2024 Subaru Forester

2024 is the final year of the fifth-generation (2019–2024) Forester and a carry-over year mechanically: every trim from Base to Touring uses the same naturally-aspirated 2.5L FB25 boxer-four at 182 hp. There is no turbo XT and no hybrid in the 2024 lineup, so the volume Premium trim's figure is also the model-range maximum — near the bottom of the compact SUV set.

176 lb-ft arriving at a high 4,400 rpm is well behind turbocharged compact SUV rivals (Nissan Rogue VC-Turbo 225 lb-ft, Mazda CX-50 turbo 320 lb-ft on premium), and the peaky delivery is why the Forester needs revs to move.

Two independent instrumented tests bracket the 2024 Forester at 9.2–9.3 seconds to 60 mph, one of the slowest results in the compact SUV segment and the vehicle's clearest dynamic weakness.

Being naturally aspirated, the 2.5L has no turbo lag and responds predictably off idle, and the boxer layout is smooth at cruise — but reviewers consistently flag that it gets loud and unpleasant when worked, which is often, given the output on tap.

The Lineartronic CVT is the only transmission offered and is well-calibrated for gentle around-town driving, with simulated stepped ratios and paddle shifters on Sport and above, but it holds revs and drones under sustained throttle — the standard CVT criticism, made more audible here by how much throttle the 182-hp engine needs.

The item asks for the maximum rating in any configuration, which for 2024 is the Wilderness at 3,000 lbs thanks to its shorter 4.11:1 final drive and added transmission cooling; the volume Premium trim a buyer is more likely to order tows only 1,500 lbs. Even at its best the Forester trails the CX-50 (3,500 lbs) and is a light-duty tow vehicle in mainstream form.

Symmetrical full-time AWD is standard on all six 2024 trims — no front-drive base model exists and no AWD upcharge applies, a position most compact SUV rivals only reach by optioning up. Active torque vectoring is standard, and X-MODE adds low-traction logic.

8.7 inches of ground clearance on standard trims — more than a CR-V, RAV4 or Tucson — plus standard AWD, X-MODE and Hill Descent Control give the ordinary Forester real light-trail ability, and the Wilderness is a genuine dedicated off-road trim (9.2 in clearance, all-terrain tires, shorter final drive, improved approach/departure angles). It stops short of lockers, low range or Bronco Sport Badlands-class hardware.

2024 is a single-powertrain year: the 2.5L NA boxer with a CVT is the only choice across the entire range. The turbo XT was dropped after the fourth generation and the Strong Hybrid does not arrive until the 2026 sixth generation, so a 2024 buyer has no electrified, turbocharged or manual alternative — take it or leave it, in a segment where hybrid and turbo options are routine.

The volume gas Premium trim returns 29 MPG combined — strong for a compact SUV carrying standard full-time symmetrical AWD, where most rivals achieve comparable numbers only in front-drive form. The Wilderness drops to 26 combined on its taller tires and shorter gearing.

26 MPG city is good for a non-hybrid AWD compact SUV — helped by standard auto stop-start — though hybrid rivals such as the RAV4 and CR-V hybrids reach the low 40s in town.

33 MPG highway is a genuine strength and the number that carries the Forester's efficiency case, since the CVT keeps revs low at cruise despite the mechanical drag of always-on AWD.

EPA lists 481 miles of total range for the 2024 Forester AWD — a 16.6-gallon tank at 29 combined MPG. Comfortably enough for long-haul use without being remarkable; larger-tank mid-size SUVs and hybrid compacts go further.

EPA's standard-assumption annual fuel cost is $2,100 for the gas AWD Forester — moderate running costs, kept down by the regular-fuel requirement, but above what a hybrid compact SUV of the same year would cost to feed.

Every 2024 Forester trim runs on regular 87-octane unleaded, with no premium recommendation, no diesel and no charging hardware to think about — the cheapest and simplest fuel situation available.

The 2024 Forester (final year of the 2019-2024 fifth generation) carries NHTSA's top 5-star overall rating, with 5 stars in the side test and 4 stars for rollover resistance.

Top Safety Pick, not TSP+: Good in both small overlap front tests and the original moderate overlap, but only Marginal in the updated moderate overlap front test (rear-passenger chest injury measures) and Acceptable in the side test. Structure and driver protection are strong; rear-seat protection in the tougher new test is the weak point of this outgoing generation.

