Are you looking to buy one? If so, check the underbody for rust. A car can be well washed and cared for on the outside but the underside can be a different story!

 

Here's what nearly 20 years of postal duty "Up North" will do. This is a late '90s RHD postal Legacy wagon that I saw near Minocqua, WI circa 2014-15....

 

I have a sister in Kalamazoo who owned the LL Bean version Forester for about 18 years. It was garaged. The outside looked great but it got to the point where her mechanic said it's unsafe to drive. The underside was rusting through. Welcome to Michigan. Some cars are going to be more prone to rust than others but Subarus are not immune. Buy new and undercoat or buy from a state with less salt on the road. I just buy local, due my due diligence and enjoy it while it last.

 

I see Subaru Foresters as old as the first generation right up to brand new that appear to be completely free of rust spots.

Look underneath, especially the shock towers.

 

body paint? these days body paint doesn't tell the whole story

used car dealers can be deceptive

pull the spare tire & look at the sheet metal under the spare. crawl under it, yeah get on the ground, wear appropriate clothing or bring a little tarp. use your camera to photo areas you can't see, ask the dealer to put it on a lift so you can see it better

EDIT: I se the OP has a brand new 2025 Hybrid Touring. they might consider having it undercoated. there are several options these days. local vendors could probably make suggestions, or even the dealer that made delivery. also take it to self serve car washes & do the under carriage yourself with the soapy sprayer & rinse it. I doubt automatic car washes do what they claim when we select "supreme under carriage wash" & is it even worth the price? as a beach driver, I'm a big fan of self serve car washes!

 

Shock towers typically tell the story. We need a "Show us your rust" thread.

 

shopping a cpl years ago for our Son, I came a cross a lot of rust on used Foresters. this is just the tip of the iceberg, I've got worse pics at home. we were looking in the area of 2015s ...

when we traded my Dad's '94 Camry, 2 years ago, I was pleased that it wasn't a rust bucket. knowing him, he probably paid for undercoating when he bought it