Used 2019 Subaru Forester Consumer Reviews
Used Forester for sale
Best Forester yet
David Miller, 12/31/2018
updated 01/19/2022
2019 Subaru Forester Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
48 of 52 people found this review helpful
Forester's 2003, 2014 and 2009 Outback. My favorite was always the 2003 Forester. Every edition of Subaru was better. I have liked all of these vehicles. Without reservation the 2019 is the best and my favorite yet. Standard eyesight with adaptive cruise control, LED headlights, CAR PLAY, strong bluetooth integration, best seats yet, more luxurious interior, standard audio setup is a major step up from previous editions, as in the 2003 Forester this vehicle somehow has a car like quality to it's ride, quieter interior. Negatives: poor OEM tires that are insufficient for northern climates (need upgrade option to an all-weather tire vs summer like all-season -where's the love when you require buyers to throw away good rubber?). Hate auto-stop and need option to permanently disable. Engine is sufficient but would like option for more powerful engine. 1500 limit on towing reduces versatility of vehicle. Would like tie down options built in (front and rear tie points for kayaks). Need OEM option for 2 inch trailer hitch - for better optioning on things like bike racks. Automatic lane assist was not reassuring and is left off. Looks like in 2020 they went to lane centering and I would be very interested to see if that feels better. Updating at 31K miles and most of 3 years. Still liking this vehicle. Car had a recall to tighten rear suspension links. Seems to have made a difference and car no longer wanders. If I were to purchase a newer forester here is what I would want. First and foremost the ability to permanently disable auto shut off. Horrible feature that seems to activate right as I hit the gas. Dangerous and does not afford any real improvement to fuel consumption. I would like the ability to permanently disable that and to have cruise control on whenever I start the car. Constantly searching for buttons to turn off and on makes for distracted driving and a potential for accidents. Other than that move lane centering off of the central stem as it is way too easy to turn it on. I find using it misleading and inadequate and too many times I have triggered it accidentally. I also want more towing power. OK other than that I love this vehicle. Update at 37K miles. My enduring hate for auto/stop and the inability to permanently disable.
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2019 Forester is the safest car I have ever owned
Bill Belfi, 11/10/2018
2019 Subaru Forester Sport 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
63 of 70 people found this review helpful
The new Forester has been reengineered and improved in so many areas. They widened the rear cargo area significantly. The backup camera and display are large, welllighted and very helpful in backing out or into tight spaces. The lane departure lightlta are brilliantly moved to the inside of the side view mirrors so that is the first thing I see. I had a 2016 Outback and my wife drives a 2014 Forester. I can’t wait to get her into this new Forester. We are seniors and all the electronics we can get to improve our driving experience are appreciated. Well done Subaru.
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2019 Subaru Forester for sale near you
Showing 3 of 65 listings
- Limited 4dr SUVMSRP: $27,99080 mi away
- Touring 4dr SUVMSRP: $21,82178 mi away
- Premium 4dr SUVMSRP: $20,85586 mi away
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Forester is simply the best on/off-road small SUV
Jeff Y, 12/30/2018
2019 Subaru Forester Touring 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
61 of 68 people found this review helpful
Having driven a 2014 Forester on and off road for 5 years and a Toyota 4Runner for over 20 years, the new 2019 Forester Touring we just purchased offers incredible value. I'm an old-school 4Runner kind of guy, but I can't say enough about how well the Forester handles everything except the giant boulders. Granted, there are places the 4Runner will go that the Forester cannot, but for 90% of the off-road adventures Forester is just fine. We added the aluminum engine underguard (skidplate) accessory on the Forester to provide more underbody protection when off road. The 2019 Forester drives even better than the 2014 we traded in, which is a high bar to cross, and the new global platform delivers both interior and exterior quality improvements. We compared the 2019 Honda CR-V, 2019 Toyota RAV4 and 2019 Mazda CX-5 before settling on the Forester. If you want a really capable "small" AWD vehicle that gets excellent gas mileage combined with state of the art safety features and quality that is second to none, the 2019 Forester can't be beat.
1st Subaru
Wolfman, 06/05/2019
updated 12/15/2020
2019 Subaru Forester Touring 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
18 of 19 people found this review helpful
First time Subaru owner coming from a Dodge Ram to downsize but still have cargo space, so far I am very pleased after 5,000 miles. I love the entertainment and safety technology. Tom Tom GPS content leaves a lot to be desired but I go to Apple Play and use Waze and/or Google maps on longer trips. Transmission is not smooth while driving in town at, lets say 35 mph and under. I go to manual mode and paddle shift down for smoother performance. Engine power is more than adequate regardless of industry reviews-we’re not at a NASCAR track after all. I love EyeSight technology. Comfort and interior space are outstanding and passenger has power seats plus heated and reclining (a little) seats. Nice. 1 year and 9000 miles of ownership and still happy. The main issue is shifting of the transmission. When coasting to a stop from 20 mph the downshift is jerky and when getting to about 15 mph the vehicle surges forward like it goes into a higher gear with more momentum. Kind of scary as you want to slam on the brakes. After that it is smooth. Never seen a tranmission this quirky before but it reminds me of the Audi lurching problems of the 70s. Caused lots of problems but this is not like this as the vehicle doesn't actually accelerate but you think it will. TomTom content still sucks - not accurate and other than main roads the posted speed limit information is wrong, Determined that this vehicle is not for me. Seems to be too lightweight in windy conditions at highway speeds. Maybe too light for the profile. Wife totally didn’t like auto stop/start. If default was set at off she would have still liked the Forester.
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Almost Perfect
Jane, 04/24/2019
2019 Subaru Forester Limited 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)
32 of 35 people found this review helpful
I just leased a 2019 Subaru Forester. The car is great with a few exceptions. I am a woman and this review will reflect a female drivers opinion since every review I looked at online was made by a man and since getting my Forester I have decided that men are very biased regarding engine torque when reviewing a car. I drove at least five other suv’s Before deciding on the Forester. Here are the pros: For the price and safety rating (tops in its class) I felt the forester was the best deal. It also comes standard with all wheel drive, on other SUV’s that’s an expensive option. The cabin is roomier with large windows that allow for an excellent all around view and the cargo space is larger, a big +++ for us moms who are always hauling something or someone. It’s ride is smooth and the controls are intuitive. The AWD is awesome, I live on a farm so there is always conditions that may require it. I put it to the test just hours after getting and fully loaded with people it drove over muddy ruts effortlessly, I was impressed! Now the cons: the console storage is small, moms need more storage space! There is not an option, at least in the limited that offered seat/mirror position memory. Also there is not a built in garage door opener. As for acceleration it’s ok, not the best but not the worst. I’m not looking to be nailed to my seat on take off anyway.
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