2020 Subaru Forester – media.subaru.com | Shop 2020 Subaru Forester on Carsforsale.com
Although the Subaru Forester received a redesign in 2019, Subaru still managed to stuff some more new and standard features on this 2020 Subaru Forester. Subaru noticed the need for standard rear-seat reminder technology and many other standard safety features. Premium models now come with standard heated exterior mirrors, windshield wiper de-icer, heated front seats, LED rear license plate lamp, and LED cargo area dome lights. The way this compact SUV handles and drives, you’ll feel like you’re driving a car just with SUV specs and capabilities.
Plenty of vision offering fewer blind spots
Great braking and handling
Child safety features and accommodations
Plenty of passenger space and cargo volume
8.7 inches of ground clearance
Underpowered 2.5-liter Boxer engine
Noisy cabin at high RPMs
Limited standard options
Unfortunately, the 2020 Subaru Forester only comes with one engine option. The 2.5-liter Subaru Boxer engine. When it comes to power, we say it’s a little underpowered for the technology that could be used in an SUV for this era. But if you’re just doing regular daily driving, you should have no problems getting around.
The Subaru Boxer engine puts out 182 horsepower and 176 lb-ft of torque. Connected to a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) and utilizing their Symmetrical all-wheel-drive system, you will get from 0-60 MPH in 8.5 seconds. Again, not super-fast, but it will get you where you’re going.
With plenty of room inside for cargo, you will also have a towing capacity of 1,500 pounds. That’s not a lot, but then again, it’s not that bad when you think about the fact that you only have a 2.5-liter engine that puts out 176 lb-ft of torque. If towing is something you plan on doing a lot of, you might want to think about different SUV or truck options.
There is an upside to driving a compact SUV that doesn’t need a big, powerful, gas-guzzling engine to get around town. With an EPA estimated miles per gallon of 26 city / 33 Hwy / 29 combined, you most likely won’t see a huge dent in your wallet from gas purchases.
Cargo space is something you will appreciate many times throughout your lease or ownership of a 2020 Subaru Forester. With the seats in their upward position, you receive 31.1 cu-ft of cargo volume, and with them folded down you will receive 76.1 cu-ft of cargo volume. You will also have the option to have raised roof rials where you can also store some cargo.
There’s plenty of legroom and headroom for grown adults to sit comfortably in the front or in the rear seats. Headroom comes in at 41.2 inches in the front and 39.6 inches in the rear. Legroom comes in at 43.3 inches in the front and 39.4 inches in the rear. Everything seems to be very easily reachable from the front seats making it easy to command and control all the functions and features of the 2020 Subaru Forester. For even more comfort, the optional dual-zone automatic climate control and heated leather seats can make long drives feel a lot more comfortable and shorter.
The Subaru STARLINK Multimedia Plus infotainment center comes with a standard 6.5-inch screen. The screen can be upgraded to an 8.0-inch screen and also becomes standard at higher trim levels. Multimedia Navigation is an option on the Limited and standard on the Touring trims. You will also find two USB charging ports in the front row and two optional or standard USB ports in the center of the rear row on some trims. All trim models come with Apple CarPlay and Android connectivity, and all trims (except the base trim) come with Wi-Fi 4GLTE capability.
It’s true, Subarus are one of the safest vehicles on the road, and this 2020 Subaru Forester is no different. Living up to its reputation, the Forester received a five-star rating from the NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick designation from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The Subaru Forester’s EyeSight suite of camera-based driver-assistance is partly responsible for the high-ratings. Other features like standard and optional Driver Focus Distraction Mitigation System, Blind-Spot Detection with Lane Change Assist, and Rear Cross-Traffic Alert can all help keep the driver-focused and the Forester driving down the road safely.
The base 2020 Subaru Forester comes at a great price for what you get. The 2.5-liter engine comes connected to a CVT, plus a Symmetrical all-wheel-drive system with X-Mode, the best AWD system in its class. Standard EyeSight Driver Assist technology and other great safety features like Brake Assist, Rear-Vision Back-Up Camera, and High Beam Assist all should let you enjoy the comfortable ride. Plus, you’ll enjoy the great gas mileage and perks of the Subaru’s standard STARLINK technology.
Although you have to option up for them on the Base, the 2020 Subaru Forester comes standard with 17-inch aluminum-alloy wheels. More to add to the exterior look is the body-colored folding side mirrors with integrated turn signals and a spoiler in the rear. On the interior, you’ll receive a 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, heated front seats, and STARLINK with Wi-Fi 4G LTE capabilities.
The Sport trim is the only 2020 Subaru Forester that comes with the sport cloth upholstery with orange stitching. Also stepping up to the Sport trim, you get steering wheel controlled paddle shifting abilities, a colorful LCD instrument cluster, and a 6.3-inch color LCD multifunctional display for fuel economy, heating and air conditioning, audio, other vehicle control operating functions, and more.
The limited comes with dual-zone automatic climate control, a six-speaker audio system, power rear gate, leather-trimmed upholstery, and standard STARLINK with an 8.0-inch infotainment screen.
When you spring for the 2020 Subaru Forester Touring trim, you get to enjoy a couple of extra standard features that make your drive a little bit more comfortable. It adds a two-position driver’s seat and power mirror memory, heated steering wheel, paddle shifters (the only other trim option they come on), and a Harman Kardon premium audio system that puts out 576-watts with 9 speakers.
For warranties, you’ll find out that you will be covered quite nicely in a 2020 Subaru Forester. The New Car Limited Warranty will be 3 years or 36,000 miles. The Powertrain Warranty will be 5 years or 60,000 miles. Rust Perforation Limited Warranty is 5 years/unlimited miles. Wear Item Limited Warranty is 3 years or 36,000 miles, which includes your basics like the battery, brake pads, windshield wipers, clutch linings, etc. These warranties aren’t all that great compared to the competition and you might end up spending a lot of money out-of-pocket for your maintenance keep-up. Just something to keep in mind.
2020 Subaru Forester – media.subaru.com | Shop 2020 Subaru Forester on Carsforsale.com
Subaru is known to build some of the toughest vehicles on the road. We do find it kind of odd they did not opt to at least put the 2.4-liter turbo engine in the higher trims of the 2020 Subaru Forester like they have on some of their other models, but all-and-all, if you’re just an average driver, the power probably won’t get in the way of your daily routine. The 2020 Subaru Forester is a good looking compact SUV that gets good gas mileage and offers a lot of room for both passengers and cargo space. For the price, it is well worth the money.