New Subaru Forester Sport ES Detailed Review - New engine, new trim levels, better package?

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Subaru South Africa have just released the latest Forester variants onto the market. Not only have they added a new, larger, more powerful engine, but they've also added the word "Sport" to the model name.
Two new trim levels are available and in this video we test the more affordable Sport SE variant. Although, our video journalist Ciro De Siena finds the offering so comprehensive that he's left wondering why you'd opt for the more expensive variant.
In this video we cover interior tech and features, boot space, the folding rear seats, back seat space, performance of the new engine and Ciro gives the much-maligned CVT transmission a proper run for its money.
Chapters:
0:00 - Intro
1:00 - History and Capability
2:49 - Engine
3:35 - Features
4:50 - Boot Space
6:27 - Interior
8:14 - Gearbox
10:08 - Rear Passenger Space
10:48 - Drivetrain
11:51 - Pricing
12:15 - Conclusion
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[@khulekanimva393]

R590 000 is actually a bargain compared to the R620k plus for that small T-roc 😏. i know its not the same segment but its more car for less money

[@Carscoza]

This is true yes

[@labourlawact7826]

You are right. It's a segment higher, and costs less than the overpriced vw soon to be money pit car.

[@AristotelisMitsiou]

Not to mention that the Subaru will probably last longer too

[@ntuthukodlame1894]

Spot on Khulekani 😉 looking at Forester as my next. The value is great

[@ekimandersom4478]

@@AristotelisMitsiou Not probably, for sure.

[@tshepozulu9839]

Ciro going alllllll out in the name of car journalism, grate information for all the surfers out.

[@rajivxx1301]

Ok, for once I have to agree with Ciro's review of the Forester. Great car, a favorite with farmers and outdoors folk. THE best practicle AWD system out there and excellent reliability. Thanks Ciro !

[@GPscentsFragrances]

Channel is pumping material now 👌🏽👌🏽

[@pietervanderwesthuizen9843]

Another great vid guys/gals. I owned one for years and she performed brilliantly! You cant go wrong with a Forester. I'm happy to see the latest iteration looks less like your standard MPV.

[@andrewleventis8341]

I just like watching Ciro's videos, love his comments...PS was about to get a new X3 and decided to go for a Subaru..saved a ton of money....thanks

[@andrekleyn727]

Love these Subaru Forester vehicles. Good specs, great AWD capabilities and versatile space available. Just a shame our vehicle prices in SA is uber expensive for a normal salary to cope with. As usual by now, love your quirky reviews 👍🏻

[@robertjacobsfishing]

I have and older Forester pushing 350K and you are 100% correct in that it is a car that you don't feel you need to get rid of after 100K. It offers an amazing value proposition for an outdoor lifestyle.

[@zainforbes9906]

Coming from a 2008 Forester XT with 169kw, can completely agree with Ciro! Brilliant car that has never let us down once.

[@jameszottola9980]

A great car was in a head on collision and I’m still here my 7th Subaru

[@sceloxulu3494]

I have been a fan of the Forester IS ES for a while now... I was so hoping the new one comes with a turbo, like the Japan version... great review as usual.

[@christiaanbotes6404]

Great review!

[@Getouttahere78]

South African buyers are quite ignorant when it comes to Subaru. They really don't know what they are missing out on.

[@786songezochiya]

I love the WRX STi

[@Carscoza]

Yes, a very underrated car

[@salzerilli4789]

South Africa doesn't scream snow and rain to me which is why people buy Subaru.

[@wandisatsabedze-sengo1492]

I love it..comfort and practicality off road

[@Carscoza]

They are very good off-road

[@dzunisanimashele2929]

I really LOOOOVE Subaru’s crash safety features ❤️👌 I see they did not include the fully kitted roof rack that comes with the Outback😁 but really looks worth it👌❤️

[@labourlawact7826]

Super review 😊 Costs less than the vw of a few days ago, and imho a better vehicle. 😊Cheers!

[@tshepozulu9839]

The most underrated SUV.

[@MrSWW]

And the worst resell value SUV in it class!!!

