2021 Subaru Forester Review

Name: 2021 Subaru Forester Review
Brand: Subaru
Price: 15675 USD

Subaru Forester Limited 4dr SUV Exterior Shown

+163

Aside from lackluster acceleration, there isn't much to dislike about the Subaru Forester. This crossover SUV delivers the feel and rugged attitude that buyers want, along with a comfortable cabin and plenty of features for the price.

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2021 Subaru Forester Review

byReese Counts^{Vehicle Test Editor
Reese Counts has worked in the automotive industry since he started as an intern at Edmunds in 2015. He has written or edited thousands of car-related articles and tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career. Reese is a vehicle test editor at Edmunds and has also contributed to Autoblog. Reese has also been featured on Yahoo! Finance, Engadget and AOL reviewing cars and covering automotive technology, auto shows and more. Reese learned to drive in his father's C4 Chevrolet Corvette and now owns his grandfather's 1999 Mercedes-Benz C43 AMG. A love for cars runs deep in his family.}

Pros

Standard all-wheel drive
A full complement of driver assist features are standard
Enhanced off-road capability thanks to better-than-average ground clearance
Generous cargo capacity

Cons

Engine is underpowered
Modest tow rating limits maximum utility

What's new

Automatic high beams and turn-swiveling headlights are now standard
Other minor revisions to standard feature availability
Part of the fifth Forester generation introduced in 2019

Overview

The fifth-generation Subaru Forester debuted just a couple of years ago, so it carries on into 2021 with relatively few changes. We're pretty fond of it, even if it isn't our top-rated small SUV. The ever-popular Forester slots between the smaller Subaru Crosstrek and the larger three-row Ascent. It's loaded with tons of standard driver aids and tech, and — thanks to standard all-wheel drive and decent ground clearance — it's better than most of the competition off-road.

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2021 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.04 per gallon for regular unleaded in Virginia.}

Monthly estimates based on costs in Virginia

$130/mo

$178/mo

Avg. Midsize SUV

Calculate my fuel costs

There's a plethora of great choices for a small SUV, with just about every mainstream automaker offering a similarly sized and equipped model. Our favorite remains the well-rounded Honda CR-V, though you might also want to check out the Jeep Cherokee, which has similar off-road abilities as the Forester. Is this small Subaru for you? Check out our Expert Rating to read our in-depth take on the 2021 Forester's advantages and disadvantages.

Edmunds Expert Rating

Our Verdict^{The Edmunds Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.}

Good

7.8

out of 10

edmunds TESTED

Rated for you by America's best test team.

Performance

7/10

How does the Forester drive? A largely gutless engine holds the Forester back. The four-cylinder engine and CVT automatic take their time getting up to speed. The Forester accelerated from 0 to 60 mph in a slow 9.3 seconds during Edmunds testing. Its steering, handling and braking, on the other hand, are more respectable. While the Forester isn't sporty, especially not compared to top rivals, it feels planted and changes direction with speed and confidence.

The Forester shines off-road thanks to 8.7 inches of ground clearance and an X-Mode drive setting that includes trail capability and hill descent control. There's much more off-road prowess here than you get in a typical small crossover SUV.

Comfort

8/10

How comfortable is the Forester? Whether you've got a long daily commute or a refreshing retreat on the horizon, the Forester will keep you riding in comfort. The front seats are well padded and have good bolstering and lumbar support, and the suspension easily smooths out bumps and ruts in the road.

Road noise is kept to a minimum. The Forester's tall profile does produce some wind noise, but it's a small price to pay for the commanding seat position and great visibility. Climate control knobs are right where they should be and easy to find without taking your eyes off the road. The available automatic climate control works well, and most Foresters come standard with heated seats.

Interior

8.5/10

How’s the interior? All controls inside the Forester are clearly labeled and easy to reach. There's no fussing around or overdoing things. The available 8-inch center touchscreen is crisp and simple to navigate. Everything about the Forester seems to have been designed right. Getting in and out is aided by tall doors and an SUV-style ride height. There's enough room for four, and possibly five, seated adults. The driver's seat offers a wide range of adjustments, and the steering wheel has plenty of telescoping range.

Technology

8.5/10

How’s the tech? Subaru provides infotainment features that any owner, tech-savvy or not, can appreciate. The dual-screen center layout is attractive and easy to use. The navigation system is clear and even takes voice commands well. If Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are more your flavor, Subaru has you covered by making them standard equipment. Multiple USB ports are in both the front and rear.

We're especially fans of the driving aids included with Subaru EyeSight. The adaptive cruise control system works well and lane keeping assist, now with lane centering, prevents the Forester from drifting out of its lane. Forward collision mitigation is also included and never activated when it wasn't needed in our test.

Storage

7.5/10

How’s the storage? The Forester is slightly lower in total storage capacity compared with competitors such as the Honda CR-V, but a high roof and clever cargo layout make the space usable for large items. Parents will find the Forester a little disappointing when it comes to installing child safety seats, however. The car seat anchors are buried deep in the rear seats, and fitting large rear-facing seats will be a squeeze.

