more about this model The 2018 Subaru Forester returns mostly unchanged from last year's upgrades, and that's not a bad thing. Last year's tweaks helped the Forester remain attractive in an increasingly crowded marketplace for compact crossovers.
Chief among those tweaks is an available blind-spot monitoring system that also includes rear cross-traffic alert. The optional EyeSight safety package fortifies all that with an improved camera and adds reverse automatic braking and adaptive LED headlights (with automatic high beams). This can vary by trim level, so use Edmunds' purchasing tools to optimize the Forester for your needs.
Although this is fundamentally the same Forester that was introduced for 2014, the styling is more refined, the nose and bumpers a little sleeker and sharper, and the wheels have new designs. For 2018, there's a Black Edition package that adds blacked-out wheels, body trim and interior upholstery.
The interior itself enjoys a new level of solitude thanks to increased sound-deadening material. There's even the upscale option of Saddle Brown leather upholstery on the Touring model. Even in this most utilitarian of market segments, buyers demand the option of some indulgent luxury.
Always a solid performer supported by Subaru's reputation for long-lasting quality, the Forester can be tailored to practically any taste. As is true with most of Subaru's lineup (the BRZ sport coupe is the only exception), the Forester is available only with all-wheel drive, but there are two engine choices. The base engine is a 170-horsepower 2.5-liter with four horizontally opposed cylinders. Amazingly, Subaru still offers this engine with a six-speed manual transmission, but most Foresters will be equipped with a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT).
A more powerful 250-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter flat-four powers the 2.0XT model. It's fitted with a CVT that features a six-speed manual mode (via steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters) for those moments when the road is open and the driver wants to exercise the sport-tuned suspension.
Models equipped with the 2.5-liter engine and CVT are EPA-rated at 28 mpg combined (26 city/32 highway). The turbocharged 2.0XT gets 24 mpg combined (22 city/28 highway).
Subaru has always presented its products as iconoclastic vehicles for buyers who want something extraordinary (or who live where it often snows). Edmunds is here to make sure the buying experience is as extraordinary as your new Subaru.
2018 Subaru Forester Overview
Edmunds experts have compiled a robust series of ratings and reviews for the 2018 Subaru Forester and all model years in our database. Our rich content includes expert reviews and recommendations for the 2018 Forester featuring deep dives into trim levels and features, performance, mpg, safety, interior, and driving. Edmunds also offers expert ratings, road test and performance data, long-term road tests, first-drive reviews, video reviews and more.
Our Review Process
This review was written by a member of Edmunds' editorial team of expert car reviewers. Our team drives every car you can buy. We put the vehicles through rigorous testing, evaluating how they drive and comparing them in detail to their competitors.
We're also regular people like you, so we pay attention to all the different ways people use their cars every day. We want to know if there's enough room for our families and our weekend gear and whether or not our favorite drink fits in the cupholder. Our editors want to help you make the best decision on a car that fits your life.
Consumer ratings and reviews are also available for the 2018 Subaru Forester and all its trim types. Overall, Edmunds users rate the 2018 Forester 4.8 on a scale of 1 to 5 stars. Edmunds consumer reviews allow users to sift through aggregated consumer reviews to understand what other drivers are saying about any vehicle in our database. Detailed rating breakdowns (including performance, comfort, value, interior, exterior design, build quality, and reliability) are available as well to provide shoppers with a comprehensive understanding of why customers like the 2018 Forester.
Vehicle
2.0XT Touring 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo CVT)
Review
Review at 1000 miles: We spent the last six months researching and test driving for our first new purchase. We had a budget of $35k and the final three contenders were the BMW X1, Honda CR-V Touring and the Subaru Forester XT Touring. We live at altitude in the Pacific Northwest and are "outdoorsy" without needing extreme off road capability. We also take the highway up to fairly high altitudes for hiking and ski excursions. Coming from a fun & spirited but extremely noisy and uncomfortable Impreza, we were looking for a good blend of comfort and utility. Forester XT Touring satisfied these criteria with the added FUN factor that the CRV just didn't bring to the table. The Forester XT has *almost* all of the get-up-and-go of a WRX with off road capability and a far, far quieter ride. I find the CVT to be quite responsive, particularly in the Sport mode. Interior comfort is impressive; I'm 6'4" and 220 lbs, and have so far taken three 2+ hour trips behind the wheel, on highway and Forest Service roads. The cabin is quiet, with excellent visibility on all sides. While not quite the same in terms of luxury, at this price point, to get the AWD on the X1, we'd have been dropping closer to $40k. I just couldn't justify paying the premium for mostly a badge. Only qualms so far is the entertainment suite: Starlink is basically useless aside from Pandora. Navigation combined with Sirius XM traffic is quite useful. Eyesight suite is powerful, useful and intuitive and is what ultimately swayed our purchase. Considering our Impreza lasted reliable 275k miles with strict maintenance, I am confident that the Forester XT will be reliable for years to come and serve our needs well.