[@Honestandtruth]

@@MrSWW that's you, mat

[@johnmartin7158]

@@MrSWW What would it matter if you keep it for 10 years ?

[@Honestandtruth]

@@MrSWW Even spelled RESALE Wrong..... What do you know and How much the truth from you...???

[@ntuthukodlame1894]

Im looking at it

[@deebeem1789]

Cannot wait to see you in a Ford Puma if you will receive one in South Africa.

[@fernandovargas7562]

Cool video.... Driving the vehicle all the time.... cool dude

[@andilengwane3372]

I raved all my white friends for years about their obsession with the forester, 2014 my family got one, needless to say since then I’ve been picking it over the bmw every chance I got. I no longer have to think twice when my friends say we should go up to the farm for the weekend, it’s just so damn practical, few all rounders like it at it’s price and size.

[@ntuthukodlame1894]

Being black myself i relate 🤣 this will be my next.

[@paulstuart525]

Hanging onto my Forester XT 2016. Its way quicker and way more fun. The CVT box is the only bummer but you can engine break with it in manuel. Helps during emergency braking.

[@wynandduplessis9166]

"... so you don't sit there like a d... (beep), holding up the traffic." Hahahaha a true South African car reviewer for true South Africans. Ciro is the absolute best!

[@jprous]

You didn't mention the most noteworthy feature of this car: Eyesight Lane Keep Assist (not to be confused with lane departure assist only, as with the pre-2021 SA ES models). It seems this model was fitted with this feature judging by the LKAS icon on the steering wheel. This makes this car compatible with OpenPilot, which gives the car semi- autonomous driving capability.

[@vainondovala6578]

CX-5 for me. Looks better and love the features.

[@coolbreeze45]

Oh I miss my Scoobies.its time for a new one.

[@sbucele1255]

I have a 016 xt looking to upgrade for another xt but Does the ES sport have an XT premium? Can you also do a side by side comparison between a forester sport and outback pls mr ciro😅

[@IrminZ]

Owned 2 scoobies, modified the crap out of both of them. In the good old days they were really good performance value for money. Today a WRX STI starts at 853000. Considering that they are not as nice inside and probably slower then some German cars at a similar price point, that is disappointing. I'm sure they are fun to drive, .... maybe I just got old 😂

[@brucekendall52]

Thanks.

[@Carscoza]

You're welcome

[@jarrydganaspersad6154]

Hi, do you guys have a road test for the xv?

[@barrysmit5181]

Would be nice if you had a section of each video when you took the car on a specific road at a certain speed and measured the car interior noise using a sound meter. Would be very intersting to see how different car brands stack up against one another in this regard. I'm a little obsessed with road noise, added 20kg of sound deadening to my Yaris and I'm loving it!

[@rofhiwathomasnetshandama1597]

And how much did that cost?

[@barrysmit5181]

@@rofhiwathomasnetshandama1597 It cost me 5K but I did all the labour myself.

[@Ash-so6qn]

@@barrysmit5181 Thats a lot of weight to be pulling around, have you seen an affect on fuel consumption?

[@barrysmit5181]

@@Ash-so6qn ya there probably is an increase but its so small I'll haven't been able to determine how much. I never did any manual tests before the sound deadening but the cars system seems to think nothing has changed. Whatever it is its worth having a yaris that now feels like a merc.

[@MrLute101]

I would buy this if I was in the market

[@byronkoti7397]

Does the 2.5 sport come with the subwoofer?

[@paulstuart525]

My girlfriend jumped from her audi into my forester XT after finally getting her advanced certificate. Never known someone so instantly bitten by the Forester bug. The old box shape was so radically fast off the line.

[@KhanyoMjamba]

They should intro the Wilderness versions of these cars to our market

[@ojbarberena7090]

WHAT!!! No off road review? Did you forget it was an AWD vehicle?

[@deebeem1789]

Waiting for your Ford Puma review

[@Dee-rk4zs]

I need it

[@ahmedlanga4639]

Forester xt were awesome

[@MrSWW]

Yes until its time to sell it, no one want to buy it and you have to reduce the price way below trade in value in order to sell it.

