Reviewers are very clear on the 2011 Subaru Forester: it’s not the most refined compact SUV you can buy, but its low price, standard all-wheel drive, spacious interior and fun driving experience make a strong case for active SUV shoppers who are on a budget.
Month after month, Subaru shatters sales records. Even with Subaru’s budget pricing, Subaru buyers tend to have higher incomes than typical buyers of brands like Toyota. Check out the Hyundai Tucson if you want more refinement than the Forester offers. If you want a more comfortable, upscale feel, better fuel economy and don’t need all-wheel drive, the Tucson is a better option than the Forester.
For 2011, Subaru Forester 2.5X models have a revised 2.5-liter engine that boosts torque and fuel economy slightly. The 2.5XT Limited trim has been dropped and a couple of new trim levels have been added: the 2.5X Touring and the 2.5XT Touring, positioned above the Limited trim. Several trims get improved audio features, while the 2.5X Premium gets a new optional TomTom navigation system. An eight-way power driver seat (with power-adjustable lumbar support) is now standard on the 2.5XT Premium, and Bluetooth is now standard on all Foresters except the 2.5X.
The 2011 Subaru Forester is a perfect example.
The Forester is also one of the few small crossovers to offer a turbocharged engine, which could hold particular appeal for people who often drive at high altitudes.
Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options
The 2011 Subaru Forester is a compact crossover SUV available in six trim levels: 2.5X, 2.5X Premium, 2.5X Limited, 2.5XT Premium, 2.5X Touring and 2.5XT Touring.
The 2.5X Premium adds 17-inch alloy wheels, a panoramic sunroof, roof rails, an eight-way power driver seat with power-adjustable lumbar support, a tilt-and-telescoping steering column, Bluetooth with audio streaming, steering-wheel audio controls, iPod integration, USB connectivity and reclining rear seatbacks.
The 2.5X Limited adds foglights, automatic climate control, the All-Weather package (including heated mirrors, heated front seats and windshield wiper de-icer), leather upholstery and a six-speaker stereo with six-CD changer. The 2.5XT Touring combines the 2.5XT Premium's features with those seen in the 2.5X Touring.
Every Subaru comes with standard all-wheel drive, and the Forester is no different. The automatic is the only transmission available on the 2.5X Limited, 2.5XT Premium, 2.5X Touring and 2.5XT Touring.
With both the manual and automatic transmissions, 2.5X models earn EPA ratings of 21 mpg city/27 mpg highway and 23 mpg combined, or exactly what you'd get from the similarly powered AWD Honda CR-V. With the XT's turbocharged engine, fuel economy dips to 19 mpg city/24 mpg highway and 21 mpg combined.
Safety
Standard safety features on every 2011 Subaru Forester include antilock brakes with brake assist, traction and stability control, front-seat side airbags and front and rear side curtain airbags. In Edmunds braking tests, the Forester 2.5XT came to a stop from 60 mph in 125 feet, which is a good distance for this segment.
The Forester has not been rated using the government's new, more strenuous 2011 crash-testing procedures. This crossover's split-folding rear seat with optional reclining seatbacks deserves special mention here.
The Forester was updated for 2003, later adding a sporty XT version with a turbocharged 2.5-liter boxer engine; that proved to be a surprising sleeper of a performance vehicle, able to embarrass a number of ‘bona fide’ sporty cars. For 2009, the Forester was extensively re-designed, emerging as a more mainstream and lower priced offering. Now into its third year, the current Forester is due for some updates, the biggest one being a new engine in normally aspirated X models. According to Subaru engineers, this was primarily done to improve torque delivery at slightly lower rpm – the new engine is rated at 174 ft-lbs at 4100 rpm (versus 170 at 4800 rpm on the old motor).
Maximum horsepower remains at 170, though it’s now delivered at lower rpm as well (5800 revs, versus 6000). As with last year’s rig, the 2011 Forester is available with a choice of five-speed manual gearbox, or four-speed automatic transmission. Subaru claims that fuel economy is improved slightly – the new normally aspirated engine is rated at 21/27 mpg (city/highway) versus last year’s 20/27-mpg rating with the manual and 20/26-mpg rating with the automatic. The all-independent suspension and chassis work well together, delivering a good blend of capable handling and decent ride comfort, even on bumpy roads. (XT models are also available as $26,995 Premium package rigs).
Other new features for 2011, include standard Bluetooth wireless communication on all Foresters bar the base 2.5X, an upgraded audio system for Premium package equipped models with six speakers, audio streaming, iPod compatibility and USB port among other things, an optional (and removable) TomTom navigation system on 2.5X Premium models with a 4.3-inch screen, and an automatic up/down driver’s side window as standard on all but the base 2.5X.