2021 Subaru Forester Pricing And A Detailed Look At Every Trim - Wait Or Buy Now?

Subaru of America announced pricing and new upgrades on the 2021 Subaru Forester. Should customers wait or opt for a 2020 model?

In its third year, after the compact SUV received a complete remodel, the 2021 Subaru Forester gets a modest price increase, some optional features are now standard, and Subaru improves visibility on the new model. All 2021 Forester trims come standard with steering responsive LED headlights, high beam assist, and rear seatbelt reminder.

Should customers wait for the new models to arrive, or buy a 2020 model now? The curve-adaptive LED headlights, and high beam assist was previously only available on Limited and Touring trims. The new lights will improve safety ratings on lower trims with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), and they will significantly improve visibility when driving at night.

How do the curve-adaptive LED headlights work?

The responsive steering system aims the headlight beams in the direction the vehicle is turning and not merely pointing straight ahead. On curved roads, you can see farther around the corner and react sooner if something unexpected happens. Drivers who are in rural settings can see animals sooner that could be on the side of the road.

Will I find the 2020 Forester trim and color I want?

Subaru has one of the lowest vehicle inventories of any automaker, and you may not find the 2020 Forester in the color and trim level you want. Subaru Corporation is making the model change on its assembly lines now, and the new 2021 Forester will arrive sometime in October. The most popular Premium and Sport trims will now have the new steering responsive LED headlights as standard equipment, and it’s worth the wait.

The popular Premium and Sport trims get more upgrades

In addition to getting steering responsive LED headlights, 2021 Forester Premium and Sport trims get additional new upgrades customers will want. New for 2021, Premium trims now come standard with keyless access with push-button start and fog lights. For 2021, the popular Sport trim adds blind-spot detection with lane change assist and rear cross-traffic alert and is currently optional on 2020 models.

How much will the 2021 Forester cost?

The 2021 Forester comes in five trim levels, and the price increase will be between $340 to $440 including the destination and deliver fee increase (+$40). The 2021 Forester base has an MSRP of $25,845 (+$300), Premium ($28,845 +$400), Sport ($30,445 +$400), Limited ($32,445 +$300), and Touring ($35,945 +$300). Pricing includes $1,050 destination (+$40.)

2021 Subaru Forester trims and standard features

All 2021 Forester trims come standard with a 2.5-liter naturally-aspirated four-cylinder engine, all-wheel-drive, X-Mode with hill-descent control, 8.7-inches of ground clearance, and EyeSight driver assist safety technology with advanced adaptive cruise control with lane centering.

The base trim features a 6.5-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Bluetooth, hands-free phone and audio streaming connectivity, SiriusXM, and a CD player. The base also comes with dual USB ports in the front center console, multi-function display, remote keyless entry, and combination meter with color LCD.

The Premium trim adds heated seats and mirrors, a leather steering wheel, and windshield wiper de-icer. Premium also comes with a 10-way power driver’s seat with power lumbar support, 17-inch aluminum-alloy wheels in black with machine finish, roof rails, dark tint privacy glass, and a panoramic power moonroof.

New for 2021, Premium comes standard with keyless access with push-button start and fog lights.

Forester Sport adds exterior and interior treatments. Outside it gets black-finish 18-inch wheels and a black rear roof spoiler, and orange accents. Inside Sport features a dark gray material with orange stitching and accents. Sport also features dual-function X-Mode for increased capability off-road and extreme weather conditions.

For 2021, the Sport adds blind-spot detection with lane change assist and rear cross-traffic alert and is currently optional on 2020 models.

The Limited trim adds leather seats and leather steering wheel, power rear tailgate with auto close and height memory, dual USB ports, and voice-activated climate control. Outside it comes with 18-inch black aluminum-alloy wheels, exterior mirrors with integrated turn signals, and chrome accent trim for the fog lights.

New for 2021, the Limited adds a 7-speed manual mode for the Lineartronic CVT automatic transmission.

The top-trim Forester Touring features black or saddle brown leather upholstery, 10-way power driver’s seat with 2-position memory, an 8-way power front passenger seat, and heated rear seats. The cargo-area comes with LED lights in the tailgate and dome lights with off-delay.

Outside, the Limited comes with machine-finished black 18-inch wheels, chrome door handles, chrome folding mirrors with integrated turn signals, and LED fog lights with chrome trim. It also features silver metallic finish mounts on the roof rails and a silver finish on the front, rear, and side valences and chrome badges.

Except for the top-trim Touring, each trim level has specific option packages available. With 2020 Forester inventories running low, it would be best to wait for the upgraded 2021 Subaru Forester models if you want the exact color, trim, and features you want. They will begin arriving at retailers in October.

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Denis Flierl has invested over 30 years in the automotive industry in a consulting role working with every major car brand. He is an accredited member of the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press and the founder of Subaru Report where he covers all of the Japanese automaker's models. More stories can be found on the Torque News Subaru page. Follow Denis on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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