2019 Subaru Forester

There is an actual availability of five trim levels in the lineup. These are mainly - Base, Premium, Sport, Limited and Touring. The prices start at $22,795 and go all the way up to $36,090 for the highest trim without options. However, everything comes with an all-wheel-drive and that is a huge plus for all the cars from the Subaru lineup. The complete distribution of comfort, safety, and tech features across the trims is given in the table below.

Which trim should you buy? 

We find the base trim level well equipped, but it is not the one we would go for. However, the trim right above it, the Premium, is offered at just $25,695 and comes with 17-inch wheels, rear roof spoiler, body-colored exterior mirror caps, 10-way power-adjustable driver seat, 4G Wi-Fi hotspot, and so on. For this reason, we believe that the Premium trim level is the one that makes the most sense. There are also optional packages that add blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, keyless entry, and more.

For all these years, one of the worst parts of the Subaru Forester has been its low fuel economy. However, one of the good things about the new 2019 Forester is that it manages to change that. It returns 26 MPG in the city, 30 MPG on the highway, and 28 MPG combined. As a result of this and having one of the biggest fuel tank capacities of the category at 28 gallons, it has the best range as well.

Fuel efficiency is single-handedly the department of the Forester because even though it does not have the best numbers in terms of efficiency, it definitely has in terms of range. The Nissan Rogue has excellent fuel efficiency figures but does but puts us down with a small fuel tank. Volkswagen has the worst numbers in terms of fuel efficiency at 25 mpg combined.

The interiors of the Forester have been designed while keeping the ingress and egress in check. The design is based on functionality and hence is very easy to grow a liking for. It has a very nice space inside, offers capacity for five people, and performs well in terms of cargo capacity with 35.4 ft.³ of storage. One major letdown from the SUV is that the interior material quality is not exactly as great as some of its rivals, but not something that will feel all-out cheap for the segment.

We find that the Chevrolet also has excellent interior space inside. The Nissan offers the best cargo capacity, while the Subaru is the best of the rest. The Volkswagen Tiguan manages to seat two more passengers, but the cargo capacity takes a huge hit due to this. In terms of features, however, the Forester impresses a lot. Some standard features include:

• Front Bucket Seats -inc: 10-way power driver's seat
• 60-40 Folding Bench Manual Reclining Rear Seat
• Manual Tilt/Telescoping Steering Column
• Power Rear Windows and Fixed 3rd Row Windows
• Remote Keyless Entry w/Integrated Key Transmitter
• HVAC -inc: Underseat Ducts
• Automatic Air Conditioning
• Day-Night Rearview Mirror
• Cargo Area Concealed Storage

What’s there to keep you entertained?

Being a brand-new model for 2019, the Forester is packed with the latest technology. It provides the best connectivity features like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Forester is a truly modern car and hence it does not skimp on its infotainment features. The system is very easy to operate, and the snappy response is very much appreciated. The touchscreen is very large, measuring eight inches in size. Some features of the infotainment system include: 

• 8-inch touchscreen
• Two USB ports
• Bluetooth Connectivity
• 4-speaker sound system
• Satellite radio
• HD Radio
• Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration
• Wi-Fi hotspot
• 9-speaker Harman Kardon sound system (optional)

In terms of looks, the Forester looks very sedate for something that is designed very recently. It not only gives the impression that it is a much larger car, but it also provides most of that sophisticated nature of the brand at a very competitive price tag. It does not look premium but definitely commands a lot of attention on the road and speaks of functionality.

It is not very hard to find that the Forester is smaller than any of its competitors, and yet, it manages to provide a well-loaded cabin and a spacious one too. It also manages to be not much heavier than the competitors, which is an impressive feat. The Volkswagen is the largest car out of the lot and also stands tallest to the ground with a clearance of 7.9 inches. Some standout features include:

• 17" x 7.0J Black Finish Aluminum Alloy wheels
• Express Open/Close Sliding Glass 1st And 2nd Row Sunroof w/Sunshade
• Body-Colored Front Bumper and Rear Bumper
• Black Side Windows Trim and Black Front Windshield Trim
• Variable Intermittent Wipers
• Galvanized Steel/Aluminum Panels
• Lip Spoiler
• Grille w/Chrome Bar
• Liftgate Rear Cargo Access

In terms of safety, the Forester has scored an excellent five stars overall safety rating from the NHTSA, which is the highest honor. It also performs very well in the IIHS crash test and has been named as a Top Safety Pick, which is also the second-highest honor. It has not only passive safety features but even active safety as standard such as automated emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and so on. Some of the standout safety features include:

• Airbags
• 4-Wheel ABS w/Disc Brakes
• Brake Assist
• Electronic Stability Control
• Daytime Running Lights
• Traction Control
• Auto-Leveling Headlights
• Lane Departure Warning
• Lane Keeping Assist

2019 2019 Subaru Forester Vs. 2019 Nissan Rogue

The advantages the Nissan Rogue offers on top of the Subaru Forester are that it has better fuel efficiency and a better cargo capacity. But in every other aspect, the car fails to impress when you compare it with the Forester due to its lackluster performance and more. The Rogue fails to have the performance, features, or technology despite being priced at the premium, thus the Forester gets our vote between the two.

2019 2019 Subaru Forester 3 Vs. 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan

The Volkswagen Tiguan is an excellent option for someone who has a large family of seven people and is looking for a small crossover SUV. Despite being priced at a slight premium over the Forester, it fails to offer anything of value. However, it has arguably better design as well as the convenience of offering better ground clearance. 

2019 2019 Subaru Forester vs. 2019 Chevrolet Equinox

The Chevrolet Equinox has the straight-line acceleration that is deemed the best in the category. However, its interiors are not as well equipped or comfortable as that of the Subaru. It also happens to be a lot inferior compared to the Subaru when it comes to off-roading. Also, the better cargo capacity at the back in the Subaru helps in achieving more practicality which is an important factor in the segment.

The 2019 Subaru Forester is an excellent buy because it provides an entry into the brand without having to spend much. It promises a very capable car that also manages to be very much modern. It has managed to perform better than its rivals in almost every single segment that it has competed in and is pretty reliable as well. It makes for an excellent buy for a family looking for a crossover SUV.