EyeSight is standard on every 2024 trim — pre-collision braking and throttle management, full-speed-range adaptive cruise, lane departure/sway warning and lane keep assist with centering — which is broader than most compact SUV base trims. Blind-Spot Detection with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert is the gap: standard only from Sport upward, optional on Premium and unavailable on Base, so the two volume trims can leave the showroom without it.

EyeSight's stereo-camera AEB earns IIHS's top Good rating in both the updated vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention test and the pedestrian test, the latter of which includes nighttime scenarios — a clean sweep of the current, harder evaluations.

Alert-only Blind-Spot Detection with Lane Change Assist and Rear Cross-Traffic Alert, standard from Sport upward and optional on Premium — a base or lower-Premium buyer can end up without either. Automatic Emergency Steering (below 50 mph) rides along when BSD is fitted, which is more intervention than most rivals offer.

Lane departure and sway warning plus lane keep assist with lane centering are standard, and reviewers credit the system with keeping the Forester from drifting. It remains a hands-on assist that works best on clearly marked highways, with the mild ping-ponging and assertive intervention EyeSight is known for.

Advanced Adaptive Cruise Control is standard on all trims with full-speed-range stop-and-go operation and Lead Vehicle Start Alert; paired with lane centering it makes a competent highway assist. Reviewers rate it as working well without the polish of the best-integrated rival systems.

Subaru offered no hands-free highway system on the 2024 Forester at any trim — nothing comparable to BlueCruise, Super Cruise or Highway Driving Assist. EyeSight requires hands on the wheel, with DriverFocus on Touring only watching for distraction.

IIHS rates the 2024 Forester's headlights Good on every trim, and steering-responsive LED headlights with High Beam Assist are standard across the range — no trim penalty, which is unusual in the segment.

The fifth-generation Forester's upright greenhouse, slim pillars and deep side glass give it among the best natural sightlines of any modern SUV, a point reviewers return to repeatedly. It leans on glass rather than cameras — there is no 360-degree camera on the 2024 lineup — but does not need the compensation.

IIHS rates LATCH ease of use Good with extra positions — its top result — and the Forester's boxy cabin, wide-opening rear doors and flat rear bench make installing and reaching into child seats straightforward.

The 2024 Forester is the final model year of the fifth generation and is a two-row, five-passenger compact SUV across every trim (Base, Premium, Sport, Wilderness, Limited, Touring) — no third row is offered at any price.

The volume Premium trim carries a standard panoramic power moonroof, which trims front headroom to 40.2 in from the moonroof-less Base trim's 41.2 in. Either figure is above average for a compact SUV, and the fifth generation's upright glasshouse and low beltline make it feel airier still.

Front legroom of 43.3 in is a genuine segment strength and is unchanged by trim, running well ahead of the CR-V (41.3 in) and RAV4 (41.0 in); reviewers note tall adults fit comfortably up front.

Second-row headroom on the moonroof-equipped volume trims is 37.6 in — mid-pack for the compact SUV class; the moonroof costs a full two inches, with the Base trim at 39.6 in.

39.4 in of second-row legroom is the Forester's strongest passenger-space number and sits comfortably above compact-SUV norms, with a reclining rear seatback standard to make use of it.

No third row exists on any 2024 Forester trim — it is a two-row-only compact SUV. Subaru buyers needing seven or eight seats step up to the Ascent.

Cargo volume behind the second row measures 26.9 cu ft on the moonroof-equipped volume Premium trim — well behind the class-leading CR-V (~39 cu ft) and Rogue (~36 cu ft) on paper. The 35.7 in of cargo-area height, 51.2 in rear gate opening and low liftover make it far more usable than the figure suggests, but the number is the Forester's weakest space measurement.

With the standard 60/40 split seatbacks folded the moonroof-equipped Premium offers 69.1 cu ft against 74.2 cu ft on the moonroof-less Base — below mid-pack on paper, though the tall roof, near-flat floor and 69.9 in of load length let it swallow bulky items reviewers expect to defeat a compact SUV.

Competitive everyday storage with no headline innovation: an illuminated front storage console tray, rear center console storage tray, large bottle-holding door bins, a passenger-side front seatback pocket and a wide flat cargo floor with underfloor storage and a cargo cover from Premium up. Connectivity is dated for a 2024 model — USB-A only, front and rear, with no USB-C and no onboard power outlet — which keeps it out of the standout band.

