Subaru Forester 2.5i-S 2024 Review

The 2024 Subaru Forester 2.5i-S tested here is the most expensive variant of the seven available without hybrid assistance, priced at $47,140 plus on-road costs.

The price of the Forester 2.5i-S places it up against some pretty intense competition, including the Kia Sportage SX+ turbo-petrol and diesel, the Nissan X-TRAIL ST-L petrol and e-POWER hybrid and the Toyota RAV4 GXL petrol and hybrid.

There are many more rivals to consider in this huge and popular segment; we’ve just listed some of the best.

Key features the 2.5i-S adds compared to cheaper Forester models includes 18-inch alloy wheels, leather-accented seats, an eight-speaker Harman Kardon stereo and a sunroof.

Like other Forester variants, the 2.5i-S has a five-star ANCAP safety rating based on 2019 protocols, seven airbags, a comprehensive package of driver assist systems, roof rails, dual-zone climate control, sat-nav, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, AM/FM and digital radio, powered and heated front seats as well as a powered tailgate.

Of course, the Forester also comes standard with certain trademarks identifiable since the first generation appeared in 1997 – namely the horizontally-opposed boxer engine and symmetrical all-wheel drive.

The 2.5-litre engine makes 136kW and 239Nm and drives all four wheels via a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and a multi-plate clutch pack.

Reflecting its long-held commitment to some off-road ability, the Subaru Forester 2.5i-S also includes a full-size spare tyre, tyre pressure monitoring, deep snow and loose gravel off-road driving X-Modes as well as hill descent control.

The Forester comes with a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, 12 months of roadside assistance and 12-month/12,500km service intervals (15,000km is more the norm these days). Your first five visits to the workshop under Subaru’s capped-price service scheme average out at more than $500 each. Ouch!

The 2024 Subaru Forester 2.5i-S provides a real sense of familiarity dating all the way back to the original.

For a start, has any other car on the road today evolved more methodically in its exterior design? And once you start rolling, that chunky boxer beat gets the memories flooding back, too.

But perhaps most familiar of all – and most pleasing – is the way Subaru quietly goes about setting up the Forester for rough and rowdy Australian roads (and I mean suburbia, let alone the bush).

With independent suspension, the ride quality is comfortable, landing on a much more agreeable set-up than some of its rivals that have gone down a sportier route.

Combine that with AWD grip and the Forester will get a few yards off sealed tarmac without feeling instantly out of its depth. It’s doubtful there is a medium-size SUV in the class that behaves more faithfully on a gravel road.

The Forester doesn’t steer with the sporting precision of, say, a Volkswagen Tiguan, but that’s part of its charm. As an all-round conveyance it is a soothing vehicle, because it’s also quiet and spacious.

There’s plenty of room in the back seat (accessed by 90-degree-opening doors – an under-appreciated feature) and it’s got a sizeable 498-litre boot that becomes capacious at 1060 litres (1740L to ceiling) with the rear seats folded down.

Rear seat passengers are better looked after with features than in many rivals. There are map and sizeable door pockets, adjustable air-con vents and a fold-down arm rest. Even the transmission tunnel doesn’t intrude too much on the middle seat.

Okay, so you don’t want to be rushing anywhere too fast in the 2024 Subaru Forester 2.5i-S, because as characterful as the boxer engine is, it hasn’t got that much low-down pulling power.

Subaru tries to pep things up with dual-mode S/I (Sport/Intelligent) settings and relieve the monotony of CVT with seven stepped ‘ratios’ and paddle shifts, but this is not an engine up there with the best in class.

Factor in the weight that all-wheel drive inevitably adds, plus the energy required to drive it, and it’s no surprise merely acceptable performance is twinned with a considerable thirst.

Against a claimed 7.4L/100km average consumption of 91 RON unleaded, the 2.5i-S came out at 9.6L/100km on our test loop. We know from previous experience the Forester tends to be among the heavier drinkers in the segment. Maybe the sixth-generation hybrid will aid this thirst?

The other issue with the Forester is just how busy the cockpit area is. Buttons festoon the steering wheel and dashboard. Meanwhile, there are no less than three information screens spread across the dash and instrument panel. We love a button, but this is excessive.

It’s just all a bit complex and confusing. Some of the information in the smaller of the double-decker screens furthest away is quite hard to read. More satisfyingly, analogue dials are retained for the speedo and tacho.

Meanwhile, the driver monitoring system is just too intrusive, as is the lane keeping system. Switch them off and the Forester’s charming manners reassert themselves.

It’s also hard to ignore the fact that the current Forester is soon to be superseded by the sixth generation.

You might think, just months from retirement, the 2024 Subaru Forester 2.5i-S would come across as outmoded and ready for retirement.

However, its familiar driving manners are reassuring and endearing, even despite the engine being a bit underdone.

If gravel driving is an everyday occurrence for you then this would be the top pick. It’s also pretty good on bitumen and it looks after its passengers comfortably, too.

Yet, poor engine performance, fuel consumption and clumsy controls don’t do the Forester any favours. Seriously, jump in a Kia Sportage if you want to check how a dashboard should be done.

So, the 2.5i-S is still one of the best, but not the best in its class. Hopefully the new generation of this Subaru favourite will retain the good bits and improve the rest.

For now, the Forester is going out on an impressive high.

2024 Subaru Forester 2.5i-S at a glance:
Price: $47,140 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol
Output: 136kW/239Nm
Transmission: Continuously variable automatic
Fuel: 7.4L/100km (ADR combined)
CO2: 168g/km (ADR combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2019)