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The 2021 Subaru Forester is a Consumer Reports recommended compact SUV. It has a great road test score, predicted reliability, and owner satisfaction. What about its safety features? The Subaru Forester is packed with safety features, making it a great choice for SUV shoppers.

A white 2021 Subaru Forester driving with a bicycle on top.
2021 Subaru Forester | Subaru

What safety features are important to have?

Consumer Reports includes a whole bunch of safety features that they find important to look for in a new car. These include forward collision warning, which can detect a potential collision. By 2022 twenty car manufacturers have vowed to make it a standard in all of their vehicles. 

Automatic emergency braking can pre-charge the brakes once it detects a potential collision. Some AEB systems even apply the brakes for you if you don’t respond to the warning in time. 

Pedestrian detection can detect pedestrians that are in, or may enter, the path of the vehicle. Some can detect cyclists. 

Lane departure warning uses cameras to monitor the vehicle’s position between road lines. If the cameras determine that the vehicle is straying across the lines and doesn’t have its turn signal on, it alerts the driver. 

Blindspot warning alerts a driver if a car is moving into their blind spot. Rear cross traffic warning will alert the driver of cars approaching the side and rear of the vehicle when the vehicle is in reverse. 

Antilock brakes keep the wheels from locking while hard braking. Traction control limits how much wheels spin during acceleration so that the driver can retain control. Daytime running lights are lights that come on whenever a vehicle is running for maximum visibility. 

Which safety features does the 2021 Subaru Forester have?

The Subaru Forester comes standard with most of the safety features that Consumer Reports recommends. Forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking for the city and highway, and pedestrian detection are all standard. 

Lane departure warning, lane keeping assist, and a rear view camera are also standard in the 2021 Subaru Forester. So are anti-lock brakes, traction and stability control, and daytime running lights. 

What safety features are missing in the 2021 Subaru Forester?

There aren’t a whole lot of vehicles that come with all of the safety features (though there are some). The 2021 Subaru Forester falls into the category of having almost all of the Consumer Reports recommended safety features. 

So what’s missing? Most notably, blind spot warning and rear cross traffic warning. The good thing is, you can still get them, you’ll just have to pay for them. Both blind spot warning and rear cross traffic warning are optional in the 2021 Subaru Forester.  As mentioned above, these are both important safety features, so you’ll likely want to opt for these. 

If you’re shopping for a new SUV, you can be assured that the 2021 Subaru Forester is packed with safety features. Just make sure you opt for blind spot warning and rear cross traffic warning so that you’re as protected as possible.

RELATED: Consumer Reports’ Highest Rated Crossover With the Most Safety Features

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