Mar 13, 2019, 12:11 PM by Mike Blake

Only six years into its fourth generation, and two years removed from a solid style refreshening, the 5-passenger Subaru Forester compact SUV has entered a new generation with more power, a larger imprint and the addition of Subaru’s DriverFocus™ Distraction Mitigation System. In fact, Subaru of America, Inc. has centered its new ad campaign on it, with spots that gives viewers an intimate look into the lives of three different Forester owners by highlighting how the vehicle’s safety features, including the new Subaru DriverFocus™ Distraction Mitigation System, versatility and reliability, make the 2019 Forester the safest, longest lasting and most adventurous Forester ever, according to the manufacturer.

The 2019 Forester is built on the Subaru Global Platform to deliver higher levels of agility, crash protection, ride comfort and quietness. Available in standard, Premium, Limited, Touring and new Sport trim levels, all Foresters are powered by an enhanced direct-injection, 182 hp 2.5- liter four-cylinder BOXER engine featuring Auto Stop/Start and paired with a standard Lineartronic CVT. Also standard on all trim levels is Subaru’s Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive.

Also for 2019, all Foresters come standard with the award-winning EyeSight Driver Assist Technology. The top-of-line Touring debuts the segment-exclusive DriverFocus safety technology which offers another layer of safety and convenience for the driver. The system uses facial recognition software to identify signs of driver fatigue or driver distraction and provides an audio and visual warning to alert the driver. DriverFocus also works with EyeSight to reduce the chance of an accident. And for added convenience, DriverFocus recognizes up to five drivers and remembers their seat and exterior mirror positions as well as multifunction display and climate control settings.

The 2019 Forester debuts a more rugged style that showcases Subaru’s new design language while retaining a strong family resemblance to the rest of the brand’s portfolio. 
Inspired by the needs of outdoor enthusiasts, the 2019 Forester Sport, the trim model I tested, joins the line with unique appearance elements and specially enhanced standard equipment. A Sport grille with black gloss finish frame, black-finish 18-in. wheels and rear roof spoiler give Forester Sport a rugged look, while orange accents on the black underguards and roof rail mounts add a modern, youthful touch. The interior is a unique dark gray material with orange stitching and accents throughout that is exclusive to the Sport model. With unitized body construction, ring-shaped frame reinforcement frame safety structure, all Forester models feature lower body side cladding, which helps protect against mud, rocks and other road debris.

Longer and wider for enhanced road stability, but still within compact crossover SUV parameters, the 2019 Forester’s 105.1-inch wheelbase has gained 1.2 inches, to support its 0.6-inch longer 182.1-inch length, its 0.8-inch wider 71.5-inch width and 67.5-inch height (up 1.1 inches,) with ground clearance of 8.7 inches (same as before). Forester Sport weighs in at about 3531 lbs.

Inside, the Forester cabin is roomy with good sightlines. The Base Forester provides 41.2 inches of front headroom with 39.6 inches in the rear seats (actually losing 0.2 inches in both areas), and my test Sport trim was even cozier at 40.2 and 37.7 inches. Legroom is 43.3 inches in row one and 39.4 inches in row two (gaining 1.4 in the rear), with shoulder room gaining better than an inch at 58.2.and 57.2.

The quiet interior has been designed for both greater passenger comfort and increased durability in everyday and recreational usage. New front seats are constructed to enhance comfort on long drives, and a new Electronic Parking Brake frees up console space by eliminating the traditional parking brake handle.

All Forester models now feature standard automatic climate control; and Keyless Access with Push Button Start is standard on Sport, with climate controls that can be set when Remote Engine Start is activated. 

All 2019 Foresters power up with a 2.5-liter engine that delivers 182hp and 176 lb-ft of torque (a gain of 12 and 2 over last year). Fuel economy is rated at 26mpg/city, 32mpg/highway and 28mpg combined, and I averaged 29.9mpg in mixed-use driving. More responsive, but not as quick as last year’s turbo (which has been discontinued), my test Sport finished off a zero-to-60mph sprint in 8.6 seconds during a 16.5-seccond quarter-mile. Highway passing at speed was predictable and efficient, and handling was somewhere between carlike and trucklike.

The 2019 Subaru Forester is available in five trim options. The Base Forester starts at $24,295; the 2.5i Premium starts at $26,295; the Sport begins at $28,795, the Limited starts at $30,795 and the Touring starts at $34,295 – the trim upgrades are largely concentrated in cosmetics and a few accessories. 

My Crystal White Pearl Sport was matched to a Gray Sport Cloth interior and came with a  moonroof. We added the $2045 Blind-Spot Detection/Rear Cross Traffic Alert Package with Reverse Automatic Braking, STARLINK 8.0-inch Multimedia Plus, Harmon Kardon Audio and a power rear gate. All-weather floor liners added $132; rear seatback protector added $93; the auto-dimming mirror with compass and Homelink added $365; side window deflectors added $99.95; splash guards added $172; and destination and delivery charges added $975, for a sticker-as-tested of $32,676.

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Mike Blake, former editor of KIT CAR magazine, joined Carlisle Events as senior automotive journalist in 2004. He's been a "car guy" since the 1960s and has been writing professionally for about 30 years. </I>