Find the Right Car:

Used Cars

Subaru

By Make

Forester

By Model

2011

New

By Year

2014
2013

Used

By Year

Styling Review

2011 Subaru Forester - Styling Review

Get email updates

Interested in purchasing?Browse Used Listings

See more photos

Styling Bottom Line

The 2011 Subaru Forester is refined and contemporary up close, yet unabashedly boxy and utilitarian in purpose. Read more »

Likes

Savvy, utilitarian look
Nicely-detailed interior
Excellent handling

Dislikes

Automatic has four widely spaced gears
Base model still without Bluetooth
Small, flat front seats

MSRP FROM $20,495

Browse Used Listings in your area

Meta Rating

/10

Review

Photos

Specs

See Classifieds

Bengt Halvorson

Deputy Editor BIO

Bengt Halvorson is Deputy Editor of High Gear Media's portfolio of car sites, overseeing the production of reviews, evaluating vehicles firsthand... More

LATEST ARTICLE
2014 Fiat 500L: Stylish, Room For Five, Starts Below $20,000
Considering the Kia Soul, MINI Countryman, or Nissan Juke? You might want to hold out another few... Read More

#2LEADERBOARD RANK
2662ARTICLES CONTRIBUTED
108COMMENTS POSTED

February 9, 2011

Overall Review » 8

Interior / Exterior » 8

Performance » 8

Quality » 8

Safety » 8

Features » 8

Fuel Economy / MPG » 7

See more photos

Shopping for a new Subaru Forester?

SEE LOCAL CLASSIFIEDS

STYLING | 8 out of 10

Expert Quotes:

The Forester’s practical, unpretentious countenance personifies Subaru’s ethos
Car and Driver

Nice styling
Automobile Magazine

pleasantly styled and highly functional cabin design
Edmunds

The Forester was fully redesigned for 2009, gaining a slightly larger, slightly more rounded look that replaced its much-loved, more overtly boxy predecessor. In some respects the Forester had become a more contemporary take on the old Volvo 240 wagon formula, maximizing its space with squared-off corners and tall glass. Arguably, the look of the current Forester is more sophisticated—and looks more like a tall boxy wagon than a small-scale SUV. Its front-end appearance, especially now looks like a slightly skewed and scaled version of what Subaru's Legacy and Outback get, while the silhouette even is softer and close to that of the Outback.

Inside, the Forester inherits a swoopier design that borrows elements from both the larger Tribeca and the Impreza small-car family. The dash design is upright, but flows smoothly around to the doors, yet the center stack of controls is quite upright and straightforward. It's a little plain, but it's a good fit for the outdoorsy, understated crowd that falls for the Forester in droves.