2021 Subaru Forester

Five trim levels available on the 2021 Subaru Forester include the Base, Premium, Sport, Limited, and Touring. The Base trim offers 17-inch steel wheels and adaptive LED headlights that will turn in the direction of the steering wheel to see around corners better. Moving up to the Premium trim adds 17-inch alloy wheels, raised roof rails, fog lights, keyless entry with push-button start, tinted rear windows, and an optional power liftgate. The Sport adds a sportier look with LED fog lights, black and orange exterior accents, and 18-inch alloy wheels. The Limited and Touring add a power liftgate standard.

There's only one engine available with the Forester, which is a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine. The Base and Premium pair this engine with a Lineartronic continuously variable transmission with adaptive control, while the upper trims add a seven-speed manual mode to this transmission. Either combination will produce 182 horsepower and 176 pound-feet of torque. You will get up to an estimated 33 mpg, saving you trips to the pump.

As is the case with nearly every Subaru, all-wheel drive is standard across all trims. All trims offer vehicle dynamics control, traction control system, active torque vectoring, and trailer stability assist. The Premium and above also add hill descent control. The Premium has standard X-MODE, which provides maximum traction in slick conditions by optimizing the Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive system. The Sport and higher trims have a dual-function X-MODE that adds additional settings for dirt, mud, and snow.

Standard interior features starting with the Base trim include automatic climate control and a 6.5-inch touch-screen infotainment system equipped with Subaru's Starlink, which includes integration with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Moving up to the Premium trim adds upgrades like a panoramic sunroof, 4G LTE Wi-Fi, power-adjustable driver's seat, and the All-Weather Package with heated front seats, heated steering wheel, and windshield wiper de-icer. With the Sport trim, you get the black and orange accents on the interior and access to options like a Harman Kardon audio system and integrated navigation. Upgrading to the Limited trim adds an 8-inch touch-screen display, leather upholstery, and dual-zone climate control. Finally, the high-end Touring trim includes all the optional features above, plus heated rear outboard seats, a power-adjustable passenger seat, and additional memory and adjustment settings for the driver's seat.

Nothing matters more than keeping you and your passengers safe. To that end, all trims include Subaru's EyeSight suite, which features adaptive cruise control, forward collision mitigation, and lane departure warning with lane-keeping assist. Blind-spot monitoring is optional for the Premium and standard on the Sport and up. Rear automatic braking is also optional starting with the Sport trim, while the Touring trim adds a standard driver monitoring system that issues alerts if you're getting too tired behind the wheel.