CompetingCars.com
2019 model year
What's new for 2019.
The 2019 Subaru Forester was completely redesigned as a fifth-generation model, built on the Subaru Global Platform. This new architecture provided a 40% increase in crash energy absorption and a significantly quieter, more refined ride. The turbocharged engine and manual transmission were both discontinued, leaving a revised 2.5-liter direct-injection engine as the sole powerplant, now producing 182 horsepower.
This model year introduced 'DriverFocus,' a segment-first distraction mitigation system that uses facial recognition to detect driver fatigue. EyeSight became standard on every single Forester trim level. The interior also saw a major upgrade with the introduction of an 8-inch STARLINK system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a new 'Sport' trim level was added with orange exterior and interior accents.
Chassis
- Transition to Subaru Global Platform for improved rigidity and safety
Powertrain
- Revised 2.5L engine with Direct Injection (182 hp)
- Turbocharged engine and manual transmission discontinued
Technology
- EyeSight standard on all trims
- Introduction of DriverFocus Distraction Mitigation System
- Standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
Trims
Select a trim to see its specs and equipment.
2019 Subaru Forester
Base
- Horsepower
- 182
- City MPG
- 26
- Highway MPG
- 33
- Engine
- 2.5-liter SUBARU BOXER
- Horsepower
- 182 hp
- Torque
- –
- Drivetrain
- Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive
- Transmission
- Lineartronic CVT with Active Torque Vectoring
- City / highway MPG
- 26 / 33
- Seating
- –
- Wheel size
- –
- Ground clearance
- 8.7 in
- Cargo, seats up
- –
- Towing capacity
- –
Standard equipment
- EyeSight Driver Assist Technology
- SI-DRIVE
- Auto-on/off LED headlights
- Cloth upholstery
- Driver's auto-up/down power window
- SUBARU STARLINK 6.5-inch Multimedia
- Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration
- Dual USB ports
- Automatic climate control
- Rear-Vision Camera
2019 Subaru Forester
Premium
- Horsepower
- 182
- City MPG
- 26
- Highway MPG
- 33
- Engine
- 2.5-liter SUBARU BOXER
- Horsepower
- 182 hp
- Torque
- –
- Drivetrain
- Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive
- Transmission
- Lineartronic CVT with Active Torque Vectoring
- City / highway MPG
- 26 / 33
- Seating
- –
- Wheel size
- 17 in
- Ground clearance
- 8.7 in
- Cargo, seats up
- –
- Towing capacity
- –
Adds over Forester
- X-MODE with Hill Descent Control
- Body-color side mirrors
- Panoramic power moonroof
- Roof rails and rear spoiler
- Privacy glass
- Premium cloth upholstery
- 10-way power-adjustable driver's seat
- Wi-Fi capability
- STARLINK Safety and Security enabled
- Leather-wrapped steering wheel
- Reclining rear seatbacks
- Rear A/C vents
2019 Subaru Forester
Sport
- Horsepower
- 182
- City MPG
- 26
- Highway MPG
- 33
- Engine
- 2.5-liter SUBARU BOXER
- Horsepower
- 182 hp
- Torque
- –
- Drivetrain
- Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive
- Transmission
- Lineartronic CVT with Active Torque Vectoring
- City / highway MPG
- 26 / 33
- Seating
- –
- Wheel size
- 18 in
- Ground clearance
- 8.7 in
- Cargo, seats up
- –
- Towing capacity
- –
Adds over Forester Premium
- Dual-function X-MODE with Hill Descent Control
- SI-DRIVE with Sport Sharp (S#) mode
- LED fog lights
- Roof rails with integrated tie-downs
- Front, rear and side underguards with orange accents
- Body-color heated side mirrors with integrated turn signals
- Gloss black and orange exterior accents
- Dark gray sport fabric with leather shifter
- Orange stitching and trim accents
- Sport gauges with color LCD display
- 6.3-inch color multifunction display
- Keyless Access with Push-Button Start
- Dual rear USB ports
- Cargo-area tray, LED cargo and rear gate lights
2019 Subaru Forester
Limited
- Horsepower
- 182
- City MPG
- 26
- Highway MPG
- 33
- Engine
- 2.5-liter SUBARU BOXER
- Horsepower
- 182 hp
- Torque
- –
- Drivetrain
- Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive
- Transmission
- Lineartronic CVT with Active Torque Vectoring
- City / highway MPG
- 26 / 33
- Seating
- –
- Wheel size
- 18 in
- Ground clearance
- 8.7 in
- Cargo, seats up
- –
- Towing capacity
- –
Adds over Forester Premium
- Dual-function X-MODE with Hill Descent Control
- LED Steering Responsive Headlights (SRH) with High Beam Assist (HBA)