Front seats are consistently described as plush and roomy with good long-haul support, helped by the 10-way power driver's seat with power lumbar that is standard from Premium up. The rear bench is adult-friendly and reclines but is called out as less comfortable than the front, so it lands in the upper half of the competitive band rather than at the top.

Ride comfort is the fifth-generation Forester's standout comfort trait — testers repeatedly rate it at or near the top of the compact SUV class, absorbing broken pavement smoothly while staying controlled rather than floaty. It stops short of the very top band because body motions on 18-inch Sport/Limited wheels are firmer and the boxy body pitches more than the segment's most sophisticated setups.

Noise isolation is the acknowledged weak point of this generation: the flat-four's coarse note under load, CVT drone and road roar over coarse surfaces all intrude, and owner complaints center on exactly those three. Subaru's own answer was to add substantial sound deadening for the 2025 redesign specifically because quietness had "long been a weak point for the Forester," which places the 2024 car below segment average.

Solid mainstream equipment but clearly behind the 2025 redesign: heated front seats, heated mirrors and a wiper de-icer come standard from Premium up as part of the All-Weather Package, rear-seat climate outlets and a reclining rear bench are standard, and Touring adds heated outboard rear seats, a heated steering wheel and driver memory. What holds it to mid-band is that dual-zone automatic climate control only arrives at Limited (Base and Premium make do with a single-zone system), the heated steering wheel is a Touring standard or a Limited option, and ventilated front seats are not offered on any 2024 trim.

The entry 2024 Forester undercuts almost every compact SUV that charges extra for all-wheel drive, because Symmetrical AWD and the full EyeSight suite are already in that $28,190 delivered price.

Premium is the Forester's best-selling trim and is typically ordered with its single option package (blind-spot detection with rear cross-traffic alert, automatic emergency steering, power rear gate), which covers the equipment rivals bundle into their mid trims.

The naturally-aspirated 2.5-litre boxer with a timing chain and conventional service intervals keeps scheduled work ordinary, and the absence of a turbo or a hybrid system holds unscheduled repair reserves near the compact-SUV norm; the figure sits toward the upper end of the published spread because Subaru's AWD driveline and boxer packaging make some routine jobs more labour-intensive than a transverse front-drive rival's.

The Forester is one of the strongest residual performers in the mainstream compact-SUV class — standard AWD, a durable reputation and steady demand keep used prices firm — and the value is set a couple of points below the published figures because those are nameplate averages struck against an inflated new-price basis rather than a 2024 Premium specifically.

The industry floor. Subaru matches Toyota, Honda and Mazda here, but a 2024 Tucson or Sportage buyer gets 5 years/60,000 miles of the same coverage for similar money.

Also the segment floor, and half the 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain term Hyundai and Kia put behind their compact SUVs — a real gap for a CVT drivetrain buyers intend to keep past 100,000 miles.

Subaru includes no complimentary scheduled maintenance in the US, so every oil change is out of pocket from delivery — that puts the Forester squarely on the "basic roadside only" rung: 3 years/36,000 miles of 24-hour roadside assistance plus a 3-year STARLINK Safety Plus trial, against ToyotaCare's 2 years/25,000 miles of free service on a RAV4.

$32,555 volume-trim price minus its estimated resale value after 5 years (63% retained, or about $20,510) leaves about $12,045 in depreciation. Add the projected $4,300 in 5-year maintenance and repairs, and owning this vehicle for 5 years costs about $16,345 in total.

The 2024 Forester is the sixth and final model year of the fifth-generation SK platform (2019-2024), a fully mature carry-over year with no new hardware to shake out, and Consumer Reports awarded it a top 5/5 predicted-reliability rating and ranked it #1 of 21 compact SUVs. That is top-tier by any measure in this segment.

Subaru took the #1 spot outright in Consumer Reports' 2024 Annual Auto Reliability Survey — its first ever — displacing Lexus and Toyota. J.D. Power's 2024 VDS is more measured, placing Subaru at 181 PP100 against a 190 industry average: better than typical but well behind Toyota's 147 and outside the mass-market top five. Strong, with one of the two major studies short of top-tier.

Two NHTSA recalls for the 2024 model year — a modest count, but the front-driveshaft campaign is driveline-safety-relevant rather than cosmetic, covering cracked outer races that can break and cause loss of motive power or rollaway. TSB activity for this generation is ordinary but persistent around known FB25 themes (CVT shudder from insufficient fluid, valve-cover gasket and spark-plug-tube seal seepage). Typical activity, nothing systemic.

