Subaru’s all-new Forester will take you anywhere you need to go, and bring you back again… safely.

You can’t fully appreciate a vehicle like the Forester until you’ve faced some of the ugliest weather possible. Case in point—the deep freeze and mounds of snow that were dumped on a good part of Canada in January 2019.

It’s when you wake up in the morning, look outside to see that your street hasn’t been plowed after a heavy snowfall, and realize that you have a meeting with an important client that you can’t miss— that’s when you begin to appreciate what a vehicle like the Forester can do.

With 220 mm (8.6 inches) of ground clearance, standard all-wheel drive, and a good set of winter tires (strongly recommended), you know you’ll be able to get to places others simply won’t and can’t. You also know that if all of the above is still too much for your Forester to handle, you have an ace up your sleeve—Subaru’s X-Mode, which optimizes the engine, transmission, all-wheel-drive system and brakes for maximum traction.

In addition, for 2019, Subaru has added an available dual-mode version of X-Mode that offers ‘Snow/Dirt’ and ‘Deep Snow/Mud’ modes to make it possible for the Forester to champion even the toughest road conditions.

Bigger & better

While the all-new Forester maintains a strong family resemblance, Subaru has made a number of significant changes for 2019. For starters, the fifth-generation Forester boasts a longer wheelbase, more interior room (especially for rear passengers) and a wider rear gate opening, for added cargo capacity. New LED lights are now standard on all models.

An enhanced version of Subaru’s 2.5L Boxer engine now puts out more horsepower (182) and lb-ft of torque (176) versus the previous generation of the Forester (170 and 174, respectively). Subaru’s Lineatronic CVT is back, and available with a 7-speed manual mode. The driver can set it to “Intelligent” mode for saving fuel, or to either of two “Sport” modes for added performance and fun.

Safety

No Subaru story would be complete without mentioning the brand’s safety standards and features. The legendary EyeSight system (standard on most higher trims) keeps an extra set of eyes on the road at all times, warning the driver of potential danger ahead, helping keep the vehicle in its lane, and even applying the brakes automatically in some cases to avoid a collision.

All-new for 2019 is Subaru’s DriverFocus system (only available on the Premier model), which keeps an eye on the driver to look for signs of fatigue, or to alert the driver to keep his or her eyes on the road if and when the driver is distracted.

It’s also notable that the 2019 Forester is a “Top Safety Pick” with the IIHS, which is key as fleet managers realize the importance of keeping their drivers and vehicle occupants safe on the roads.

If practicality, safety, and the ability to go anywhere in any kind of weather are key to your fleet needs, take a closer look at the fifth-generation Forester. You’re likely to be impressed.

Specifications

Vehicle 2019 Subaru Forester

Price Range $27,995 – $39,495

Engine 2.5-litre four-cylinder Boxer

Transmission Lineatronic CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission)

Noteworthy options EyeSight, DriverFocus Distraction Mitigation, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (available on all models)

Fuel economy (advertised) City 9.0 L/100 km, hwy 7.2 L/100 km

Competition Nissan Murano, Toyota RAV4, Ford Edge