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Subaru Forester 2024
Carsguide Contributing Journalist Emily Agar had this to say at the time: The Subaru Forester 2.5i-S continues to impress me. It’s a very practical family car with its features and use of space but I like the price, too. Some of the old-school design aspects won’t appeal to everyone, though. I also would prefer a more powerful engine but this easily gets an 8.0/10 from me.
You can read the full review here.This is what Emily Agar liked most about this particular version of the Subaru Forester: Family-friendly cabin size, Simple to drive, Good reversing camera
The Subaru Forester SUV competes with similar models like the Toyota RAV4, Kia Sportage and Honda CR-V in the Under $40k category category.
The 2024 Subaru Forester carries a braked towing capacity of up to 1800 Kg, but check to ensure this applies to the configuration you're considering.
Subaru Forester 2024 Price and Specs
Pricing guides
Subaru Forester Model | Body Type | Specs | Price | |
---|---|---|---|---|
2.5I (awd) | SUV | 2.5L — CVT AUTO | $38,690 | |
2.5I Premium (awd) | SUV | 2.5L — CVT AUTO | $43,890 | |
2.5I Sport (awd) | SUV | 2.5L — CVT AUTO | $45,640 | |
2.5I-L (awd) | SUV | 2.5L — CVT AUTO | $41,090 |
Subaru Forester 2024 Q&As
Check out real-world situations relating to the Subaru Forester here, particularly what our experts have to say about them.
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Is it worthwhile using premium fuel in an engine that doesn't need it?
The short answer is no, the extra cost is not justified in a vehicle that does not require premium unleaded. While some premium fuel products do contain detergents to help keep an engine internally clean (which is the basis of the claim you heard) the major difference (and the reason PULP costs more) is to do with the octane rating of the fuel.
Put simply, engines in a higher state of tune require this higher octane rating to produce their potential and well as avoiding internal damage. Your Subaru, meanwhile, is tuned to be quite happy on standard 91 RON ULP, and filling it with the more expensive premium brew is a waste of money. You might gain a small improvement in performance and/or economy, but not enough to offset the higher per-litre price of PULP, and probably not enough to even notice.
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Is my 2021 Subaru Forester Sport classed as Luxury?
Technically, as far as local car-industry definitions go, your car is a member of the light commercial class of cars, and in the medium SUV sub-category. Whether you think it's a luxury car is up to you and will largely depend on your expectations and previous experiences.
Luxury is a tricky thing to define and as cars gain more and more standard equipment and refinement with each passing year, what passed for luxury a few years ago might now be considered a run-of-the-mill vehicle. There was a time when velour trim and intermittent windscreen wipers were the preserve of luxury cars, but that won't cut it these days when the cheapest cars have those things and much more as standard.
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What's a good hybrid car to buy?
The default purchase for somebody looking for a mid-sized hybrid SUV is the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid. But if that’s too big, there’s the Toyota Yaris Cross Hybrid, C-HR Hybrid and even the Corolla Cross Hybrid which sounds like the marketplace is getting crowded but is really just a reflection of the appetite right now for cars like these. And that’s the catch; the waiting times for a brand-new example of some of these cars is out to many months and even years. So your plan to shop second-hand makes plenty of sense, but don’t expect any bargains in a market currently being dominated by lots of demand and less supply.
Beyond the Toyota brand (which has been doing hybrids longer than just about anybody else) there’s also the Mazda CX-30, Subaru XV Hybrid, Haval Jolion Hybrid, Kia Niro, Subaru Forester Hybrid, Nissan Qashqai e-Power, MG HS, Honda HR-V e and more. For something a bit bigger, try the Kia Sorento or Hyundai Santa Fe hybrids. There are others out there, too, that are probably bigger or more expensive than you need, but it's very much a growing scene in the Australian marketplace.
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What options do I have after my 1998 Subaru Forester suffered loss of power?
