Here’s an opinion from someone who just bought a new Forester Sport after test driving most of the direct competitors as opposed to just commenting based upon specs or a review. Speed: this is not a fast car. However it has enough power to get it up to speed and pass on the highway. I’m also averaging in the low 30s for mpg. Looks: subjective. Doi. I happen to like the looks. IMO Honda is overwrought, Toyota looks like it’s trying too hard to be butch, and the Mazda looks great but a bit too precious for a vehicle that will actually be going off-road. Which brings me to Utility: I actually got to do some light off roading on my test drive and was seriously impressed w the compliance and ability. And while that suspension does make it a bit floaty on the road, it soaks up every pothole and pockmark easily. Plus the interior is cavernous. Speaking of the interior: my favorite of the bunch. Again, SUBJECTIVE. Part of this is due to the fact that only a few of these vehicles will fit a 6’9” driver comfortably. Part is due to the overall solidity, simplicity, and plushness of the materials. The Hyundai Santa Fe for instance felt like a cheaper vehicle trying to be fancy. The Mazda just doesn’t feel like something I’d want to climb into with two mud covered dogs. On top of all that, the upgraded stereo is actually an upgrade, the safety features work extremely well, and every person I know w a Subaru LOVES THEIR VEHICLE. It’s an odd one, this Forester. The engine is gruff, it’s slow, the CVT is still a CVT, and it’s neither sleek nor particularly modern looking. But it actually has PERSONALITY. Something lacking in many if not most vehicles today. A case of the sum being greater than its parts.
I love the inside, prefer the previous model after the face lift. I was planning to buy one but then the Subaru mania disappeared after researching CVT and head gasket. I have no idea how much true there is into the gossip but it scares me to put money on the table and loose time in the future. The car would be used on the mountain tarmac roads with lots of elevation change and I am afraid about the CVT taking engine breaking well. Agree with all the rest you`ve written.
Headgaskets haven't been an issue on the NA Foresters since 2010; after that they use the FB25 engine. CVT problems are a Nissan thing, Subaru CVTs are pretty good
Do you actually go off road? I've owned a crossover for 4 years (santa fe sport) and never have. I'm sure there's market research out there that over 90% of people dont take crossovers off road. I'm glad you're satisfied with your purchase, but for me the forester is ugly and slow, the interior doesn't look very nice and it looks clunky. Mazdas look a lot more premium. I'm now shopping for a 3 row and won't even test drive an ascent, waste of time. If you want a boring, reliable, budget vehicle, subarus are fine. If you want something that feels premium, I definitely don't think they stack up.
The cargo area is the dealbreaker for me with the CX-5. It is just so much smaller than the competition. That is the factor that makes me lean towards the Subaru Forester with the Honda CR-V as my second choice.
Great review! As a owner of a 2019 Honda Passport, I did quite a bit of research on Compact & Mid-Size SUVs the last year or so, when it came time to buy my daughter an SUV to drive in Colorado, we just purchased a 2019 Forester Premium, with the all weather option package!
As the new owner of a 19 Forester Premium with Option Package 15, I love this car! It's great. It feels quick off the line, and is great passing on the highways. It's much more aggressive feeling than my Outback which it replace. Sure, it's no turbo, but it definitely has a lot of zip when you push it... and that Boxer rumble!
pilot1226 we just traded our 18 kross trek in Friday we really liked that car but just wanted something better we also got the forester option package 15 love it having few extra stuff added to it which we financed in but love the car when it comes to car / SUV we will have nothing but Subaru’s haven’t really owned one long enough to be honest enough to tell u if they last or not but I can tell u I have had 3 fords that have went from 5k -35-107k in miles and had major issues that cause me to take my loses and trade them . I can tell u that Subaru’s drive great better than my z71 when u hit a hole or bump in that truck u know it u don’t in a Subaru also my last Subaru u couldn’t even get it to break traction in snow so I would say its better in snow also would I get rid of my truck for one Hell no but the Subaru is a better drive than any other vehicle I have owned and I will own a Subaru for life as long as I have a SUV
I purchased a 2019 Forester and your review is very fair and accurate. I would like to add that rear seat room deserves a place in the final pros/cons segment of the video. As the father of growing teenagers it was the excellent leg room of the Forester that set it above the competition for me.