The 2.5L FB25 boxer four with the Lineartronic CVT is a high-volume, long-running combination with a broad high-mileage record, and 2024 is the most sorted iteration of it before the sixth-gen redesign. It is held back from the top band by well-documented family issues: oil consumption on the direct-injected FB variants, cam carrier and valve-cover leaks, and a history of CVT shudder complaints — none of which are fully absent from this generation.

The pre-redesign Forester cabin is built for durability rather than richness: hard plastic is used widely, particularly on the volume Premium trim, with soft-touch surfaces, Startex upholstery and leather reserved for the upper trims. Reviewers describe it as well-assembled and pleasant but plainly a step behind the CR-V and Tucson on perceived material quality for the money.

Built at Subaru of Indiana Automotive in Lafayette, a plant with a good initial-quality record, and in its sixth year of production the SK Forester's assembly is thoroughly dialed in. Panel gaps and interior assembly are consistent, with only scattered rattle complaints and no pattern of misalignment.

Subaru runs roughly 630 US dealerships — adequate nationally but materially thinner than Toyota, Honda, Ford or Chevrolet, and concentrated in the Northeast, Pacific Northwest and Colorado at the expense of the Sun Belt and Plains. Service satisfaction is respectable and Subaru places mid-pack among mass-market brands in J.D. Power's Customer Service Index.

RepairPal puts Forester average annual repair cost at $632, squarely in normal territory for a compact SUV, and the model's volume means common wear parts are widely stocked with healthy aftermarket support from Subaru's enthusiast base. Boxer-specific and AWD driveline parts run somewhat dearer than a transverse-four rival's, and RepairPal's own reliability rank for the nameplate is a middling 21st of 26 compact SUVs.

2024 is the final year of the fifth-generation (SK) Forester and the volume Premium trim carries the small 6.5-inch STARLINK Multimedia Plus head unit; the 8.0-inch screen is reserved for Wilderness, Limited, Touring and option packages. 6.5 in sits below the compact-SUV normalization floor of 7 in — this was the smallest center screen in the segment by 2024.

The Gen 3 STARLINK software is simple, logically laid out and backed by real physical volume and tuning knobs plus hard climate buttons — a genuine daily-use advantage — but on the volume Premium's 6.5-inch panel the display is small, the graphics are visibly dated and the tile-based menus waste what little screen there is. Functional rather than good, and clearly behind a RAV4 or CR-V by 2024.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard on every 2024 trim, which keeps this out of the bottom band, but they are wired-only across the entire range — no trim, package or head unit offers wireless projection. Wireless phone mirroring did not reach the Forester until the sixth-generation 2025 car and its 11.6-inch screen.

The volume Premium trim has neither built-in navigation nor voice-activated controls — the brochure lists voice-activated controls only for the 8.0-inch systems, and native TomTom navigation only for the 8.0-inch Multimedia Navigation System that is standard on Touring and optional on Wilderness and Limited. Premium owners are entirely dependent on wired phone projection for maps.

The Harman Kardon 576-watt-equivalent nine-speaker system is a credible premium upgrade and is standard on Touring, but it cannot be ordered on the volume Premium trim at all — it starts with the Sport option package. Premium ships with an unremarkable six-speaker setup, and the Base trim gets only four speakers.

No full-digital instrument cluster is offered on the 2024 Forester at any trim: the gauges are conventional analog dials with a small colour LCD between them. The separate 6.3-inch colour multifunction display sits atop the dash rather than in the binnacle, and it is not standard on the volume Premium — it arrives with Sport, Limited, Touring or the Premium option package.

The Gen 3 STARLINK head unit supports firmware-over-the-air updates of the multimedia software over Wi-Fi, but navigation map updates still require a USB transfer, and there is no whole-vehicle OTA programme touching powertrain, chassis or driver-assist modules. Meaningful but minimal, and narrower than the maps-included OTA the sixth-generation car offers.

STARLINK Safety and Security is standard from the volume Premium trim upward and covers the core remote set — remote engine start with climate control, remote lock/unlock, vehicle locator, collision notification and concierge — but the Base trim has no connected services at all, remote start sits behind the paid Security Plus tier once the six-month trial lapses, and there is no phone-as-key.

