2024 Subaru Forester

Name: 2024 Subaru Forester Review
Brand: Subaru
Price: 27095 USD

Price Range: $27,095 - $37,395 ^{Price range reflects Base MSRP for various trim levels, not including options or fees.}

Pricing

Select year

Oops, we can’t seem to locate you.

Enter a U.S. ZIP code to see pricing.

See All for Sale

No Forester vehicles for sale in our network near

2024 Subaru Forester Review

byJosh Jacquot^{Correspondent
Josh Jacquot is an automotive journalist at Edmunds.}

Pros

Above-average off-road capability
Comes standard with many driver assist features
Roomy cargo area

Cons

Engine is underpowered

What's new

No major changes for 2024
Part of the fifth Forested generation introduced for 2019

Overview

Economical, spacious and capable, the Subaru Forester checks all the boxes for a desirable compact crossover. Its base price is below $30,000 and highway fuel economy above 30 mpg. Those tall windows and high roof translate into lots of room in both rows of seating and a spacious cargo hold, and standard all-wheel drive along with more ground clearance than most vehicles in its class make the Forester popular in the snowbelt, where it can plow through deeper drifts without dragging its belly. The Forester also includes generous advanced driver aids as standard equipment, with more available as stand-alone options or bundled into higher trim levels.

Alternatively, you might check out other top picks for a small SUV, including the practical Honda CR-V, the stylish Hyundai Tucson or the upscale Mazda CX-50. Subaru's Crosstrek and Outback SUVs are also solid choices if you want to stick within the Subaru family.

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

Aside from lackluster acceleration, there's a lot to like 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.

Rated for you by America's best test team.

Performance

7.0/10

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

8.0/10

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.

Continue reading Edmunds Expert Rating below

Find savings on the Forester for sale near you

Oops, we can’t seem to locate you.

Enter a U.S. ZIP code to see pricing.

ZIP Code

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 takes voice commands well. If Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are more your flavor, Subaru has you covered by making both smartphone integration systems standard. 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. While the Wilderness trim level can handle up to 3,000 pounds, the rest are limited to just 1,500 pounds.

Fuel Economy

7.0/10

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

8.0/10

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?

We suggest going with the Premium trim. It's the second most affordable trim yet offers an appealing mix of features: a panoramic sunroof, keyless entry and starting, heated front seats, and a power-adjustable driver's seat. The Premium also includes a lot of standard safety gear, with more available at a reasonable price.

Subaru Forester models

The 2024 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
Four-speaker audio system
Satellite radio
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 assistance (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 specific conditions
Six-speaker audio system

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 warning with rear cross-traffic warning (alerts you if a vehicle is in your blind spot during a lane change or while reversing)
Evasive steering assistance (enhances the forward collision mitigation system with steering-based collision avoidance)

Wilderness
This 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
8-inch touchscreen display
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
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)
Nine-speaker Harman Kardon premium 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.

Learn More Here