Does Subaru Forester Hold Its Value?

By Max Anthony •  Updated: 07/08/22 •  3 min read

When you are selling a Subaru Forester, it will depreciate 40% over five years, and its resale value will be around $17,000 in that same amount of time. This result is under the assumption that buying one brand-new can cost you around $30,000.

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The Subaru Forester stands slightly above average in terms of overall depreciation. So far, unlike other cars whose value increases quickly when they are new before falling off, the price of the Forester has declined slowly and steadily.

There are no obvious entry points on when is a good model year to buy. What you should do is look at a Forester that has reasonable value in the first few years. If you can do this, consider a two-year or three-year lease. This will amount to a higher residual value, and your lease payments will be lower.

Difference Between Buying a Subaru Forester New or Used?

When you buy a used Subaru Forester that is still around two years old, you can save above $5,000 compared to getting it brand-new. It will still also have a lot of use left.

If you are planning to keep the vehicle for three years, you will have a depreciation on your hands which amount to over $6,000. If this is a model that has been out recently and you are not able to buy one that is only a few years old, you can wait until other used Forester models become available.

Why Should You Choose a Subaru Forester?

If your main concern is resale value, you may also want to consider driving a Subaru Forester. This is a SUV that is perfect for those who are looking for that smaller, two-row crossover that still has a capability for off-pavement fun.

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It is small enough to make camping fun and easy. The ground clearance is good for traversing the family camping trail. The Forester was refreshed last year and is now full of modern tech and driver aids. And that includes the standard eyesight driver aid suite of extras. It also offers impressive fuel economy, because the 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine generates 33 mpg.

Is the Subaru Forester Reliable?

Subaru is a well-known brand that produces reliable and safe vehicles. Subaru has been named Kelley Blue Book’s most trusted brand for five consecutive years. It also ranked number one in terms of owner satisfaction for two consecutive years. Maybe that’s what has enabled Subaru to become the most loyal brand among all auto brands.

There are also five-star safety ratings and awards, and because of this, people will always love the Subaru Forester. They will come back to the Subaru Forester again and again because it is reliable.

While there are some complaints, it is important to remember that the Forester is one of Subaru’s best-selling vehicles. Over 180,000 of Foresters were sold in 2019, which is its highest annual number. Over 95% of all their vehicles are still on the roads despite it being a decade later. As a result, they are one of the most common and most reliable vehicles on the roads.

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Max Anthony

Max is a gizmo-savvy guy, who has a tendency to get pulled into the nitty gritty details of technology and cars. He attended UT Austin, where he studied Information Science. He’s married and has three kids, one dog and a GMC truck and a Porsche 911. With a large family, he still finds time to share tips and tricks on cars, trucks and more.

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