Subaru Forester 2.0 XT Touring 2017 Review: Not Your Parents Subaru

The 2017 Subaru Forester 2.0 XT Touring may be a smaller crossover, but don’t let that fool you. With a 250-horsepower Direct-Injection Turbocharged SUBARU BOXER^® engine this car packs a punch. It adds power and performance for the adventurer in your family. You don’t need a full-sized SUV to live your outdoor life fully, the Subaru Forester 2.0 XT Touring is more than enough.

Subaru Forester 2.0 XT Touring 2017

From days on the ski slopes to nights out by the lake the Forester can handle whatever adventure you want to throw its way. The balanced design of symmetrical all-wheel drive creates uniform stability and delivers an optimal distribution of power for maximum traction. I had this vehicle during a snow storm, and the Forester performed better than the other AWD vehicle we have. It didn’t even hesitate on the snow and ice.

For those that are environmentally conscious the Forester (along with all Subaru products) is built-in a zero-landfill plant, helping you respect the earth while exploring it.

With a base price of $34,295 the Subaru Forester is an investment that your family can feel comfortable making. Subaru is one of the most reliable brands on the market, and the car will last you for years to come.

An Extra Set of Eyes, An Extra Foot On The Brake

When you hear Subaru, you think of a reliable and safe car. The Subaru Forester 2.0XT touring offers an extra set of eyes on the road, and an extra foot on the brake. EyeSight monitors traffic movement, optimizes cruise control, and warns you when you’re swaying outside your lane. The Pre-Collision Braking feature can apply full braking force in emergency situations. Another way Subaru designs vehicles with your safety in mind.

Adaptive Cruise Control was my favorite feature. As opposed to choosing the speed you want to go, you choose the distance you want to keep from the car in front of you. EyeSight adjusts your speed to keep that safe distance. I took the car out on the highway to test this feature and LOVED it. It gave me piece of mind that even with cruise control on I would never get too close to the car in front of me.
Lane assist is always a welcome feature, especially when traveling on two lane roads. That warning of going out of your lane may save your life.
Pre-Collision Throttle Management will actually detect an object in front of you and reduce power from the engine to avoid a full force impact. I will take Subaru’s word on this feature, I wasn’t about to test it for myself.

When driving the Subaru Forester 2.0xt Touring you will have a piece of mind in this safety first crossover.

Save Money on Insurance

The addition of the EyeSight technology allowed the Subaru Forester 2.0xt Touring to receive a 2017 IHS TOP SAFETY PICK rating it could save you money on your auto insurance. Safety is first and foremost for Subaru, and this new technology is proof of that for sure.

STARLINK Safety and Security includes Automatic Collision Notification, Enhanced Roadside Assistance, Stolen Vehicle Recovery, and added convenience with Remote Services. Whether you’re in your vehicle, or on a mobile device STARLINK Safety and Security helps keeps not only your vehicle safe, but you as well.

Comfortable Interiors Make For Epic Road Trips

The Subaru Forester is certainly ready for road trips with a large and comfortable interior. No more fighting with the driver over the temperature in the front seat, the dual-zone climate control takes away that argument. This is a life-saver for my husband and I when we are on long trips, I like to be warm and he likes it cooler in the car. Remember when I said it snowed during my time with the Forester? I loved the heated steering wheel, it’s the little things and not wearing gloves is one that always makes me happy.

The front seat is huge! I couldn’t believe how much room there was between the driver and passenger seats. Lots of room to store our phones, drinks, and my purse on the front passenger side floor without encroaching on the passengers space.

Additional Features

All Weather package includes heated front seats
Memory Seating: This option is fantastic when on road trips, when you change drivers you won’t spend 20 minutes finding your settings
Premium Infotainment System: You can set the radio, navigation, check the weather and even your stocks. When I say this system has it all, it really does.
7 in TOUCHSCREEN. At the touch of your finger you can check gas mileage, change the station or look at tire pressure. You can also find local hotels if you need to rest after a long day of traveling.
Premium Audio system for you to load up your road-trip play list. With eight speakers throughout the car everyone can jam out.
Bluetooth and Hands free connectivity
8 cup holders! I don’t think I need to explain how important this is with kids in the car. They have all the things in the car, am I right?

Part of the STARLINK technology is the ability to load your favorite apps and sync them with the car. We loaded up WAZE for our trip and instead of messing with the phone it was linked directly to the touchscreen. With everything in one place you can focus more on the road and less on the other devices in the car.

Large Cargo Space

While this is a small crossover there is ample storage space in the Forester 2.0 xt. With the rear passengers in the car you can not only use the rear cargo space but also the under floor cargo space! You can store smaller items in there such as toys, small sports equipment or beach towels. Every bit of free space helps, especially when traveling with family. Open and close the lift gate at the touch of a button on your key fob, from the dashboard or on the hatch door. No more fumbling at the grocery store for trunk keys.

Grocery trips just got a little easier with hooks in the rear to hold bags– I get so tired of bags all over the trunk when I get home. You can also put up the easy cargo net to keep groceries and small items from rolling out. To keep the rear space clear there is a cargo mat that covers the upholstery. Bought too much at the store? No worries with the easy one touch rear folding seat option. With this much cargo room, the Forester is great at handling big hauls. In fact, the large rear opening delivers up to 74.7 cubic feet of space with the rear seats down.

Not your Parents Subaru

The Subaru brand has been on the road for years–but it has come a long way since your parents bought the family truckster. The bold new design of the Forester 2.0 XT Touring gives the crossover a modern and sleek look. Adding a rear spoiler and dual exhaust it certainly isn’t the Subaru you remember. The 2.0XT features a 250-horsepower Direct-Injection Turbocharged SUBARU BOXER^® engine that adds a little power under the engine. While I didn’t use the paddleshifters because the weather wasn’t so great here, you can choose to drive in 6 or 8 speed manual mode to give yourself a little more giddy up. Who knew you could get power from a Subaru? Did I mention the 18-inch aluminum-alloy wheels and 8.7 inches of ground clearance, this is why I was able to maneuver in the snow so well.

Overall, I Loved the Subaru Forester 2.0 XT Touring

There is so much to love about the 2017 Subaru Forester 2.0 XT Touring, with leather trimmed seats it gives the interior a sleek finish and the front bucket-style seats suck you in for a comfortable and relaxed time behind the wheel. There are plenty of extra conveniences: from eight cup holders, front door pockets and large rear seat-back storage. The moon roof was a hit with the kids, it was huge and added tons of sunlight. I wish the weather was nicer, it would have been nice to sit by the creek and star gaze. Getting 32 MPG highway was a BIG plus for me; seeing how I live in the country about 20 miles from the closest city. The fuel efficiency for a crossover blew me away.

The back seat was quite large and had two USB ports for the kids to keep all the devices charged for trips, without fighting. Even with the center cup holder down they still had a ton of room in the back.

If you are in the market for a family crossover with an affordable price tag, this is the one you should test drive–especially if you are an outdoors family.