Subaru Forester XT
Direct-injected turbo boxer, successor to the EJ series in the WRX. Equal-length headers mean: no more boxer rumble. EJ fans hate this, FA owners live with it. No ringland issues, but oil consumption on early models (2015-2016, TSB for piston rings) and intake valve carbon buildup from direct injection. Catch can and walnut blasting every 40-50k miles are community consensus. Broad torque band without the EJ's turbo hit — more consistent, less dramatic. Stage 1 brings ~300 whp, Stage 2 ~340 whp.
Forester XT SJ — CVT killed the enthusiast appeal
FA20DIT with 250 hp, more power than any Forester before — but CVT only. Community frustration: "Why couple the enthusiast engine with the least enthusiast transmission?" Paddle shifters feel like programmed ratios, not real gears. Competent for pure daily use. As an enthusiast vehicle: the FXT died with the manual. Discontinued entirely from 2019.
Engine Weaknesses 3
Recall WTA-62: intake duct made from wrong material cracks, engine stall possible. 18,200 affected US vehicles (2015-2016 WRX + Forester XT).
TSB 02-157: Subaru replaced piston rings under warranty. Up to 1 quart per 1,500 miles in severe cases. Particularly 2015-2016 models affected, improved later.
Symptoms: Oil level warnings between service intervals, slight blue smoke on cold start
Direct injection means no fuel washes the valves. Carbon deposits from ~50k miles. Walnut blasting every 40-50k miles recommended.
Symptoms: Rough idle, power loss, misfires at low RPM
Vehicle Weaknesses 2
In regions with road salt, the lower control arm corrodes — replacement is not if, but when. Safety-relevant when advanced.
CVT TR580 judders, shifts delayed, and can fail completely in extreme cases. Subaru extended warranty for affected model years.
Reports & Tests
2450 owner complaints filed with NHTSA (2014–2018). Most reported: Airbags (485), Electrical (387), Other (357).