Subaru Forester made its debut in 1998, when it was the first compact SUV launched by Subaru. Back then, Forester was referred to as a tall station wagon because the term crossover SUV was not in common use. Now, Forester is labelled as a comfortable crossover SUV that feels composed on twisty roads.
In the past 20 years, Subaru has made many changes to this model. The all-new 2019 Subaru Forester is this model’s fifth generation with a redesign that looks stunning with class window tinting. The new forester comes with more passenger room and better cabin material, it’s more spacious than the previous model in many ways.
With Subaru’s EyeSight Driver Assist Technology, the new Forester is built with safety and confidence in mind.
For a comfortable drive, Forester now has an improved headroom and shoulder room. It’s also easier to enter and exit the vehicle now thanks to its wider door openings. At the back, the maximum cargo capacity of Forester has also increased. It now has a wider tailgate opening for convenient access to the cargo.
Here’s what’s changed in the all-new 2019 Subaru Forester:
Increased safety with driver-assist systems
Subaru has stepped up the game by making its cutting-edge EyeSight Driver Assist Technology a standard feature in the new version of Forester. This system has a complete package of features like adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, lane keeping assistance, forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking.
The forward collision warning system, which is a standard feature on the Forester, prevents rear-end collisions. This system can gauge the distance of the vehicle ahead and apply emergency brakes automatically to prevent a collision.
Another great driver-assist feature of the Forester is the drowsy driver monitoring system a.k.a. DriveFocus. DriveFocus can recognize driver faces and identify signs of distraction and fatigue. Through the latest facial recognition technology, this feature can figure out if you’re doing distracted driving. DriveFocus is a precise leading-edge feature that can currently recognize up to five drivers.
Better fuel mileage
Fuel-efficient SUVs not only save money, but also help in reducing pollution and smog. Such cars also have lower greenhouse gas emissions which contribute to global warming.
As per the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the new Subaru Forester achieves 26/33 mpg city/highway and 29 combined mpg. That is 1 mpg improvement highway and combined compared to the previous model. The new Subaru Forester is much better in fuel economy when compared to the competitor Ford Escape which achieves a mileage of 23/30 mpg. As compared to the other rivals in all-wheel drive small SUV category, the 2019 Subaru Forester stands at top along with the Honda CR-V w/AWD with a mileage of 27/33 mpg city/highway and 29 combined mpg.
Higher Ground Clearance
Are you an outdoor enthusiast who wants an off-road vehicle to experience the mother nature? Well, then 2019 Subaru Forester is just the right car for you. Its relatively higher ground clearance equips you for adventure. While driving this new model, you won’t have to worry about fallen tree branches and boulders on your path.
The new Subaru Forester comes with a great 8.7 inches of ground clearance which is one of the highest among the cars in this segment. This much ground clearance is good enough for many off-road scenarios.
A lot more space
New Subaru has room to spare, it’s a lot more spacious than the outgoing model. The rear-seat legroom has increased, thanks to the wheelbase increment of 1.2 inches. The 2019 Subaru Forester gives an overall open feeling due to its improved headroom and shoulder-room.
The maximum cargo capacity of the new model has also improved by 1.4 cu.-ft. Now with its cavernous 51.2 inches wide tailgate opening, it’s easier to load and unload the luggage and groceries at the back. The new Forester features 5.3 inches increase in the width of the tailgate opening as compared to the previous model.
With the rear seats in place, the 2019 model provides 35.4 cu.-ft. of cargo space. This space can be further increased when required by lowering down the rear seats, which then gives up to 76.1 cu.-ft. of cargo space.
Latest tech features
The 2019 model of Subaru Forester comes with a 6.5 inches touchscreen for infotainment purpose, which can also be upgraded to a flashier 8-inch touchscreen. Android Auto/Apple CarPlay smartphone projection technology is standard on all Subaru Forester in 2019.
Another great feature which is standard on Subaru Forester 2019 is satellite radio. This feature is especially good for people who go on long road trips or do interstate travel quite frequently. Poor signal and varying radio stations will no longer be a problem, because the satellite radio feature keeps you connected to the same radio stations.
Other important tech features of the new Subaru Forester are Bluetooth phone, audio streaming, iHeart radio, Magellan navigation app and a single-disc CD player. Subaru Forester comes with a 4-speaker sound system, which can easily be upgraded to a 9-speaker sound system if needed.
Conclusion
Regardless of the changes, the new Subaru Forester is available for $24,295 which is only slightly higher than the 2018 version. It’s a well-thought-out crossover SUV with plenty of space, intuitive infotainment systems and very useful safety and driver-assist features. The new Subaru Forester is made for a smooth confident drive making it a great companion for urban and suburban travel.