2019 Subaru Forester Review - Doubling Down On Safety and Value 

Leased a 2019 Forester about 3 months ago. My wife wasn't real interested in it and seemed to be just humoring me in its' selection. Fast forward to now - she LOVES it and I never get to drive it. She's asking "What else does Subaru make?". It has all of the amenities you'd ever want, gets great gas mileage, more than enough acceleration and is super easy to maneuver. On top of that it easily swallowed a baby car seat base. We are hooked for life!

We've had our Forester Sport for 2 weeks now and we've absolutely been impressed. The interior quality is luxurious but at the same time comfortable enough to throw at it whatever the weather wants to bring. For us the power has been more than adequate and for us we wanted a capable comfortable drive whether we're going to work each day or piling it full of gear for holiday parties/cookouts etc. Do your research , know what a vehicle is supposed to be and what its not, and you'll come away impressed with this one!

You are the best reviewer out there. When my children buy a new car they look to your reviews, so they know what they are getting. Keep up the good work.

We just purchased a Limited model, and Wow we love it. Drives outstanding , great pickup speed . Very smooth ride. Safety features are awesome.

Wow... He is a smoothe salesman.. he is one of the best iv seen on youtube. Thanks for showing how its done!

I will never understand people down voting objective and high quality videos like this! Thanks for the great and highly detailed review analyzing all practical aspects of the model, subbed immediately!

Excellent video. I think he just sold me a forester.

He's right about fuel economy. My 2020 Forester Limited gets between 26 and 27 mpg city. Other likes: spacious feel inside, expansive moon roof, wide cargo space, head up display, 8.5 inch touch screen. Minor dislikes: radio turns on every time car starts, auto on/off turns on every time car starts (at least there's a dedicated button to disable), collision alert system has gotten a bit confused a few times and beeped for two seconds but it has never slammed on the brakes or anything horrific like that.

Great review as usual Alex. This Forester is on the top of my new car shopping list.

Wow, I'm shocked! I was not going to consider a Forester as my old Subaru is TERRIBLE for fuel economy. 33mpg is fantastic!

One thing that is always missing from Alex's review: the driver assist system, in this case, Subaru's excellent EyeSight

Just purchased Mt Forster and absolutely love this vehicle. It is so comfortable, smooth, quiet.

Yesterday I borrowed my moms 2018 XT and drove it to the local Subaru dealer to test drive a Forester Sport, I figured I could have a good look at the chassis differences and weather or not a new NA power plant could have “enough” power. I was pleasantly surprised, I thought the FB25 in the new forester had plenty of power, I drove around town and did some highway driving to further compare it to the 2018 XT. What I found is the forester sport has enough power to pass at 80 mph, gets significantly better mileage and doesn’t slurp the pricey premium gas. The latter of which is very important to me, I can fill up my ‘94 f350 power stroke (2wd) for about as much as a tank of premium for the Forster xt and go almost the same distance as the XT. So as a money saver the XT is definitely out (the dealer I visited has 2 ‘18 XT’s just sitting on the lot, said they didn’t sell many of them). Is the XT more fun to drive? definitely yes, that thing has some serious go. But compared to my old ford or mid 2000’s Malibu the forester sports acceleration would be a vast improvement for me. As far as cornering goes I threw the XT, Sport, and New Crosstrek into the same left handed 90 degree turn at about 40 mph, the XT more body roll, sport flatter corner when pushed to tires squealing. The crosstrek was better than both it didn’t even squeal the tires at that speed but obviously it is shorter and lighter than either of the foresters. For me with $$$ saving in mind I would actually purchase the Forester Sport, if I want a fun manual car I can have both because a first gen Miatas are dirt cheap and absolutely a blast to mess around in. Just my two cents

Excellent and comprehensive review, Alex! I originally preferred the 2019 Forester "Premium" model, because of the lumbar seat adjustment, but as my dealer only had base and Touring models available, I went with the base model, without lumbar adjustment, and thus far am quite pleased with comfort and performance! I know that some folks criticized the CVT engine, but in reality, I find it perfectly fine for typical city and highway driving, with more than adequate acceleration and power for light off-roading as well. Thanks again for your superb review!

Alex, really knows his off-roading vehicles. Your videos are the best!

