Money's Best Autos Of 2023 - Subaru Forester Is The Best For Safety Pick

Is the 2023 Subaru Forester a good pick for compact SUV shoppers? A new report from Money picks the best autos of 2023 and says the Forester is a top value pick for new model shoppers and one of the top five picks in the 2-Row SUV segment. They pick Forester best for its stellar safety scores.

Money says value was a key consideration for choosing the best 2-Row SUVs. So, of course, their respective features and specifications were, especially those related to safety.

Money narrowed down the 2-Row SUVs on the market to only five picks, considering factors like value, safety, and performance. Then, award-winning automotive writer Jaclyn Trop applied her experience driving all the cars. "The observations from those test drives add depth and insight to make the recommendations all the more useful," Money says.

Money's Top Picks for the Best 2-Row SUVs

Kia Soul — Best Overall and Best Value
Toyota RAV4 — Best for Features
Honda Passport — Best for Handling
Subaru Forester — Best for Safety
Ford Bronco Sport — Best for Technology

What does Money say about the 2023 Subaru Forester?

Money says, "The Subaru Forester stands out for its safety features and off-road ability. Named a Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the Forester received top marks for headlight safety – the only model in the category to ace the agency's headlight test for nighttime visibility across all trim levels."

"Even the base model comes with advanced safety equipment such as blind spot detection with lane change assist and rear cross-traffic alert, reverse automatic braking and high beam assist."

The Subaru Forester has been a safety leader in its segment. The Forester 2-Row compact SUV has been a Top Safety Pick+ winner for 16 consecutive years. All 2023 Forester trim levels come standard with the automaker's EyeSight driver-assist safety technology.

What is Subaru EyeSight?

The EyeSight suite of safety tech is upgraded on the Forester Premium trim with the option package and all higher trim levels. The next-generation EyeSight includes automatic emergency steering. Subaru says the feature works with pre-collision braking to assist with steering control to help avoid a collision at speeds less than 50 mph.

The new generation EyeSight includes forward-collision warning with automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control with a complete stop, lane departure warning, lead vehicle start alert, rear vehicle detection, blind-spot detection, lane change assist, and a rear cross-traffic alert.

What is the price of the 2023 Forester?

The 2023 Forester comes in six trim levels; The Base Forester starts at $27,620, Premium ($30,620), Sport ($32,190), Limited ($34,300), Wilderness ($35,245), and Touring ($37,720). Pricing includes dealer fees ($1,225).

What sets the Forester apart from the competition?

The significant difference between the Forester and the 2-Row SUV competition is that it comes standard with all-wheel-drive and X-Mode, which you won't pay extra for the all-weather, all-terrain features. In addition, Forester has 8.7 inches of ground clearance, gets the highest IIHS safety scores, it's fuel-efficient, and is fun to drive.

Forester is the lowest-cost-to-own 2-Row compact SUV

A recent award from Kelley Blue Book says Forester is now the lowest-cost-to-own compact SUV. So what does it mean for SUV shoppers?

KBB adds up all costs associated with a vehicle for five years to generate this year's winners. Costs such as fuel, maintenance, repairs, financing, insurance, and one of the most significant factors of all, depreciation, are all factors that affect a vehicle's total ownership costs.

KBB predicted the 2023 Forester to have a 5-year cost-to-own of $37,367 (including the purchase price), $3,635 less than the compact SUV segment average.

What is the 2023 Subaru Forester's best attribute? According to Money, Forester's stellar safety record and scores set it apart from the 2-Row SUV competition.

You Might Also Like: Why The 2022 Subaru Forester Won’t Tip Over In A Crash Like Jeep Wrangler

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. Check out 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.

Subaru Report - We’ve got you covered! Check back tomorrow for more unique, informative SUBARU news, reviews, and previews you can trust.

Leave your comments below, share the article with friends, and tweet it out to your followers!

Photo credit: main image Subaru Sherman Oaks