Subaru has been producing reliable and practical SUVs for years, and the 2023 Subaru Forester is no exception. The Forester is a compact SUV that has been praised for its reliability, safety features, and practicality. Let’s take a closer look at what the 2023 Forester has to offer.
The Forester has a modern and sleek design that’s both practical and stylish. It has a spacious interior with plenty of legroom and headroom for passengers. The Forester also has a large cargo area that’s perfect for storing all your gear. The Forester has one of the largest cargo capacities in the compact SUV class. There’s 28.9 cubic feet of space behind the rear seats and 74.2 cubic feet with these seats folded. The Forester boasts a seating capacity of five individuals. The front seats offer a comfortable and roomy experience, even for taller occupants, with a wide range of adjustments available to easily find the ideal driving position. As for the back seats, they also provide ample space with similar dimensions to the front, allowing for up to three children or two adults to sit comfortably.
The 2023 Subaru Forester comes with a range of features that make it a great value for the price. It has a standard 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. The Forester also comes with standard safety features such as automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, and adaptive cruise control. Higher trim levels of the Forester offer even more features such as a larger 11.6-inch touchscreen, a power liftgate, and a panoramic moonroof.
All Forester models are powered by the same 2.5-liter flat-four-cylinder engine that makes 182 horsepower and can tow 1500 pounds. A continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) routes the engine’s power to Subaru’s trademark all-wheel-drive system makes it a great choice for drivers who want a vehicle that can handle all kinds of weather conditions. The Forester comes standard with steering wheel paddle shifters in all but the base model. Steering wheel paddles are usually found on sports cars to take advantage of the car’s performance so the driver can shift the automatic transmission like a manual. The Subaru CVT simulates a manual with 7 or 8 programmed speeds (depending on model) that holds the CVT pulleys in a fixed position. The paddles will get the most of the “simulated” gears. This can enhance the performance of the vehicle’s CVT automatic transmission. You can make use of the SUVs capabilities and have more fun as you drive.
The Forester also has a fuel economy of up to 33 mpg on the highway, which is impressive for an SUV in its class and will likely satisfy buyers seeking efficiency.
Subaru is known for its commitment to safety, and the 2023 Subaru Forester is no exception. It comes with standard safety features such as automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, and adaptive cruise control. The Forester also has a new driver distraction monitoring system that alerts the driver if they become distracted or drowsy.
The Forester comes with standard all-wheel drive, something you need to pay extra for on the base trims of many competitors. It has a roomy well-built interior with plenty of space for hauling camping gear on the weekends and the kids to school on weekdays. It has a comfortable ride and good fuel economy. Plus, you get some real off-road ability, without lugging around a bunch of truck components that are great for the trail but useless on dry pavement. With a major refresh last year, Subaru has decided it’s not making any further changes whatsoever to the 2023 Forester. I guess—if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it.
Which Forester should you buy? There are six Forester trims: base ($27,620), Premium ($30,620), Sport ($32,190), Wilderness ($35,245), Limited ($34,300) and Touring ($37,720). For those who find themselves regularly traversing unpaved trails, the Wilderness is the model to choose. It’s a competitive rival to more expensive compact off-road crossovers like the Cherokee Trailhawk and Bronco Sport Badlands.
Photos: Subaru
