Most compact SUVs in the school pickup line and the office parking garage look pretty much alike. The Forester Sport is for folks who would prefer not to be one of them. It shares the utilitarian Forester formula – 180-hp BOXER engine, Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive, 8.7 inches of ground clearance, and top safety ratings – with bronze-finish 19-inch wheels, a blacked-out grille, and interior styling that certainly feels more intentional than it does common. But you also get blind-spot monitoring as standard, dual-function X-MODE, and paddle shifters that aren’t available on a Premium trim. That makes the Sport the trim for folks who cross-shop the Forester for practicality but also want more flair.
The Premium is the best value, with a relatively affordable price, classic looks, and blind-spot monitoring as an optional extra. The Sport is where the Forester comes alive. You get standard blind-spot monitoring, the dual-function X-MODE, paddle shifters, StarTex upholstery, and that stunning bronze wheel/gloss-black styling – for just a few more dollars. The Wilderness completes the lineup, raising the bar with more off-road ability (9.3 inches of lift, off-road tires, 3,500-pound towing, and burly body cladding). If your off-road adventures involve dirt road driving rather than rock crawling, and you want a Forester that looks sharp when cruising around the city streets, the Sport is a great midpoint between the lower-end Premium and the more aggressive Wilderness. A Harman Kardon upgrade and Onyx Edition package are available as options to fine-tune things further.
Photography doesn’t do the Sport credit – notice the bronze wheel finish and gloss-black grille contrast, and StarTex interior texture don’t look quite right in Texas sunlight as they do here on a screen. At Ewing Subaru of Plano, we’ve always got Sport trims in a few different colors on the lot for side-by-side comparison and can also show you the Onyx Edition package and Harman Kardon audio.
We’ll give you trade-in value based on real market data, get you financing pre-approved, and have your Sport serviced and ready to go before you even turn the key. If “ok” has been enough, you don’t know what you’re missing until you experience a little attitude. See all our current inventory online now or come visit us in person at Ewing Subaru of Plano to see the bronze wheels and StarTex interior for yourself.
How about the Forester Sport? Does it have more engines or a Sport-Tuned Suspension?
And that’s certainly information that you want to know before you go shopping for a car. Every gas-powered Forester (including the Sport) has the identical 180-hp 2.5L BOXER, the identical CVT, and the identical suspension tuning. What the “Sport” designation means is a good new look and a handful of upgraded options: new 19-inch bronze-colored wheels, new gloss black exterior accents, new StarTex interior seats and accents, paddle shifters, as well as a standard blind-spot detection system and the X-MODE system with two unique settings. If you’re looking for a noticeably quicker Subaru SUV, then the Outback XT and Ascent both have turbocharged engines.
What is dual-function X-MODE and does it make the Sport more capable off-road?
Dual-function X-MODE is an upgraded traction-control system that provides two driver-selectable modes – Snow/Dirt for modestly low-grip off-road driving, and Deep Snow/Mud for more extreme situations – plus Hill Descent Control, which automatically applies the brakes when descending a steep trail. The Premium’s regular X-MODE is a one-size-fits-all solution, but the Sport gives you the most delicately balanced control when crossing lakes, trudging through mud, and sometimes swimming through the sand. It won’t make your Forester a rock-hopping Jeep – that would be the Wilderness trim – but for all the light off-road that most Texans actually do, it’s a worthwhile upgrade.
What is Star Tex upholstery, and how does it perform with children, dogs, and the Texas heat?
Star Tex is Subaru’s animal-free, water-resistant synthetic upholstery that resembles the look and feel of the highest quality cloth – yet it cleans up in seconds. Juice, slobber, mud, and sweat form beads, not stains, on the surface of our upholstery, making it a natural choice for families and pet owners. When exposed to the Texas sun, Star Tex remains noticeably cooler to the touch than a black leather seat, and it doesn’t crack or fade like a natural leather interior may over time. Heated front seats are still available for those chilly mornings, while this choice may be the most usable upholstery option available for Plano car shoppers – no leather upcharge.
Are any additional colors and wheels offered for the Forester Sport?
The Forester Sport is available in Subaru’s complete exterior color set, with standard 19-in. Bronze-finish alloy wheels. Optional black-finish 19-in. Wheels are available in some vehicles, and the Sport Onyx Edition package has dark-metallic wheels with a gloss finish and unique Black/Gray Star Tex interior trim. Almost all solid and metallic paint options are included, while the pearl and special-edition colors have a small extra charge, set by the color. Given how dramatically color changes the Sport’s look, we suggest checking out your two favorite color choices at Ewing Subaru of Plano in the sunlight.
Any negative impact of the 19-inch wheels on ride quality or towing capacity relative to other Foresters?
Same towing capacity – The Sport can tow the same 1,500 pounds as the Base, Premium, and Limited, if properly equipped. 19-inch wheels (compared to 17- or 18-inch on the other trim levels) with a marginally lower-profile tire that provides a small increase in road harshness on less-than-smooth pavement and costs a bit more to replace. The compromises are worth the trade-off, most drivers believe, for the direct steering response and present road feel. If you simply love driving on really badly potholed roads or the hardest-possible ride comfort is your highest priority, the Premium’s tires may provide a small advantage, but we’d recommend a drive of each at Ewing Subaru of Plano to determine whether a half-inch of wheel diameter is worth the ride trade-off.
