Continuing the flood of crossover debuts, the all-new 2019 Subaru Forester was revealed at the New York International Auto Show on Wednesday. Subaru claims that the new Forester has the most spacious cockpit ever, and comes standard with the most technology in its class.
Now in its fifth generation, the Forester gets a subtle facelift to bring its design language on par with that of the rest of Subaru’s model lineup. More pronounced wheel arches and shoulder lines give the SUV a taller look. Its new LED headlights and taillights are standard on all trims.
The Forester’s new range of exterior paint colors includes Crimson Red Pearl, Horizon Blue Pearl, and Jasper Green Metallic, complemented by black or silver accents. The all-new Forester Sport trim level comes equipped with unique exterior aesthetic touches and contrasting orange stitching in the cockpit.
The 2019 Forester rides on the Subaru Global Platform, which ensures a stronger chassis, less road noise, and a much more comfortable ride. The SGP also contributes to the new Forester’s larger stature and increased cabin room, as the crossover’s wheelbase is increased slightly to 105.1 inches and has 76.1 cubic feet of cargo space (up 1.4 cubic feet from the previous model). Subaru says the trunk is now wide enough to fit a regular golf bag in completely sideways, but the real question is, how many vape pens can you fit in the back?
Every 2019 Forester comes standard with Eyesight Driver Assist Technology, Subaru’s driver assist suite that incorporates Lane Keep Assist, Lane Departure/Sway Warning, Lead Vehicle Start Alert, Pre-Collision Throttle Management, and Adaptive Cruise Control into one versatile safety package. The fully-loaded Forester Touring trim also comes with DriverFocus, a new system that monitors and takes action to avoid driver distraction and fatigue.
Gone is forced induction, as the new Forester features an upgraded 2.5-liter, Boxer engine, pumping out 182 horsepower and 176 pound-feet of torque (12 more horsepower and 2 pound-feet more torque than the previous year). This naturally-aspirated four-cylinder is only available with a 7-speed Lineartronic CVT, which features a manual mode with paddle shifters on the Sport and Touring trims.
To showcase its outdoorsy personality, the 2019 Forester comes with Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive that transfers power to the wheels with the best grip, paired with Active Torque Vectoring straight out of the WRX sports sedan.
Other notable standard features include Android Auto/Apple CarPlay integration, Automatic Climate Control, Auto Start/Stop, Welcome Lighting, and a power-locking fuel door. A power panoramic moonroof comes equipped on all trims except the base model.
