Car ReviewsSubaruSubaru reviewsSUVs

2023 Subaru Forester 2.5i-S review

The Subaru Forester has carved itself a permanent slice in the Australian market, and in many ways, has been one of the original SUVs since its 1997 arrival. Fast-forward 26 years, though, and the market is saturated with crossovers and SUVs looking to nab an even greater slice of the pie.

On the plus side, very few of them match the Forester when it comes to an adventure-ready platform, but many of them are undercutting the Forester on price and value standpoints.

In its latest form, the MY2023 Forester range has picked up just minor equipment upgrades following its styling refresh last year, with this, the Forester 2.5i-S getting all the bells and whistles as the non-hybrid flagship.

2023 Subaru Forester 2.5i-S: Specifications

Engine: 2.5-litre four-cylinder boxer
Output: 136kW@5800rpm / 239Nm@4400rpm
Transmission: CVT auto
Drive type: All-wheel drive
Wheels: F: 18×7.0, 225/55
ANCAP: Five stars
Tare weight: 1576kg
Boot space: 1498L/1740L
Power-to-weight: 11.58:1 (kg:kW)
Official fuel economy: 7.4L/100km
Economy during test: 8.1L/100km
Fuel capacity/Type: 63L/91 RON
Power efficiency: 18.37kW:L/100km
0-60km/h: 5.18 seconds*
0-100km/h: 10.39 seconds*
60-110km/h: 6.81 seconds*
1/4 mile: 17.65 seconds at 134.6km/h*
Max acceleration: 0.653g
100-0km/h braking: 3.04 seconds at 39.42 metres*
Max deceleration: -1.204g
Decibel at idle: 39*
Peak decibel at 60-100km/h: 77*
Priced from: 46,340

*Figures as tested by Driving Enthusiast on the day. Manufacturers’ claims may be different

2023 Subaru Forester 2.5i-S rear

2023 Subaru Forester 2.5i-S: How much does it cost?

Subaru’s 2023 Forester lineup now features hybrid engine options for the mid-range L variant, and this, the flagship S variant. However, at the time of writing the hybrid MY23 allocation for Australia has been sold out, according to Subaru’s website.

Ordinarily, there are seven different levels on sale. Prices start from the following (excluding on-road costs):

Forester 2.5i AWD: $37,890
Forester 2.5i-L AWD: $40,290: 
Forester 2.5i Premium AWD: $43,090
Forester 2.5i Sport AWD: $44,840
Forester 2.5i-S AWD: $46,340

Forester Hybrid L AWD: $43,290
Forester Hybrid S AWD: $49,340

2023 Subaru Forester 2.5i-S interior

2023 Subaru Forester 2.5i-S: Interior & packaging

The most striking impression when first stepping inside the Forester’s cabin is the sheer amount of light that enters the car from the massive windows all around.

Short of a Range Rover, you’ll struggle to find an SUV package that offers the same acres of headroom and excellent visibility, in both the first and second rows, adding confidence while checking blindspots and squeezing into tight spaces.

In the front, the range-topping 2.5i-S features leather or leather-look trim for the seats, steering wheel, centre console surrounds and door sills, as well as an upgraded eight-speaker sound system from Harman/Kardon.

2023 Subaru Forester 2.5i-S seats

The design of the seats and door surrounds are actually quite complex, with a golf ball dimple effect for the leather on the centre console and plastic around the door handles, and cream highlights to break up the predominantly black design.

The cabin’s execution doesn’t do much in the way of inspiration, and is screaming for an update in the next few years, though it doesn’t necessarily disappoint thanks to its spacious proportions. In short, the design inside is an exercise in substance over style, which has been a calling card for the Forester since its inception.

As the range-topper, the 2.5i-S gains a generous features list, with a set of 18-inch alloys, a powered tailgate, dual-zone climate control, heated power-adjustable front seats, panoramic sunroof, active cornering LED headlights, a configurable 6.3-inch display for real-time driving info and an 8.0-inch infotainment system with wired Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

2023 Subaru Forester 2.5i-S touchscreen

We’re not massive fans of Subaru’s 8.0-inch vertical-type screen, which feels a little outdated in today’s landscape, though we’re also well aware that most owners will connect their phones via the USB port and simply set and forget with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.

Safety equipment has been a top priority for Subaru for a long time now, and this continues the tradition with generous safety coverage. The 2.5i-S picks up everything from forward and rear AEB, adaptive cruise control, emergency steering, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alerts, as well as rear, front and side cameras to help out while parking.

2023 Subaru Forester 2.5i-S rear seats

Move to the rear of the cabin and there’s a heap of leg and headroom on offer, the latter of which is made more impressive by the fact the roof is also accommodating a bulky sunroof that doesn’t eat into the space.

Rear passengers are treated to a set of air vents, two USB-A charging ports, door bins and a folding arm rest with two cupholders inside. There’s also a set of ISOFIX anchors and three top tether mounts for child seats.

In terms of boot space, the Forester’s cargo potential stands at 498L, expanding to 1740L with the rear seats folded. The tall roofline helps out with bulky cargo that might be left behind in some of its rivals.

Practical touches to the Forester’s boot include a set of switches to remotely fold the second-row seats, auxiliary power outlets and some tie-town points, while the tall roofline means there is no issue squeezing in a tonne of tall objects.

