# Subaru Forester

5 Hacker News commenters recommended Subaru Forester and 8 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 4 of 13 months.

**Verdict:** Roomy, practical compact SUV that owners recommend for hauling and towing. Critics cite oil leaks, upkeep costs, and a touchscreen-heavy console with frustrating software.

## Why people recommend it

- Practical for hauling and towing (2 comments): "it holds a surprising amount of furniture or 8' lumber. My only regret is that it won't fit 4x8 sheet materials well" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46627414)) "a far superior solution, especially for interstate driving where the trailer is less of an annoyance" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48968210))
- Controls and features work well (2 comments): "I can do everything in memorable ways using the knobs and buttons." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47999343)) "it was far, far nicer and works amazingly" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46737594))

## What people warn about

- Frustrating touchscreen and software (3 comments): "I hated the fact that the entire console is now one giant touchscreen" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49590453)) "but actual driver ID is just terrible." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49590660)) "the underlying software is disastrous" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49590569))
- Oil leaks and high upkeep costs (2 comments): "tired of oil leaks and counting the days before a head gasket lets go" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50175131)) "I spent about $800 in total per year on to keep it alive" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49669867))

## Alternatives hackers recommend

- [Toyota RAV4](https://hackerapproved.com/p/toyota-rav4.md): 19 recommend
- [Honda CR-V](https://hackerapproved.com/p/honda-cr-v.md): 11 recommend
- [Kia Niro](https://hackerapproved.com/p/kia-niro-ev.md): 11 recommend
- [Toyota RAV4 Prime](https://hackerapproved.com/p/toyota-rav4-prime.md): 9 recommend
- [Mazda CX-5](https://hackerapproved.com/p/mazda-cx-5.md): 8 recommend

## Where to get it

- [Visit the official site](https://www.subaru.com/)

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "Subaru Forester", https://hackerapproved.com/p/subaru-forester/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).