2011 Subaru Forester

The 2011 Forester is available in four trims namely the Base, Premium, Limited, and Touring. The 2.5X trims come with a naturally aspirated engine while the 2.5XT trims come with a turbocharged engine with the same cubic capacity as that of the naturally aspirated engine. The interior of the Forester is not very exciting but is functional in nature. As you climb up the trim ladder, more features are added for your convenience.

 Which trim should you buy? 

The 2.5XT trim is definitely a better buy as compared to the other trims. It is powered by a peppy turbocharged engine and comes with many creature comforts as well. At its price point, it definitely becomes a worth buying option.

The 2011 Forester is available in two engine options. A 2.5L naturally aspirated engine and a 2.5L turbocharged engine. The 2.5X trims get a naturally aspirated engine and it produces about 170 hp and 174 lb-ft of torque. It is mated to a 5-speed manual transmission or an optional 4-speed automatic transmission. The 2.5X Limited and 2.5X Premium are available with automatic transmission only. The 2.5L turbocharged engine produces about 227 hp and 226 lb-ft of torque. It is available in XT trims only and mated to a 4-speed automatic transmission. The automatic transmission is too widespread in each gear for our liking.

All the SUVs in the competition come with similarly sized engines and offer similar power outputs as well. The Forester with its base engine is slightly slower than its competition. It does a 0-60 mph sprint in about 9.2 seconds and a quarter-mile drag is done in about 17 seconds. The Chevrolet Equinox accelerates faster and comes with higher firepower. The CR-V also accelerates better than the Sorento and Forester. The Sorento is just 0.1 seconds slower than the Forester .

The 2011 Forester comes with a standard AWD configuration and despite that, it offers decent fuel economy. It offers 21 mpg, 27 mpg, and 23 mpg, in the city, on the highway, and in mixed driving conditions respectively. With a fuel tank capacity of 16.9 gallons, you can expect a range of 355 miles, 456 miles, and 389 miles, in the city, on the highway, and in mixed driving conditions respectively.

The Equinox is the most fuel-efficient SUV here and it also comes with a larger 18.8-gallon fuel tank which helps it to cover about 488 miles in mixed conditions on a full tank of gas. The Kia Sorento also gets a good-sized fuel tank but owing to a lower fuel economy, it can travel about 396 miles only in combined driving conditions. The Honda CR-V gets a smaller fuel tank and offers 24 mpg only. So, it loses out in the range battle.

The 2011 Forester gets a pretty straightforward interior design. The quality of materials used is good but the soft touch feeling is missing. The Forester can accommodate up to five passengers across two rows. The front seats are good but lack some cushioning and are totally flat. The lower trims get cloth upholstery and the seats are pretty comfortable in the second row. The features like a panoramic sunroof improve the airiness in the cabin. 

Other features like leather upholstery, dual-zone climate control, reclining rear seats, and heated front seats are available after the 2.5X base trim. The driving position is commanding and gives you a clear view of the road ahead. The instrument console is in direct view of the driver and the controls are placed in an ergonomic fashion. All the windows are wide enough and provide a good view of the outside to all the passengers. 

The Forester offers adequate cargo capacity for most of your needs. If you need more there is an option to fold down the 60/40 rear seats and extend the cargo capacity. The Sorento offers better cargo capacity in its two-row avatar. The legroom is good across the second row in the Forester but can’t beat the Equinox in the leg space department. The CR-V also fares well in practicality and offers good interior space for the passengers. Some of the standout interior features of the 2011 Forester are:

• Heated front seats (Limited and Touring)
• Leather-trimmed upholstery
• Aluminum-alloy pedal covers (XT trims)
• Automatic climate control system (Limited)
• 60/40-split flat-folding rear seatbacks
• Reclining rear seats (Premium and above)

How intuitive is the 2013 Forester’s infotainment system?

The 2011 Forester gets easy to use infotainment system. The features like a 4-speaker audio system with a CD player with MP3/WMA playback capability, and SIRIUS/XM Satellite Radio capability are standard from the base trim itself. The Premium trim gets added features like Bluetooth connectivity and iPod control. 

As you climb up the trim ladder you get access to a 6-speaker audio system with HD Radio and the 2.5XT Touring trim gets you a 7-speaker audio system with HD radio and other standard features for your convenience. You can also opt for an available Navigation package that includes a 7-inch high-resolution touch-screen GPS navigation system. Some of the standout infotainment features of the 2011 Forester are:

• 4-speaker audio system 
• Bluetooth connectivity 
• 6-speaker audio system (Limited and Touring)
• SIRIUS/XM Satellite Radio capability
• iPod control.
• 7-speaker audio system with HD radio (2.5XT Touring)

The 2011 Subaru is a purpose-built SUV and skips on some fancy external styling. The front fascia imbibes two curvy headlamps and a small chrome grille with the Subaru logo in it. The front bumper gets fog lamps on each side and lends an attractive look in addition to offering better visibility in adverse weather. 

The side profile is devoid of any visual drama and elements like sharp character lines and aggressive creases or cuts are missing. The roof rails come in different color options depending upon the trim and make the Forester look rugged from any angle. The rear profile gets a vertical liftgate and two tail lamps that wrap around the quarter panel

The Forester is the lightest SUV of the lot, despite being an AWD vehicle. The ground clearance on the Forester is about 9-inches which helps it with some off-roading. The Honda CR-V comes with lower clearance and is meant to be driven mainly on paved roads only. The shorter wheelbase of the Forester helps with better handling and a more car-like driving experience. The Equinox sits on the longest wheelbase and this offers better leg space across the second row. Some of the standout exterior features of the 2011 Forester are:

• HID low-beam headlights
• Body-color side mirrors
• Panoramic moonroof
• Raised roof rails
• All-weather package: Heated side mirrors and wiper de-icer (Limited and Touring)

Like other Subarus, the Forester is a well-built and sturdy vehicle. The frame design of the Forester incorporates a ring-shaped reinforcement frame which is designed to be exceptionally strong for maximum resistance to impact energy. The NHTSA has given it a 4-star safety rating in rollover tests and the IIHS has rated it as “Good” in various tests conducted by it. The Forester also gets many safety features as standard in comparison to its competitors and features like front airbags, side curtain airbags, ABS, EBD, traction control, etc ensure your peace of mind. Some of the standout safety features of the 2011 Forester are:

• Vehicle dynamics control 
• Brake assist 
• LATCH system 
• Back up camera
• Rollover sensor
• Active front-seat head restraints

As mentioned earlier, the Subaru Forester is available with two different engine options to cater to different types of buyers. It gets an AWD configuration as standard and a higher ground clearance makes it off-road ready. For better performance, you can opt for the XT trims. If you don’t mind simplistic styling which is functional as well and bland interiors that are made to last for decades, you can go ahead with the 2011 Subaru Forester.