Tim Salla I looked closely at all of the compact SUV/crossovers. My main points were 2nd row room, fuel economy, comfort, reliability and value of features per price. This is my first Subaru and it has been a very pleasant surprise at how well it meets all my priorities.
I just bought a Forester Sports 2019 just last week. I also own a SUbaru Foretser XT 2008 with 30k original miles. WIfe has a 2013 Honda CRV 4WD. I can tell you that I love the new Forester , I love all of it. The ride is incredible, leaps and bounds ahead of my 08 XT. Extremely comfortable and easy to drive. For all bashers of the CVT and the engine I can only say that I love both things. My XT08 has just 4 gears, imagine the rpm´s at 75-80mph vs this one, imagine the noise and the vibration...no no no, I take this new version over the old one in ALL aspects although there is ONE thing that the XT does better : it is more exciting to drive, more raw, more fun....but thats it. The CR-V has one mayor advantage over the Forester and thats cargo space. So, I do like the engine and CVT, sorry to dissapoint many. I am very happy with the Forester and BTW I get exactly the same fuel economy from my CR-V than the Forester, identical fuel economy in the same routes we use everyday.
We're not comparing modern cars to Model Ts. Let's compare the 2019 Forester to other 2019 cars of the same class, shall we? Just for purposes of being honest? Integrity is still a thing, isn't it?
@Gulupumo Hello, I have not done any highway as of today, but I have driven it around the city at 80-90kph. I know the numbers are not great and many say its slow, well, for me it does its job well. Maybe a bit more of acceleration would be nice, but I prefer fuel economy and other Foresters are not fuel efficiend and this new one is. A couple of things I noticed AFTER I bought the Forester and that you might want to put atention to it : the car is tall, maybe even taller than wife CRV and it drives like a tall car. The suspension is a DREAM, the best suspension I have driven in 20 years. It feels like if you are driving a Licoln town car, very very nice and soft without losing any handling characteristics. SO far suspension is what I love the most. The other thing that you should check is that the stering is VERY soft, I would like it a little bit stiffer. I am a little bit concerned about that ONLY issue when I drive in the highway. So far the Forester is giving me a big grin, I love it.
My 2016 XT is a blast to drive and quick. Sad that Subaru dropped the XT line for those who love it. I am also sad about them dropping the Manual Transmission. The ultimate would have been the XT with manual transmission. I missed that by a year or two. Dang!
I just bought a 2016 forester going from an Accord with a V6 (230HP), and I thought when test driving I would have issues with a CVT and less power I actually did not. When driving I can pass people on the highway the forester has good throttle response and when you rev it past 5K it feels good, yes it’s not mind blowing fast but it feels just fine. People need to drive one before they complain.
I am rely satisfied with my Forester SPORT. Full option with Harman Kardon, winter floor lining, trunk cover... $29740+Tax+Title. Tested on snow (Polar vortex -50F), gravel and mud. Las weekend I was hiking in Missouri. Highest elevation 1772.68'. That is a car for everyone: short people, tall people, young, old... Best interior in class. Lack of POWER? Nonsense. If you need more power buy Outback 6 cylinder.
Alex, I do enjoy your reviews. They are the most factual and researched reviews one can find. I must unfortunately comment your your AWD comment as "all AWD are made the same" Subaru is the only mainstream brand to offer full time AWD. No slip and grip as the competition and it works at ALL SPEEDS! The competition does not engage the AWD system usually at speeds greater then 80km\h. Second although the RAV4 offers an active rear diff. Keep in mind the Subaru symmetrical layout is designed to naturally send power to each wheel by design alone offerering equal length drive axels front and back making torque steer a thing of the past. Subaru does not use a viscous coupling [auto tran]centre diff, it uses a Multiplate clutch pack built right in the transmission making it much more robust under heavy use. Much more is involved in the AWD of a Subaru then any of the mainstream competition. I live in Canada I know the difference and experienced it. It's worth it!
