2022 Subaru Forester Review

Name: 2022 Subaru Forester Review
Brand: Subaru

Price Range: $19,198 - $33,998

Subaru Forester Limited 4dr SUV Exterior Shown

2022 Subaru Forester Touring 4dr SUV Exterior Shown

2022 Subaru Forester Wilderness 4dr SUV Exterior

2022 Subaru Forester Wilderness 4dr SUV Exterior Shown

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Aside from lackluster acceleration, there's a lot to like about the 2022 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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2022 Subaru Forester Review

byRyan ZumMallen^{Contributor
Ryan ZumMallen has worked in the automotive industry since 2012. He has written thousands of car-related articles and tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career. Ryan has also contributed to Road & Track, Autoweek, Trucks.com and more. In 2019, Ryan published his first book, Slow Car Fast, on the millennial generation and its unique take on modern car culture.}

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

New Wilderness trim level
Restyled bumper, grille and headlights
Upgraded roof rails can support more weight
Part of the fifth Forester generation introduced for 2019

Overview

The Subaru Forester is your outdoorsy choice for a small SUV. It can go places most rivals can't thanks to its higher-than-average ground clearance and standard all-wheel drive. It's also packed with standard safety features and offers a generous amount of cargo space. Now, for 2022, Subaru is enhancing the Forester's strengths even further with the new Wilderness trim.

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2022 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 $2.88 per gallon for regular unleaded in Virginia.}

Monthly estimates based on costs in Virginia

$123/mo

$170/mo

Avg. Midsize SUV

Calculate my fuel costs

Similar to the Outback Wilderness that Subaru introduced last year, the Subaru Forester Wilderness has a slight suspension lift, giving it a total clearance of 9.2 inches. That's almost as much as a Toyota Tacoma's clearance and helps give the Forester's vital mechanical components underneath a little more breathing room when driving on off-road trails or through heavy snow. You also get chunky all-terrain tires and a few styling enhancements that set the Wilderness apart from other Foresters.

Overall, we give the Forester high marks but it does have a couple of weaknesses that might make a Honda CR-V, Mazda CX-5 or Nissan Rogue a better choice for you. Check out our Expert Rating below to get our test team's full review of the Forester's performance, utility and more.

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

7.9

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 does shine on dirt roads or easy to moderate off-road trails. It has 8.7 inches of ground clearance plus an available X-Mode drive setting that tailors the Forester's powertrain and traction control to driving on dirt. The Wilderness model is especially suited for getting out into nature thanks to its slightly higher ground clearance, upgraded suspension and all-terrain tires. In general, the Forester offers more off-road prowess than 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 the smartphone integration through both 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 than 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.

Towing isn't the Forester's strong suit with a maximum capacity of just 1,500 pounds, though the Wilderness improves things with its rating of 3,000 pounds.

Fuel Economy

7/10

How’s the fuel economy? The EPA rates the Forester at 29 mpg combined, 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

8/10

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?

The midlevel Forester Premium is the trim to get for the best value. For not much more than the base model, the Premium gets you some desirable extras such as keyless entry, a panoramic sunroof and rear privacy glass. It's also available with more options.

Compare 2022 Subaru Forester trim levels

Helpful trims summary and side-by-side comparison chart

2022 Subaru Forester models

The Subaru Forester is available in six trim levels: base, Premium, Sport, Wilderness, 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 automatic transmission (CVT)
17-inch steel wheels
LED headlights
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
Includes all of the base model's features and adds:

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

Heated front seats
Heated steering wheel
Windshield wiper de-icer

Multiple drive modes for improved traction in certain scenarios

Sport
It has the features of the Premium plus:

18-inch black-painted wheels
Black and orange interior and exterior accents
LED foglights
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)
Evasive steering assist (enhances the forward collision mitigation system with steering-based collision avoidance)

Wilderness
This new trim is the most outdoorsy Forester by way of:

LED foglights
Exclusive 17-inch wheels with all-terrain tires (includes full-size spare)
Higher ground clearance
Front skid plate
Anti-glare, matte-black hood decal
Water-resistant seating surfaces
Roof rack
Enhanced maximum towing capacity (3,000 pounds vs. 1,500 pounds on the other trims)

Limited
A more luxurious Forester thanks to:

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

Touring
The Touring tops the lineup with:

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)
Harman Kardon audio system
Integrated navigation system
Heated rear outboard seats
Heated steering wheel

Note that some of the features found on the upper trims are available as options on the lower trims.

