Subaru Forester (AJM CCUSA)
2019 Subaru Forester. Car Candid USA Collection. 2019.
2019 SUBARU FORESTER TEST DRIVE REVIEW
Subaru's Forester has been a best seller in the Pacific Northwest for over a decade now. It's easy to understand why with it's good value proposition and all wheel drive layout for our wet roads. How has Subaru improved the Forester for 2019? Well let's find out.
New for 2019, the Forester comes on a shared platform for with many other Subaru products such as the Crosstrek. At a quick glance, the new Forester doesn't look that different, but it is the little changes that show Subaru's changes to the wagon.
I got my hands on a 2019 Subaru Forester 2.5i Sport. The 4 cylinder boxer engine produces 182hp and came with all wheel drive and an as tested price of about $32,000USD. The Sport model seen here is given black accents with an orange stripe that surrounds the car. This same orange accent also carries on inside the cabin.
The first thing noticeable over previous generation Forester's and other Subaru products was the major leap in interior quality. Things didn't feel overly cheap and knobs felt tight and not loose. It was very solid and a big improvement. Subaru's weakness still is within their infotainment system. Subaru Starlink is split between two screens, but the main screen is an 8 inch touch screen that looks crisp, but isn't exactly fast. The program has many built in apps and allows for Apple Car Play and Android Auto.
Cabin materials are a mix of soft rubberized plastics and hard plastics in lower places. Doors seemed firm and solid, but less so with the back doors. Seating room is plenty as this new Subaru gains a bit of space over the older model due to it's extended wheelbase. From seats were equipped with heated seating comfort, perfect for rainy days.
The smaller secondary screen I had mentioned is controlled using the Subaru's steering wheel which is overly cluttered with buttons. Thankfully they are clearly labeled, but when first looking at the wheel, you may be overwhelmed at all the buttons. From this smaller screen you can get basic car information such as temperature, time, safety features, and climate controls. The radio also shares space on this smaller screen which is somewhat of an annoyance if trying to access other things.
This Subaru came quipped with an excellent array of safety features starring Subaru's EyeSight. This includes lane-departure warning, lane keep assist, pre-collision management, auto pre-collision braking, and adaptive cruise control. There is an "X Mode" dial near the shifter which allows the driver to change the setting from normal to other drive modes such as snow, dirt, and mud.
On the steering wheel are two small buttons, one which is "Intelligent mode" and the other is "sport mode." In intelligent mode, the car improves fuel economy. In sport mode the vehicle holds shifts longer, but is certainly nothing engaging.
When driving this Subaru with a CVT, you can't help but feel this car is underpowered. Continuing with Subaru's touchy gas pedal, you get a quick jump by barely pressing the pedal, but any power beyond that initial jump is very weak. The Forester is slow and you have to plan your passes on the freeway. For average city driving it is perfectly fine. Any sporty driving on the back roads is not encouraged as this vehicle is just too heavy and it's little amount over power barely can pull this 3,400 pound vehicle out of corners. The vehicle wallows if going too fast into a corner and there is little to none in terms of driver confidence. At slower speeds handling felt quick. Outside noise was low and the vehicle handled bumps well. Having all wheel drive did provide confidence in the heavy rain I drove through and handled a gravel lane perfectly well.
Overall the 2019 is the best Forester I have driven. They have improved on so many things including better seats and interior quality. There are certainly things that can be improved upon, but nothing stood out as a deal breaker. I can't deny the great value proposition this vehicle makes the case for. It's roomy, comfortable, and looks pretty good. I didn't pay too much attention to the gas mileage, but it is rated at 26 MPG city and 33 MPG Highway, which isn't the best in class. Overall I don't think you can be upset if you bought this vehicle. It does everything you want well and comfortably. Not many other vehicles for this price will have all these safety features and practicality like this new Forester will. It's hard to go wrong.
Subaru Forester (AJM CCUSA)
2019 Subaru Forester. Car Candid USA Collection. 2019.
2019 SUBARU FORESTER TEST DRIVE REVIEW
Subaru's Forester has been a best seller in the Pacific Northwest for over a decade now. It's easy to understand why with it's good value proposition and all wheel drive layout for our wet roads. How has Subaru improved the Forester for 2019? Well let's find out.
New for 2019, the Forester comes on a shared platform for with many other Subaru products such as the Crosstrek. At a quick glance, the new Forester doesn't look that different, but it is the little changes that show Subaru's changes to the wagon.
I got my hands on a 2019 Subaru Forester 2.5i Sport. The 4 cylinder boxer engine produces 182hp and came with all wheel drive and an as tested price of about $32,000USD. The Sport model seen here is given black accents with an orange stripe that surrounds the car. This same orange accent also carries on inside the cabin.
The first thing noticeable over previous generation Forester's and other Subaru products was the major leap in interior quality. Things didn't feel overly cheap and knobs felt tight and not loose. It was very solid and a big improvement. Subaru's weakness still is within their infotainment system. Subaru Starlink is split between two screens, but the main screen is an 8 inch touch screen that looks crisp, but isn't exactly fast. The program has many built in apps and allows for Apple Car Play and Android Auto.
Cabin materials are a mix of soft rubberized plastics and hard plastics in lower places. Doors seemed firm and solid, but less so with the back doors. Seating room is plenty as this new Subaru gains a bit of space over the older model due to it's extended wheelbase. From seats were equipped with heated seating comfort, perfect for rainy days.
The smaller secondary screen I had mentioned is controlled using the Subaru's steering wheel which is overly cluttered with buttons. Thankfully they are clearly labeled, but when first looking at the wheel, you may be overwhelmed at all the buttons. From this smaller screen you can get basic car information such as temperature, time, safety features, and climate controls. The radio also shares space on this smaller screen which is somewhat of an annoyance if trying to access other things.
This Subaru came quipped with an excellent array of safety features starring Subaru's EyeSight. This includes lane-departure warning, lane keep assist, pre-collision management, auto pre-collision braking, and adaptive cruise control. There is an "X Mode" dial near the shifter which allows the driver to change the setting from normal to other drive modes such as snow, dirt, and mud.
On the steering wheel are two small buttons, one which is "Intelligent mode" and the other is "sport mode." In intelligent mode, the car improves fuel economy. In sport mode the vehicle holds shifts longer, but is certainly nothing engaging.
When driving this Subaru with a CVT, you can't help but feel this car is underpowered. Continuing with Subaru's touchy gas pedal, you get a quick jump by barely pressing the pedal, but any power beyond that initial jump is very weak. The Forester is slow and you have to plan your passes on the freeway. For average city driving it is perfectly fine. Any sporty driving on the back roads is not encouraged as this vehicle is just too heavy and it's little amount over power barely can pull this 3,400 pound vehicle out of corners. The vehicle wallows if going too fast into a corner and there is little to none in terms of driver confidence. At slower speeds handling felt quick. Outside noise was low and the vehicle handled bumps well. Having all wheel drive did provide confidence in the heavy rain I drove through and handled a gravel lane perfectly well.
Overall the 2019 is the best Forester I have driven. They have improved on so many things including better seats and interior quality. There are certainly things that can be improved upon, but nothing stood out as a deal breaker. I can't deny the great value proposition this vehicle makes the case for. It's roomy, comfortable, and looks pretty good. I didn't pay too much attention to the gas mileage, but it is rated at 26 MPG city and 33 MPG Highway, which isn't the best in class. Overall I don't think you can be upset if you bought this vehicle. It does everything you want well and comfortably. Not many other vehicles for this price will have all these safety features and practicality like this new Forester will. It's hard to go wrong.