Subaru Forester 2019 review: 2.5i

The Forester's schedule included taking the kids to soccer and dance recitals in the morning, followed by hauling the groceries home from the local supermarket in the afternoon.

The exterior design of this car looks more 'SUV' than the previous generation.

The exterior design of this car looks more 'SUV' than the previous generation, which could have been mistaken for a wagon. It looks noticeably taller, longer and altogether more solid. It's still unmistakably Forester though.

Looking at the Forester front-on conveys a deceptively lean profile with various sharp angles and creases running down the side profile. I'm not a fan of the 17-inch alloys, which don't seem to sit quite right within the frame. Overall, though, you get the sense this Forester is designed with function rather than form in mind. 

The 17-inch alloys, which don't seem to sit quite right within the frame.

The Forester's ride height is ideal and makes getting in and out an easy exercise, perfect for those with dodgy hip or knee joints.

Its large size produces big dividends in the cabin, with tons of head and leg-room regardless of where you sit. There was at least two hand-widths of space between my knees and driver's seat. My kids had plenty of room to spread out, too, with good visibility out of the windows.

The seats are covered in a good-looking cloth material that looks hard wearing and provides a decent amount of comfort. The centre console within the dash features a heap of buttons that sit within a dual-screen setup, with a 6.5-inch touchscreen embedded in the front, and a second information display deep in the top section.

After a weekend in the driver's seat I found myself questioning the usefulness of this second screen, with its information possibly better suited to the digital display within the driver's binnacle.

The seats are covered in a good-looking cloth material.

Other key standard features for the 2.5i include daytime running lights and LED tail lights, front and rear fog lights, heated folding door mirrors, keyless entry with push-button start, hill start assist, and the off-road focused X-Mode drive mode, hill descent control. Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and a digital radio (DAB) are also fitted as standard