The issue is that there's no real advantage for an AWD system to be engaged at high speeds. The CVT-based AWD system is unfortunately LESS robust than the viscous coupling system that manual transmission Subarus have. That system is heavy duty, but dumbed down because it has no sensors. It is fully mechanical. However, you can't kill it. The multi-plate clutch packs are smart, very sensor driven and can be engaged before slippage occurs, but they are more prone to failure. The other issue is that while the Subarus are all full-time AWD (both axles always get torque), they unfortunately can't shift their torque between the axles too much. The multi-plate system is defaulted to a 60/40 split front/rear, but when the sensors sense slippage, all they do is bring it to a 50/50 split. The car can't provide more than that to the front or the rear. Other cars can provide up to 100% of torque to the front or the rear, taking away torque from the axle that slip and giving it to the axle that grips. Subarus can't do that. The best system that Subaru has is the one for the WRX STi, which includes dual driveaxles, electronic and mechanical, with customization that makes it rear-biased or front. So while that AWD system that works at high speeds might be very beneficial for off-road rallies, where one drives fast, hard and off-road, during real world driving, you're either driving slowly through places that have little grip (and any AWD car will give you grip then) or you're driving fast on the highway (where the grip comes from your tires, rather than the AWD system). Of course if you want to drive snowy country roads at 100kph and avoid having understeer, then you may want to get a... Subaru. In all other situations, there's not much of an advantage to them. Plus, the mechanical torque vectoring on the Mitsubishis, Acuras and now Toyotas is MUCH better off-road than anything a Subaru can provide.
Extremely thorough review and mentioned things about the Forester and the competition that I didn’t know. Really appreciate the in-depth exploration and comparison. Keep goin 👊
Family of four adults here in the Pacific Northwest Columbia River Gorge area where we don't believe in flat ground, only in giant mountains (ala Mt. Hood, Mt. Adams, Mt Rainier, Mt St. Helens). The CVT does a good job in wringing every last bit of performance out of the 184 HP and IT'S FINE, especially if you keep it in "S" Is mode (Subaru's version of Sport) which bias the gear ratio and throttle response for power and responsiveness. 19K miles in 10 months, it's fine! It's a $25k car that comes with a great suite of safety features! Buy the base and rip the crappy base head unit out and drop in a Kenwood or Pioneer. Boom! It's perfect.
We rented a Subaru Forester at Enterprise BWI in January 2019. Very easy to drive. Computer said we got 31 mpg. Easy to park, very small & it did seem very narrow inside for front passangers. Lots of space in back for our luggage.
I almost spent ~$28k for a Forester 2.0XT a couple years ago, but got a $27k VW Alltrack S and put a $500 APR Stage 1 chip tune on it. It's wonderful. The Forester drove like a sports sedan compared to my old Ford Escape, but it drove like a land yacht compared to the Alltrack. Obviously the VW is a smaller car, but I really have used the car for job sites, empty fields, and even scrabbled it up and down sandy and rocky slopes (not to mention taking it to the snow), and it has the utility to do so much of what you need to do, while feeling near-GTI like in its driving dynamics. If you're looking at this segment but want something that's more fun to drive (and gets better mileage), stop thinking crossover and start thinking wagon!
Alex, an excellent review/comparison of the crossover/SUV's! A few points I'd like to make, based on experience with Jeeps and the 2019 Subaru Forester, if I may...I recently got the base Forester (since that, and the Touring models were the only trim levels available at the time (either at my dealer in Colorado, or any nearby dealer). Apparently, most Subaru owners opt for the Sport or Premium models. That said, you're quite correct in that the base mosel does provide many of the most important features, i.e, EyeSight, same engine, same great ride quality, as the more expensive trim levels. I would disagree on acceleration though...Even in "I" mode, to say nothing of the "S" mode, I find the acceleration (with 2 adults in the vehicle) more than adequate for both city and highway driving! In fact, as I do about 85% highway and 15% city, I average 38 MPG, getting about 500 miles to the tank, which is the best I've ever seen in all the previous SUV's I've used. Regarding Jeep, I've had the 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee (awesome ride and handling!), and the newly designed 2016(?) Jeep Cherokee. While the Cherokee looked good and had great power and ride, it actually stalled out on me 3 times (the last time on a highway doing 70mph...not fun!)! FYI, the dealer found "nothing wrong", and only did a software module update. Obviously, this eroded any confidence I had in the vehicle going forward. Thus, I can no longer recommend the Jeep brand. Thus far, this 2019 Subaru Forester is an awesome SUV, gives confidence with the AWD and EyeSight Safety System, and serves our needs.