- Halogen fog lights
- Chrome grille accents and exhaust tip
- Power rear gate with height memory functions
- Keyless Access with Push-Button Start
- Leather-trimmed upholstery
- SUBARU STARLINK 8.0-inch Multimedia Plus
- 6.3-inch color multifunction display
- Dual-zone automatic climate control system
- Blind-Spot Detection with Lane Change Assist and Rear Cross-Traffic Alert
- Cargo-area tray
2019 Subaru Forester
Touring
- Horsepower
- 182
- City MPG
- 26
- Highway MPG
- 33
- Engine
- 2.5-liter SUBARU BOXER
- Horsepower
- 182 hp
- Torque
- –
- Drivetrain
- Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive
- Transmission
- Lineartronic CVT with Active Torque Vectoring
- City / highway MPG
- 26 / 33
- Seating
- –
- Wheel size
- 18 in
- Ground clearance
- 8.7 in
- Cargo, seats up
- –
- Towing capacity
- –
Adds over Forester Limited
- LED fog lights
- Roof rails with silver accents and integrated tie-downs
- Front, rear and side underguards with silver finish
- Satin silver side mirrors with integrated turn signals and automatic reverse tilt
- Chrome door handles
- Available Saddle Brown Leather upholstery
- 2-position driver's seat memory
- 8-way power-adjustable front-passenger's seat
- Heated steering wheel and rear seats
- SUBARU STARLINK 8.0-inch Multimedia Navigation
- Harman Kardon 576-watt-equivalent premium audio system with 9 speakers
- Driver Monitoring System (DMS)
- Reverse Automatic Braking (RAB)
- One-touch folding rear seatbacks
The trims, side by side.
Scroll sideways to see every trim →
"Optional" means the feature needs an upgrade or package.
5 of 5 trims
| Trim | Base | Premium | Sport | Limited | Touring |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| City / Hwy / Combined (MPG) | 26 / 33 / 29 | 26 / 33 / 29 | 26 / 33 / 29 | 26 / 33 / 29 | 26 / 33 / 29 |
| Horsepower | 182 hp | 182 hp | 182 hp | 182 hp | 182 hp |
| Seating capacity | - | - | - | - | - |
| Base | Premium | Sport | Limited | Touring | |
| Drivetrain | Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive | Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive | Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive | Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive | Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive |
| Transmission | Lineartronic CVT with Active Torque Vectoring | Lineartronic CVT with Active Torque Vectoring | Lineartronic CVT with Active Torque Vectoring | Lineartronic CVT with Active Torque Vectoring | Lineartronic CVT with Active Torque Vectoring |
| Name | 2.5-liter SUBARU BOXER | 2.5-liter SUBARU BOXER | 2.5-liter SUBARU BOXER | 2.5-liter SUBARU BOXER | 2.5-liter SUBARU BOXER |
| Type | 4-cylinder horizontally opposed | 4-cylinder horizontally opposed | 4-cylinder horizontally opposed | 4-cylinder horizontally opposed | 4-cylinder horizontally opposed |
| Fuel injection | direct injection | direct injection | direct injection | direct injection | direct injection |
| Horsepower | 182 | 182 | 182 | 182 | 182 |
| Fuel economy |
|
|
|
|
|
| Auto start stop | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Base | Premium | Sport | Limited | Touring | |
| Highway MPG | 33 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 33 |
| City MPG | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 |
| Combined MPG | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 |
| Base | Premium | Sport | Limited | Touring | |
| Ground clearance (in) | 8.7 | 8.7 | 8.7 | 8.7 | 8.7 |
| Base | Premium | Sport | Limited | Touring | |
| Passenger volume (cu ft) | 111.9 | 111.9 | 111.9 | 111.9 | 111.9 |
| Cargo volume max (cu ft) | 76.1 | 76.1 | 76.1 | 76.1 | 76.1 |
| Base | Premium | Sport | Limited | Touring | |
| Wheel size (in) | – | 17 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| Wheel material | – | aluminum-alloy | aluminum-alloy | aluminum-alloy | aluminum-alloy |
| Wheel finish | – | Black with machine finish | Black finish | Black with machine finish | Unique Touring black with machine finish |
| Base | Premium | Sport | Limited | Touring | |
| Eyesight standard | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Airbags count | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| Rear vision camera | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Rear cross traffic alert | – | – | – | Yes | Yes |
| Lane change assist | – | – | – | Yes | Yes |
| Blind spot detection | – | – | – | Yes | Yes |