I test drove one of these in the rain and it had plenty of punch and traction. Did not feel slow at all, even with 3 people in car. Really good ride quality as well. Both of us were thoroughly impressed. I’d love to have one of these as a “do everything” car..... even though I have a 2017 F150 4x4 Fx4 , it’s too big to get in and out of some of the campsites and trails I’d like to go to without scratching the cab and sides...... I found that out the hard way LOL

Owner of 2018 Forester. You can have a big fast engine and bad fuel economy or right sized and decent mileage but you cannot have both. If you want a Lambo, buy one, if you need to drive in snow and, get home in one piece-here is a fantastic option. Now,,please stop testing the model that the least number of us will buy.

Always enjoy your comparison graphics! Excellent work Alex!

23:04 - Thank you Alex! This is very important yet so few people mention it

Alex does far and away the best reviews and an excellent gift of ability to speak without breathing :) Just kidding Alex, really like your videos.

Always good to mention height when discussing headroom and legroom Nice review

It’s now 2023 and I’m still Loving my 19 Forester Touring! In 25 the Forester will be totally redesigned and offer a Hybrid offered from the Toyota RAV4.

When the 2019 RAV4 comes out can you please do a side by side comparison with the Forrester. It would be great to also include a view of average support and maintenance costs along with a real world comparison of the safety features.

On the 5th generation Forester starting with the 2021 model year the swiveling headlights became standard on all trim levels. I love my 2023 base Forrester. 2024 is the final year for this generation.

Easily the best reviewer out there! Honest and unbiased, unlike that one guy whose first name starts with a S and last name with B.

A more scientific review than most reviewers. He might put an actual decibel meter to objectify the noise levels but the type of road surface has bearing. I find that the fancy sound systems you pay for are seriously degraded by noise (road, wind, engine, whatever). The model packages present a lot to consider with having to buy features you don't want. Conclusion, A nice vehicle which I might choose today over my Honda CR-V EX.

While I like the interior of the 2019 Forester, I wished that Subaru would have waited 1 year and put the 2.4 turbo engine option and the larger infotainment system from the 2020 Legacy in the Forester. Considering that the Forester outsold the Legacy by more than 4 to 1, I hope they show their 2'nd best seller some more love in 2020.

All these armchair critics saying its too slow but the people actually buying them don't give two shits. Thats why the turbo model didn't sell. Y'all want fast cars but then you don't buy them.

I just took delivery of a White with black interior Subaru Forester Touring 2019. It is a nice car indeed, and Mrs. Karamazov is very pleased with it. The power is fine, and the safety features can't be beat. I got. a pretty good deal. Here in the US all the Subaru dealers I visited still rely on plus sales from the 'finance manager'. Anyone who has bought a car more than once and thought about the 'finance manager' experience knows it is a scam and old fashioned. Other automakers have abandoned this relic of the past and Subaru should do the same. It makes the purchase a fine car a cheesy experience.

Rear heating and AC vents paired heated rear seats FINALLY!!!!

Hey Alex, for crossovers, I think you should always mention whether a 110 V outlet is somewhere as part of the regular comparison you'd make. For this segment, it's a really valuable feature.

Great review. TFL guys could use this video and learn from it!! Thanks for the subaru review. Love my 16 Forester.

This car checks all the right boxes for me, but the prices I'm seeing are higher than I expected. There's almost no difference in price now between an equally equipped Forester and Outback. It seems to me the Forester is no longer a value play where you get AWD as a bonus. It's basically priced like an AWD CR-V. So now Subaru is making you pay for AWD and not giving you a FWD option to save money.

Thanks for the awesome review. Looking forward to owning the Touring model later this year ! Love the saddle brown seats !

Waiting for the comparison vs. the 2019 Rav4. Based on what I've seen so far it should best the Subaru in most areas.

Thanks for another great video Alex. Not going to lie, I stopped after the 9.9 sec 0-60. If Subaru fits in a better engine I’d seriously consider the Forester.

This guy must have a great set of lungs, he doesn't have to breathe, he just keeps yakking!

That black sports edition looks like Subaru’s answer to the A- Team.

hey! at 21:30 he mentions that subaru AWD can now disconnect the rear axel for improved fuel efficiency.. Can anyone give a link to proof of this? I'm asking cause until today, I always thought Full time symmetrical AWD that Subaru boasts means it is always on, and never disconnects..

I visited a few Subaru dealerships about a week ago and neither of them had one single 2019 Forester on the lot. Ascents, Outbacks, and Crosstreks of plenty, but no Foerster.

Have a 2013 Impreza, with the CVT transmission. The interior of the car is beyond cheap . Front seats covers are completely worn out. Steering has been repaired, computer stopped working. You can’t steer the car either. Engine had to be resealed, oil leaks. Two wheel bearings so far! But it get 30 mpg plus. Fun to drive. That’s my experience so far!! Oh! CVT sucks too.

