2019 Subaru Forester Review From Andrew Frankl

2019 Subaru Forester Review
By Andrew Frankl
European Bureau Chief
The Auto Channel

The only thing I can compare the 2019 Subaru Forester to is the Rock of Gibraltar. It is as solid as that. And for just 35 thousand dollars it is also remarkable value.

Like with all other cars I test I was looking for a list of options, extras which in case of BMW or Mercedes can run to thousands. I looked in vain !

Apart from the delivery charge everything else is included. The engine is the familiar DOHC 4-cyl 2.5 liter boxer engine. 182 horsepower may seem a bit on the small side, but on this trip across the pond, I was not heading up to the Sierras so 182 HP was no problem in and around San Francisco.

As always I’ve managed to exceed the official figures getting a comfortable 32 miles per gallon-combined. Best part of 500 miles with the huge 16.6 gallon tank.

Interestingly enough and for all the right reasons Subaru have become the car for people of all shapes and sizes regardless of demographics. Unlike what you might call the posh cars such as Range Rover the Subaru seems to be for everyone. Somehow it is so logical.

I have yet to meet anyone who complained about a Subaru. It isn’t beautiful, it isn’t oh my God doesn’t it look just amazing, no. It is like a fridge or a dishwasher-utility on wheels. Furthermore it is not trying to be anything else-solid, reliable and will run for years and years.

But unlike the fridge or the dishwasher it is trying to save you. Not your time-you. The guy or girl behind the steering wheel. If the sensor thinks that you are not watching the road a warning comes up right in front of you. It is called a driverfocus mitigation system.

If you are veering off the road you get another warning. Can get a bit annoying but the system is right-trying to save lives.

As almost everyone in the lake district's drives a Subaru so they've increased the ground clearance to 8.7 inches.

Little things like USB ports are up front-another improvement and as for the multimedia navigation system-it really does everything apart from make tea. Apple Car Play, Android, Cloud Apps with voice navigation powered by Tom Tom. So now you know.

On the downside I am not a huge fan of CVT. It is a personal thing, I have never been a CVT fan. On the other hand the driving position-being high up-is excellent. As are the lights.

On the road it is clearly not a racing car so the handling is OK rather than being spectacular, but I would suggest that everyday Forester drivers are more interested in getting from A to B safely rather than exploring the outer limits of adhesion.

What matters far more is the fact that the Forester is boxy rather than elegant so I come back to the analogy with the fridge-it is practical and sensible and has tons of cargo space.

The folks in the hills are a wise lot. It is not by accident that there are more Subarus up there then anything else.

As for the price-just above 30 grand- a bargain!

2019 Subaru Forester Review From Andrew Frankl

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