Used Subaru Forester (Mk5, 2019-2024) buyer’s guide: great off road, less good on it
A full used buyer’s guide on the Subaru Forester covering the Forester Mk5 that was on sale between 2019 and 2024
Verdict
In a very competitive segment, the Subaru Forester struggles to challenge. That’s not to say it’s a lost cause though, because this is a car that’s genuinely good off road, crammed with safety kit (and equipment in general), plus it’s pretty well put together. But Subaru didn’t put enough effort into honing the Forester’s on-road prowess, and the lack of powertrain options further limits its appeal. Now that the fifth-generation Forester is available only as a used buy, high running costs have become apparent, in part because the e-Boxer hybrid set-up isn’t as frugal as Subaru claimed.
This year marks three decades since we had our first glimpse of the original Subaru Forester, albeit in concept form. It was at the 1995 Tokyo motor show that the Subaru Streega was unveiled, and the first-generation Forester went on sale two years later.
Always a left-field choice for those who can’t decide between an SUV and an estate car, the Forester combines elements of both, with four-wheel drive as standard.
We’re now on the sixth-generation Forester, which arrived in 2024, but here we’re looking at the Mk5, which was Subaru’s most popular model in this country when it was launched.
History
The Forester Mk5 reached UK showrooms in November 2019 with one powertrain option. That was a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, backed up by a lithium-ion battery powering a 16bhp electric motor.
Used - available now
2018 Subaru
Forester
79,790 milesAutomaticPetrol2.0L
Cash £10,795
2018 Subaru
Forester
63,000 milesAutomaticDiesel2.0L
Cash £10,495
2020 Subaru
Forester
37,254 milesAutomaticPetrol2.0L
Cash £22,995
2020 Subaru
Forester
14,756 milesAutomaticPetrol2.0L
Cash £23,990This set-up produced 148bhp, which was sent to all four wheels via a continuously variable transmission; no other powertrains would be offered throughout the life of this generation of Forester.
A facelift arrived at the end of 2022, with a Sport edition slotted in between the XE and XE Premium. There was a new front-end design, extra driver-assistance systems, and recalibrated suspension for a more comfortable ride.
On the road
There isn’t much to like about the Forester’s driving experience. Things get off to a bad start with a rather weak engine that’s combined with a continuously variable transmission (CVT); it becomes very raucous very quickly when you’re accelerating.
At higher speeds there’s quite a lot of wind noise, and in corners the Subaru feels rather top-heavy. So it’s poor on road, but it’s much more accomplished off it.
Which one should I buy?
You don’t have too many choices to make, because the model range was narrow and there aren’t that many Foresters on the used market. You’ll probably end up with the option of an XE Premium, or maybe a Sport.
Whatever you buy it’ll be well equipped, with the entry-level XE having LED headlights, an 8.0-inch touchscreen, electric adjustment for the front seats, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 17-inch alloy wheels and adaptive cruise control. The XE Premium adds privacy glass, 18-inch wheels, a sunroof, heating for the steering wheel and rear seats, leather trim, a powered tailgate and satellite navigation.
Alternatives to the Subaru Forester
The Forester is up against such talented rivals as the Ford Kuga, Mazda CX-5 and Toyota RAV4, all of which offer plenty of showroom appeal and are easier to find.
That’s also the case for the Hyundai Tucson and the Kia Sportage, which also come with long warranties.
Stellantis brought you the Citroen C5 Aircross, Peugeot 3008 plus the Vauxhall Grandland, while the Volkswagen Group offers the SEAT Ateca, Skoda Karoq and Volkswagen Tiguan, or the Audi Q3 if you want to spend a bit more.
You should also consider the Renault Austral and Honda CR-V, along with the Nissan Qashqai. All of these alternatives are more readily available than the Subaru.
What to look for
On the pull
All Foresters are able to tow up to 1,870kg, which means that you can pull pretty much any single-axle caravan, and some twin-axle models.