Always enjoy your reviews. The fuel mileage must've really improved over my wife's 2016 Forrester. In her car the fuel mileage really suffers above 65 MPH in comparison to my CVT equipped '06 Ford 500. I give the Subaru a' B-' in fuel mileage.For ride. I give our Subaru a 'B' I would rank Cabin Noise at a 'B'. The huge windows hinder noise dampening . However you will appreciate the oversize windows in congested traffic. I would score Handling at 'A-'. We were almost involved in a bad wreck and the Subaru weaved right through it. I was very impressed. In accident avoidance the anti-lock brakes are superb. For do-it yourselfers you will appreciate how easy it is to change oil and rotate tires. This is a great car for the elderly and those with physical problems. The Forrester is very easy to enter and exit. Also the Forrester provides a lot of room. Hopefully, Subaru has improved it's reliability.
Styling is subjective.I think the Forester looks just fine. It has more than adequate power for the people who will buy it. No one buys a compact crossover for speed. Funny that there is so much criticism about it being slow and having a CVT blah blah blah. Don't buy it then. If more people had actually bought the XT , Subaru would have continued it.
Randy M what's confusing is the best in this class the CRV has a CVT. The Mazda has a regular auto yet it is at the bottom in terms of sales. Seems the majority don't have a problem with CVT. I would also add that Chevy and Ford have always used automatics but their reliability hasn't been stellar. I don't see a problem with the cvt.
@@Lainer1 I've got no problem with the CVT on the XT, just wish the gearbox response is more "raw" like my old Honda Jazz/Fit. The Subie's box always feels like the computer's taking its time to think about your order before doing the shift.
Totally agree with your comment about the aggressive throttle tip-in response from a stop. We have an Outback and it is one of the very few things that we dislike about the vehicle. It makes it really hard to modulate the throttle at lower speeds.
I live in the country side and I never go off road. We get tons of snow in upstate NY and that is what I will be using the forester for. I will be trading my kia soul first gen for a Subaru Forester 2019 touring. My current car gets bad gas mileage.
I test drove both the new Rav4 and this car in the last month. I’ll just put it this way, the Rav4 is off my list and while I’m not a full go on this car, its still in the running.
I completely agree on the Rav4 - SO loud & the trim on both interior and exterior is cheesy plastic! I can't go with the Subaru, either. Too frumpy & not sporty enough! CX5 or Tiguan is in the running for us 🤷♀️
Jill Dawes While it’s a slight step up in size and price, I’m intrigued by the new Honda Passport that’s coming out soon. The one downside is it’s poor fuel economy. We will see..
@@shiniyuxue4728 I have the heated steering wheel on my Horizon Blue Pearl Forester Limited with light gray two tone leather interior . Not a lot of differences between the Limited and Touring, except one notable, the color of the outside rear view mirrors with the gray top on the Touring. I do not care for the brown and gray interior option of the Touring, too dark inside.
I own a 2018 Forester, I'm so glad I purchased a Forester. The Forester fills my needs perfect, I live on a dirt road off of a dirt road and we are several miles from a paved road and the AWD handles the Clay/Sand mix roads well. The roads can get slippery after rainfall then ruts up and washed out, the Forester kicks butt in these conditions. Talk about A/C? This thing will freeze you out on full Power A/C with recycled cabin air which is great for Florida. I am disabled and enjoy the direct access seat level in the Forester, I do not have to sit down or up to get in, just slide in.
Vinny Ambrose. Thanks for mentioning the powerful A/C on the Forester. I also live in Florida and a good A/C is an important feature. We bought our 2017 Camry XSE partly because it had excellent cold and powerful A/C compared to other mid-size cars we looked at.
Excellent video (like always) I own a 2018 Forester Limited in Quebec, Canada (Touring in the U.S.A.). It is the best car I have ever owned. All your points are exact! Keep up the good quality journalism!
Not surprised he picks the Mazda as the best. They really nailed it with this turbo motor. Their customers asked for it in this car and they listened. It's also great with the N/A 2.5 motor. Just a little less smooth and quick to get up to full speed. Interior and exterior are top notch. Not good cargo room if you need it though.
I was leasing a Ford Escape. The lease expired and I turned the car in. I was looking at a Subaru Forester, Rav 4 or CHR. So thanks for the video and comparisons. Im going with the Subaru Forester. Subaru was my very first car ❤️. Go job by the way.
Great review but you got some things very wrong. The Rav4 may have a really good AWD system on theory but it is nowhere near the capabilities of the Symetrical AWD. Tested both and the Forester felt right at home in the dirt. Nothing in this class has a better AWD System than the Subaru.
