2019 Subaru Forester pricing and spec confirmed

Subaru Australia has confirmed details of its new-generation Forester SUV with improved drivetrain, safety and a simplified range of variants.

The 2019 Forester range will be powered only by a 2.5-litre petrol engine mated to a CVT auto across four variants, with the 2.0-litre base petrol, diesel 2.0d and turbo XT variants dumped.

Subaru says the 2.5-litre four-cylinder direct-injection boxer engine is "90 per cent new" and boosts power from 126kW/235Nm to 136kW/239Nm. The CVT auto also now has a seven-speed 'manual' mode.

Due to a raft of drivetrain improvements, the service schedule has been pushed out to 12 months from six to match the Impreza and XV.

The claimed combined cycle fuel usage figure is improved over the previous 2.5-litre Forester's, dropping to 7.4L/100km from 8.1.

Subaru’s 'EyeSight' safety suite is standard across all Forester variants and now features lane-keeping assist up to 120km/h, improved pedestrian avoidance and pre-collision braking assist, as well as improved adaptive cruise control which can detect brake lights.

All Forester variants also now have torque vectoring as part of the AWD system, electronic parking brakes, and a blind-spot monitoring system.

The 2.5i-L, 2.5i Premium and 2.5i-S variants, above the base 2.5i, also now score front and side view cameras to assist reversing, AEB that works in reverse, and a driver attention monitoring system.

The standard feature list for the entry-level $33,490 2.5i now includes, adaptive cruise control, LED headlights, tail-lights and DRLs, a rear-view camera, 6.5-inch multimedia screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and digital radio (DAB+) support, dual zone climate control, harmon/kardon six-speaker audio system, puddle lamps, a stop-start system and tyre pressure monitoring.

Stepping up to the $35,490 2.5i-L adds driver attention alert, memory functions for the multimedia system and climate control, and the aforementioned enhanced safety suite.

Next up, the $38,490 2.5i Premium adds to the list, auto-dipping door mirrors that are also auto folding, six-way power adjustable driver’s seat with memory function, electrically powered folding rear seats, built-in sat-nav, powered tailgate, Subaru’s 'SI-Drive' enhanced AWD system, two extra USB ports for front passengers, a larger 8.0-inch touchscreen, 18-inch alloy wheels and a slew of aesthetic touches inside and out.

The top-spec $41,490 2.5i-S adds an electric sunroof, LED fog lights, premium nine-speaker audio system, and leather seat trim, as well as more significant aesthetic upgrades inside and out.

Subaru Forester 2019 pricing

Subaru Forester 2.5i CVT auto AWD - $33,490
Subaru Forester 2.5i-L CVT auto AWD - $35,490
Subaru Forester 2.5i Premium CVT auto AWD - $38,490
Subaru Forester 2.5i-S CVT auto AWD - $41,490

Do you lament the loss of diesel or turbo power on the Forester? Tell us what you think in the comments below.