For years I’ve seen Subaru Forester vehicles on the road. However, the rounded station wagon never appealed to me. With the 2014 edition, Subaru has reintroduced their popular model with a new body and some nifty new features. Now you can go off-roading with the family and be proud to say you’re driving the slick Subaru Forrester over there.
2014 Subaru Forester 2.5i Touring Feel & Ride
The 2014 Subaru Forester 2.5i Touring is easy to slip into and just start driving. The interior is nicely finished with comfortable seating. There’s a ton of head room and leg room in both the front and back seat areas. It definitely gets extra brownie points there!
The ride is pretty good but not one to rave about. However, the suspension is adjusted just right. You don’t feel every bump and crack in the asphalt but you also don’t bounce around with a loose setting. It’s an overall easy ride. I have to say, though, that the car felt like it pulled a bit on the turns, as if the extra height wasn’t taken into account.
Thoughtful Touches
Dials, gauges, and screens are all positioned for easy access and fuss-free reference. The front-facing cameras (EyeSight Driver-Assist System) provide extra crash protection, notifying of any potential collisions. Sometimes the lane asssist would beep when taking an off-ramp or when lanes merge. There were buttons to turn those features off but I couldn’t get them to actually do anything.
One feature that was especially notable was the the extra bit of protection over the back bumper. Another friend pointed out how so many vehicles lack this, making the bumper more vulnerable to damage from putting in /taking out suitcases, boxes, etc. I can relate because we’ve been guilty of having several dings and scratches on our CR-V bumper from just that.
Conclusion
You won’t get a driving experience that’ll rock your world but the 2014 Subaru Forester is the epitome of a functional car. It’s a power horse with four-wheel drive, allowing for easy transportation of people, groceries, or sports equipment on any sort of road. Turning on ‘X-Mode’ helped us to easily get out of some dirt and gravel on a turnout. Now you can have the reliability of a Forester in a new crossover body. Win-win, if you ask me, and a perfect family car.
For more reviews & car-related tips, visit my automotive site for women & families, DrivingMamas.com.