Umbra says yeah that was weird, considering everything he said about the new RAV4 all wheel drive system is only in theory, since it’s a new model while the Forester system is proven over the years. I actually test drove the CRV, RAV4, CX-5 and the Forester and ultimately landed on the Forester due to the overall value (upholstery material, cargo space, massive moonroof, safety systems etc) and comfort of the drive. I test drove the new RAV4 and I honestly was not impressed. While the 10 speed automatic was nice and smooth while shifting, it was incredibly and obnoxiously loud, especially when merging on the highway. It also is much smaller overall interior space than the Forester. And a lot of the materials inside are cheap. The RAV4 is by no means a bad car and will probably last a long time, BUT if you plan on buying it make sure to test drive it to see if the engine noise will bother you on a day to day basis. Just my two cents.
@@okifeelthat The Forester will spin the 4 wheels no matter what. Thats why it shines among many others. I mean even the base impreza can do a diagonal test. Which other car brand makes a sedan doing diagonal tests.
I have a 2021 Forester, Touring model and I love it. I’m ok with the acceleration. I test drove the Outback with the turbo engine and I found it to be a little too jerky for my taste.
The engine power is disappointing. We enjoy our Forester but once we add the kids and luggage, the car seems very underpowered and at times almost dangerous when merging or trying to pass.
Totally agree. That'll cost ya credibility-- especially when you're not showing their off-road abilities. See "Car Questions'" diagnoal test & compare the two. Subaru were the pioneers and are among the best awd systems. Acura and Audi. And Subaru. C'mon, Alex...my dude
Actually no, not in the case of 2020, the RAV4. Has an actual off-road adventure grade that beats the sub in most areas. Tow capacity doubled, engine cooling better, comes with off-road tires, protective underbody, higher ground clearance, automatic trail mode with under the car 360 cameras, lastly higher horsepower and torque????? Yao
@@EpicLemonMusic not higher ground clearance and about the same torque. Forester had 8.7 on all models and the rav adventure is 8.6. It’s also 5 grand more.
Alex isn't as thorough as say Ryan D. over at DrivingSport TV which has actual hands-on tests rather than theories or opinions based on a statistics sheet. I heard Alex reference the guys at TFL who I find are a bunch of clowns and don't really know what they're doing in terms of objective testing.
If you want automatic emergency braking, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control with stop and go, blind spot warning, and rear cross traffic alert, you can get all that for 28k or less with the CR-V, CX-5, Santa Fe, and RAV4. You'll get that on the Rogue too once the dealer incentives are factored in. If you want that on the Forester it'll be over 30k. No deal for me.
Wrong. I did tons of research and lots of test driving. Even if I give you that, I could argue you'll get similar discounts for the other SUV's and the difference will be at least 2k. The Forester Premium with the Options Package starts off with a very high MSRP, and it's the lowest priced Forester with BSD and RCTA. I suppose if you must have a sunroof, power liftgate, and AWD then it's competitive, but if you don't need those you'll save a lot of money with the competition. I even mentioned this to the Mazda/Subaru dealer, and he agreed with me. There was no way he could sell me a loaded Forester Premium with the same safety features as the CX-5 Touring and even get near the price.
I'm car shopping and you compared the cars im looking at now: Mazda CX 5, Honda CRV and Subaru Forrester. You're right, it really comes down to what your top priority is whether it is fuel economy, cornering, off reading, looks or reliability. Im having a tough time deciding but this helps.
How is 72 decibels deserving of an A? The CRV and CX-5 got 70 decibels which is considerably less on a logarithmic decibel scale. The Camry received a C for having 73 decibels
I 100% agree, if someone is shopping upto 29k USD, Forester is hands down the vehicle to get. Be it a Corolla on your mind, a Kia Soul or an HR-V (I am talking about their top trims), Subaru Forester pretty much beats all of them by default. But yes, once you start crossing the 30k mark, it does become a bit tricky to go for the Forester as blindly. But that Eye sight and driver's monitoring system still pretty much puts it at the top its line even at a higher price.
@@junlin250 I love my Subaru Forester - the Honda CRV would be my close second choice - but i could see someone choosing the CRV over the Forester if one happened to get a better deal on the CRV and it came down to paying a few thousand dollars less - but even then I would be willing to spend a little more money and still go with a Forester - to each his own - of course it also matters if one has to choose between a car dealership that gives excellent customer service versus one that is not so highly rated
@@VallaMusic Thank you! I really appreciate your reply. I live in upstate NY where has a lot of snow here, a lot of friends recommend Forester to me too, so I think it will be my first choice. :)
Great review, Alex. I have a 2002 Forester with 210,000 miles that has been AWESOME. It still would be if someone had not decided to hit me. The insurance company is totalling the car. I am considering the Honda CR-V and the new Forester. This video was helpful.
