2002 Subaru Forester - Consumer Guide Automotive

2002 Subaru Forester
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MSRP:
$20,295 - 22,895

Invoice:
$18,506 - 20,778

Class:
Compact Sport-utility Vehicle

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2002 Subaru Forester
Expert Rating Summary

Category	S w/OK Prem. Pkg., auto. Rating (See All Ratings)	Compact Sport-utility Vehicle Average Rating

Acceleration	4	3.5

Fuel Economy	6	4.8

Ride Quality	6	3.7

Steering/Handling/Braking	5	3.7

Quietness	5	3.3

Controls	5	4.8

Room/Comfort/Driver Seating (front)	5	5

Room/Comfort (rear)	3	3.7

Cargo Room	7	6.7

Value within Class	8	5.4

Total Score:	54	44.6

Ratings: Maximum 10 points per category

2002 SUBARU FORESTER BUYING RESOURCES

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2002 Subaru Forester Review

Subaru's compact SUV gets a standard retractable cargo-area cover and two new option packages for '02. Forester basically puts a tall wagon body on the platform used by the 1993-2001-generation Subaru Impreza subcompact car. Base L and uplevel S models are offered. Both have a horizontally opposed 4-cyl engine, manual or automatic transmission, and all-wheel drive without low-range gearing. Standard are ABS, air conditioning, and power windows/locks/mirrors. The S model adds 4-wheel disc brakes, heated seats, heated mirrors, and intermittent wipers with deicers. Leather upholstery is optional on both models. Replacing last year's S Premium model is the OV Premium Package option. It adds front side airbags, sunroof, and unique alloy wheels to the S. The new OK Package includes the OV equipment plus leather upholstery.

Competition

Ignored in the past, compact SUVs are now some of the hottest-selling vehicles around. Though our Best Buys, the Honda CR-V, Ford Escape, and Mazda Tribute don't offer true off-road ability, they do mix ride comfort, cargo capacity, and versatility with all-weather traction. The V6 Tribute/Escape offers more power, comfort, and space than any in its class.

Another car-based mini-SUV, the Subaru Forester, is our Recommended choice. Like the CR-V it doesn't have a low range for serious off-road use, but it blends excellent on-road manners with SUV styling.

News

Forester's year-to-year U.S. sales rose 12.8 percent in calendar 2000, then slipped 4.8 percent off that pace in the first nine months of 2001. But that's still not a bad showing given Subaru's relatively small dealer network and an increasingly difficult market.

With parent Impreza just redesigned, Forester adopts the same new platform as part of its own stem-to-stern makeover for 2003. Specifics aren't available yet, but we'd expect slightly larger dimensions and modernized SUV-flavored styling. A turbocharged model, long available in Japan and Europe, will finally come to the U.S. for 2004, perhaps with a retuned version of the hot Impreza WRX powerplant.

2002 Subaru Forester Road Test >

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