Subaru Forester 2.5i 2019 Review

In 1997 the first-generation Subaru Forester launched in Australia, at which point the company (along with several rivals) claimed to have started the compact all-terrain wagon trend.

Broadly speaking the Forester made the compact SUV trendy. Even my spend-thrift dad bought one brand new, such was the showroom appeal. I was 16 at the time and learned to drive in it. It had a five-speed manual transmission and a 2.0-litre Boxer engine and I only cooked the clutch once.

In Australia today the Subaru Forester isn’t available with a manual or a 2.0-litre engine – you can only get it with a CVT (continuously variable transmission) and a new 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol boxer engine.

But you know what? It drives well and despite the culling of the (admittedly average) turbo-diesel engine, the new Forester is remarkably efficient.

After putting just over 1000km on the clock, with two adults, a three-month old baby and all the luggage and paraphernalia that entails, the plucky SUV used an average of 6.9L/100km – impressive by anyone's count… especially mine. They don’t call me Feangio for nothing.

For what is a 'base' model or entry-level vehicle it has a premium look and feel. Bold 17-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights and useful roof rails look good and are functional, while a small but intuitive 6.5-inch colour touchscreen infotainment system fitted as standard equipment adds interior appeal. Digital radio and Android Auto and Apple Carplay are part of the package too, so you also get the best mapping and audio streaming programs.

Interior fit and finish is generally very good and although the climate control dials feel a bit plasticky, the overall ambience in the cabin is neat and tidy, with sensibly placed controls, above average ergonomics, decent storage options and a total of three USB ports – two for the back seat.

The exterior design sticks very much to the traditional Forester recipe of rugged, boxy proportions but this time round it has a slightly edgier look, with its bigger, sportier front bumper and pointy brake lights.

Although the price of admission has increased from $30,240 to $33,490, you now get an automatic transmission as standard, along with the third-generation Eyesight driver assistance package (stereoscopic camera cruise control, lane keep assist, blind spot warning), plus seven airbags, electronic park brake and reversing camera.

By and large Subaru has a put together another solid, capable medium-sized SUV with the 2019 Forester. Upright windows provide excellent vision, even through the side and rear frames, and the sort of driver assist systems that few other SUVs offer as standard. They are (mostly) useful and effective, too.

The adaptive radar cruise control has four different distance settings to keep you closer or farther away from the car in front, and functions as expected. It works all the way to stand-still and applies the auto-hold brake function when stopped too. You have to tickle the throttle to get it moving again which means you can't completely zone out in traffic.

The lane-keep assist system needs work. It takes time to find its 'green zone' by tracking lane markings to activate. It will guide the car slowly back into its lane but its response is feeble and unlike the system available in the Volkswagen Tiguan and Skoda Karoq, it doesn't have the gumption to navigate mild freeway bends.

The blind spot detection system is very good, however, with big orange LEDs located on the external mirrors alerting you that an imminent lane-change would result in a less-than-ideal outcome.

The Forester's idle-stop system that works well, shutting down the engine to save fuel, and the auto hold is good, together reducing wear and tear on brakes and engine in urban driving. But I must say that when the engine re-starts it rocks the car with fair old jiggle. Enough to wake a sleepy three-month old. Boxer engines – bless 'em!

Powertrain response is impressive – when you sink in the boot, the Subie hustles.

The CVT lacks character, and the engine isn't much better. The four-cylinder direct-injection engine has a 2.5-litre displacement and bangs out a respectable 136kW and 239Nm, but it's no hot rod. The 0-100km/h sprint is claimed to take 9.1sec.

Take the kerb weight of 1563kg, add in luggage, child seats, stuff on the roof racks plus more passengers and engine performance almost begins to struggle.

The CVT is smooth and fuss-free and paddle shifters are standard on all models if you want a bit more control or just a traditional stepped 'rev-out' experience.

The steering is perhaps a touch sensitive, which frustrated my co-driver on highway cruises, but it makes the car feel smaller and more maneuverable in the 'burbs and in shopping centres. A reversing camera comes as standard, which gets a workout at the shops and during school drop-offs.

