The Subaru Forester is a car for those who think that crossovers or small SUVs aren’t a style statement. It’s the kind of vehicle you buy if you really want to live the outdoorsy lifestyle portrayed in commercials.
It’s a much more serious bit of kit than most rivals, all of which are usually some kind of hatchback or estate buried under plastic cladding and excessive badging and naming.
CNET nails it when putting the Forester in context for potential buyers. The review posted below highlights the Subaru’s long list of qualities, as well as the nagging negatives it still harbors.
The latest Forester is a car for people who are at least vaguely interested in the mechanics of how their vehicle operates. If you do get what Subaru is trying to do with it and understand some of the brand-specific peculiarities, then pretty much all rivals will seem like they lack substance.
If only they would ditch that annoying CVT transmission in exchange for something less whiny – it’s not very pleasant and it’s one of the main criticism points with reviewers these days.