With just 1,500 pounds of maximum towing capacity, towing is not the Forester's strong suit. It's better to look elsewhere if you're pulling anything substantial.

Fuel Economy

7/10

How’s the fuel economy? The EPA rates the Forester at 29 mpg combined (26 city/33 highway), which is near the top of the class. In testing, however, we found that the weak engine had us pinning the throttle more, which can make real-world fuel economy suffer a bit.

Value

7.5/10

Is the Forester a good value? The Forester gives buyers a lot of options depending on how much they want to spend and how fancy they like their cars. Interior build quality is high, and in general you'll feel like you got your money's worth. Subaru offers an average warranty for the class.

Wildcard

7.5/10

Acceleration is the Forester's only notable weak point. While it's a big one, it's certainly not enough to detract from all of the vehicle's standout areas. Everything else, from comfort to technology to driver aids to storage capacity to outdoor adventure credentials, is top-notch. Its upright style and rugged components lend the Forester a unique personality, and standard all-wheel drive with a strong ride height backs it up.

Which Forester does Edmunds recommend?

While the base Forester comes with a decent list of standard equipment, including a full complement of advanced driver safety aids, we suggest stepping up to the Forester Premium trim. It adds features including a panoramic sunroof and alloy wheels that aren't available on the base model.

2021 Subaru Forester models

The 2021 Subaru Forester is available in five trim levels: base, Premium, Sport, Limited and Touring. As with nearly all Subarus, all-wheel drive is standard on all trims. Feature highlights include:

Base
The base Forester is reasonably equipped with:

2.5-liter four-cylinder (182 horsepower, 176 lb-ft of torque)
Continuously variable transmission (CVT) automatic
17-inch steel wheels
Adaptive LED headlights (swivel as you turn the steering wheel for better illumination in curves)
Automatic high beams
Subaru's Starlink app suite, including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration
6.5-inch touchscreen infotainment system
Automatic climate control

You also get Subaru's EyeSight suite of driver aids:

Adaptive cruise control (adjusts speed to maintain a constant distance between the Forester and the car in front)
Forward collision mitigation (warns if a front impact is imminent and applies the brakes if you don't respond in time)
Lane departure warning (alerts you if the vehicle begins to drift out of its lane)
Lane keeping assist (steers the Forester back into its lane if it begins to drift over the lane marker)

Premium
The Premium trim includes all of the base model's features, adding:

17-inch alloy wheels
Raised roof rails
Foglights
Keyless entry with push-button start
Panoramic sunroof
Tinted rear windows
Power-adjustable driver's seat
4G LTE Wi-Fi
All-Weather package

Heated front seats
Heated steering wheel
Windshield wiper de-icer

Multiple drive modes for improved traction in certain scenarios

Options on the Premium include:

Blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert (warns you if a vehicle is in your blind spot during a lane change or while reversing)
Power liftgate

Sport
As the name implies, this trim gets some sporty touches as well as:

18-inch alloy wheels
Black and orange interior and exterior accents
LED foglights
Standard blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert

Options include:

Harman Kardon audio system
An integrated navigation system
Power liftgate
Rear automatic braking (brakes if sensors detect an imminent collision with an object behind the vehicle)

Limited
The Limited trim ditches the Sport's black and orange theme but adds:

8-inch touchscreen display
Dual-zone automatic climate control
Leather upholstery
Power liftgate

Options for the Limited include:

Harman Kardon audio system
An integrated navigation system
Rear automatic braking
Heated steering wheel

Touring
The top-level Touring trim includes all of the Limited's optional feature and adds:

More adjustment and memory settings for the driver's seat
Power-adjustable passenger seat
Standard driver monitoring system (issues an alert if sensors determine you are becoming fatigued)
Heated rear outboard seats
Heated steering wheel

Reliability Ratings by RepairPal

3.5/5Above Average

#22 out of 29 among Compact SUVs

RepairPal Reliability Ratings are based on the actual cost, frequency, and severity of unscheduled repairs and maintenance on make/model data for select 2008-2022 vehicles. The reliability of a specific vehicle may vary depending on its maintenance and driving history, model year, trim, and features.

Cost

^{The average total annual cost for unscheduled repairs and maintenance across all model years of the Subaru Forester from 2008-2022.}

$525/yr

vs. $465/yr
for Average Compact SUV

Frequency

^{The average number of times this model is brought into the shop for unscheduled repairs and maintenance in a single year. RepairPal calculates this metric by tracking millions of unique vehicles over multiple years to determine an average number of visits per year (omitting small routine visits, e.g., oil changes).}

1.07x/yr

vs. 1x/yr
for Average Compact SUV

Severity

^{The probability that a repair will be a major issue, meaning the repair costs 3x the average annual repair cost for all models. This threshold will be higher for vehicles that have higher labor rates and parts costs (such as a premium brand).}

15%

vs. 11.5%
for Average Compact SUV

powered by RepairPal ^{Based on RepairPal reliability data as of 8/23/2023. Ratings are provided by RepairPal and Edmunds is not responsible for their accuracy.}

Consumer reviews

Read what other owners think about the Used 2021 Subaru Forester.

