Subaru Forester Review 2024

The Subaru Forester isn’t a great all-rounder. Instead, Subaru has focused on specific areas to make it the best in its field. A rather appropriate phrase, given the Forester’s all-wheel-drive technology. Forget all-rounders, the Subaru Forester is the SUV for all weathers, all roads and all conditions. 

The Subaru Forester isn’t a car that likes to be pigeonholed. It’s not really an SUV. It’s not even an estate car, at least not in the traditional sense. It’s a bit of both, but with the kind of go-anywhere spirit you only get with a proper 4x4.

It’s also exclusive. Although Subaru is a big deal in North America, the company occupies a tiny corner of the UK car market, with sales measured in hundreds rather than thousands. Not that this means that the Forester should be ignored. On the contrary, if you’re after a reliable, dependable and robust family car, the Forester makes a great deal of sense.

It’s a lifestyle vehicle for people who do proper lifestyle things, rather than those who have all the gear and no idea. You know the kind of people we’re talking about. Subaru Forester owners are knowledgeable outdoor types who don’t mind getting their hands dirty and their feet muddy.

Which is why the Forester comes with a hard-wearing cabin that’s been built to withstand years of abuse. Slam a mountain bike on the roof, stick your hiking boots in the luggage area, and allow your dog to shake itself dry in the back. It won’t matter, because there aren’t any soft-touch plastics or premium material to ruin.

You also get a boot large enough to rival an estate car, along with a cabin that offers plenty of headroom and legroom for four adults. The middle rear seat is fine for occasional use and children. You’ll also find loads of storage pockets, bins and compartments.

Although a pair of 2.0-litre petrol and diesel engines were available at launch, the diesel was dropped towards the end of the Forester’s production run, leaving just the petrol version. This was paired with a standard-fit CVT gearbox. A performance XT version was also available, offering hot hatchback levels of performance, assuming you could live with the running costs.

Which is one of the Forester’s biggest drawbacks. Although the diesel offers respectable fuel economy, the Forester is an expensive car to buy and maintain.

On the plus side, the cars are backed by a five-year warranty, which means the latest cars are still covered by the manufacturer’s guarantee. We should also point out that the Subaru has an excellent reliability record, so the Forester is unlikely to let you down.

This leaves you free to enjoy the Forester’s excellent off-road skills. Although it won’t rival a Land Rover when the going gets really tough, the Forester is superb on gravel tracks, rutted roads and wet fields. It’s also brilliant on winter roads, thanks to Subaru’s excellent all-wheel-drive system.

Through into the mix a generous level of standard equipment and you’ve got the hallmarks of an excellent family car. It’s not the cheapest car you can buy, but it’s likely to be one of the most reliable. It will also keep going long after your neighbour’s crossover has been rendered useless by a light dusting of snow. This is an all-weather and all-season SUV.

The Forester strikes an excellent balance between ride and handling. In this respect, it feels more like an estate car than an SUV, offering safe and predictable handling. The ride is firm but not uncomfortable.

It’s not perfect. The steering is too light and devoid of feedback, so you’re not sure what the wheels are doing. There’s also a fair amount of body-roll when cornering, but it’s fine if you take it easy. In the city, the light steering and excellent visibility combine to make it easy to manoeuvre.

Off-road the Forester is very impressive. It’s all thanks to Subaru’s legendary Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive system, while X-Mode is on hand to take control of the engine and transmission. You also get hill descent control as standard on Lineartronic models.

The 110PS 2.0-litre petrol is the most popular engine in the Subaru Forester. It’s a bit lacking in torque, which is why a few buyers upgraded to the 214PS 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol in the XT version. It offers hot hatchback levels of poke, with the performance available in all weathers thanks to the all-wheel-drive system.

The 147PS 2.0-litre diesel is less popular, but it’s the engine to choose if you cover long distances. You also get the same 350Nm of torque you’ll find in the XT version.

Although a six-speed manual gearbox was available at launch, a Lineartronic CVT was standard fitment at the end. It’s a good CVT, offering the feeling of a manual gearbox and with the added benefit of Subaru’s excellent EyeSight technology.

EyeSight became standard equipment on all Forester Lineartronic models in 2017. It uses a pair of cameras to scan the road ahead, tracking other vehicles and pedestrians to identify potential hazards. There are six parts: pre-collision braking, pre-collision throttle management, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist and lead vehicle start alert.