Okay, let's tackle your questions one by one. The advice you've been given by two repairers doesn't really gel. For a start, you have a mechanic telling you it's an electrical problem, and an electrician telling you it's a mechanical problem. Sounds like neither of them know what's up here. There's a big difference between an engine that has no spark and an engine that needs a complete rebuild, in both dollar and effort terms, so you need to get an independent assessment of what's really wrong with the thing and go from there. If, for instance, it's a simple case of needing new spark plugs or coils, then it's worth fixing. If the engine is indeed toast, then a new one is probably going to cost more than the value of the entire car.
Which brings us to your second question. Given that a 1998 Forester is probably a $3000 to $5000 car in good working order, you're not sitting on a gold-mine. While you could potentially make more by wrecking the car and selling it in pieces, you have the hassle of physically separating the car and selling it piece by piece with cleaning, packaging and mailing the parts one by one. Then there's the fielding of hundreds of emails and phone calls, not to mention the hassle of having a dead car in your driveway for as long as it takes to sell all the bits. Even then, you'll eventually have to have the carcass taken away. The alternative is to sell the car to a wrecking yard to handle that side of things, but you'll be lucky to be offered more than a few hundred dollars to have the car picked up and removed.
The option, to answer your third question, would be to have the car electronically scanned, find out precisely what's wrong with it and make an informed decision from there. If the thing is fixable, great. But if it needs a new engine, it might be time to think about a replacement car as spending thousands on a 25-year-old car that will certainly be showing wear in other areas, doesn't really stack up.
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Subaru Forester 2024 Colours
The Forester comes in nine standard colours – ‘Crystal White Pearl’, ‘Ice Silver Metallic’, ‘Brilliant Bronze Metallic’, ‘Crimson Red Pearl’, ‘Autumn Green Metallic', ‘Horizon Blue Pearl’, ‘Cascade Green Silica’, ‘Magnetite Grey Metallic’, and ‘Crystal Black Silica’.
- Crystal White Pearl
- Ice Silver Metallic
- Magnetite Grey Metallic
- Crystal Black Silica
- Crimson Red Pearl
- Brilliant Bronze Metallic
- Autumn Green Metallic
- Horizon Blue Pearl
- Cascade Green Silica
- Dark Blue Pearl
Subaru Forester 2024 Accessories
The Forester’s interior is decidedly traditional with its gearshifter, CD player and press-buttons and dials. The dashboard and doors feature heavy cutaways and ledges, making it look robust and capable.
The dashboard is headlined by two screens – an 8.0-inch touchscreen multimedia system and a smaller 4.2-inch information panel. While the instrument panel is a mix of analogue and a 6.3-inch digital panel.
A large sunroof is available on higher grades.
Subaru Forester 2024 Towing capacity
The Subaru Forester’s towing capacity ranges from 1200kg to 1800kg. Some models also offer heavy-duty or towing option packs which can increase towing capacity, as well as options which can hamper towing capacity. Towing capacities can vary wildly on a large number of factors. These include engine, transmission, model, and options chosen. Always check with the manufacturer or in your vehicles handbook before attempting to tow anything.
Subaru Forester Model | Body Type | Specs | Braked Capacity | |
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2.5X (awd) | SUV | 2.5L,—,CVT AUTO | 1800kg | |
2.5I (awd) | SUV | 2.5L,—,CVT AUTO | 1800kg | |
2.5I-L (awd) | SUV | 2.5L,—,CVT AUTO | 1800kg | |
2.5I Premium (awd) | SUV | 2.5L,—,CVT AUTO | 1800kg |
Subaru Forester 2024 Dimensions
Dimensions for the 2024 Subaru Forester are dependent on which body type is chosen. The maximum width and height is 1815mm x 1730mm and can vary on the basis of model.
Subaru Forester Model | Body Type | Height x Width x Length | Ground Clearance | |
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2.5X (awd) | SUV | 1730x1815x4640 mm | 220 mm | |
2.5I (awd) | SUV | 1730x1815x4640 mm | 220 mm | |
2.5I-L (awd) | SUV | 1730x1815x4640 mm | 220 mm | |
2.5I Premium (awd) | SUV | 1730x1815x4640 mm | 220 mm |
Subaru Forester 2024 Engine
There are two engines available for the Forester.
All petrol-variants share a 2.5-litre, four-cylinder boxer-petrol engine (136kW/239Nm).
