2020 Subaru Forester sees price increases across the board
The extra cost does net buyers standard safety gear, however.
For the 2020 model year, the Subaru Forester will be slightly more expensive. According to a release from Subaru on Thursday, buyers will find the base model is $200 more than the 2019 Forester.
Out the door, the cheapest way to drive off in a 2020 Forester will be with a base model that costs $25,505, including destination. The actual MSRP rings in at $24,495, up $200 from the 2019 model. Destination charges have also increased from $975 to $1,010, according to Subaru's announcement.
As mentioned, buyers will get a little more standard equipment with the small price hike. Subaru's suite of active safety equipment, EyeSight, is standard on all models for 2020. Now, it also includes lane centering and a lane-departure prevention in addition to precollision alert, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control and steering intervention. Noting some brands still lock active safety equipment away in higher trims or charge extra for it, that's a pretty nifty value in itself.
The same 2.5-liter flat-4 engine provides hustle for the Forester and produces 182 horsepower and 176 pound-feet of torque. A CVT is the only transmission offered. All-wheel drive is, of course, standard. This is a Subaru after all. Other features Forester buyers will find in the base model include Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability, Bluetooth and keyless entry.
Prices also climb for the other Forester trims. The Premium model jumps $700 and rings in at $28,405 after the increased destination charge. Yet, there's still value packed in. Rather than make it an option, Subaru now bundles the All-Weather Package as standard equipment. It comes with heated front seats, heated mirrors and a windshield deicer.
Forester Sport models only see the $200 price jump and carry a $30,005 starting price after destination, while the Forester Limited and Touring models climb $300 to start at $32,105 and $35,605 after destination respectively.
As buyers climb through the hierarchy of trims, they'll find more niceties ranging from a leather-wrapped steering wheel to a power liftgate and additional active safety technology. Features such as automatic reverse emergency braking, blind-spot detection and more are optional on most trims.
Look for the 2020 Forester at dealers, and most likely in colder climates, later this year.
