Subaru Forester 2019

Overview

Subaru unveiled the 2019 Forester earlier this year at the 2018 New York International Auto Show (NYIAS). We already have the Forester available in Malaysia. Therefore, we are quite optimistic about the launch of the 2019 model in our country.

The 2019 Forester is based on Subaru’s Global Platform which improves the vehicle’s handling capabilities, ride quality, and comfort level. This new platform allowed Subaru to increase the wheelbase of the 2019 Forester by 30 mm. This resulted in many positive outcomes. The interior space is more than the current model. The legroom at the rear seats has increased by 35 mm along with the increase in head and shoulder room. The boot space is also massive with a capacity of 2,155 liters which can be further increased by folding the rear seats.

The interior of the 2019 Subaru Forester is new, similar to that of the latest Impreza and XV. There is a new dashboard design that features the 6.5-inch touchscreen in the center. The Starlink Multimedia system offers Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, SiriusXM, Aha, Pandora and Starlink app integration. There is also automatic climate control, optional heating for the front seats, heated steering wheel, and a 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat (eight-way for the passenger). Of course, the features vary depending on the variant.

Subaru has implemented its “Dynamic x Solid” design language in the 2019 Forester. The front end of the car shows off its new and bolder grille with an increased number of chrome slats. The LED headlights remain unchanged but they do feature the striking C-shaped daytime running lights to help you spot the Forester from a distance. At the rear of the car, the tail lights are also done in C-shape to give the car a more symmetric look. The higher variants of the new Forester make things a bit interesting by blackening out the front grille and alloy wheels.

The new Forester has got a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder petrol engine that has been tuned in a state to churn out 156 PS of max power and 196 Nm of peak torque. It is mated to Subaru’s Lineartronic CVT and comes with Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive system. There are going to be four trims of the Forester available which will be based on this engine configuration.

One of the highlighting safety features of the 2019 Subaru Forester is the EyeSight driver assistance system. This is an advanced safety system that includes Automatic Pre-Collision Braking, Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Departure and Sway Warning, Lane Keep Assist, Pre-Collision Throttle Management and Lead Vehicle Start Alert. There are also other safety features like High Beam Assist, Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) and standard-fit Trailer Stability Assist (TSA), etc.

Subaru has recently confirmed that the 2019 Forester will be coming to Malaysia in the mid of 2019. After the Subaru Outback, the fifth generation Forester will be the second product to feature Subaru’s EyeSight driver assistance system. Subaru has also said that it is going to launch three variants of the 2019 Forester during the first phase, and the fourth variant would be launched later. Subaru has not released details regarding the pricing; expect it to be a bit on the dearer side than the current model.