2022 Subaru Forester

When the 2022 Subaru Forester gets released for sale, would recommend going for the Premium trim. It adds high-end features like alloy wheels and a panoramic sunroof, making it look like a well-specced and value-for-money model.

The 2022 Subaru Forester offers more choices for the buyer this year, with the addition of the new Wilderness trim. The Forester lineup now offers six trim levels: Base, Premium, Sport, Limited, Wilderness, and Touring. Prices range between $25,195 and $35,295, not including the $1,125 destination charge. All models come standard with Symmetrical AWD, 2.5-liter Naturally Aspirated Flat-4 engine, CVT, STARLINK multimedia infotainment system powered by Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and Subaru EyeSight driver-assist technology.

The Wilderness offers exclusive specs and features - starting with a dedicated transmission and all-wheel-drive system. This off-road focussed Forester features special driving modes for deep mud and deep snow along with automatic low gradient control. The Forester Wilderness is equipped with 17-inch alloy wheels with Yokohama Geolander all-terrain tires, a 180-degree front-view monitor, and an 8-inch touchscreen. 

The range-topping Touring trim adds all of the Limited's optional features and offers features such as a power-adjustable passenger seat, standard driver monitoring system, heated rear outboard seats, heated steering wheel, and memory settings for the driver's seat. With the Forester, even the base trim offers an array of standard features and standard driving aids.

The 2022 Forester continues to offer the standard 2.5L four-cylinder engine paired with a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). With an AWD standard, the Forester accelerated from 0-60 mph in meager 8.5 seconds. The four-cylinder engine makes 182 hp and 176 lb-ft of torque and feels underpowered on the highways. It isn’t meant for performance, rather it is supposed to take you from point A to B, and it does that well enough. Put your foot flat on the pedal and you will hear the engine screaming, but that doesn’t reflect in the real-time acceleration.

The driving dynamics of this SUV are easygoing. The steering response is okay, nothing to write home about. Subaru says they have installed some special damping material on the glass and cabin, and it shows that the wind noise on the highway is very well contained. The suspension setup is soft, and that is how it is supposed to be on a family vehicle, but the damping Subaru has done could have been better. On rough roads, the SUV sucks all the bumps successfully, but on major bumps or craters it bottoms out pretty easy. The drive mode selector on the current SUV may get an update with options like Sport, Normal, Comfort, Sport +, and Individual modes.

The Individual mode will have custom settings for up to 5 users, and it will recognize their driving pattern automatically. Overall, this SUV isn’t going to disappoint a normal user. Just curb your expectations a little bit. In comparison, the Honda CR-V is the fastest in this group despite being the least powerful, with 7.8 seconds needed to reach 60 MPH from 0. The RAV4, on the other hand, makes most power but is only slightly quicker than the Forester. You are not meant to go drag racing in one of these. Still, it's good to know the capability of your SUV.

The 2022 Forester returns a good gas mileage in the compact SUV segment. Even with the standard AWD, the Forester gets 26 MPG in the city, and 33 MPG on the highway in most configurations. However, the all-new Wilderness trim drops the EPA ratings than other Forester models, rated at 25/28 mpg city/highway. 

Another advantage of the Subaru is that it has the largest fuel tank in comparison to the rivals, allowing it to offer over 500 miles of maximum driving range. As expected, the Honda CR-V has the best fuel efficiency overall but it is a let down by its rather small 14.0-gallon gas tank.

The 5-passenger 2022 Subaru Forester may look narrower than some of its SUV rivals but has one of the roomiest cabins, especially the front-seat shoulder room. The cabin boasts quality materials all-around while the added insulation keeps the noise at bay. The all-new Wilderness trim accentuate the off-road capability with its water-repellent upholstery. Seating is comfortable for even a 6-foot tall adultas the Subaru Forester offers generous 39.4 inches of rear-seat legroom. 

For entertainment and control, the center console adorns either a 6.5-inch infotainment display (standard on lower trims) or an 8-inch touchscreen (available in the higher trims). The Starlink infotainment system is easy to master and use. The graphics are sharp and the screen reponds well to the inputs.

The Subaru Forester has a nice interior overall. Leather and soft-touch plastic are used on most surfaces along with the silver accents. The dashboard design is quite different as it has a small display other than infotainment screen on the top that shows the fuel economy and range and can also display some infotainment stuff. The instrument cluster is the usual two analog dials and a driver’s display setup.

The interior on the Sport trim is great with orange accents used around the A/C vents and on the center console. The cloth upholstery on the base trim is good but the leather upholstery you will get on the Limited and Touring trims suit the cabin better. The driver-side seat is power-adjustable on all but the base trim. Passengers will have to adjust theirs manually. 

