Subaru makes cars that leave their owners very satisfied, and the Forester is one of those cars. And while the Forester may not be as well-known as the Outback is, it’s still a very capable SUV from Subaru. Here’s everything that Subaru offers in the interior of the Forester.

The Subaru Forester’s standard features

Like a Subaru fan expects from Subaru, U.S. News reports that the Forester’s standard infotainment system is “straightforward and responsive.” This is thanks to Subaru’s Starlink system, which links the standard 6.5-inch touchscreen on the Forester with everything else. This includes Android Auto, which comes on the Forester as standard. Additionally, the Forester standard Apple CarPlay.

The Forester’s standard 6.5-inch touchscreen is also paired up with two USB ports as well as Bluetooth compatibility, according to U.S. News. Furthermore, the Forester has a four-speaker stereo system as standard. Those four-speakers are also connected to the Forester’s standard HD radio and satellite radio.

Lastly, U.S. News says that the Forester comes standard with automatic climate control. On top of that, for people who prefer physical controls, the Forester also has standard physical controls that allow the occupants to control its touchscreen easily. That said, while most car reviewers enjoyed the Forester’s interior systems, New York Daily News complained that the Forester had too many buttons and that it became confusing to use.

The Subaru Forester’s optional features 

The standard 6.5-inch touchscreen of the Forester can be upgraded into an 8-inch touchscreen, according to U.S. News. Furthermore, the standard Forester doesn’t have voice controls nor Bluetooth hands-free text messaging capability, but those are premium options that Subaru does offer. Additionally, a navigation system can also be included in the Forester.

Other possible infotainment upgrades on the Forester include two rear-seat USB ports, a WiFi hotspot, and a choice between either a six-speaker stereo system or a nine-speaker stereo system. On top of those options, Subaru also offers premium luxury features such as a panoramic moonroof, keyless entry, a push-button start system, as well as dual-zone automatic climate control, according to U.S. News. 

The Subaru Forester’s smart safety features

Subaru, like many Asian automakers such as Toyota or Hyundai, care a lot about safety. The Forester isn’t an exception to this. The standard Forester has a lot of smart safety features thanks to Subaru’s EyeSight Driver Assist Technology suite of smart safety technologies. With EyeSight, the Forester gets access to standard smart safety features that are only options on many competing SUVs. 

For example, EyeSight gives the Forester access to adaptive cruise control as standard. Adaptive cruise control is a smart safety feature that also doubles as a luxury convenience feature. Because of that, many automakers don’t offer adaptive cruise control as standard, but with the Forester, it is standard on all trims.

U.S. News reports that other smart safety features that are standard on the Forester include pre-collision braking, pre-collision throttle management, lead vehicle start alert, and lane departure warning and prevention. On top of that, in order to combat hot car deaths, Subaru offers a rear seat reminder as standard on the Forester.

While Subaru offers a lot of smart safety features as standard, there are more safety features that are options. For example, Subaru offers blind spot monitoring, lane change assist, rear cross-traffic alert, reverse automatic braking, and automatic high-beam headlights as options on the Forester. Furthermore, U.S. News says that on the more premium trims of the Forester, Subaru offers a driver fatigue monitoring system.

With the help of all of these standard and optional smart safety features, U.S. News gave the Forester a 9.8 out of 10 for safety.