Crash Test Rating
Source   NHTSA
MPG (up to)
22 City / 27 HWY
Horsepower
165
Seats
5
Front angle view.

Positive Owner Reviews

accountCircle Cathy G
Buy it. You will not be sorry.
The vehicle performs well with routine maintenance, is very reliable, maneuverability is excellent, gets 21 mpg city driving and 29 mpg on freeway. I have had this vehicle for 17 years. It is a very comfortable vehicle both for driver and passenger. AWD handles very well in various severe weather conditions. Cargo compartment is roomy and with the added ability to fold down the back seat, it allows even greater options for transporting large items.
accountCircle Rebecca L
My Subaru Forester Has taken my on many adventures!
My Subaru Forester is a great car. It has over 200,000 miles on it and is still running well it is roomy and comfortable to drive. The AWARD goes well in the snow. I have had to replace a few parts but it is a 2002. The parts were reasonably priced and replacement was expected at the amount of mileage it has. I will definitely get another Forrester in the future.
accountCircle Cecilia L
Great car good mileage very low service calls.
Have had no problems with this car it have the oil changed on a set schedule and all fluids checked at that time as well as tires the car does very well on gas. Get good mileage and generally runs good if I was to buy a new car I would choose Subaru again since I have had no problems with this at all.
accountCircle Cathy S
Subaru is a fun and reliable vehicle for the NW consumer
I love this vehicle for its reliability and safety features. The hatchback has been a lifesaver for use on transporting my dog or loading groceries. The seats also go down if you need to load longer items. I do wish the 4 cylinder engine was a 6 cylinder. It tends to lag when shifting gears when driving up steep hills. This could also be the fact that it is a older model. I really like the all wheel drive since I live in Oregon during the winter months. The sunroof is a fun feature but not necessarily something I feel is needed. Heated seats are a nice addition since it can get chilly in the NW during winter months. The stock radio is okay but has no feature to plug in your smartphone or other device to stream music through. Although this car is a 2002 model, I am overall impressed with its extra features and will most likely purchase another Subaru again in the future.
accountCircle Tricia S
This is my favorite car ever!
It is all wheel drive all the time. It gets good gas mileage. It is fun to drive. It has a lot of cargo space. It is safe and reliable. It has never needed very many repairs. It is comfortable and f. Good in the snow. It has a very useful roof rack. I really like it.
accountCircle Gloria V
My great Subaru forester. It handles the snow very well and always starts up.
My Subaru forester is very roomy. It drives well during the snow. The seats are very comfortable. I about 19 miles per gallon. I have a constant leak of antifreeze and have to constantly fill it up since I have not been able to get one to find out what the real is.
accountCircle Lyn M
The hauling capacity can fit almost the same amount as a truck bed.
My car is 16 years old and still looks and runs beautifully. It is reliable and has the ability to haul large furniture or household items. The durability and performance of my car promotes brand loyalty.
accountCircle Teresa H
Few repairs needed. I am at 317000 miles and it is still running smoothly!
I love the high mileage with few repairs needed. It also has great visibility with few blind spots. Only dislike is no CD player.

Negative Owner Reviews

accountCircle MARK E
It is good for the winter. You have good control of the car during bad weather. Good wheel driving. It is a well built car that looks nice!
It has low gas mileage. I want a car that has good gas miles but the car is good in the snow. It lasts a long time.
accountCircle Mary P
I have nothing to say nnmnm
Good car good on gas comfort to ride in very low o Mariana not to much goes wrong with have nothing more to said
accountCircle Am W
What I love about my Subaru Forester
It drives really smoothly gets okay gas mileage I like that I could take it on long trips and it doesn't overheat. I can fit up to three people in the back and two in the front is makes it perfect for traveling with friends. I would recommend this car to anyone who likes driving a Subaru.
accountCircle Alina B
Subaru Forester - reliable but lots of maintenance
It handles great in winter weather but I don't like the AWD in general, because you have to replace all 4 tires at once, which is not very affordable. Other pros are that parts are generally affordable and maintenance is easy. Cons: I have had to replace transmission and some other major parts. But in general, it has been reliable
accountCircle Amalia F
Old Subaru is still reliable.
It was bought used, so there have been some issues with the engine. I like that there is a lot of space in the back for my dogs. Since it's pretty old, it sometimes struggles getting over hills.
accountCircle John W
2002 Subaru forester review.
The Subaru forester is a pretty good SUV. It is one of few models in the class that features standard all-wheel drive, yet it still achieves good fuel economy. The forester also boasts excellent cargo space and plenty of rear legroom, both of which are standouts in the compact SUV class. There are some downsides to the forester, though. It has plenty of driver assistance features, but it lacks the modern infotainment technology of some rivals. Additionally, other competing crossovers have better handling. Still, the forester should suffice for most daily driving duties.
accountCircle Amanda S
Great reliable car with lots of pep
It's solid, a workhorse just not fun. It's very reliable, drives amazing in winter weather. Love the seat warmers and having a moonroof. In general, Subaru's are great vehicles, I have owned a couple and they last forever. Great cargo space in the back