5 (67%)

4 (9%)

3 (9%)

2 (11%)

1 (4%)

4.2

75 reviews

Write a vehicle review See all 75 reviews

Most helpful consumer reviews

Glad we considered it!

Nick N Nora, 03/31/2021

2021 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)

Very comfortable, great head room, superb views from all windows. Substantial cargo area in hatch. Large glove compartment. Turn signals are not obnoxious, as most vehicles tend to be. Windshield and rear window wipers are large- sweep very well. Steering radius is fantastic!!!

A Great Choice

Rod Grodt, 04/26/2021

2021 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)

I researched all the small and medium-size SUVs for a replacement for our 2016 Hyundai Tucson Eco and the Forester seemed the best choice. It broke our string of five no-problem Hyundais going back to 2000. The Forester delivers in all categories. It's roomy, economical and safe. The gas mileage is between 35-38 on the highway and 33-35 combined. It's about the same as the Tucson. A lot …

New Subaru Buyer - Update 6 Months Later

Rgl, 03/24/2021

2021 Subaru Forester Limited 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)

After 30 plus years driving Toyota vehicles I am a picky hard sell to change. My dealership would not deal with me so I changed to Subaru with hopes of similar reliability. My 2021 Forester limited has more options than a RAV4 limited and for over 3k less. Standard AWD, comfortable ride and better mpg. Just did a 300 mile weekend trip and the vehicle was great! So far very happy …

Excellent Choice!

Karen B., 01/15/2021

2021 Subaru Forester Sport 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)

Love the safety features especially the front & back eyesight driving. Sure helps when backing out of busy parking lots! It also alerts you of auto & pedestrian movement on the sides of your vehicle. Great safety feature! Also for those that have difficulty driving in the dark, the headlights turn with the car so no blind spots on corners plus you can set the lights to bright & they …

See all 75 reviews of the Subaru Forester

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2021 Subaru Forester video

2021 Subaru Forester vs. 2021 Subaru Forester | Off-Road Crossover Comparison

It's the Subaru Forester vs. Subaru Forester in a battle of off-road crossovers. The Forester is the smaller sibling of the new Subaru Bronco, which was revived last year. Though not as potent as the bigger Bronco, the Forester promises strong off-road capabilities for the class since…

2021 Forester Highlights

Trim:

Base

Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee	$24,795
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	29 MPG
Cost to Drive	$130/month
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	31.1 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	all wheel drive
Warranty	3 years / 36,000 miles

See all features & specs

Safety

Our experts like the Forester models:

EyeSight Driver Assist Technology: Helps prevent accidents, with features such as lane departure warning, lane keeping assist and automatic emergency braking.
Reverse Automatic Braking: Helps reduce collisions by applying the brakes if an automobile is detected crossing the Forester's path while it's in reverse.
DriverFocus: Sounds an alert when the head-tracking system detects that the driver is distracted.

NHTSA Overall Rating

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.

Frontal Barrier Crash Rating
Overall5 / 5
Driver5 / 5
Passenger5 / 5
Side Crash Rating
Overall5 / 5
Side Barrier Rating
Overall5 / 5
Driver5 / 5
Passenger5 / 5
Combined Side Barrier & Pole Ratings
Front Seat5 / 5
Back Seat5 / 5
Rollover
Rollover4 / 5
Dynamic Test ResultNo Tip
Risk Of Rollover16.9%

IIHS Rating

The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.

Small Overlap Front Driver-Side Test
Good
Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side Test
Good
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Original
Good
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Updated
Marginal
Side Impact Test – Original
Good
Side Impact Test – Updated
Acceptable
Roof Strength Test
Good
Rear Crash Protection / Head Restraint
Good

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2021 Subaru Forester Review

2021 Subaru Forester Review

Pros

Cons

What's new

Overview

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2021 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.04 per gallon for regular unleaded in Virginia.

Edmunds Expert Rating

Performance

Comfort

Interior

Technology

Storage

Fuel Economy

Value

Wildcard

Which Forester does Edmunds recommend?

2021 Subaru Forester models

Reliability Ratings by RepairPal

Cost

Frequency

Severity

Most helpful consumer reviews

Glad we considered it!

A Great Choice

New Subaru Buyer - Update 6 Months Later

Excellent Choice!

2021 Subaru Forester video

2021 Subaru Forester vs. 2021 Subaru Forester | Off-Road Crossover Comparison

2021 Forester Highlights

Safety

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Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2021 Subaru Forester 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.04 per gallon for regular unleaded in Virginia.}