Going spare
All Foresters come with a tyre repair kit instead of any kind of spare wheel. But there are plenty of suitable space-saver wheels available from as little as £150.
Safe word
Euro NCAP rated the Forester safest in class in 2019, thanks to its ultra-strong structure and the standard fitment of a suite of high-tech driver-assistance systems.
Peace of mind
We couldn’t pin down any fault patterns for the Forester, although reliability is a bugbear with owners, according to our Driver Power surveys. All Foresters came with a three-year/60,000-mile warranty.
Interior
Compared with its predecessor’s, this Forester’s cabin is streets ahead for design and quality. There’s no digital instrumentation so it doesn’t feel as modern as rivals, but there’s a high-quality feel to the dashboard, which is logically laid out, even if three information screens might seem like overkill.
Where the Forester really scores is with practicality. All-round visibility is superb, there are several large cubbyholes dotted throughout the cabin, and there’s no shortage of head and legroom for everyone wherever they’re sitting. There’s no seven-seat option, however. Boot space is excellent at 520 litres with the back seats in use, or a hefty 1,779 litres with them folded down.
Practicality
One thing the Forester has in huge supply is space, for passengers and luggage. Dial allows you to select driving mode.
Prices
XE Premium is the most common Forester trim, but there are a few XEs for sale.
Check the price of a Subaru Forester with our free car valuation tool...
Running costs
All Foresters need to be serviced every 12 months or 12,000 miles, and it’s not cheap – even a basic service is priced from £422, rising to £720. At least there’s no cambelt to replace; that’s a £750 job on older Foresters.
Pre-facelift Foresters sit in insurance group 16 but later cars are in group 23. That’s quite a difference, but for this type of car even group 23 is pretty low – a rating helped by the huge list of standard safety kit.
Most Foresters cost less than £40k new, but later XE Premiums were priced at a little more than this, which means a £620 road tax bill until the car’s sixth birthday. What you’ll notice the most though, is the car’s thirst. Despite the hybrid powertrain, you can expect 30mpg, although Subaru claimed 34.7mpg as a realistic average.
Recalls
Subaru has a good record when it comes to recalls. It has issued 12 of them against the Forester, although some of those concern models built as far back as 2003.
The Forester Mk5 has been recalled just twice, although the first campaign affected just a small number of very early cars. These were fitted with faulty ignition coils which could fail and damage the catalytic converter.
The second recall came in September 2022 and affected 99 cars made between November 2020 and June 2021. These were fitted with sub-standard fuel pumps which could fail, leading to the engine refusing to run. The solution was to fit a new fuel pump.
Driver Power owner satisfaction
In 2024, Subaru claimed just 0.12 per cent of the UK new-car market. The brand wasn’t in our 2024 Driver Power survey, but three of its models appeared in 2023, including the Forester Mk5, in 29th place out of 75. Owners don’t like the functioning of the safety systems, high running costs, poor acceleration or reliability, but they do love the quality, handling, ride comfort, practicality and reassuring brakes.
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Used Subaru Foresters for sale
2018 Subaru
Forester
79,790 milesAutomaticPetrol2.0L
Cash £10,7952018 Subaru
Forester
63,000 milesAutomaticDiesel2.0L
Cash £10,4952020 Subaru
Forester
37,254 milesAutomaticPetrol2.0L
Cash £22,9952020 Subaru
Forester
14,756 milesAutomaticPetrol2.0L
Cash £23,990
2022 Subaru
Forester
42,472 milesAutomaticPetrol2.0L
Cash £22,276
2018 Subaru
Forester
76,329 milesAutomaticPetrol2.0L
Cash £9,999
2020 Subaru
Forester
36,496 milesAutomaticPetrol2.0L
Cash £20,700
2020 Subaru
Forester
21,801 milesAutomaticPetrol2.0L
Cash £24,700More reviews
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