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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.}

Subaru Forester Reviews

Owner Reviews

4.6

42 reviews

5(76%)

4(14%)

3(7%)

2(3%)

1(0%)

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Most Helpful Owner Reviews

Forester vs CR-V. Subaru Wins!

Alan Schwartz, 07/10/2022

2022 Subaru Forester Limited 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)

We are normally a Honda family (2 V6 Accords) but this time we went for a small SUV and chose the Forester Limited. I added the ONLY package available with upgraded Harmon Kardon audio, upgraded Starlink and RAB (Reverse Automatic Braking) which keeps you from a collision with an object or car when reversing by automatically STOPPING the vehicle. I compared, carefully, the CR-V and the …

My Perfect SUV

Weekend Warrior, 08/01/2022

2022 Subaru Forester Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)

The Forester Premium is my perfect SUV. Who I am: 6'2" with an unusually tall torso and short limbs. Without height adjustment, I cannot fit in almost any car with a moonroof. Even "luxury" cars tend to be a hard fit. I do a good amount of hiking on the weekends, and I work from home, so my dream SUV can do some off-roading but has to double as a daily driver. My last car was a 2011 … Honda Civic. I needed something with more hauling ability and modern safety features. My family had a 2020 Forester, so I already knew I loved this vehicle. The 2022 is better all around. Pros of the Forester: I have ample headroom, with the moonroof, even in the passenger seat without height adjust. If I really stretch my posture I can just touch my head on the liner. Normal people who are 6'6-6'8 probably fit in the Forester. Seating position is tall, and visibility is great. My girlfriend transferred from a subcompact Honda Fit and felt instantly comfortable. Don't forget the backup camera, blind spot warning lights on the rearview mirrors, and so on. The Forester Premium makes you feel safe in so many ways. (Premium adds rear cross-traffic alert, a must in my opinion.) Telescoping steering wheel and lumbar support are good for my abnormally short limbs. This car can suit anyone, and the Premium's now-standard driver's seat memory is great. Great MPG. Rated at 26 city, 33 highway, 29 combined. My 2011 Honda Civic was rated at 26/34, for comparison. In practice the Forester's numbers tend to be on the low side, especially because you'll naturally want to enjoy the auto A/C. But the Forester also has a big tank. With a 16.6gal tank and an engine rated at 29mpg, you could cruise close to 500 miles on a tank if you tried. Zombie survival territory. 2022 facelift is all good. Eyesight cameras are now integrated into the windshield. Formerly they sat a few inches behind the windshield so they could get dirty and you'd have no idea. The front end looks better. The suspension has a better tune. The 2020-2021 model was slightly tuned for off-road, and actually did not handle city speed bumps. The 2022 glides over bumps like a luxury car. Good power. Sure, the towing is weak at 1500lbs but most Forester fans are hauling bikes and kayaks, not horse trailers. The Wilderness is rated at 3000lbs which usually means an aftermarket transmission cooler is all you'd need to upgrade - but talk to a mechanic. The Forester's CVT is so smooth, it can cruise up an off-ramp and hit the speed limit like nothing. I guarantee most of the complaints are because CVT gearboxes don't "kick" you like a manual shifter would. Hit the Sport button (SI-drive) if you want the engine louder. Forester's adaptive cruise is second only to self-driving cars. Once the Subaru detects a vehicle ahead, it will maintain distance and slow down if the car ahead slows. But it can also do start-stop traffic automatically. And when you change lanes, it automatically resumes your set speed. On a long trip, the adaptive cruise is a life-saver. The Forester even has Auto Vehicle Hold. Basically if you're stopped at a train hit AVH and it'll hold the brake so you don't have to shift into Park (which is technically illegal in most states!). If you're at a stoplight on a hill it'll also do the brakes for you (AVH will automatically release the brakes when you apply gas). 2022 Forester improves touch points over the 2021, less plastic more rubberized or fabric surfaces. Compared to the 2016 era when the steering wheels were cheap plastic, the 2022 feels like a luxury vehicle. In independent tests, the Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive regularly outperforms rival AWD platforms. Whether it's rain, snow, or getting to a camping spot down a rough trail, the Forester is best-in-class. You can look up videos online where the Forester even beats some "real" 4WD platforms on difficult off-road tasks. This isn't a military jeep or anything, but it is surprisingly rugged for such a refined SUV. Cons of the Forester: Head unit is awful to set up. The #1 complaint on any Subaru forum is that when you unplug your phone from Android Auto or Apple Play, the radio automatically starts playing. Why!? Make a habit of turning the volume to 0 before you unplug your phone, and the radio will start up silent. If you use Sirius (why?) you can tune it to channel 0 which is intentionally silent. Once you figure out the quirks, it's fine for daily use. But the moment you need to change something on the head unit, good luck. It's like a 1990s DVD player menu. Electronics are a bit dumb, in all aspects. The rear hatch has a LOT of quirks about security where it won't open when you expect it to. I get that it's a security issue, but there needs to be an override. Sometimes you'll realize even though you've been vacuuming your car for an hour and the driver's door is open, the doors are locked, so the hatch refuses to open. Or something. It's not always clear what the programmer was thinking. With some troubleshooting, you'll eventually get it, but there will be annoyances. Rear headroom just "normal" compared to the front. As said I have an abnormally tall torso so it's a tight fit for me in back. A normal 6'2" person might fit okay. Taller people are going to be cramped. But for a family with two adults in front and kids or dogs in back, it'll be great. Overall: Once you learn the Forester's quirks, it's an easy SUV to love. Plenty of interior room, for the driver and for cargo. Great visibility, high driver position, and modern safety features. Engine is plenty for a daily driver or light off-roading. Great gas mileage and a big tank mean zombie survival range if you're gentle on the pedal. There's nothing exciting about the Forester, just like there's nothing exciting about a hammer. It's not the tool, it's what you do with it. The Forester is my daily driver, and the Forester is also there when I'm facing a poorly maintained trail on my way to a campsite. I love it.

