2008 Subaru Forester: trims, real prices & how to pick yours

8 builds left the factory as a 2008 Forester, each a different combination of engine, transmission and body identified by the first eight characters of its VIN. The 5 main configurations sell for $1,500–$7,988 today.

  • 5 main configurations
  • 5,105 vehicles built
  • 51 for sale right now
  • $1,500–$7,988 typical price range

Which Forester is yours?

Enter a VIN — the 17 characters on the windshield or the title — and we’ll match it to its exact factory configuration, typical price and equipment.

Works with any VIN — a different year or model takes you straight to its own page.

Pick your Forester

What actually differs

2.5X · AWD 2.5XS · AWD Forester Sports · AWD L.L.Bean · AWD
Typical price today $5,400 $5,792 $4,495 —
For sale right now 26 10 11 2
Vehicles built 2,302 1,441 877 397
Same on every 2008 Forester
  • Engine 2.5L
  • Drivetrain All-wheel drive
  • Fuel Gasoline
  • Body Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV)
  • Doors 4-door

What people actually pay

66 price observations · updated Aug 30, 2026
2.5X · AWD
$5,400
$1,455 $3,148 $4,842 $6,535 $8,228
Price trend

Median down $1,660 over the last 12 months.

2008 Forester price history →
Will it hold value?

A Forester typically keeps about 80% of its price over 5 years — a 5-year-old one runs about $4,270 today.

Forester depreciation by year →
Cost to run

18/23 mpg city/highway. Roughly $2,330/yr on fuel at 15,000 miles.

EPA estimate for the 2008 Forester

Safety, in plain English

What JF1SG696-8 means

JF1 SG696 · 8
JF1
the World Manufacturer Identifier Subaru registered — assembled in Japan
SG696
together encode the Forester line — Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV), 2.5L, All-wheel drive — as Subaru filed it, these five characters are read as one block, not letter by letter
8
in position 10 — model year 2008
9, 11–17
differ on every car: check digit, plant code and the serial number
3 rare configurations — mostly fleet, export or irregular VIN patterns. Fewer than 20 known vehicles each.

Already looking at a specific Forester?

Paste its VIN — we’ll open that exact car’s page: its configuration, market position and every listing we’ve tracked.

2008 Subaru Forester prices →