| Reverse automatic braking | – | – | – | – | Yes |
| Base | Premium | Sport | Limited | Touring | |
| EyeSight Driver Assist Technology | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| SI-DRIVE | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Auto-on/off LED headlights | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Cloth upholstery | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Driver's auto-up/down power window | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| SUBARU STARLINK 6.5-inch Multimedia | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Dual USB ports | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Automatic climate control | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Rear-Vision Camera | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| X-MODE with Hill Descent Control | - | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Body-color side mirrors | - | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Panoramic power moonroof | - | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Roof rails and rear spoiler | - | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Privacy glass | - | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Premium cloth upholstery | - | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 10-way power-adjustable driver's seat | - | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Wi-Fi capability | - | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| STARLINK Safety and Security enabled | - | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Leather-wrapped steering wheel | - | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Reclining rear seatbacks | - | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Rear A/C vents | - | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Dual-function X-MODE with Hill Descent Control | - | - | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| SI-DRIVE with Sport Sharp (S#) mode | - | - | Yes | - | - |
| LED fog lights | - | - | Yes | - | Yes |
| Roof rails with integrated tie-downs | - | - | Yes | - | - |
| Front, rear and side underguards with orange accents | - | - | Yes | - | - |
| Body-color heated side mirrors with integrated turn signals | - | - | Yes | - | - |
| Gloss black and orange exterior accents | - | - | Yes | - | - |
| Dark gray sport fabric with leather shifter | - | - | Yes | - | - |
| Orange stitching and trim accents | - | - | Yes | - | - |
| Sport gauges with color LCD display | - | - | Yes | - | - |
| 6.3-inch color multifunction display | - | - | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Keyless Access with Push-Button Start | - | - | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Dual rear USB ports | - | - | Yes | - | - |
| Cargo-area tray, LED cargo and rear gate lights | - | - | Yes | - | - |
| LED Steering Responsive Headlights (SRH) with High Beam Assist (HBA) | - | - | - | Yes | Yes |
| Halogen fog lights | - | - | - | Yes | Yes |
| Chrome grille accents and exhaust tip | - | - | - | Yes | Yes |
| Power rear gate with height memory functions | - | - | - | Yes | Yes |
| Leather-trimmed upholstery | - | - | - | Yes | Yes |
| SUBARU STARLINK 8.0-inch Multimedia Plus | - | - | - | Yes | Yes |
| Dual-zone automatic climate control system | - | - | - | Yes | Yes |
| Blind-Spot Detection with Lane Change Assist and Rear Cross-Traffic Alert | - | - | - | Yes | Yes |
| Cargo-area tray | - | - | - | Yes | Yes |
| Roof rails with silver accents and integrated tie-downs | - | - | - | - | Yes |
| Front, rear and side underguards with silver finish | - | - | - | - | Yes |
| Satin silver side mirrors with integrated turn signals and automatic reverse tilt | - | - | - | - | Yes |
| Chrome door handles | - | - | - | - | Yes |
| Available Saddle Brown Leather upholstery | - | - | - | - | See condition |
| 2-position driver's seat memory | - | - | - | - | Yes |
| 8-way power-adjustable front-passenger's seat | - | - | - | - | Yes |
| Heated steering wheel and rear seats | - | - | - | - | Yes |
| SUBARU STARLINK 8.0-inch Multimedia Navigation | - | - | - | - | Yes |
| Harman Kardon 576-watt-equivalent premium audio system with 9 speakers | - | - | - | - | Yes |
| Driver Monitoring System (DMS) | - | - | - | - | Yes |
| Reverse Automatic Braking (RAB) | - | - | - | - | Yes |
| One-touch folding rear seatbacks | - | - | - | - | Yes |