sided counseling session from my lady.

Speaking of the "stuff" I carry, I did opt for one high price option: the trailer package. The reason it's so expensive is labor. They have to remove the rear bumper to weld the receiver to the frame. I might have had a welding shop do it for me at a lower price, but I reasoned a Subaru dealer install was the best way to go. I was right. When they reinstalled the rear bumper, there was a lot of "tweaking" necessary to make the rear hatch close correctly.

There was one additional problem that turned out to be a good deal. All but one of the Premium package Foresters in stock had the all-weather package--and it wasn't in my wife's color. (This option is very popular, so most Premium versions available have it installed.) I didn't want it, saying if I were to spend another $400, it would be on fog lights. The manager we dealt with said he would search for a Sage Green Premium without the package. Unsuccessful, he decided the Sage Green one he had on the lot would have to do, so he gave us the all-weather package for free. Heated seats, heated outside mirrors, and a heated strip on the lower windshield to melt ice and slush off the wipers.

What a deal!

Out the Door
 
My first call was to my son who graduates from college next year. I explained I was buying his mom a new car, so he'd better clean up his act and get a scholarship for his final year at the university. Then I presented the dealer with the check. While I did this, my wife went out and stood guard over her new car lest another customer try to get into it.

I was pleased with the price. It was roughly $2500 more than the vanilla model, but when you consider the horrendous "temporary" sales tax rate and "temporary" license fee increases, the deal was almost equal to the basic model offered on sale--after they gave us a healthy discount on the Premium package. (Considering the economy and the floorage costs, I would think most dealers will keep their pencils sharp.)

When we got home, both my wife and I smelled fumes. She thought it was oil. I thought it was a belt. As it turns out, we were both wrong. The car had 6 miles on it when delivered. It had come off the boat less than a week earlier. They treat the underside with Cosmoline for the sea voyage. That has to burn off and, as the dealer told me, the smell was gone after 200 miles.

There was a second problem related to shipping. The car comes with a tire pressure warning light. The book says it will illuminate if a tire indicates excessively low. I suspect it also lights if it's too high. When it came on, I checked the pressure and found all the tires at 45 PSI. That, according to the tire sidewall, is the absolute maximum allowable pressure. The book says 32 PSI. I called the dealer and found they increase the pressure for the voyage. After confirming I was doing the right thing, I went around and let air out of the tires, bringing them to the pressures specified by the manual.

As I've mentioned several times, we are not prone to go to the Opera or park places with a valet. Our lifestyle requires a utility vehicle capable of hauling garden/construction supplies as well as taking us to remote campsites. Although we enjoy a little bit of style and luxury, a "hose out" interior might be more appropriate. Consequently, the first item on the agenda when we got the car home was to Scotch Guard the fabric and apply Armor-all to the plastic. As opposed to some who have commented here about the excessive amount of plastic used in the interior, my wife complained about the patches of fabric on the doors.

The second item on the agenda was to take the car in for a hot wax. Our 2001 exterior was paint. The 2010 is also painted, but it's covered with a protective coating which I suspect is polyurethane. My wife thinks it will show scratches more readily than paint, and it makes no difference to her that all new cars, regardless of manufacturer, come with that. I hope a few coats of hot wax will minimize the scratching. If not, I brought home some rubbing compound. I'd hate to think I cannot go to my favorite fishing holes because my wife is worried about the brush scratching the new car.

The Bottom Line
 
I still yearn for the days when you loosened a wing nut to change the air filter. There was enough room in the engine compartment to crawl in and replace belts, spark plugs and spark plug wires. You tuned the engine with a timing light, tach and ear--not a laptop. Changing the oil and replacing the filter was a breeze. Sadly, those days are gone. Home maintenance is limited to checking fluids and airing the tires. The engine compartment is filled wall-to-wall. Even changing a headlight bulb requires removing some covers. Note on the engine compartment: The 2001 had a prop bar to hold up the hood. The 2010 is held open with springs. I prefer the prop bar as I'm less likely to get "boinked" in high winds.

Will this Forester last ten years and 175,000 miles? I don't know. Everything I've read about the H-Block engine has extolled its virtues. I guess my only misgiving is this new Forester has more computerized items. If they fail, that's a mandatory trip to the shop. I would prefer to check my own tire pressure, thank you. A simple on/off switch for the passenger airbag would suffice. I don't need a computer to sense whether someone is sitting in the passenger seat or not. I don't need a computer telling me the engine is cold when I first start it. How much of a maintenance headache will this Partial Zero Emission package prove to be? (I believe the Forester with the PZEV system is rated at 7 on a scale of 10 for emissions, which was better than most other vehicles I researched.)

All that said, I go back to my primary criteria. The Subaru Forester is one of the safest cars on the road. Its fuel consumption is far better than larger SUVs and pickup trucks. Despite the fact I'm prejudice, my research proved to me that this vehicle is the best "bang" for the buck. Added to that, I poked my head into the shop area during each of our visits to the dealer. Maybe I was there on slow days, but it appears to me the Subaru Certified Technicians have a life similar to the poor, underutilized Maytag repairman. That, to me, is a testimony--beyond my experience with our last Subaru--to the vehicle's reliability.

If you are in the market for a compact SUV, I highly recommend you take time to look at and test drive the Subaru Forester. I think you'll like what you see.
 

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