2014 Subaru Forester 20XT front three quarter in motion 02

Driving around L.A. 's choppy streets and awful concrete slab freeways, I came to appreciate the Forester's comfortable ride. With the firm yet compliant suspension and seating to match, the XT never caused complaints from driving through twisties to long freeway slogs. The 2.0XT has stiffer front and rear springs than the 2.5i, along with exclusive chassis reinforcements, giving the Subie a respectably planted stance through corners, albeit with a bit of understeer. Over long distances, though, I was thanking the Forester's new pillow ball joint mounts on its rear suspension and its decent front seat cushioning for the comfy long-distance ride quality. Heavier drivers and passengers complained about the seats being too firm, but I found them just firm enough to hold up after long distances without punishing my sit-bones like a wooden bench.

All in all, the Forester 2.0XT did not disappoint. Plenty of room to tote furniture, small trees, and surfboards along with enough ground clearance and comfortable ride quality allowed this Subie to be the jack-of-all-trades in the long-term fleet. Anywhere I wanted to go, I didn't think twice about the Forester's ability to tote all the gear I needed and to get me there comfortably in one piece. I'm quite sad to see this CUV leave our garage and look forward to the next version of Subaru's well-appointed utility vehicle.

More on our long-term2014 Subaru Forester2.0XT:

Our Car
SERVICE LIFE	14 mo / 24,560 mi
BASE PRICE	$28,820
OPTIONS	Cargo tray ($75), rubber floor mats ($72), cargo net ($55)
PRICE AS TESTED	$29,022
AVG ECON/CO2	22.5 mpg / 0.86 lb/mi
PROBLEM AREAS	None
MAINTENANCE COST	$0 (2-oil change, tire rotation, inspection; 1-engine-air filter)
NORMAL-WEAR COST	$0
3-YEAR RESIDUAL VALUE*	$16,252
RECALLS	None
*Automotive Lease Guide data

2014 Subaru Forester 2.0XT
POWERTRAIN/CHASSIS
DRIVETRAIN LAYOUT	Front-engine, AWD
ENGINE TYPE	Turbocharged F-4, alum block/heads
VALVETRAIN	DOHC, 4 valves/cyl
DISPLACEMENT	121.9 cu in/1,998cc
COMPRESSION RATIO	10.6:1
POWER (SAE NET)	250 hp @ 5,600 rpm
TORQUE (SAE NET)	258 lb-ft @ 2,000 rpm
REDLINE	6,000 rpm
WEIGHT TO POWER	14.4 lb/hp
TRANSMISSION	Cont. variable auto
AXLE/FINAL-DRIVE RATIO	4.11:1/2.51:1
SUSPENSION, FRONT; REAR	Struts, coil springs, anti-roll bar; multilink, coil springs, anti-roll bar
STEERING RATIO	15.5:1
TURNS LOCK-TO-LOCK	3.2
BRAKES, F;R	12.4-in vented disc; 10.9-in vented disc, ABS
WHEELS	7.0 x 18-in, cast aluminum
TIRES	225/55R18 97H M+S Bridgestone Dueler H/L 400
DIMENSIONS
WHEELBASE	103.9 in
TRACK, F/R	60.9/61.1 in
LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT	180.9 x 70.7 x 66.4 in
GROUND CLEARANCE	8.7 in
APPRCH/DEPART ANGLE	23.0/25.0 deg
TURNING CIRCLE	34.8 ft
CURB WEIGHT	3,596 lb
WEIGHT DIST., F/R	59/41%
TOWING CAPACITY	1,500 lb
SEATING CAPACITY	5
HEADROOM, F/R	40.0/37.5 in
LEGROOM, F/R	43.0/38.0 in
SHOULDER ROOM, F/R	57.0/56.5 in
CARGO VOLUME BEH F/R	68.5/31.5 cu ft
TEST DATA
ACCELERATION TO MPH
0-30	2.4 sec
0-40	3.5
0-50	4.9
0-60	6.4
0-70	8.4
0-80	10.8
0-90	14.1
PASSING, 45-65 MPH	3.2
QUARTER MILE	15.0 sec @ 92.5 mph
BRAKING, 60-0 MPH	115 ft
LATERAL ACCELERATION	0.78 g (avg)
MT FIGURE EIGHT	28.0 sec @ 0.61 g (avg)
TOP-GEAR REVS @ 60 MPH	1,800 rpm
CONSUMER INFO
BASE PRICE	$28,820
PRICE AS TESTED	$29,022
STABILITY/TRACTION CONTROL	Yes/yes
AIRBAGS	Dual front, front side, f/r curtain, driver knee
BASIC WARRANTY	3 yrs/36,000 miles
POWERTRAIN WARRANTY	5 yrs/60,000 miles
ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE	3 yrs/36,000 miles
FUEL CAPACITY	15.9 gal
EPA CITY/HWY/COMB ECON	23/28/25 mpg
ENERGY CONS., CITY/HWY	147/120 kW-hrs/100 miles
CO2 EMISSIONS, COMB	0.78 lb/mile
REAL MPG, CITY/HWY/COMB	23.1/29.9/25.7 mpg
RECOMMENDED FUEL	Unleaded premium