The seats though are pretty flat but can’t expect everything at this price range. The boot space on the Forester is 31.1 cubic feet and it will remain unchanged for the upcoming year. CR-V offers a spacious cabin along with the highest cargo capacity. 

With the available 8-inch screen you can get a Harmon Kardon system. We expect an anti-glare display with at least 12-inches or more to make the 2023 Forester standout even further; it’s trending nowadays. Some matte coating for the switches will do well too.

The notable interior features of the Subaru Forester include:

• 8-speaker Harman Kardon sound system
• SiriusXM all-access satellite radio
• Bluetooth audio streaming
• Travellink navigation
• AndroidAuto
• AppleCarplay
• FM/AM
• Hands-free phone

For 2022, all Forester models feature a restyled front end - a new grille, headlights, fog lights, and bumper cover. Around the rear, the 2022 Forester boasts has a revised rear underguard design. New wheel designs are also available with some models. The redesigned roof rials with integrated tie-down locations make the SUV even more stronger than the previous models.

Subaru claims the new Forester with redesigned roof rails provides 44 extra pounds of dynamic and 100 added pounds of static capacity. Breaking the news is the new Forester Wilderness that offers exclusive design elements inside and out. Its matte-black wheels, white-lettered all-terrain tires, a matte-black hood decal and bolder protective cladding around the body catch the eye. It will not take more than a glance to identify the Forester Wilderness, thanks to its anodized copper accents.

The Subaru Forester has always been an SUV with understated looks but the refreshed 2022 Forester will change that perspective. Also, the Sport trim of the Forester looks the best among all both on the inside and the outside. The Forster offers a ground clearance of 8.7 inches, which is a lot higher than the rivals. The larger ground clearance allows the Forester to offer the best off-road capabilities among rivals. The new Wilderness offers 9.2 inches of ground clearance, even more than the standard models.

The notable exterior features of the Subaru Forester include:

• Adaptive LED Headlights with DRLs
• LED foglights
• 17-inch/18-inch alloy wheels
• Automatic high beam
• Roof rails
• Blacked-out front and rear bumper
• Keyless entry
• Power liftgate

The 2022 Forster is yet to go through safety tests. However, the 2021 Forester has done pretty well in the NHTSA tests, scoring 5-Stars in every category and 4 stars in the rollover rating. The rollover risk is at an expected 16.90%. The IIHS safety ratings reflect the amazing results with a ‘Good’ rating in every category. No doubt it has got the Top Safety Pick+ award. All 2022 Foresters get new and improved EyeSight 4.0 as standard. This package comes with an array of active safety features and technology including a new Automatic Emergency Steering system. The DriverFocus Distraction system detects the drowsiness of the driver and provides the required assist.

The notable safety features of the Subaru Forester include:

• Blindspot detection
• Rear traffic cross alert
• Rear vision camera
• Reverse automatic braking

2022 Subaru Forester vs. 2022 Honda CR-V

The Honda CR-V takes away all the points in the design section. The aggressive headlight setup itself uplifts the overall look of the SUV. Performance-wise it is all known to everyone that the CR-V is one of the best in the segment. The CR-V's interior is on par with the Subaru, but the all-digital instrument cluster steals the show.

2022 Subaru Forester vs. 2022 Toyota RAV4

Toyota RAV4 is the best-looking SUV in its segment. The engine makes the most power in its segment, and the fuel efficiency also is good, on par with the Subaru. It also has hybrid motors that add more power and increase fuel efficiency. The RAV4's interior is very well designed compared to the Forester. This segment is really about comfort and fuel efficiency and all of the SUVs are more or less doing the job well.

2022 Subaru Forester vs. 2022 Chevrolet Equinox

When comparing both compact SUVs, the Forester is a superb choice. Though the Chevy Equinox offers some nice features including the driver preset memory package, the Forester offers significant specs like symmetrical all-wheel drive and 112 cubic ft passenger volume. The Forester has most of the features as standard and that makes ur a tremendous choice over the Equinox.

The 2022 Forester is Subaru's best-selling model, and for many good reasons. This compact SUV serves its purpose nicely, with ample practical interior, high safety score, fuel-efficient powertrain, and affordable pricing. The interior is on par with the competition, and with extra options, it feels better than the price you pay. Sure the suspension setup needs improvement, but the ride is quite comfortable. The Forester is better at off-roading than many of its rivals and with the new Wilderness model it extends its utility even further.