While the two hybrid models share a 2.5-litre, four-cylinder hybrid engine (110kW/196Nm).
All Foresters are all-wheel drive with a continuously variable automatic transmission.
Subaru Forester 2024 Boot Space
When both rows are in use, the Forester has 498L of capacity available. You can jump that figure up to 1740L with the rear seats folded.
It has a level loading space but the floor is not adjustable due to the full-size spare wheel. There is a retractable cargo blind, multiple luggage anchor points and a 12-volt port, too.
A powered tailgate is only available on higher grades.
Subaru Forester 2024 Wheel size
Wheel size for the 2024 Subaru Forester will vary depending on model chosen, although keep in mind that many manufacturers offer alternate wheel sizes as options on many models.The wheel size available will alter the range of tyres available to be fitted.
Subaru Forester Model | Body Type | Front Tyre Size | Front Rim | Rear Tyre Size | Rear Rim | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2.5X (awd) | SUV | 225x60 R17 9 | — | 225x60 R17 9 | — | |
2.5I (awd) | SUV | 225x60 R17 9 | — | 225x60 R17 9 | — | |
2.5I-L (awd) | SUV | 225x60 R17 9 | — | 225x60 R17 9 | — | |
2.5I Premium (awd) | SUV | 225x55 R18 9 | — | 225x55 R18 9 | — |
Subaru Forester 2024 Fuel consumption
Fuel consumption for the 2024 Subaru Forester is dependent on the type of engine, transmission, or model chosen. The Subaru Forester currently offers fuel consumption from 6.7 to 7.4L/100km. The Subaru Forester is available with the following fuel type: —.
Subaru Forester Model | Body Type | Specs | Fuel Consumption | |
---|---|---|---|---|
2.5I (awd) | SUV | 2.5L,—,CVT AUTO | 7.4L/100km | |
2.5I Premium (awd) | SUV | 2.5L,—,CVT AUTO | 7.4L/100km | |
2.5I Sport (awd) | SUV | 2.5L,—,CVT AUTO | 7.4L/100km | |
2.5I-L (awd) | SUV | 2.5L,—,CVT AUTO | 7.4L/100km |
Subaru Forester 2024 Interior
The Forester’s interior is decidedly traditional with its gearshifter, CD player and press-buttons and dials. The dashboard and doors feature heavy cutaways and ledges, making it look robust and capable.
The dashboard is headlined by two screens – an 8.0-inch touchscreen multimedia system and a smaller 4.2-inch information panel. While the instrument panel is a mix of analogue and a 6.3-inch digital panel.
A large sunroof is available on higher grades.
Subaru Forester 2024 Seats
The Forester comes with five seats, in a 2/3 configuration. The back row has a 60/40 split-fold and can be electrically folded via buttons found in the boot.
Manual adjustments can be made on the front seats and on higher grades both front seats feature an eight-way power adjustment.
Entry-level trim is black cloth, while higher grades enjoy leather-accented trims.
In the second row, there are ISOFIX child seat mounts on the outboard seats plus three top tether anchor points but two seats will fit best.
Subaru Forester 2024 Speed
The Subaru Forester does not have an official 0-100km/h sprint time but expect it to reach that speed from standstill in around 9.0 to 11 seconds (depending on grade). Top speed is around 210km/h.
Subaru Forester 2024 News
Subaru Forester to become electric car soon, following hybrid SUV move to take on Toyota RAV4, Mitsubishi Outlander and Nissan X-Trail - report
2024 Subaru Forester pricing confirmed! Price increases for Mazda CX-5, Nissan X-Trail, Toyota RAV4 rival ahead of the launch of next-gen family SUV
Subaru Forester 2024 Range
Petrol variants for the Forester have a 63-litre fuel tank. Based on the official combined fuel cycle of 7.4L/100km, you should be able to achieve a driving range of around 851km.
Hybrid variants for the Forester have a 48-litre fuel tank. Based on the official combined fuel cycle of 6.7L/100km, you should be able to achieve a driving range of around 716km.
Subaru recommends a minimum 91RON petrol to be used.