[@streetwiseburger]

The only car people drive in NZ

[@ld9387]

I wish the Ascent was available in South Africa

[@MrSWW]

Me too LD, Ascent is only available in North America region.

[@hilairemupila]

I like the review 😌☺, but CVT🤔🤔🤔

[@Isexwayiso]

This engine and gearbox combination is in my car. I have always wondered why do you guys hate on the CVT so much because I know if I was power now I double tap the paddle and I am gone. Strangly the standard gearbox and some dual clutch need you to be on Sport to do that. Then you have to put it back to drive again, CVT does that on its own.

[@LeRouxEnslin]

Must say I agree here. Also have the cvt just mated to the 2.0. And although the engine is not as punchy as I would want, the gearbox's ability to jump to the perfect revs instantly gives you the punt you need to overtake at a whim. And when you switch to manual, it feels exactly like a manual with flappy paddles.

[@CiroDeSiena]

First!

[@nigelkyle1627]

What? 😂😂

[@simamkelemini8106]

....not🤣🤣🤣

[@lorenzowillemse422]

😳😂😂

[@sdonagmac2293]

😂😂😂😂

[@romeolukanu8656]

U mean last right Ciro?

[@danieljarvis9183]

What's kilowats translated to horsepower used in the US?

[@devindewet3876]

173 Hp

[@afrikaazanialuti]

Live in *PTA* & have never seen a Subaru dealership...🤷🏾‍♂️

[@jasondixon170]

On Hendrik Verwoerd Dr, Centurion.

[@Lesiba2]

You are not looking properly boet

[@mathsgenius7496]

The car is awesome, but the looks on the other hand I am not quite sure what to say. It looks like a fat Dutsun Go+.

[@vert3cx373]

"Do you like clothes? I DO!!!" had me laughing

[@Carscoza]

Nice - Have a look at our Sentimetal.shop!

[@redinza]

i prefer the Outback

[@TorqueDriven]

Not a bad car. for the price ofcourse. not sure about the looks

[@mathsgenius7496]

Just say it, the looks aren't that great. But the car itself is awesome.

[@TorqueDriven]

@@mathsgenius7496 nicely put✅

[@thamimaluki7586]

In the South African context, the looks may save you from being a target for highjackers.

[@YusufPetersenCPT]

Hey you cant say its water resistant and not throw some water on it!!!

[@CobusDerrenberg]

"Feels" good, BUT looks like simply a big Datsun Go+ ... 😨😨😨

[@crimsonnightt]

lol I don't know whether that is an insult to the Subaru or a compliment for the Datsun.

[@CobusDerrenberg]

@@crimsonnightt 😂Right.. Now I'm confused too. It was just an observation... I think in summary the Subaru is simy the most BORING looking thing ever... 😕

[@carlylefortune852]

Looks like a Toyota Rush from the back

[@rofhiwathomasnetshandama1597]

😂

[@AkhonaNgquba]

Latest news: New Subaru comes with a CD player 3 months later: Musica closes all shops.

[@gileslord3310]

It's a great vehicle but the exterior design needs to be updated badly.

[@francoisdekock9601]

One of the best cars to bay, but that CVT is is not cool, subaru is going to have to bring back the auto gearbox, other wise they are going to loose a lot of subaru followers.

[@waldodutoit3630]

Bring back a turbo engine

[@Carscoza]

We agree!

[@watchman316ly]

The VW rules when it comes to this paddle manual shifting!

[@beresheeth]

Flat 4 that likes to blow head gasket when the miles gets on.

[@maneystellenboom7225]

I’ve always loved a scoobie, and I’ve pretty much decided that my next ride will be one. But the rear of this one makes my tummy churn. Yoh, super ugly!

[@ossamos]

The charm starts with ride quality and then after some time you will start loving the exterior 😎

[@abdulsamadismail3915]

This is still the old spec Overseas models are different

[@richardbrilus3775]

No they're not. This is the exact same vehicles as the US and OZ ones. The SA 2.5i-S ES sits somewhere between the US Limited and Touring

[@lorenzowillemse422]

Stop lying Abdul

[@MrSWW]

Overseas market like USA & Canada get the bigger 7 seater model called Ascent.

