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The 2019 Subaru Forester is pretty close to being good at what matters. But is that something you're looking for?
2019 Subaru Forester – media.subaru.com | Shop 2019 Subaru Forester on Carsforsale.com
What’s New for the 2019 Subaru Forester?
Subaru tries to get things right the first time, and this all-new Forester seems to give us everything we need when looking for a CUV-type alternative. Although Subaru has often been for those who want to be different, the new Forester does a pretty good imitation of a middle-of-the-road crossover, but does it become less of a Subaru? Let’s find out.
The Breakdown
We like the interior design
We like the roomy back seat
We like the ride and handling
We like the miles per gallon
We don’t like the slow acceleration
2019 Forester Specs
- 176 horsepower from base engine
- 182 lb-ft of torque from base engine
- 5 available trims
- 35.4 cu-ft. of cargo capacity
- 76.1 cu-ft. of cargo capacity with seats down
- Towing capacity of 1,500 lbs
- 0-60 mph in 9.4 seconds
2019 Subaru Forester Powertrain
Unlike the Outback, Subaru gives the Forester one engine for all trims. It’s Subaru’s 182 horsepower 2.5-liter flat 4-cylinder. Subaru’s engines have a distinct sound that’s unlike any of its competitors, but you won’t notice it too much in the interior even though the 2.5 will get noisy in the upper RPMs. In most cases, you’ll find that the acceleration is similar to a CR-V or Tucson and helped by the ubiquitous CVT transmission.
None of these CUV’s are going to give you goosebumps while getting up to speed on an entry ramp, but you’ll have more than enough power to pass once up to speed. Subaru’s all-wheel-drive is always there to help you when needed and works well off-road as long as you remember it’s a middle-of-the-road CUV.
The Forester also does well when it comes to traveling comfort. The steering is communicative and connected to the road. Even though the steering is connected, Subaru’s done a great job with isolation and a quiet interior. Its ride quality matches the refined interior. Great job, Subaru.
2019 Subaru Forester Fuel Economy & MPG
The Forester is in line with much of the competition when it comes to fuel economy. While dependent on your driving style of course, the EPA ratings say that your 2019 Forester should get 33 mile-per-gallon on the highway. Pretty efficient for a rather tall and boxy 3600 lb vehicle.
Interior, Comfort, & Cargo Space
With the recent updates of the Outback and Forester, Subaru has become more logical and thoughtful in their interior designs. Some might say that it’s a little too “normal,” but we like it. The quality of the materials is excellent and well everything is well put together. We thought the entire cabin was better than what Toyota is producing these days.
Subaru still has decent contouring with their seats, and they held us in position when cornering, but both front and rear seats seemed to have shorter than typical cushions. The visual effect of this is that there’s more legroom, but it takes some getting used to. Hopefully, Subaru has tested this over long drives, and it’s not just some cost savings thing. Some of the competition’s models are tight, but the Forester’s rear seats will be comfortable for a six-footer.
We appreciated the completely flat floor of the Forester when the seats were down. And, unlike some CUV’s, the seats plopped down very quickly. Although we didn’t have suitcases to throw into the back, compared to the CR-V we had just driven, the Forester had a similar amount of space to swallow things up.
Entertainment & Technology
We’ve mentioned our disappointment with Subaru’s Starlink user interface in the Outback, so we won’t beat up on it again – but be aware that it’s complicated. In the Forester Base, Premium, and Sport trim, Subaru gives you a standard 6.5-inch touchscreen in their nice-looking dash, while the 8-inch screen is standard on the touring trim and option on the Limited and Sport.
No wireless charging or wireless CarPlay is available, but every trim has wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. If you have kids, you’ll want the option USB ports for the rear console. In case you want to take your devices while camping, you’ll appreciate the onboard 4G LTE WIFI that’s standard on the Premium trim and up.
Safety Features
Subaru has always had excellent safety ratings – their brand is built on that. IIHS rates the 2019 Forester as a Top Safety Pick, and the NHTSA gave the Subaru a 5-star rating. So the safety applause continues—props to Subaru for giving every model its EyeSight camera-based safety suite. Standard driver assists include auto emergency braking, lane departure warnings with lane=keeping assist, and adaptive cruise control.
2019 Subaru Forester Trims & Pricing
2.5i -$25,270
The 2019 Subaru Forester entry-level trim comes with cloth upholstery, a 6.5-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Subaru’s EyeSight safety suite. Also included are two USB ports, a backup camera, and the Forester’s wonderfully effective all-wheel drive.
Premium -$27,670
For the Forester Platinum, you pick up a panoramic moonroof, reclining rear seats, and a 10-way power driver’s seat. Subaru also adds X-Mode to help you control the Forester on those steep off-road hill descents. On the exterior, you get some nice-looking alloy wheels while inside, an upgraded six-speaker sound system helps make your drive more enjoyable. Subaru does add the convenience of a proximity key, push-button start, and power liftgate. The safety suite gets the addition of rear cross-traffic alerts and blind-spot monitoring.
Sport-$29,770
The 2010 Subaru Forester Sport gets a sport-oriented exterior to set it apart from the normal. Added are fog lights, heated front seats, and two extra rear-seat USB ports.
Limited-$31,770
The Limited adds conveniences like high auto beams with adaptive headlights. Inside, you get the beautiful 8-inch touchscreen and navigation plus dual-zone climate control and leather seats.
Touring-$35,270
This Touring gets the all-new, for 2019, DriverFocus Distraction Mitigation system to monitor your attention while you drive. It plans to keep you from falling asleep or even looking at your phone. Also added are an eight-way power-adjustable front passenger seat and a heated steering wheel.
Warranties
There’s nothing remarkable about the Forester’s basic warranty. The Forester gets a basic three years/36,000-mile overall warranty and five years/60,000-mile powertrain warranty. We think that Subaru, and even Honda, will soon have to address the competition’s complimentary maintenance. Toyota’s two years of free recommended maintenance goes a long way towards helping lower overall costs and confirms their perceived quality.
Final Thoughts
2019 Subaru Forester Sport – media.subaru.com | Shop 2019 Subaru Forester on Carsforsale.com
We like the new Forester and appreciate Subaru’s move towards a more acceptable design and quality. The 2019 Subaru Forester still has a brand look and feel and doesn’t lose the character and capability of its off-road heritage.