2022 Forester Wilderness

Jim B., 02/22/2022

2022 Subaru Forester Wilderness 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)

Love the car. Everything I hoped for, large doors, easy in an out. I'm 6'3" and have lots of headroom in both front and rear seating, go figure! It sits high with lots of glass all the way around. Just a great car, no buyers remorse from me.

1st Subaru and we love it

Rick DeWolfe , 02/23/2022

2022 Subaru Forester Touring 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl CVT)

We ordered a new Forester due to lack of this vehicles on dealer lots and while we drove used Foresters after spending some time in ours it surpassed our expectations. The room it has coupled with visibility from the drivers seat is fantastic. Then the ride is very smooth and it handles great as well. Our Touring has the 2 tone brown / black leather interior with white exterior and …

See all 42 reviews of the Subaru Forester

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2022 Subaru Forester video

Top 10 Best Compact SUVs | Ranking the Best Small SUVs of 2021

At Edmunds, we are big fans of the compact SUV. With enough room and comfort for passengers and good fuel economy, compact SUVs are a great choice for shoppers looking for an SUV that can do just about anything. In this video, Ryan ZumMallen from Edmunds presents our ranking of the Top 10 Best Compact SUVs and what makes each one different. From the popular Toyota RAV4 to…

2022 Forester Highlights

Trim:

Base

Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee	$25,895
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	29 MPG
Cost to Drive	$123/month
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	28.9 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 a vehicle is detected crossing the Forester's path while it's in reverse.
DriverFocus: Sounds an alert when the head-tracking system detects that you are 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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2022 Subaru Forester Review

Price & Payment

For sale nearby

2022 Subaru ForesterPremium 4dr SUV

AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary

2022 Subaru ForesterSport 4dr SUV

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2022 Subaru ForesterWilderness 4dr SUV

AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary

2022 Subaru Forester Review

Pros

Cons

What's new

Overview

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2022 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 $2.88 per gallon for regular unleaded in Virginia.

Edmunds Expert Rating

Performance

Comfort

Interior

Technology

Storage

Fuel Economy

Value

Wildcard

Which Forester does Edmunds recommend?

2022 Subaru Forester models

Reliability Ratings by RepairPal

Cost

Frequency

Severity

Subaru Forester Reviews

Owner Reviews

Most Helpful Owner Reviews

Forester vs CR-V. Subaru Wins!

My Perfect SUV

2022 Forester Wilderness

1st Subaru and we love it

2022 Subaru Forester video

Top 10 Best Compact SUVs | Ranking the Best Small SUVs of 2021

2022 Forester Highlights

Safety

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Wilderness 4dr SUV

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2022 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 $2.88 per gallon for regular unleaded in Virginia.}