Alex, your reviews are the most concise and thorough on RU-vid. I am a subscriber - thanks for the great work. Question: fully loaded 2019 Forester or fully loaded 2019 Sante Fe? I’m torn. We have a 6 year old and 4 year old and will retain our 2015 Toyota Highlander Limited, which I love, as our second ride.

Really wish reviewers would get the mid-range version of these vehicles instead of "touring" addition... don't talk about features that are only on the highest trim levels like face recognition, etc.

Best review ever: so much info and comperition. Thanks!

Perhaps the CVT will solve the transmission problems, but how did they deal with the head gasket leaks? I had to throw away my Forester at just 147,000 miles.

Almost middle of October, and still zero on lots, decided to go with a CX-5 AWD GT, wish I could have tested a Forester, but had time to buy constraints. Overall it looks great!

2008 FXT is my favorite Forester ever. This one is sharp though.

Thank you for plugging snow tires. Too many AWD owners use their AS tires even in heavy snow without chains.

Thorough overview as always! Looking for a vehicle like this in the near future and will definitely put this one on the list to test-a lot to like. The biggest ‘?’ being the acceleration, as I haven’t owned a car this slow to 60 in over 25 years. Although, I usually don’t drive the faster cars fast anyway and the better fuel economy may be the sensible route, as long as I feel safe merging on the highway with 5 or 6 hundred pounds of people and stuff on board.

Fantastic review Alex keep up the good work. Please post a review of Forester in comparison to the other best main stream SUV of this class like cx5, rav4, crv, Tucson and sportage

Extra solid review. A lot of good facts in a short time. Thanks.

Alex I’m asking you to make reviews between RAV4, CRV, Rogue, Forester and other CRV for best for family with kids. With 2 car seats. Stroller and some luggage. Thanks

Thank you for the thorough review!

Excellent, objective and comprehensive review.

Dude u r the best cars reviewer on RU-vid.. keep it up 👍🏻👍🏻

Just want to say your review of the previous gen Forester XT sold the car to me. It’s unlikely now but still hoping an XT option will come...

if 2.5L slow! here Subaru offer Forester 2019 with 2.0L engine 156 hp

Really like the dark green. Very detailed review as always.

I love my 19 Touring model with Brown leather interior

Problem with reviews is they (every car manufacturer ever) give you guys the top end trim while blokes like myself buy the base version... which is almost a completely different vehicle.

I don't recall him mentioning the #1 reason I bought a '19 Outback instead of the '19 Forester...the dreaded stop/start system, where the engine shuts off every time you stop the car (stop signs included) to save a little bit on gas..

I don’t mind at all about the turbo. But I’m not a fan of the cvt.

Not offering a turbo means, I am not interested. And the reason folks were not interested in the previous turbo version was that folks were put off by the unreasonable premium price. Not because they were not interested. Subaru got a little too greedy. Now Subaru offers only a boring, low HP engine. No thanks!

I appreciate your points Alex. I just hate there's no turbo anymore.

the orange sport trim will come in handy opening day deer season. then no idea what its on there for.

We are so fortunate!

Only have a few complaints on mine: road noise is crazy loud, I don't understand why they don't offer a hybrid or electric version in 2020, hate how the headrests point forward and force you to have bad posture

Subaru is definitely getting more upscale on the interior fit and finish. A job well done on the review Alex, when might you be doing the Ascent review? I think this Forester would be better received if the XT would not have been already out, to have it and take it away is not good PR.

I had a 2001 Forester S and a 2006 Forester XT. I loved the fact that both vehicles looked like nothing else on the road. The XT was especially fun since the vehicle was totally sleeper. Since then, each successive Forester has become more mundane , and now with the 2019, it’s nothing but another me-too CUV. The saddest part is the loss of the turbo. This thing is too damn slow. It’s really too bad Subaru has forgotten the people that loved their quirky qualities that built the brand. But they’re going where the money is, so who can blame them? You make money or you die.

I prefer the look of the green one but find the ideal of the other one supposedly being better offroad interesting.

I love the sport package but is there a way to get it in all black without the orange trim?

Alex When you get one home can you keep it for a week and put a 1000 miles on it and check the oil consumption? Pritty Please! I love the way the Subaru looks and drives but the oil burning issue it has had in the past is not something I could tolerate.