The Forester was awarded a five-star safety rating when it was crash-tested by Euro NCAP. Standard safety features include multiple airbags, electronic stability control with trailer assist and all-wheel-drive. Lineartronic models also feature hill descent control and the X-Mode off-road system.

The 2.0-litre manual versions of the Forester offer a braked towing capacity of 1800kg, while the other models can tow up to 2000kg. Buy a late Forester 2.0-litre Lineartronic and the capacity is 1870kg. The Forester’s traction control system has been configured with towing in mind.

The boot offers an impressive 505 litres of luggage space, extending to 1557 litres with the rear seats folded down. The seats split 60/40, while the low boot lip and wide tailgate opening combine to make loading a doddle. It’s also easier for your dog to climb in.

It works best as a spacious four-seater, because although the middle rear seat is fine for occasional use, the high transmission tunnel makes it difficult to get comfortable. Elsewhere, there’s plenty of headroom and legroom, with ample storage space provided by a huge glovebox, large door pockets, four cupholders and central bin.

There are also some neat touches, including the way the seatbelts keep out of the way when you’re folding the rear seats. An electric tailgate is fitted to some versions.

Although the Forester lacks the soft-touch materials and luxury finishes of some of its key rivals, the cabin feels hard-wearing and built to withstand years of abuse. There’s a big difference between perceived quality and actual quality. Subaru has focused on the latter.

A leather-trimmed steering wheel, leather gear knob and heated front seats are standard across the range, while the XE Premium model gets leather seats, an electric tailgate and memory function for the driver’s seat.

Crucially, the cabin is free of squeaks and rattles, even when you’re testing the Forester’s off-road ability to the limit.

A seven-inch touchscreen infotainment system was added to the Forester range in 2015, so we’d recommend buying a model registered after the update. Previously, the Forester came with a 2-DIN audio system with Bluetooth, CD player and six speakers. It was functional but basic.

Even on the newer models, we’d recommend the XE Premium model for the fitment of sat-nav. Either way, the Forester’s system feels a generation or two behind modern units, with a dated look and an awkward menu system.

It’s no longer possible to buy diesel or standard petrol versions of the Subaru Forester, but the e-Boxer hybrid (which is covered in a separate review) costs between £36,335 and £39,335, depending on the trim level.

Used examples start from around £8,000. For this you’ll get an early model with anything up to 100,000 miles on the clock. That said, because the Forester tends to be used for local duties, rather than for pounding the nation’s motorways, it’s possible to buy examples with lower mileage.

You’ll need at least £14,000 for the new and improved 2016 example, but these cars will be covered by the remainder of Subaru’s five-year warranty. Alternatively, a 2019 Forester will cost between £22,000 and £27,000, before there’s a big jump to the new e-Boxer hybrid.

Petrol versions outnumber diesel engines by around four to one on the used car market, so you might need to be patient when looking for an oil-burner.

It’s possible to buy a 2013 Forester for around £200 a month on a hire purchase contract. This is based on a car costing around £7500 and after a deposit of £1000. The payments are spread over four years. Alternatively, a 2018/2019 car could cost up to £600 a month. Subaru cannot compete with the volume manufacturers when it comes to car finance.

Subaru also struggles to match the big brands for running costs. Your best option for fuel economy is the 2.0-litre diesel, which could return 49.6mpg, a claim backed up by the Honest John Real MPG test. A real-world 47.6mpg is close to the official figure provided by Subaru.

Things are less positive for the 2.0-litre petrol, with a real-world 32.4mpg falling short of the 40.9mpg official figure. Forget about getting close to the claimed 33.2mpg in the 2.0-litre XT.

Insurance shouldn't be too costly, especially if you opt for a version with the EyeSight driver assistance package. It’s fitted as standard to later XE and XE Premium models with the Lineartronic transmission and it gives the Forester an insurance group rating of 16. Other models range from group 23 to 25, although the performance XT is group 34.

Buy a Forester registered on or after 1 April 2017 and you’ll pay £150 a year in Vehicle Excise Duty (VED). For cars registered on or before 31 March 2017, the rate varies according to the CO2 emissions. Bank on paying between £150 and £305 a year.

For a niche vehicle, the Subaru Forester was available with a confusing array of trim levels. X, XE, XC were actual trims, while the XT was effectively a standalone model. X was only available on the diesel, which made the XE the entry-level Forester petrol, but X was deleted in 2016, making XC the entry-level diesel.

Confused? Don’t be, because all versions of the Forester are well-equipped, while the XE and XE Premium models are easier to understand. If you have a need for an all-weather and all-road vehicle, the Forester should be on your shortlist.