Subaru has set trends by never chasing them. The Japanese manufacturer sold the first all-wheel-drive passenger car in America in 1974. It also began offering small turbocharged engines before their fuel-saving capabilities were fully understood by the public. And today it still the only company to include all-wheel-drive as standard equipment on virtually every vehicle, making them popular in the wet Pacific Northwest.
Up until a few years ago, most Subaru models might have best been described as utilitarian, more practical than stylish. But then the company launched a serious effort to upgrade all of them. The result has helped boost Subaru sales to record levels, breaking the company out of the "cult" category where it has remained for so long.
The 2015 Forester is a good example of what's going right with Subaru. One of the first compact crossovers, the Forester has always been a good value, offering ample interior room and even reasonable off-road performance, if not the most up-to-date looks or features.
But Subaru completely refreshed the Forester in 2014, sharpening its exterior lines, updating its interior, and adding such modern touches as a standard rear-view camera and a collection of advanced safety features, including lane departure and front collision warning systems. Subaru's advanced EyeSight driver assist system with adaptive cruise control, pre-collision braking, and lane departure and sway warning functions is also available.
Subaru also offers its STARLINK Safety and Security system in the Forester for hands-free entertainment and security services. It is an app that allows owners to do such handy things from their smart phones as: locking and unlocking the car; honk the horn and flash the lights (to help locate a car in a parking lot, for example); viewing the approximate location of the car (accurate within about 15); and setting service appointments and viewing your service histories.
Even more important, everything about the newest Forester simply works better. The ride is more composed and quieter. The standard manual transmission now has six forward speeds instead of five, and the optional Lineartronic Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) shifts better while helping to deliver improved mileage.
Subaru is the only manufacturer to offer nothing but horizontally-opposed Boxer engines in all their vehicles. They sit lower in the engine bays, which helps with handling by lowering the center of gravity. while the standard 2.5-liter four cylinder engine only produces 174 horsepower, it worked well in our test Forester, in large part because of the responsiveness of the CVT. A turbocharged 2.0-liter engine is available for those who want more power. It is rated at a very respectable 250 horsepower.
Very little about the Forester was changed for 2015. It is still offered in six trim levels. The 2.5i, 2.5i Premium, 2.5i Limited and 2.5i Touring all come with standard 2.5 engine, while the 2.0XT Premium and 2.0XT Touring come with a turbocharged 2.0.
Standard equipment on the base 2.5i includes 17-inch steel wheels, full power accessories, cruise control, a height-adjustable driver seat, Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, a color multifunction display, a rearview camera and a four-speaker sound system with a CD player, an auxiliary audio jack and iPod/USB connectivity. Every step up adds more features, including leather trimmed upholstery, an eight-speaker Harman Kardon sound system, 18-inch alloy wheels, xenon headlamps, keyless entry and ignition, dual-zone automatic climate control and a one-touch folding rear seatback.
Prices for the Forester are very reasonable, beginning at $22,395 for the base model and topping out at around $34,000 for a fully-loaded Touring Premium model. Our test 2.5i Premium was just $28,540, including the optical all-weather package, navigation system, and Eyesight safety packagewith adaptive cruise control, pre-collision braking, and lane departure and sway warning functions.
Despite the upgrades, the 2015 Subaru Forester is still not the most refined affordable compact crossover on the market. And that will be just fine for its many fans, who value practicality and believe form should follow function something the Forester still delivers in spades.
2015 Subaru Forester
Base price: $22,395
Price as tested: $28,540
Type: Compact crossover
Engines: 2.5 Boxer 4 (170 hp, 174 lbs-ft - as tested); turbocharged 2.0 Boxer 4 ( 250 hp, 258 lbs-ft)
Transmissions: 6-speed manual; CVT with low mode or paddle shifters
EPA estimated mileage: 24/32 (as tested)
Overall length: 180.9 inches
Curb weight: 3,318 to 3,391 pounds
Final assembly: Lafayette, Indiana