I test drove one of these recently and I found the following issues, and was wondering if anyone else noticed the same: 1. At higher freeway speeds (70-80mph) this vehicle seemed very unstable. The car felt as if it was going to lose control if I wasn’t holding on to the steering wheel firmly. It was windy today too, but I test drove two other SUVs today (Mazda CX-5 & Cadillac XT5) in the same conditions and on the same stretch of freeway, and did not have that problem. 2. The engine noise definitely makes its way into the cabin. I did not enjoy listening to the boxer engine growl when starting up from a full stop. 3. The rear seat cushions seem to be sub standard. They did not provide much cushion or thigh support.

Great review as always, Alex. And the Subaru faithful here in the upper left corner of the US are going to love it. I do wonder, though, where this leaves the Outback. Other than the H6 engine option, a choice with what seems to me a relatively low take rate, what does the Outback offer? It's arguably more attractive but that seems to be a secondary issue among Subar-ites.

Very happy with my 2018 i-s S5.

The only thing I do not like is the Subaru spare tire is a donut tire and if you have a flat on the front, you need to first switch a rear tire to the front, then put the donut tire on the rear. A better solution would be to have enough space so if desired, the owner could store a spare tire the same size as the 4 other tires.

I don't get why people hate CVT so much. If you see the technical aspect of CVT it is probably the most ideal transmission. It is amazing please drive it with an open mind. I drive subaru wrx and kia sorento cvt vs traditional six speed. Cvt are so smooth they have awesome acceleration you don't feel the gear shifts at all and WRX is bloody fast. Try driving WRX you all cvt haters will understand how cvt transmission can rock performance it is awesome. That is why good tech knowledge reviewers like Alex, engineering explained talk good about CVT because they know how it works and it's advantages.

Subaru should use this engine in the Crosstrek as well.

it really bothers me how comfortable car reviewers are with creepy camera tech.. on cars that are connected . Big brother is watching and you folks are all welcoming him in with open arms.

Great review as always Alex! You're great! But now I'll sound like I am buttering you up. Could you please do a review on the 2018 or 19 Frontier? I am looking for a midsized pickup truck that is reliable and nice and affordable. That seems to be the best choice. I was hoping to pick it up before the remodel.

This vehicle puts safety above all else. I applaud Subaru for keeping true to their name. Very nice Forester, cant wait to see what future models might have in store.

I love Subaru! except for screen with high reflection. I often can not see the LCD screen during the day.

Was thinking about batting one, until I found out about the issue of the cars burning too much oil.

My 2015 Subaru had major problems with the CVT. I had it repaired and traded it in for a Rav4 with a real transmission.

I think those length charts are misleading. There's only a 4-inch difference between the CX-5 and the Subaru, and yet the chart makes it look like a different class of vehicle.

I think Alex's reviews are the best. But "no comprises" SUV? I would say 9.9 sec to 60 is a serious compromise--a deal-breaker, in fact. Slow vehicles, IMO, can be dangerous. Yes, everything else is better than before, and the price is right, but the engine is the heart of the vehicle.

Given that there is only one engine option, they could have tuned this direct injection 2.5 to 200 hp . I think it would have adequate performance without having the need of premium fuel due to high compression.

Amazing job not going crazy from all those flying bugs, I would be going crazy.

Thorough done! Jammed packed with info..Thank you 🙏🏼...

Hi Alex. Do you have any plans on doing a review on the 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe?

Wonder if Subaru fixed the oil consumption problem. Last check 1 qt. per 3600 miles is considered normal.

I was really distracted by all the bugs lol. Great video though

Great review, Alex! I love that you contrasted the Touring and Sport interiors. Great photography and editting. Is Subaru still using a framless glass design (which I think negatively impacts wind noise)?

Damn, there are a lot of bugs there

Alex, how did the engine handle while stationary (when you're in gear at stops using brakes)? My 2017 Outback (4-cylinder boxer) vibrates more than any inline-4 that I have driven. I reported to the Subaru service department. They said the vibration is due to the geometry of 4-cylinder boxer engine. I also saw the same explanation about 4-cylinder boxer engine vibration on Engineering Explained. Have you experienced more vibration than a regular 4-cylinder inline engine while the vehicle is stationary? Thanks!

Subaru should use this engine in the crosstrek and give the Forester at least 2.0 turbo..

A vehicle this size and weight still needs a turbo. I think the boxer engines are really cool.

Excellent review.

You specifically cite the CR-V when talking about 2wd vs AWD fuel economy, but it gets a better overall MPG at 27/33/30 for AWD

You didn't mention its CD player which is important for some buyers.