If you're looking to upgrade your commute with a capable SUV and the latest technology to keep you connected, it's time you examined the Subaru Forester. Finally, there's an SUV with the comfort and convenience features you love with the powerful BOXER engine and the incredible performance of symmetrical all-wheel-drive to conquer life's greatest adventures. Let's take a closer look at the Forester from Subaru to see exactly what makes it a great SUV.
Trim Levels
Subaru offers the Forester in six trims, the base model Forester, Forester Premium, Forester Sport, Forester Limited, Forester Touring, and the all-new Forester Wilderness. As you expect, Subaru adds features and equipment as you move up the trim levels.
Forester Wilderness
The all-terrain capability reaches new heights with the all-new Forester Wilderness. You'll enjoy off-road features such as higher, 9.2-inch ground clearance, an optimized drivetrain for better climbing, and tough exterior cladding.
In addition, you get matte black alloy wheels wrapped in all-terrain tires. Matched with blacked-out trim around the exterior, the Forester Wilderness looks rugged and stylish. Also, you have the trim-exclusive Geyser Blue exterior color with Anodized Copper accents that turn heads on the boulevard and the road less traveled.
Subaru BOXER Engine
No matter the trim, every Forester comes with Subaru's BOXER engine. This 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine has dual overhead cams and 16 valves with Subaru's unique dual active valve control system (DAVCS).
The BOXER engine, a design known as a flat engine, has horizontally-opposed cylinders. The cylinders sit on opposing sides of a central crankshaft, enabling them to move in and out simultaneously. This flat engine design offers performance advantages over traditional inline or V-pattern engines, contributing more power and better balance. As a result, the Forester can produce 182 horsepower and 176 pound-feet of torque. You also enjoy up to 33 mpg driving on the highway and 26 mpg around town.
Symmetrical All-Wheel-Drive
Subaru engineered its unique all-wheel-drive system to run the centerline of the Forester to optimize its traction and balance. Optimal control and performance were achieved by expertly balancing the weight distribution on both sides. In addition, Subaru designed the engine to mount with the drivetrain in a direct line.
This direct line delivers seamless power distribution to all four wheels, whereas other all-wheel-drive systems need more components to transfer power. Thus, Subaru's more straightforward design requires less equipment that creates more efficient operations and lower maintenance costs than traditional systems found in other brands.
Symmetrical All-Wheel-Drive delivers exceptional traction and control under normal road and weather conditions. Yet, when the surface gets slippery from sand, mud, or snow, the system transfers torque to the wheels with the most grip on the road for maximum traction.
In addition, Subaru taps into their Electronic Brake-Force Distribution system and their Vehicle Dynamics Control system to further enhance your Forester's stability. For example, a rear-wheel-drive vehicle tends to oversteer during a turn in a low-traction situation, while front-wheel-drive vehicles oversteer or push through turns. Subaru's system eliminates these issues providing greater control when needed most.
What's more, the Vehicle Dynamics Control system continuously monitors things like yaw rate, wheel spin, later motion, and driver input. Then, it draws on the Symmetrical AWD system to adjust engine torque and braking to keep your Forester driving in your intended direction instead of losing control.
Advanced Safety Systems
Now, the new 2022 Subaru Forester comes equipped with Subaru EyeSight, a suite of driver-assist technologies to help you drive smarter and safer. EyeSight monitors traffic movement, warning you of unintentional drifts. Eyesight also optimizes your cruise control to help you maintain a preset speed and distance while in traffic. A Lane Centering system helps return you to your lane with gentle steering correction, throttle input, and braking if necessary.
In addition, you get Blind Spot Detection and Rear Cross Traffic Alert systems that provide visual and audio alerts as vehicles enter your Forester's blind spots to the sides and rear. Overall, Eyesight helps reduce driver fatigue and stress and lower rear-end crashes with injuries by 85%.
Now, your Forester Touring comes with Subaru's DriverFocus Distraction Mitigation system, and you can add DriverFocus to other trim levels as an option. DriverFocus works like your co-pilot, monitoring your behavior behind the wheel and remembering up to five driver profiles. When it senses distracted or drowsy symptoms, you receive an alert.
Subaru STARLINK
STARLINK enhances the Subaru ownership experience with concierge services, remote operations, vehicle health reports, and emergency support, all from the convenience of your cellphone, home computer, and your Forester's infotainment system.
The concierge feature lets you make dinner reservations, book a hotel, or purchase theater tickets. Driver's can have STARLINK find points of interest and nearby attractions and then send navigation information directly to your touchscreen. You can also use STARLINK to schedule service at your local Subaru dealership.
If you have a teen driver, you can use STARLINK to help teach and reinforce good driving habits. You can set speed, boundary, and curfew parameters and receive push notifications when your teen exceeds them. In the event of an accident, your Forester's automatic collision notification system connects you to a STARLINK customer care advisor through your Forester's speakers. The customer care advisor can call for emergency services or roadside assistance if necessary.
STARLINK provides monthly vehicle diagnostic reports to keep you updated on your Forester's health and alert you to maintenance needs. If a warning light or check engine light activates, STARLINK sends you a detailed report of the problem and recommended course of action through the MySubaru app.
If your Forester gets stolen, you can activate your stolen vehicle immobilizer function through STARLINK. Then, you can coordinate with local police to initiate recovery and shut down your Forester until police arrive. You also have two ways to call for help on your own from inside your Forester. First, pressing the blue "i" button on the overhead console will call roadside assistance. Pressing the red "SOS" button on the overhead console will connect you to your customer care advisor, who can coordinate emergency response personnel dispatched using your GPS locator.
