We drove a $32,000 Subaru Forester that rivals the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4. Here are its coolest features.

Benjamin Zhang

Apr 10, 2019, 22:15 IST

We drove a $32,000 Subaru Forester that rivals the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4. Here are its coolest features.

Benjamin Zhang/Business Insider

Our 2019 Subaru Forester Sport test car.

The Subaru Forester is all-new for 2019.
The Forester is one of the world's best-selling compact crossover SUVs and competes against the Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4, and the Nissan Rogue.
The base Forester starts at $24,295, while the top-of-the-line Touring starts at $34,295. Our mid-grade Sport trim test car starts at $28,795. With options and fees, our Forester came to an as-tested price of $31,815.
We were impressed with the Forester's solid feel, great cabin ergonomics, standard all-wheel-drive, and an impressive suite of safety technology.
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The Subaru Forester is one of the most popular offerings in what is arguably the most competitive segment in the US auto market.

Launched in 1998, the Subaru Forester was part of the initial wave of modern compact crossovers to reach the US market. Since then, the segment and SUVs, in general, have absolutely exploded in popularity. So much so that major automakers like Ford and General Motors have announced plans to ax the bulk of their passenger models.

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Compact SUVs like the Forester accounted for roughly one out every five vehicles sold in the US last year.

For 2019, Subaru is back with a new fifth-generation Forester.

Recently, we spent a week with a 2019 Subaru Forester Sport in Crystal Black Silica.

"The 2019 Subaru Forester is one of the most complete and capable compact crossovers we've ever come across," we said in our review.

"It's solidly built with a well-designed and spacious interior," we said. "It's loaded with an impressive array of standard safety features and, of course, there's Subaru's tried and true all-wheel-drive system."

Our review also noted that the boxer engine could use some more power and the Forester's overall demeanor could do with an extra dose of refinement.

The base Forester starts at $24,295 while the top-of-the-line Touring starts at $34,295. Our mid-grade Sport trim test car starts at $28,795. With options and fees, our Forester came to an as-tested price of $31,815.

Here's a closer look at its coolest features:

1. Updated styling: Aesthetically though, you'd be hard-pressed to spot the difference between the new model and its outgoing predecessor. In other words, it's undeniably a Subaru. Overall, the styling is restrained and handsome.

2. Interior ergonomics: The interior is rather impressive. While the Forester's cabin isn't exactly stylish or plush, it's very roomy and well-designed. Cabin ergonomics and button placement are on point.

3. Interior quality: The cabin feels solidly put together while material quality is impressively high. Everything about this interior gives you the impression that it's built to last.

4. Easy to use infotainment: Our test car came equipped with the optional eight-inch touchscreen running Subaru's Starlink infotainment system. Lower trim Foresters come equipped with a 6.5-inch unit.

We were impressed with Starlink's simple, straightforward layout as well as its high feature content.

Features include satellite radio, weather data, roadside assistance alert, and Wi-Fi hotspot capability.

5. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility.

6. A secondary infotainment screen: The Forester's center console features not one, but two infotainment screens. It's the same setup found in both the Crosstrek and the Ascent.

The secondary display, which is controlled using the "Info" button on the steering wheel, is just as useful.

It offers readouts of the vehicles trip computer, climate control...

... Secondary engine gauges, its active safety systems, the radio, the weather, the all-wheel-drive system.

7. Subaru Eyesight: The EyeSight driver assistance system comes standard on all Foresters.

EyeSight includes adaptive cruise control, automatic pre-collision braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, and pre-collision throttle management. The system, which works through a pair of cameras located on either side of the rear-view mirror, worked brilliantly and is a true asset to Subaru.

8. Roomy cabin: Overall, the Forester's cabin feels roomy, airy, and inviting. The second row is particularly impressive with ample head and legroom for even the taller among us.

9. Panoramic glass roof: The massive, standard panoramic sunroof certainly helps create an open feel.

10. Cargo room: Open up the rear hatch and you'll find 33 cubic feet of cargo space with the seats up. Fold the second row down and cargo capacity increases to a voluminous 70.9 cubic feet.

11. Spare tire.

12: Standard all-wheel-drive: The Forester's standard AWD system can operate in several modes including dirt, snow, and mud.

13: Ground clearance: The Forester's 8.7 inches of ground clearance along with the AWD system should be able to get you through most sticky situations

14. Drive modes: For everyday driving, Subaru has included two additional driving modes you can activate using the buttons on the steering wheel.

Sport mode calibrates the drivetrain for performance, while Intelligent mode aims for smoothness and fuel economy.

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