This is the 2024 Forester's weakest technology showing. Every port in the car is USB-A — there is no USB-C anywhere in the range — wireless phone charging is not offered on any trim, and there is no household AC outlet. The volume Premium gets only dual front USB-A ports; the dual rear USB charge ports are an option-package item, and the Base trim is down to a single USB-A plus a 3.5-mm aux jack.

Keyless Access with Push-Button Start is standard from the volume Premium trim upward, and remote start is available through the STARLINK app, but the Base trim still uses a traditional key, the power rear gate is standard only on Limited and Touring and is not hands-free, remote start requires an active subscription after the trial, and no phone-as-key exists.

The volume Premium leaves the showroom with a rear-vision camera and nothing else — no parking sensors, no front camera and no parking automation. The 180-degree Front View Monitor is a Wilderness item, reverse automatic braking with rear sonar is standard only on Wilderness and Touring, and the 2024 Forester offers no 360-degree surround-view camera at any trim; that arrived only with the sixth-generation 2025 car.

No head-up display is offered on the 2024 Forester at any trim or in any option package — Subaru fits a HUD to no vehicle in its US lineup.

Family logistics are close to segment-best: IIHS rates LATCH ease of use Good with extra positions, the upright fifth-generation body opens wide rear doors onto a boxy cabin, 39.4 in of rear legroom leaves room for a rear-facing seat without shoving the front passenger forward, and a Rear Seat Reminder is standard on every trim. It stops short of the top few points because 26.9 cu ft behind the second row on the moonroof-equipped volume trims is a real constraint for a stroller plus a week's gear, and three seats across is tight.

The core credentials land on the trims families actually buy — NHTSA 5-star overall, EyeSight with pre-collision braking, full-speed adaptive cruise and lane centering standard on the $28,190 Base rather than bundled upward, plus steering-responsive LED headlights rated Good on every trim. Two gaps hold it out of the top band: the 2024 car is a Top Safety Pick rather than TSP+, scoring only Marginal in the updated moderate overlap front test that specifically measures rear-passenger injury, and Blind-Spot Detection with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert is unavailable on Base and a $1,165 option package on the volume Premium.

Four travel comfortably on space alone — 39.4 in of rear legroom, a standard reclining rear seatback, rear-seat climate outlets and adult-friendly rear seats — but the amenity list is thin for a 2024 model and thinner than the 2025 redesign's. Dual-zone automatic climate control does not arrive until Limited, the rear dual USB-A charge ports are an option-package item on the volume Premium with no USB-C anywhere in the range, heated rear seats are Touring-only, there is no rear entertainment or sunshade, and cabin noise is this generation's acknowledged weak point on a long haul with kids aboard.

A low-stress commuter that does the fundamentals unusually well: the naturally-aspirated boxer and CVT have no turbo lag or shift hunting to manage at crawl speeds, the tall greenhouse and slim pillars give among the best sightlines of any modern SUV, ride comfort is rated at or near the top of the class, and full-speed adaptive cruise with stop-and-go plus lane centering is standard on every trim. It is not effortless because 182 hp and a 9.2-second 0-60 mean merges and gaps need planning, and the CVT drones audibly when you ask for them.

29 MPG combined and 26 city on regular 87-octane is a good return for a vehicle carrying full-time symmetrical AWD with no front-drive version flattering the number, and the EPA puts annual fuel at $2,100. It is good rather than exceptional per mile: a 2024 RAV4 or CR-V hybrid undercuts it substantially in town, RepairPal measures Forester running costs above the compact-SUV average, and Subaru includes no complimentary scheduled maintenance, so every oil change is out of pocket from delivery.

A compact 182.7 in footprint and a 35.4 ft turning circle make it easy to thread and park, and the Forester's real advantage is that it barely needs electronic help — deep side glass, slim pillars and a squared-off tail make the corners easy to place. Held below the top band because the volume Premium leaves the lot with a rear-vision camera and nothing else: no parking sensors, no front camera, no surround-view monitor at any 2024 trim, and no automated parking.

Not meaningfully a work vehicle. Base, Premium, Sport, Limited and Touring are all rated at 1,500 lbs of towing — a small utility trailer and nothing more — and only the Wilderness, with its shorter 4.11:1 final drive and added transmission cooling, reaches 3,000 lbs. There is no bed, no meaningful payload headroom, and a 182-hp naturally-aspirated boxer making 176 lb-ft at 4,400 rpm through a CVT labors with anything hitched behind it.