We bought a 2019 Sport in Nov..We live up north so actually use the awd system. The stuff that comes on our car for $30k that doesn’t come on my $55k F150 is crazy. Led head lights, auto climate and adaptive cruise control. We test drive an 18 and the 19 is way more comfortable and drives a lot better and is a lot quieter inside.
Love your videos Alex, however I too have taken the Forester out for a test drive and just wanted to mention something that you hadn't noticed about the moon roof. It is both automatic and manual. If it is open, you can push the open button again and other glass will actually scoot back a bit to grab the cover, thus allowing you to close the glass and cover while not craning back to grab the cover while driving.
Passing in a Subaru is easy, just predict the pass 3 seconds early, floor it, wait 3 seconds for the engine and vehicle to start to accelerate, commence the passing maneuver. Also, don't like the CVT's, they are too weak for towing or off-road.
Just picked up one of these for 2021 model. Ended up going with the Touring for all the bells and whistle. There was more room and interior space than the 2018 Audi Q5 I was leasing. So I guess I am "downgrading" from brand but get more of a practical space.
I get combined 30-31 mpg... If ya don't drive like a maniac this gets awesome mpg over what it says here... Highway I get on average 33-35, city I can get 29 easy... And I have the 2020 Sport
I love Subaru's, if you're looking for a rocket get the WRXor STI, this Forester Sport is awesome. Yes one part of me would love for it to have a turbo. The other part just likes it for what it is. Safe, Simple and reliable. Not to mention resale value is great if needing to sell later. My wife and I test drove one and the ride quality is fantastic. Room enugh to put our Corso's in?Don't know yet. Have some measuring to do. My wife is driving a JKU Sahara, will the Forester go where it can? Absolutely not, but can it do what we need it to, I think so. For the price point , I feel there is a ton of value.
I had a 16 Forester. It had no power when loaded up at highway speeds to the point of being dangerous. The HVAC system would not hold a proper interior temperature. The CVT was very annoying to drive. I got rid of it after the AC compressor seal failed spontaneously. There were several other quality issues too. What used to be a solid, well built vehicle is now one of the cheapest in the segment, and the drivetrain is just atrocious. It's sad, because it really does have good stability off road, the interior is pretty good, and as someone else said, it does have personality. But those cannot carry a vehicle. It needs better quality control, a snappier motor and a modern automatic transmission to truly be good. I went to an Equinox LT 2.0 turbo with AWD, and it's far and away a better vehicle.
This Question go to Alex on Auto, Can a Forester drive across One foot Deep water When there is a Flash Floods situation without any modification at all ?? Please I need to know and thank you....
Of course when I want to get a Forester the XT model is gone. If the 2.5i engine was just a bit faster, around 8 seconds, I would consider it. Looks like my money is going to go toward a CX5 or CRV.
@@omgitsme435 "The company says engines in 2019 CR-Vs will be repaired before they go on the market." - Consumer Reports. Also even the non-turbo CX5 and CRV is around 8 seconds (I think 8.6 seconds). Forester should be shooting for this speed as well, 9.9 seconds is bottom of class even compared to non turbo models.
I agree. I test drove a lot of SUV's and the CX5 and CRV are the best of the bunch. You can't go wrong with either one. If you want all the safety features, the Forester costs too much.
@@omgitsme435 I think the CR-V oil dilution problem has gotten blown out of proportion. Why isn't it happening on Civics with the same engine? The CR-V is a big seller, which makes it a big target. Every car has problems. This just happens to be one that's gone viral because it's such a popular car. I have a recent 2018 CR-V, and I'm not worried because my particular car warms up fast. I saw a video from an owner who was rightly concerned and showed that his CR-V was still running cold after 20 minutes. Maybe he did get a lemon, but every car model has lemons. As for the Mazda CX-5, that was my 2nd choice even without the turbo. The base CX-5 engine still beats the Forester from 0-60 anyway.
Hey Alex, when's your Honda Passport review coming out? I know it's bigger than the Forester but with the XT gone, I think I would take that over even the remaining XTs for sale today. 280HP no CVT and true torque vectoring AWD makes it a compelling package.
