Design driven: 2026 Subaru Forester

There it was parked on the grass — boxy, resplendent in gloss grey and with the wheel arch gaps of a true all-roader. A proper Subaru Forester. 

Unfortunately, that is where the excitement faded. An outdated and poorly executed user experience and powertrain means this latest generation works best as a static sculpture, but let's postpone the negativity and start with the good bits. 

It is unconventionally handsome, an antidote to the fastback SUV theme that has merged once discrete segments. This is an upright SUV and could not be classified as anything else. At Car Design Dialogues Milan, one panel investigated the theme of "authentic design" and the Forester feels very much emblematic of that idea. It is an SUV and looks like one: an upright nose, strong shoulder line and a glasshouse that prioritises visibility and natural light over faux-sportiness. The contrast body cladding around the arches and sills feels functional. 

The first Forester launched in 1997 and is now in its sixth generation with design led by long-serving general manager Mamoru Ishii. While today's is a little larger as one would expect, this is not a car that has bloated beyond recognition. It remains remarkably closely proportioned over nearly 20 years of service, with a wheelbase of 2,670mm today (2,525mm in 1997) and height of 1,730mm (versus 1,650mm). Compare that to competitors which launched at a similar time and remain in production, like the RAV4 and Nissan Pathfinder, and the Forester boasts more timeless proportions by that metric. 

The overall design language has of course moved on dramatically, as any car should over the course of two decades. Both front and rear lights have defined lamps at either corner, connected by a large gloss black grille at the front and a more discrete plate across the boot lid. The headlamps in particular are a welcome update to the 'surprised' face of the previous generation, and the supporting fog lamps are now mounted vertically in the lower mask. 

We like how the shoulder line drops sharply at the A-pillar before rising again at the C-pillar, we assume to allow for large windows and thus better sight lines. Contrast cladding at the sides is even more prominent at the rear, engulfing the entire bumper, but with a gloss grey upper the split is less obvious. The rear window is also an impressive slab of glass, topped off with a 'sporty' boot spoiler in keeping with classic Foresters (the only 'STI' you should desire). 

The wheel design is where things become a little more 'premium' for the Forester, with a complex five-spoke design where each spoke is split into three prongs: two of those prongs are clean and pure silver in colour, while the third is darker and fluted. From a distance it almost looks like carbon fibre. 'Our' Forester came fitted with Bridgestone all-season tyres which appear better suited to road and gravel than any meaningful off-roading. A set of knobblies looks better, in our opinion, as shown on the 'Wilderness' edition (we have a broader feature on tyre design if you are so inclined). 

The user experience is where things fall down. The touchscreen system feels very outdated, riddled with menus and sub-menus, and is not particularly intuitive to use. We are all for improved road safety, but the sheer variety of different warnings and alerts as part of Subaru's EyeSight package (15 features, if you were wondering) makes the initial experience quite unpleasant. The immediate response should naturally be: "Well, don't do the things that cause the car to beep at you." And perhaps that is true. Unreflective of everyday driving, but true. 

Were this a newcomer to the market its perceived shortcomings might be acceptable

But even well-meaning 'advance warning' features such as speed camera alerts were not only frustrating but borderline dangerous. On a stretch of motorway with numerous average speed cameras in place, the system emits a deafening bong not once but every time you near a gantry. It can be turned off, but unless you know to do this ahead of time it is quite a faff - with plenty of "eyes off the road" going on. 

This latest e-BOXER engine pairs a petrol engine with a small battery that enables coasting and pull-away in electric mode. It is mated to a CVT gearbox, which is woeful, as they all are. In practice it is fine for town driving, but entirely devoid of any enjoyment beyond a mode of transportation. Acceptable in the same way the chatter of a bus engine is. Power delivery is delayed when you need it, minimal when it does arrive, and not particularly frugal in the process. The idle speed feels far too high on start-up and makes quite a racket, so much so that a neighbour asked if the car was okay. 

If this is the solution of choice, then the Forester is a prime candidate for electrification — smooth, torquey delivery when needed — and attentions might be best directed toward the Solterra, Uncharted and upcoming E-Outback. As it stands, the overall UX of the new Forester feels like a poor execution of both new and 'old' technologies. 

Once you are on the move, all annoying beeps and bongs have been turned off and there is no immediate need to step on the throttle, the Forester is a delightful cruiser that wafts along very nicely. 

Ergonomically it feels well set out, all elements are in reach, buttons and dials feel pleasant to the touch, and the seat has the comfort of an old lounge chair. There is plenty of storage throughout the cabin, and the CMF approach is minimal but not boring. We liked the geometric pattern on the passenger side IP, and the deep, wide dash gives a strong view of the road ahead. 

I so wanted to love the Forester, but mediocrity cannot be given false applause. The overall UX — from getting in to getting out — is just not enjoyable. Were this a newcomer to the market its perceived shortcomings might be acceptable, but for a legacy brand? Let's just say it validates certain narratives that established players have been overtaken by newcomers who offer similar quality for less money. Our suggestion? Ditch the e-BOXER and CVT combo and offer a traditional automatic (perhaps even a manual) that offers the expected growl of a Boxer engine, or go straight to EV. 

Now, back to watching Colin McRae highlight reels.