Should hold up with care, but it is not a work tool. 2024 is the sixth and final year of the 2019-2024 generation, so the FB25 boxer, Lineartronic CVT and chassis are fully mature rather than launch-year hardware, Subaru sits second on Consumer Reports' most-reliable-brands list, and StarTex upholstery on Wilderness wipes clean. Against that, the CVT is the recognized long-term watch item and the wrong transmission to load repeatedly, this is a unibody crossover with no commercial or fleet presence, and the 2023-2024 Forester carried a front driveshaft recall.

Basic provisions plus an outdoor — not commercial — accessory ecosystem. Ladder-style roof rails are standard from Premium up with deep Subaru, Thule and Yakima crossbar support, the cargo floor is wide and flat with tie-downs, underfloor storage and an available water-resistant tray, and StarTex seating and all-weather mats are orderable. But there is no onboard AC outlet on any 2024 trim and no USB-C anywhere, the 176-lb dynamic roof rating is ordinary, the Base trim needs a $625 package even to get rails, and nothing resembling a ladder-rack, shelving or partition upfit catalog exists for it.

A good tourer with two clear endurance limits. Roughly 481 miles of range from the 16.6-gal tank, plush and roomy front seats with a standard 10-way power driver's seat from Premium up, class-leading ride comfort and standard adaptive cruise with lane centering on every trim make for relaxed interstate miles. Cabin noise is the drag: boxer coarseness, CVT drone and road roar are this generation's acknowledged weak point — Subaru's own answer was to add substantial sound deadening for the 2025 redesign — and 182 hp means a long run-up for passes on grade.

A genuine adventure enabler and the Forester's strongest use case. Symmetrical full-time AWD is standard on all six trims with no front-drive base model to avoid, X-MODE with Hill Descent Control is standard and dual-function (Snow/Dirt and Deep Snow/Mud) from Sport up, ground clearance is 8.7 in — more than a CR-V, RAV4 or Tucson — and the Wilderness is a real off-pavement variant at 9.2 in with all-terrain Yokohamas, a front skid plate and 800-lb static roof rails for a rooftop tent. The aftermarket and Subaru accessory ecosystem around this nameplate is among the largest in the segment. It stops short of the top because 1,500 lbs of towing on the volume trims rules out most trailered toys, there is no onboard AC power for camping, and there is no low range or locking differential.

Flexible in the ways that matter for bulky gear even though the paper volume is unremarkable: 60/40 split flat-folding seatbacks open 69.1 cu ft on moonroof trims (74.2 without), a 51.2 in rear gate opening and 28.5 in liftover make loading easy, 69.9 in of load length swallows long items, and underfloor storage, a cargo cover and roof rails with wide crossbar support cover the overflow. The 26.9 cu ft behind the raised second row is the limiter — well short of a CR-V or Rogue — and the roof is where a full family's gear ends up.

2024 is the final year of the fifth generation (2019–2024) and carries the 2022 refresh's retuned front springs and dampers, which fixed the earlier car's poorly controlled ride without making it sporty. Standard Symmetrical AWD and a strut-front/double-wishbone-rear layout make it planted and neutral, and it grips as well as anything in the class, but the soft-ish tune allows more body roll than a Tiguan or CX-5 and 8.7 in. of ground clearance keeps the mass high.

The electric rack was revised at the 2022 refresh for less initial resistance and more precision, and at 2.6 turns lock-to-lock it is quick enough to make the Forester feel agile in town — but every reviewer describes it as light and feedback-free, and this pre-dual-pinion rack still transmits more kickback on broken pavement than the 2025 redesign's WRX-derived unit. Precise without being communicative.

Braking is the strongest part of the way this car drives: Consumer Reports gives the 2024 Forester a 5/5 for braking, citing short stops and a confidence-inspiring pedal, and MotorWeek recorded 112 ft from 60 mph with no fade on a Wilderness wearing all-terrain rubber — a good result given the tires, with standard-tire trims stopping shorter. It trails the 2025 redesign's 105 ft and the very best in the class, but the pedal is firm and repeatable.

The naturally aspirated 2.5L boxer has no turbo lag and is smooth at idle and light throttle, so the calibration itself is not the problem — the outputs are. 182 hp and 176 lb-ft peaking at 4,400 rpm mean 9.2–9.3 seconds to 60 mph, among the slowest in the compact SUV class, and the Lineartronic CVT answers any real throttle request by holding high revs without producing matching thrust. Two independent instrumented tests agree, and reviewers name acceleration the vehicle's one clear weak point.