2023 Subaru Forester 2.5i-S boot

2023 Subaru Forester 2.5i-S: Powertrain & handling

The Forester range features a choice of a 2.5-litre naturally-aspirated four-cylinder engine, with the hybrid variant picking up a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine producing 110kW and 196Nm, with an additional 12kW/66Nm served up by an electric motor.

Power for the regular 2.5-litre stands at 136kW, with 239Nm of torque. This is channelled to all four wheels via Subaru’s symmetrical AWD system and a CVT automatic.

While CVTs have become a bit of a punching bag these days, you’d be hard-pressed to find a member of the public that could even tell the difference here, and for that matter, care, because it’s a particularly smooth unit on the road.

2023 Subaru Forester 2.5i-S headlights

Performance isn’t anything to get excited about, though the 2.5-litre unit is willing, and more than happy to get to work and help you up to speed with a bit of elasticity from the CVT. We timed 0-100km/h in a best of 10.39 seconds.

The Forester is surprisingly responsive thanks to that CVT unit, with the four-pot ready to get to work without having to wait for a conventional transmission to catch up. It could use some added torque to push you through the mid-range, though – where’s that 2.4 turbo from the Outback?

Subaru’s SI drive modes allow you to opt for a more responsive torque curve for more aggressive acceleration, while we opted for the linear power curve to reflect a mix of everyday driving conditions and to help with fuel economy. Around town, the Forester is civilised and offers all the hallmarks of a user-friendly SUV package.

The steering is incredibly easy to manoeuvre, and the suspension eats up small irregularities and speed bumps, and the excellent visibility inspires confidence as you nip through traffic.

Once you’re off smooth city streets, the Forester begins to cement a bit of a lead over rivals when it comes to rougher country roads. The number of Foresters begins to outnumber its softer rivals in regional Australia, no doubt thanks to the versatility of the package.

2023 Subaru Forester 2.5i-S taillights

The suspension doesn’t necessarily iron out bumps on the road, instead, it soaks up most of the turbulence and keeps the body feeling planted.

While the Forester is surprisingly light while darting around town, it isn’t bossed around by bumpy and rough roads thanks to the stability of the symmetrical all-wheel-drive system. It makes for a far more confidence-inspiring ride on country B-roads.

On the highway, you’ll find the Forester hovering around the 6.3L/100km mark, while our mix of town and country driving resulted in a combined fuel economy rating of 8.1L/100km. For reference, Subaru claims 7.4L/100km for the Forester’s naturally-aspirated four-cylinder, while the hybrid unit is rated at 6.7L/100km.

2023 Subaru Forester 2.5i-S instrument cluster

If towing is a key priority, the Forester with its 2.5-litre petrol offers far more potential thanks to its 1800kg braked towing figures over the hybrid’s 1200kg figure. Needless to say, the non-hybrid is the best choice for the job.

In terms of off-road abilities, the Forester’s wheel arches leave a healthy amount of room for suspension articulation, while Subaru’s X-mode off-road setting gives it a far more adventurous spirit than most of its competitors.

On loose dirt and gravel, the platform feels incredibly stable, while power on hand is reasonable enough to tackle some steeper inclines. Approach and departure angles stand at 22.9 and 24.6 degrees, respectively.

The Forester’s ground clearance is a very impressive 220mm, which is helpful when crawling to the top of an incline, and all up, makes for a pretty comprehensive driving package that ticks the boxes of comfortable motoring around town and something that isn’t afraid to get its hands dirty.

2023 Subaru Forester 2.5i-S drive modes

2023 Subaru Forester 2.5i-S: Key attractions/reasons to buy

Outstanding visibility and interior space definitely provide a good point of difference over much of the competition. This is really easy to drive, as a result. Most controls and buttons are positioned in ideal areas too, helping to boost practicality.

The other main attraction is its off-road performance. The Forester sets the segment standards, in our opinion. It offers good clearances underneath, decent suspension travel and a robust all-wheel drive system.

A generous safety equipment suite is also worth noting. This comes fully loaded with safety tech, and all of it is tuned and calibrated well, unlike in some rivals. Except, on occasions, the lane-keep assist can come on a bit strong and the driver monitoring system likes to warn you a lot, even if you yawn – it thinks you’re looking away.

2023 Subaru Forester 2.5i-S park

2023 Subaru Forester 2.5i-S: Key considerations before you buy

This powertrain sometimes begs for more torque, especially up long steep hills. But it goes alright when pushed hard. Doing so causes the CVT auto to moan and whine as it hunts for a good ratio.

We think it is about time for a new multimedia touch-screen. Although the current setup does pretty much everything you’d expect it to do, it’s just that some of the menus are basic and the graphics could do with a refresh, especially compared with some rival systems.

How does it rate against its rivals?
  • Price
  • Quality look & feel
  • Interior tech
  • Powertrain performance
  • Ride & handling
  • X-factor (does it stand out in its class?)
3.7

Final word

As a standalone product, the Forester 2.5i-S is unapologetically confident and much more refined inside thanks to the added luxuries. We love that the Forester has stayed true to its more adventurous take on the SUV segment, and it is known as – and is – a truly useful vehicle.

Alexi Falson

Alexi is a road tester and automotive journalist with a decade of experience, having worked for PerformanceDrive for eight years. He's got a deep love for the automotive world and enjoys industry analysis, as well as driver's cars and crazy exotics. He also enjoys the freedom of two wheels, and has a passion for mountaineering and surfing.

Related Articles

Back to top button