Dynamically the Forester is a bit of surprise. I was expecting a bland experience (based on previous generations) but through corners the Subaru Forester feels surprisingly agile and engaging. Despite tracking cleanly through corners and feeling confident in tighter roundabouts, it nevertheless conveys supple ride comfort and ensures a relatively quiet cabin at cruising speeds.

Although there was no off-roading as part of this test, the suspension and tyre package dealt effortlessly with gravel roads, the car always feeling predictable and manageable. The brakes deserve a mention too, providing plenty of stopping power without having to drive the pedal through the firewall.

Over the course of a week, covering 1000km including a drive from Perth to Margaret River and everywhere in between, the Subaru proved a capable and surprisingly frugal chariot, averaging 6.9L/100km according to the trip computer. That's better its claimed 7.4L/100km and significantly more efficient than its predecessor's 8.1L/100km.

Around 650 of those 1000km were freeway kilometres but when the engine spins at just 1500rpm at 100km/h, thanks in large part to the new CVT, the car easily passed 700km with one tank of juice – and the trip computer claimed there was still another 100km of fuel left.

Overall running costs should be lower for this model. That's because of the reduced fuel usage combined with an improved five-year warranty and longer 12-month/12,500km intervals between services.

The 2019 Subaru Forester is bigger and more accommodating, with a 15mm longer and 20mm wider body, making for a 4625mm long and 1815mm wide machine. The wheelbase or distance between the front and rear wheels has increased by 30mm (to 2670).

That may not sound like much, but these small increases make a difference on a 300km drive, with the extended wheelbase increasing front and rear seat room. A bigger 498-litre boot (up from 422) combines with a wider tailgate opening to make loading luggage and goods a little easier and a pair of ISOFIX child seat anchorages makes fitting the baby seat effortless.

There are also three top-tether anchorages for child seats.

I love the full-sized spare wheel and also the special storage nook for the rear cargo blind. It fits flush under the boot floor. It's simple, clever solutions that few cars get right. There's nothing more annoying than having the cargo blind sitting diagonally in the boot taking up space and rattling around.

Rear seat occupants have access to a pair of USB ports along with very useful seat back pockets which feature triple pouches so you can pop an iPad or Samsung tablet in there along with other odds and sods like cables and snacks.

Interior space for back seat occupants is pretty good, and there's a fold down arm rest with cup holders for those who want a lounge-like setting. Front seat passenger space is very good and seat comfort is above average thanks to the mildly-contoured seats and supportive padding.

The view is peachy too. As mentioned standard features like the 6.5-inch touchscreen infotainment system, dual-zone climate control and a six-speaker Harmon-Kardon six-speaker stereo are welcome additions, fashioned into a conservative but modern dashboard design.

A soft leather-wrapped gear stick and steering wheel add a bit of luxury to these major touchpoints, while the 16 or so buttons and switches on the steering wheel spokes are a lot, but generally pretty intuitive.

Given many of the Forester's SUV rivals undercut it by virtue of 2WD and manual offerings, not to mention a lower level of safety equipment, the higher asking price represents decent value in this case. Granted, on-the-road pricing will take the Subaru to around $38,000 but you're getting a lot of kit for your dollar.

Back in the day I remember punting my folks' original Forester all over the shop. It drove through the snowy Alps in winter, was a regular at surf beaches on the Mornington Peninsula and I think it had a picnic at Hanging Rock once or twice.

It took a fair beating, clocked up around 300,000km and there was no sign of a busted CV joint! It did need a replacement clutch though…

Nevertheless, it was a reliable family car and while this fifth-generation Forester sits on an all-new platform, gets a lot more equipment and uses a less fuel, the fundamentals haven't changed much.

In some ways it's a bit boring, sticking to a tried-and-tested recipe that doesn't push the boundaries of the SUV segment. Still, it should please the Subaru loyalists and maybe, just maybe, convert a few newcomers looking for something conservative, spacious and safe.

How much does the 2019 Subaru Forester 2.5i cost?
Price: $33,490 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol
Output: 136kW/239Nm
Transmission: Seven-speed continuously variable
Fuel: 6.9L/100km (as tested)
CO2: 168g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: TBC