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The 2024 Forester is almost identical to the 2023, so if you’re shopping between the two, you’re mostly looking at minor feature and trim updates rather than a full redesign.
The Subaru Forester is one of those smaller SUVs that feels really practical for families. The second row is wider than you’d expect, and there are a lot of little details here that make car seats easier to deal with day to day.
- Wide second row bench: this back seat feels roomy for the size of the vehicle, so fitting multiple car seats doesn’t feel overly cramped.
- Dedicated lower anchors on both outboard seats: there are full LATCH setups on the driver-side and passenger-side seats, which makes those installs the easiest.
- Top tether anchors across the bench: all three second-row seating positions have tether anchors, so you can install a forward-facing seat anywhere in the back row.
- Center seat setup takes some strategy: there’s technically a lower anchor setup in the center, but I’d honestly ignore it because it overlaps with the adjacent seat space and doesn’t really gain you anything.
- Adjustable and removable headrests: this makes a huge difference for car seat compatibility, especially with forward-facing seats and boosters.
- Rear outboard seat belt pretensioners: I love seeing pretensioners added to the second-row outboard seats because that’s still not something you get in every SUV.
The Exterior
The Forester definitely leans more rugged and outdoorsy than a lot of other compact SUVs. I don’t love every styling choice, but I do appreciate that Subaru keeps the design practical and functional for families.
The Front End Feels More Aggressive Than The Rest Of The SUV
I actually like the hood design and headlights, but the grille area feels a little too heavy compared to the rest of the vehicle.
- The headlights have a nice shape: they help modernize the front end a bit.
- The grille styling feels bulky: the front end overall feels more aggressive than the rest of the Forester.
Subaru Keeps The Classic Rugged Look
The black cladding, roof rails, and upright body shape all give the Forester that outdoorsy Subaru feel. I also thought the little Forester badging on the side was really cute.
- Chrome accents soften the exterior: there’s chrome around the windows, roof rails, and mirror caps.
The Smaller Exterior Hides A Surprisingly Spacious Cabin
The Forester is actually one of the smaller SUVs in this class from the outside, but it feels much larger once you get inside.
First Row
The first row of the Forester feels comfortable and straightforward, which honestly fits the whole personality of this car. There’s a lot going on visually with the materials and textures, but overall it still feels functional and easy to use.
The Seats Feel Comfortable For Everyday Driving
I was actually really impressed with the driver comfort in the Forester. The seats felt supportive, and the 10-way power driver seat gives you a lot of adjustability to find a comfortable position.
- The two-tone leather adds some warmth: I liked the saddle-and-black color combination throughout the cabin.
- The visibility feels very open: the upright shape and large windows help the cabin feel airy.
Subaru Keeps The Controls Simple And Easy To Reach
The Forester still uses a pretty traditional layout, which honestly makes everything easier to figure out quickly. The climate controls, media controls, and heated seat buttons are all separated well instead of being buried in menus.
- Physical climate controls are easy to use: I always appreciate when manufacturers keep these simple.
- Cupholders and storage stay practical: you get two cupholders, a center console, and a small cubby up front for everyday items.
The Interior Prioritizes Function Over Flash
There are definitely some mixed materials happening throughout the cabin, and I could not decide how I felt about the carpet, but overall the Forester still feels durable and family-friendly.
Second Row
The second row is honestly where the Forester really starts to shine for families. Even though this is technically one of the smaller SUVs in the category from the outside, the back seat feels surprisingly roomy and thoughtfully designed for car seats.
Lower anchors on both outboard seats and three tether anchors across the bench support flexible family setups
The Forester has dedicated lower LATCH anchors on both outboard second-row seats along with top tether anchors across all three second-row seating positions. That gives you a lot of flexibility for forward-facing car seats.
- The center lower anchor setup is not ideal: technically there is a center lower anchor setup, but I would honestly ignore it because it overlaps with the adjacent seat space and makes installs more difficult.
