The fifth generation of the Subaru Forester was launched in March 2018 at the New York International Auto Show as a 2019 model.
It grew in all sizes to offer more interior room, trunk space, and comfort. But it didn’t forget about safety.

Despite its not-so-appealing look (it is like a trademark for Subaru) the Forester has quite a few interesting features. Probably the most important is safety-related. The Japanese engineers managed to install a new system named DriverFocus.

This is a driver monitoring system that uses facial recognition software to identify signs of driver fatigue or driver distraction. It works with Subaru’s award-winning EyeSight Driver Assist Technology to reduce the chance of an accident. For added convenience, DriverFocus can also recognize up to five drivers and remember their presets for seat position, climate, multifunction display and more.

The engine lineup is small, as usual with the Subaru vehicles. There are three options all with 4 cylinder-boxer architecture. A 2.0-liter, a 2.5-liter, and a hybrid version consist of a 2.0-liter and an electric motor. The only transmission available is a Lineartronic CVT gearbox.

The 2018 Forester claims to have better performance and lower fuel consumption than the previous generation, due to new technologies involved in the engine and transmission. It still held the symmetrical all-wheel-drive system but enhanced.