At a steady cruise the boxer is inoffensive and vibration through the controls is minimal, but because the engine needs so much throttle to move the car, the CVT's rev-holding turns routine merges and grades into sustained drone — and the 2024 car lacks the extra sound deadening and hydraulic engine mounts Subaru added for the 2025 redesign. Wind noise off the upright body adds to it at highway speed.

Subaru publishes a single 35.4 ft curb-to-curb figure across the 2024 range, tight for a compact SUV and helped by the quick 2.6-turn rack — U-turns and parking-garage maneuvers are easy despite the tall body.

Outward visibility is a genuine class benchmark — the upright, boxy body gives large glass, a low beltline and thin pillars all round — and it is paired with a commanding upright seat, wide door openings for easy ingress/egress, and a control layout that keeps physical knobs and buttons rather than burying everything in the screen. The main gripe is that taller drivers sit high even at the seat's lowest setting.

The Forester's appeal is competence, not entertainment. 182 hp, a droning CVT, feedback-free steering and a 9.2-second 0–60 give an enthusiast nothing to want, and 2024 is the last year before the redesign so it offers no turbo or hybrid alternative. What character it has surfaces off pavement, where standard AWD, X-MODE and 8.7 in. of clearance let it cover rough dirt roads at a satisfying pace — capability rather than the take-the-long-way-home kind of fun.

A $28,190 delivered Forester Base includes Symmetrical AWD, the full EyeSight suite with Advanced Adaptive Cruise Control and lane centering, steering-responsive LED headlights and seven airbags — content a RAV4 LE or CR-V LX buyer pays roughly $1,400–$1,500 extra just to get all-wheel drive alongside. It stops short of the top band because the base car still ships the small 6.5-inch STARLINK screen, blind-spot detection is a Premium-only option package, and heated seats and a power driver's seat wait for Premium.

Standard AWD and a complete driver-assist suite at the bottom of the range, one of the segment's largest cargo holds (28.9/74.2 cu ft) and 26/33 mpg make the Forester a lot of usable content per dollar, and even the loaded $38,490 Touring undercuts comparable CR-V and RAV4 hybrids. The 182-hp naturally-aspirated boxer and CVT are the offsetting weakness: rivals give more performance and, in hybrid form, far better economy for similar money.

Six trims — Base, Premium, Sport, Wilderness, Limited, Touring — spread across a $10,300 delivered span, with the Wilderness adding a genuinely different 9.2-inch-ground-clearance off-pavement variant rather than a trim sticker. The breadth is purely sideways, though: one engine, one transmission and one drivetrain, with no hybrid, no turbo and no cheaper front-drive entry point.

175,521 US sales in 2024 is a 15% jump on 2023 and within a few thousand of the nameplate's all-time 2019 peak, delivered in the generation's final year — a fast riser by trajectory and a fixture of the compact-SUV top ten. It sits below the top band only because RAV4 and CR-V outsell it roughly two-to-one.

Subaru carries one of the strongest owner-loyalty records in the mainstream US market on the back of standard AWD, an outdoor-lifestyle identity and a long safety-award streak — and the Forester is one of the two or three models that identity is actually built on, so it gets the full benefit rather than a diluted one. Short of aspirational, but well above neutral for a mainstream badge.

Subaru runs among the lowest incentive spends of any mainstream brand and offers essentially no cash-back rebates, so the Forester normally transacts near sticker — but 2024 was the outgoing generation's run-out year, with the redesigned 2025 arriving at retailers in spring 2024, and that put real dealer discount and subvented financing on the remaining SK-generation stock. Buyers rarely paid over MSRP either way.

2024 is the sixth and final model year of the fifth-generation (SK) Forester launched for 2019, and the replacement was not merely imminent — Subaru revealed the redesigned 2025 Forester in November 2023, three months after 2024 pricing was announced, and put it on sale in spring 2024. A buyer was purchasing the old car while the new one was in the showroom.

Solidly well-reviewed but not the pick of a very strong class: reviewers praise the visibility, cargo space, standard safety kit and light off-pavement ability, then consistently dock the 182-hp boxer's strained CVT acceleration and a base infotainment screen that was small by 2024. The safety record is the standout — the only model to earn a top rating in the IIHS front-crash-prevention test that year — but the 2024 car held a TOP SAFETY PICK rather than the higher TSP+, with Marginal in the updated moderate overlap front test and Acceptable in the side test.