2023 Subaru Forester First Test: Dog Slow to the Dog Show

The 2023 Subaru Forester's canine brand ambassadors sure are cute, but exploring a vehicle's handling limits aren't in the repertoire of tricks for the Barkleys and the rest of the goodest boys and girls. Thankfully the test rats at MotorTrend do just that. The Subaru test subject at hand is the fifth-generation Forester, which rolled onto the scene for the 2019 model year and was refreshed in 2022 with minor styling tweaks and the addition of a tough-looking Wilderness trim level.

The Forester we had in for this particular test was the top-spec 2023 Subaru Forester Touring with a price tag of $37,720 and a long list of creature comforts, including leather upholstery and heated rear seats. There are five other Forester trim levels if you want to save some coin, including the base model that's roughly $10,000 cheaper than the Touring.

Regardless of trim, all Foresters are powered by a 2.5-liter, naturally aspirated flat-four engine rated at 182 horsepower and 176 lb-ft of torque, paired with a continuously variable transmission and, of course, Subaru's standard all-wheel drive. With 3,584 pounds to lug around, the Forester's powertrain is far from exciting, but it does feel relatively eager off the line and is mostly adequate the rest of the time. The Forester Touring we tested needed 8.5 seconds to run from 0 to 60 mph and 16.5 seconds to cross the quarter-mile, which is on par with key competitors like the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V, and almost a full second quicker to 60 mph than the woefully underpowered Hyundai Tucson. Brake-pedal feel is soft and travel is long, with noticeable nosedive under hard deceleration. A stopping distance of 125 feet from 60 mph is in line with the segment.

Despite the fact that this ain't a sporty Subie, out on our signature figure-eight course the Forester's time of 27.3 seconds was on pace with the 2023 Honda CR-V AWD and 2022 RAV4 TRD Off-Road (27.4 seconds and 27.1 seconds, respectively). Steering feel is super-light and numb, and the softly sprung suspension magnifies body roll when driven at its limits. On the upside—and what most buyers will care about—is that the Forester is comfortable and cushy, and does an admirable job of masking harsh bumps and rough road surfaces. Outward visibility all around is also excellent.

At first glance, the Forester Touring's interior exudes a premium vibe, thanks to its black-and-terracotta color scheme and comfortable leather seats (though more lateral support would be appreciated). But the overall design is busy, and we were disappointed by dashboard and trim pieces finished in varying textures and shades of black. The large infotainment screen is intuitive and responsive, and there's no doubt Gen Xers will be pleasantly surprised by the Forester's compact disc player (the CD's comeback is just around the corner, right?). But a few glaring ergonomic issues exist. For starters, the front USB ports are out of sight and buried underneath the center stack. Next, the HVAC controls sit below the infotainment screen, but the relevant info resides on the smaller multifunction screen located high above the dashboard.

Thankfully, the Forester scores well on overall interior packaging. Its 40.2 inches of front headroom, for example, tops RAV4 and CR-V, as does its front legroom. Cargo volume behind the rear seats comes out to 26.9 cubic-feet, which is smaller than the Honda and Toyota, but seems spacious and tall enough for a Labrador Retriever to stand up comfortably. Other cargo-area standouts include electronically-actuated rear-seat releases (the Honda doesn't even have manual ones!) and lots of hooks, including one on the liftgate and a couple on the roof.

To ensure you and your pooch arrive safe and sound, all Foresters come standard with Subaru's EyeSight suite of driver assistance technology, including lane keeping assist, forward collision avoidance, and adaptive cruise control. The Forester Touring, however, gets a few exclusive safety add-ons, driver focus alerts, and emergency braking if it detects a possible collision while reversing. For 2023, the Forester is rated a Top Safety Pick from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and earned five out of five stars from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

And with an EPA rating of 26/33 mpg city/highway, the Forester is a smidge thirstier than CR-V and Nissan Rogue, but more efficient than RAV4 and Tucson. So, despite its age, the Forester is still a strong contender in a crowded and tough segment, and certainly a worthy mode of transportation for Fido and friends.