- Adjustable and removable headrests help with compatibility: this makes a huge difference with forward-facing seats and boosters.
The wide bench and reclining seats make the second row feel more usable
The bench itself is actually pretty wide for the size of the vehicle, and I love that the second-row seats recline because that can really help with car seat installs and passenger comfort.
- Rear-facing legroom is impressive: I had the driver’s seat set for myself at almost six feet tall and still had plenty of room behind it.
- The cabin feels very comfortable for adults too: good knee room and headroom make this feel much larger than you’d expect.
Subaru Added Rear Pretensioners To The Outboard Seats
One thing I was really excited to see is that Subaru included seat belt pretensioners on both second-row outboard seats. That’s still not something you see in every SUV in this category.
- Rear heated seats and USB ports add comfort: both outboard seats are heated and there are two USB ports in the second row.
Third Row
Trunk
The trunk in the Forester is honestly more usable than I expected for a compact SUV. From the outside, it feels pretty small, but the cargo area is practical and easy to load for everyday family life.
The Forester Keeps Up With Other Compact SUVs On Cargo Space
The Forester offers 26.9 cubic feet of trunk space behind the second row, which keeps it competitive with other compact SUVs while still feeling easy to park and maneuver.
- The Outback gives you a little more room: the Outback offers 32.6 cubic feet behind the second row.
- The Atlas Cross Sport is much larger overall: that SUV offers 40.3 cubic feet of cargo space, but it also feels significantly bigger to drive.
The Boxy Cargo Area Makes Loading Easier
I like that Subaru kept the cargo area tall and square instead of overly sporty. It makes strollers, groceries, and larger family gear much easier to load.
- The lower lift-in height feels practical: loading heavier items is easy.
- The wide opening helps with bulky gear: the space feels very usable day to day.
Safety
The 2023 Subaru Forester Is An IIHS Top Safety Pick
The 2023 Subaru Forester earned a Top Safety Pick designation from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
Seatbelt Pretensioners Are Included In The Front And Rear Outboard Seats
The 2024 Forester includes seatbelt pretensioners for the driver, front passenger, and both rear outboard seating positions.
Subaru Includes EyeSight Driver Assistance Technology As Standard Equipment
The 2024 Forester comes standard with EyeSight Driver Assist Technology, which includes:
- Pre-Collision Braking
- Adaptive Cruise Control
- Lane Departure and Sway Warning
- Lane Keep Assist
- Lead Vehicle Start Alert
The Forester Gives You Three Top Tether Anchors Across The Second Row
The Forester has one of the more family-friendly second-row setups in this category. You get lower LATCH anchors on both outboard seats along with top tether anchors for all three second-row seating positions, which gives you flexibility for multiple forward-facing car seats.
- Lower anchors are on both outboard seats: both passenger-side and driver-side second-row seats have dedicated lower anchors and tether anchors.
- All three seats have top tether anchors: that includes the center seat, which is helpful if you need a forward-facing seat in the middle position.
The Shared Center Lower Anchors Limit Some Install Options
Subaru does allow a center lower anchor installation, but it uses shared anchors from the outboard seats. Only one lower anchor setup can be used at a time between the passenger-side and center seat positions.
- The center lower anchors overlap with the passenger side: if you use the center lower anchors, you cannot also use the passenger-side lower anchors at the same time.
- The center seat works better with a seatbelt install: especially if you are trying to maximize multiple car seats across the row.
The Second Row Feels Wide Enough For Family Setups
The Forester’s boxy shape really helps the second row feel open and usable for car seats. The wide bench and upright roofline make loading kids in and out feel easier than a lot of compact SUVs.
- Rear-facing space feels generous: there is good legroom for larger rear-facing seats.
- The removable headrests help with forward-facing installs: especially for boosters and larger convertible seats.
- The flat roofline helps with loading kids in: you are not ducking around a sloped roof design.
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