2011 Subaru Forester Reviews
Roof rails are standard to complete the Forester's look.The Subaru Forester 2.5XT has a powerful 224-horsepower, turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that gets an EPA-estimated 19/24 mpg city/highway and uses premium gas.
The 2011 Forester's interior is sparse and filled with black plastic. The Forester's lacking any high-tech gizmos or gadgets that you might expect to find in a car from the 2011 model year. In reality, with the seats up, cargo space is almost 31 cubic feet and with them down, it's about 63 cubic feet.
A center armrest and cupholders in the rear seat instantly makes the rear seat feel lounge-like and puts passengers at ease. In the front row, the driver and passenger have standard heated leather seats. The Subaru Forester has a standard MP3 jack as well as steering-wheel-mounted audio and cruise controls.
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 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 2.5XT 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 the XT's turbocharged engine, fuel economy dips to 19 mpg city/24 mpg highway and 21 mpg combined.
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. 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 2011 Forester has one of the most comfortable rides in the segment.
The Subaru Forester was fully redesigned for 2009, gaining a slightly larger, slightly more rounded look that replaced its much-loved, more overtly boxy predecessor. Inside, the Forester is a little plain, but it's a good fit for the outdoorsy, understated crowd that falls for the Forester in droves.
The big news is that the Subaru Forester gets an all-new engine for 2011. The way the Forester handles is positively carlike, and the all-wheel drive system assists with traction out of corners, enhancing its already admirable poise. The boxy shape of the 2011 Subaru Forester, along with ideally placed seating and a low cargo floor, altogether make it much roomier inside than you'd likely anticipate. All the while, the Forester feels quite refined. Also, the Forester's interior materials and trims—especially the unremarkable dash plastics—are a weakness, with dash and center-console materials, and grained and matte-metallic plastics used as surfaces, feeling a bit hard and hollow.