Alex, one correction regarding your comparison section: You stated that RAV-4 has the only mechanical torque vectoring system in the segment, but I believe Mitsubishi's S-AWC (Super All Wheel Control, found in the Outlander and Eclipse Cross) is a proper torque vectoring system, lifted from the EVO cars. Everyone else: No need to tell us what you think of Mitsubishi, I was merely pointing out a fact.
I really think people need to stop whining about no turbo. It would still have one if everyone who complained had bought one, because it'd be way more than 5% of all Forester sales
Subaru was the #1 car maker last year according to Consumer Reports, dropped to #4 this year due to an issue with their WRX but still ahead of Honda. Toyota owns part of Subaru btw. I have to disagree about interior on the Honda CRV. I owned a 2017 (same gen as the 2020) and felt the interior was eh. Subaru Premium compared to my CRV EX uses slightly better materials aside from the oddly placed silver pieces on the dash. You get faux leather on all four doors, and an exceptional seating w cloth and leather like trim on the edges. Recently drove through Sequoia Nat Park/ Kings Canyon in California where the dirt road construction was a pure thrill driving through and that’s where the Subaru shines.
Test drove one of these and it is too slow, no idea why the turbo was dropped. Had trouble merging on short ramps and trying to accelerate/pass. $34K is nuts for the top trim with that engine.
agreed, I got an equinox LT 2.0 turbo with the 9 speed auto for 28k and it feels like a bullet compared to my old 16 forester. Gets the same gas mileage too.
Dropped because it was less than 5% of total sales and at that point it costs too much to offer the option. People loved to talk about how great the XT was but they didn't actually buy it.
@@protovack the 2.0 needs premium fuel, and the fuel economy is actually much less in city driving. Plus that low quality Chevy interior is horrific. Explains why it was sold for just $28k. Even the GMC's interior is miles above.
@@afcgeo882 you get better fuel economy with premium fuel so it balances out and you get more power. My interior is just fine. I'm tired of debating people on GM interiors but suffice it to say, its functional and works well, very cleanable and I've got a toddler. I don't feel the need to drive around in a hyper clean, luxury apartment on wheels. If you do, then by all means, spend way more and get a BMW or Audi that uses basically the same materials and costs twice as much which is profit in their pocket.
I hate to be "that guy", but this thing needs an option for more power. No, not a twin turbo V8 or even an STI option (though that would be awesome!), but i don't see why the turbo charged motor from the Ascent couldn't be dropped into this, and provide a nice option for people who actually plan to go up hills, and pass cars at speed on the highway. #RIPXT
@@alliejr I agree with you, but in regards to the xt, from what I read, though it was fast, the CVT didn't do it any favors, and the gas mileage was pretty bad.
@@gladdy02 Exactly... and why I doubt it will be missed. This Forester is grandma's car and they nailed it. You want a pretend truck, get a RAV4. You want a sports car, get a Mazda CX-5. Grandma wants neither of those things.
I agree. It will be interesting to see if Subie adds an engine option in the next few years for the Forrester. My wife drives a 6 cyl 2011 Outback. It flies.
Bought a 2019 last October, and it turned out to be a mistake. I tested the 2018, thinking the 19 would have more power, as advertised, and more advanced technology. Turns out I was wrong on both counts. Although it lists 12 more hp, it feels as underpowered as the 18, and the technology has actually regressed. For example, the new models will not display personal jpeg files like the 18's. Also, the eyesight tech is flawed. I fairly often find it's not working and the dealer tells me there are a number of things that can cause this. He says it's "normal". That was not the case with my 2017 Mazda which uses radar, unlike the Subaru. This is my first time driving a CVT, so I can't say if it's a problem, or if the common power lag is caused by something else. Overall, its lack of power, less advanced technology and lower quality interior have caused me to regret buying the Forester.
I own a 2015 Forester. There is a problem with the EYE-SIGHT monitoring system : In direct sunlight the system becomes disabled! I was thinking about a solution to that problem and I thought that Subaru might make the upper section of the windshield that's directly in front of the 2 cameras a "Transition Lens"-like glass, similar to what is found on prescription eyeglasses.
Subaru is way ahead of everyone with their eyesight system. It is get into a minor fender bender. This radar is the bumper are toast. You won't have that issue with the Subaru's.
