We drove an all-new $32,000 Subaru Forester SUV to see if it can compete with Honda, Toyota, and Nissan - here's the verdict
The original Subaru Forester launched in 1998 and joined the first wave of modern compact crossover SUVs that also included...
... The first generation Toyota RAV4 and...
....The first generation Honda CR-V.
Fast forward two decades and the Forester is still competing against the RAV4 and...
...CR-V.
Now, a host of others have entered the fray such as the Nissan Rogue,...
... Mazda CX-5,...
... Volkswagen Tiguan,...
... Ford Escape, and ...
... Chevrolet Equinox among others.
In Subaru's lineup, the Forester slots in above the compact Crosstrek crossover but below...
... The mid-size Outback and...
... Ascent.
The new fifth generation Forester debuted for the 2019 model. Its all-new and built on the Subaru Global Platform that also underpins the Crosstrek and the Impreza.
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.
In Sport trim, the Forester gets a blacked out front grille, orange accents, and...
... Blacked out wheels.
At 182.1 inches long with a 105.1-inch wheelbase, the 2019 Forester is about an inch longer than the outgoing model. This translates into a slight more roomy interior.
Speaking of the interior, it's 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.
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.
Although, the orange accents aren't my favorite.
In front of the driver is a leather-wrapped steering wheel. It's packed with the various button needed to operate everything from the drive mode selector to the adaptive cruise control. Fortunately, the buttons are clearly labeled and the controls are intuitive to use.
There's also digital information display flanked by a traditional analog gauge cluster.
The Foresters' center console features not one, but two infotainment screens. It's the same setup found in both the Crosstek and the Ascent.
Our test car came equipped with the optional eight-inch touchscreen running Subaru's Starlink infotainment system. Forester's come equipped with a 6.5-inch unit.
We were impressed with Starlink's simple, straightforward layout as well as it's high feature content.
Features include Apple CarPlay,...
... Android Auto, and Pandora App integration.
There's also satellite radio,...
... Weather information,...
... Local fuel prices,...
... roadside assistance, and Wi-Fi hotspot capability. This is also where the display for the standard back-up camera lives.
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, and...
... The state of its EyeSight driver assistance systems that 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.
Here's better view of the EyeSight cameras.
The center console also houses the shifter, the electronic parking brake, the heated seats, and the drive mode selector, more on that later.
Under the armrest, there is a sizable storage bin with an additional power plug.
The second row is particularly impressive with ample head and legroom for even the taller amongst us.
The rear seats now have 39.4 inches of legroom, up 1.4 inches from the outgoing model.
Overall, the Forester's cabin feels roomy, airy, and inviting.
The massive, standard panoramic sunroof certainly helps create that environment.
Open the power 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.
You'll also find a spare tire located underneath the rear cargo area.
Power for the new Forester comes from an updated version of Subaru's trusty 2.5-liter, boxer-four-cylinder engine. The naturally aspirated powerplant produces 182 horsepower, up 12 horsepower from the outgoing model.
It's mated to Subaru's Lineartronic continuously variable transmission or CVT that sends power to all four wheels...
...Thanks to the company's signature Symmetrical All-Wheel-Drive system.
The Forester's AWD system can operate in several modes including dirt, snow, and mud. This, along with...
... The Forester's 8.7 inches of ground clearance should be able to get you through most sticky situations.
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.
Testing by Motor Trend, found the 2019 Forester capable of sprinting from 0-60 mph in 9.6 seconds.
Source: Motor Trend.
So, what's it like to drive?
Slow, but quite good in every other regard.
The biggest issues with the Subaru Forester is the lack of power. The naturally aspirated engine simply doesn't have to juice to haul the 3,400-pound SUV around, especially if its loaded with people and cargo.
The Forester struggled mightily on highway on-ramps. The CVT worked hard to keep the engine in the meatiest part of its powerband, but it could only do so much. We did eventually find some speed, but it took a while. The powertrain just didn't feel eager to perform, even in Sport mode. In fact, the 9.6-second 0-60 mph makes it one of the slowest compact crossovers around. For comparison, the Honda CR-V did 60 mph in 7.5 seconds while the Nissan Rogue made the run in a less pedestrian 9.0 seconds during Motor Trend's testing.
One way around all of this would be the return of the 250 horsepower, turbo engine available as an option in the previous generation Forester. Another option would be to the 260 horsepower turbo-four-cylinder found in the big brother Ascent.
Straightline performance aside, the Forester performed well in pretty much everything else. Its handling was quick and nimble, albeit a bit numb. The suspension and chassis are both very well tuned giving the Forester a smooth and comfortable ride while achieving solid high-speed stability.
The verdict.
The 2019 Subaru Forester isn't perfect. Its engine doesn't quite have enough power for the job and its overall demeanor just feels a bit too unrefined. Some may love the rough-around-edges nature of the Forester, but with top-end models pushing $40,000. It's time to do some polishing.
But apart from that, there isn't a heck of a whole lot to complain about. In fact, the 2019 Subaru Forester is one of the most complete and capable compact crossovers we've ever come across.
It's solidly built with a well-designed and spacious interior. 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.
Over the past two decades, the Forester has built a strong and loyal following among consumers. With the new 2019 Subaru Forester, things just got even better.
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