[@richardbrilus3775]

@@MrSWW true but we aren’t talking about the Ascent here, just the specs of our Foresters.

[@MrSWW]

@@richardbrilus3775 we only get a limited specs of foresters here compare to overseas market and cost twice as much here.

[@stultuses]

And still no turbo! In every market they are doing the same thing and in every market the public response is 'where's the turbo?' Learn to listen to what people are saying Subaru!

[@thabomichaelmokoena8406]

I dont like the cvt.

[@andreolivier9208]

Do you know that "Doos" is a very very rude word not suited for this!

[@df3yt]

He was describing the engine being a...box..er.

[@mattdog000]

Very cool vehicle but heavy on fuel!

[@sandyneveling4883]

Based on what? My wife and I did a 3,500km trip to Namibia and the West Coast in our 2019 2 liter in April at an average of 7.1 l/100km; that's flipping awesome!

[@SoftPorridge]

So ugly but i like it ,lol

[@ghost_lukh]

Nah it looks hideous - it has that Datsun GO vibe

[@Lesiba2]

The problem is that it is expensive.

[@MrSWW]

Yes it’s expensive relatively to other SUV in it class.

[@Lesiba2]

@@MrSWW so it is not worth it

[@mazibukomail]

Orange finishes make it look like a toy.

[@walter777smith6]

If that car doesn't come with turbo then it's a peace of shit .

[@TheSchalk1982]

Ugly, overpriced, extremely heavy on fuel, horrible cvt and then the biggest issue. Subaru dealerships. There are only 2 in Cape Town. So to service it you have to take a day off.

[@LeRouxEnslin]

Overpriced? It's The cheapest in its segment and you say its overpriced?

[@TheSchalk1982]

@@LeRouxEnslin Its nearly the same price as a Rav4 or many other competitors. Which have better dealer networks, much better resale value, and better service plans and warranties. So yes. Its overpriced for the overall package.

[@LeRouxEnslin]

@@TheSchalk1982 Well, Toyota's resale in SA is legendary. No none can argue that. And yes, Subaru only has a few service centres in SA, but my experience has been very good over time with Subaru. No issues on parts, very quick services (small service is under an hour). And even after the plan ran out, my Subaru is cheaper to service than my 2013 Fiesta ST.

[@grahamsmith203]

I love the fact that I have to drive 50k's to take my Forrester for a service, I get to drive it there and back :-) and my dealer gives another Subaru for the day - win win :-)

[@mauritsvw]

@@TheSchalk1982 On the plus side you're reasonable safe from getting your Subaru hijacked or stolen. Your safety has to be worth something.

[@juddotto3660]

Interesting fact, Subaru initially advertised this model almost exclusively to lesbians!

[@MrSWW]

Forester can not be sporty with a CVT transmission, 2.5 NA engine is under powered, to be a sporty suv it needs a turbocharged engine & manual gear box! This is just a trim spec to look sporty, no performance upgrade none what so ever, worst resale value even before maintenance plan expired, forester owner have to sell it below trade in value when changing to a different brand of vehicles. If you want a boxer engine go buy yourself a PORSCHE. In America forester cost half of our car price.

[@mauritsvw]

Obviously a Forester is not meant for you. And luckily you're not forced to buy one, so stop stressing.

[@MrSWW]

@@mauritsvw VW is for me, Forester is a good vehicle, if you can live with one dealership per province and bad resell value.

[@mauritsvw]

@@MrSWW The resale value is not really a problem if you keep your cars for long (and of course good news if you buy a used one). The lack of dealers is a problem in rural areas. Been a VW fan myself years ago. If you want a safe and popular buy, VW or Toyota is indeed your best bet in SA.

[@nawanekhomo3159]

This review is boring

[@nl3712]

This comment is boring

[@mauritsvw]

I'm sure there's much better entertainment elsewhere on KZbin. Why not have a look.