Subaru Forester Models

Models also known as Trim Levels, are used to identify a vehicle's level of equipment or special features.

car
L
165 HP 25-25 MPG 5 Seats
car
S
165 HP 25-25 MPG 5 Seats
car
S w/Premium Pkg
165 HP 25-25 MPG 5 Seats
car
S w/Premium Pkg & Leather
165 HP 25-25 MPG 5 Seats
Photos may not match model

2002 Subaru Forester Owner Reviews

4.46
69 Reviews
close Write Review
5 stars 59%
4 stars 30%
3 stars 9%
2 stars 0%
1 star 1%
accountCircle Dimitri M on March 11, 2021
Has a lot of space for luggage and camping gear. Runs and shifts gear smooth.
I drive a Subaru Forester 2002 I drive it everyday. I replaced the timing belt on the Subaru when I first got it. The only issue I have with it is the sunroof window motor does not work at the moment. I have replaced the axle and brake calipers pretty simple and straightforward with that. Not so many problem I do cheek my oils and etc..
accountCircle Am W on March 1, 2021
What I love about my Subaru Forester
It drives really smoothly gets okay gas mileage I like that I could take it on long trips and it doesn't overheat. I can fit up to three people in the back and two in the front is makes it perfect for traveling with friends. I would recommend this car to anyone who likes driving a Subaru.

Ranks #2 Compact SUV by Owners

The 2002 Subaru Forester has an average owner rating of 4.46 out of 5 which ranks it #2 of 13 other Compact SUVs.

1
car
5
2
car
4.46
3
car
4.43

Ranks #2 Compact SUV by Fuel Economy

The 2002 Subaru Forester has a combined MPG of 27 which ranks it #2 of 13 other Compact SUVs.

1
car
31 MPG
2
car
27 MPG
3
Tie
car
26 MPG

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Frequently Asked Questions

What's the 2002 Subaru Forester transmission fluid type?

Answer: The type of transmission fluid that should be used in the 2002 Subaru Forester is Dexron III fluid. The capacity for the vehicle iS7.4 pints for the manual and 9.8 quarts for the automatic transmission....

What's the 2002 Subaru Forester lug nut torque?

Answer: Depending on Your configuration, the 2002 Subaru Forester comes with one of two different tires; You'll either have P205/70R15 tires on 15 inch rims, or slightly larger P215/60R16 tires on 16 inch rims. The...

2002 Subaru Forester: What is the tire size and pressure, and wheel size?

Answer: The 2002 Subaru Forester features 15 inch or 16 inch OEM rims that are equipped with either P205/70R 15 tires on the L trim or P215/60R 16 tires on the S version. They should be inflated to a front PSI of 29...

2002 Subaru Forester: What is the oil type and capacity?

Answer: The 2002 Subaru Forester 2.5 liter 4Cylinder engine is equipped with 4.2 US quarts of 5W-30 with a filter. Oil and filter changes should be scheduled every 7,500-10,000 miles or 12 months if using fully...

Answers are provided by third parties. We do not guarantee accuracy of responses

Safety & Reliability

NHTSA Logo
NHTSA Crash Test

Overall

Front

Rollover

Side

*National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
IIHS Logo
IIHS Crash Test

Moderate Overlap Front

Side

Not Rated

Roof Strength

Not Rated

Driver-side Overlap Front

Not Rated
*Insurance Institute for Highway Safety