See all consumer reviews and retings for the 2018 Subaru Forester
Edmunds Value
Edmunds has deep data on over 6 million new, used, and certified pre-owned vehicles, including rich, trim-level features and specs information like: MSRP, average price paid, warranty information (basic, drivetrain, and maintenance), features (upholstery, bluetooth, navigation, heated seating, cooled seating, cruise control, parking assistance, keyless ignition, satellite radio, folding rears seats ,run flat tires, wheel type, tire size, wheel tire, sunroof, etc.), vehicle specifications (engine cylinder count, drivetrain, engine power, engine torque, engine displacement, transmission), fuel economy (city, highway, combined, fuel capacity, range), vehicle dimensions (length, width, seating capacity, cargo space), car safety, true cost to own. Edmunds also provides tools to allow shopper to compare vehicles to similar models of their choosing by warranty, interior features, exterior features, specifications, fuel economy, vehicle dimensions, consumer rating, edmunds rating, and color
The 2018 Subaru Forester earned a 5-star overall safety rating from NHTSA and "GOOD" ratings from the IIHS in the following caregories: Side Impact Test, Roof Strength Test, Rear Crash Protection/Head Restraint, IIHS Small Overlap Front Test Results, Moderate Overlap Front Test Results, and a JD POWER overall quality rating of 2.0 out of 5. Among Edmunds' many tools and resources for finding your perfect car are detailed safety ratings and analysis from NHTSA, IIHS, and JD Power, including overall ratings, frontal barrier crash ratings, side impact tests and crash ratings, rollover test results, roof strength tests, rear crash protection and head restraint ratings, side barrier ratings, combined side barrier and pole ratings, and more.
Available Subaru Forester 2018 Submodel Types: SUV, Wagon
Available Trims: 2.5i Premium, 2.5i Premium PZEV, 2.5i Limited, 2.5i Touring, 2.5i Limited PZEV, 2.0XT Touring, 2.5i PZEV, 2.5X Premium, 2.5X, 2.5i Touring PZEV, 2.5X Limited, 2.5 X, 2.5X Premium PZEV, X, 2.5i, XS, 2.5X Limited PZEV, 2.5 X Premium Package, 2.0XT Premium, 2.5X PZEV, L, 2.5 X L.L.Bean Edition, S, Sports 2.5 X, XT, 2.5X Touring PZEV, 2.5XT Touring, 2.5XT Premium, 2.5 XT Limited, 2.5XT Limited, 2.5X Touring, XS L.L.Bean Edition, 2.5XT
Exterior Colors: Ice Silver Metallic, Dark Gray Metallic, Crystal White Pearl, Crystal Black Silica, Quartz Blue Pearl, Venetian Red Pearl, Jasmine Green Metallic, Satin White Pearl, Burnished Bronze Metallic, Sage Green Metallic, Camellia Red Pearl, Spark Silver Metallic, Marine Blue Pearl, Newport Blue Pearl, Obsidian Black Pearl, Steel Silver Metallic, Platinum Silver Metallic, Sepia Bronze Metallic, Aspen White, Crystal Gray Metallic, Garnet Red Pearl, Urban Gray Metallic, Cayenne Red Pearl, Platinum Silver Metallic/Textured Gray, Champagne Gold Opal, Paprika Red Pearl, Regal Blue Pearl, Sky Blue Metallic, Topaz Gold Metallic, Sierra Gold Metallic, Woodland Green Pearl/Textured Gray, Cayenne Red Pearl/Textured Gray, Deep Cherry Pearl, Pacifica Blue Pearl, Blue Ridge Pearl, Regal Blue Pearl/Steel Gray Metallic, Steel Gray Metallic, Acadia Green, Acadia Green Metallic, Crystal Gray Metallic/Textrured Gray, Evergreen Metallic/Steel Silver Metallic, Garnet Red Pearl/Steel Gray Metallic, Garnet Red Pearl/Urban Gray Metallic, Java Black Pearl, Obsidian Black Pearl/Steel Gray Metallic, Obsidian Black Pearl/Textured Gray, Platinum Silver Metallic/Steel Gray Metallic, Sedona Red Pearl, Woodland Green Pearl, Woodland Green Pearl/Steel Gray Metallic, Aspen White/Premium Silver Metallic, Aspen White/Textured Gray, Black Diamond Pearl, Black Diamond Pearl/Slate, Canyon Red Pearl/Slate, Java Black Pearl/Steel Gray Metallic, Newport Blue Pearl/Steel Silver Metallic, Rio Red, Savanna Green Metallic, Sierra Gold Metallic/Textured Gray, Silverthorn / Slate, Silverthorn Metallic
Interior Colors: Gray cloth, Black cloth, Black leather, Gray leather, Gray, Brown leather, Platinum cloth, Black, Graphite Gray cloth, Beige, Desert Beige cloth, Grey, Off Black cloth, Anthracite Black leather, Off Black, Beige Cloth, Gray Leather
Popular Features: AWD/4WD, Fold Flat Rear Seats, Rear Bench Seats, Alarm, Aux Audio Inputs, Stability Control, Audio and cruise controls on steering wheel, Tire Pressure Warning, Trip Computer, Sunroof/Moonroof, Power Driver Seat, Bluetooth, USB Inputs, Back-up camera, Post-collision safety system, Auto Climate Control, Heated seats, Leather Seats, Blind Spot Monitoring, Power Liftgate/Trunk, 2500lb Towing Capacity, Lane Departure Warning, Pre-collision safety system, Adaptive Cruise Control, Upgraded Headlights, Navigation, Multi-Zone Climate Control, Keyless Entry/Start, Upgraded Stereo, Remote Start, Parking sensors, Towing Hitch
Engine/Mechanics: 4 cylinders
Transmission: AUTOMATIC, MANUAL
Fuel Types: regular unleaded, premium unleaded (required), premium unleaded (recommended)
Drivetrains: all wheel drive
Edmunds attended a manufacturer-sponsored event, to which selected members of the press were invited, to facilitate this report.
