Subaru Forester Ranks High In J.D. Power APEAL Study But It’s Not First

Customers who buy the new Subaru Forester score it high in appeal. Recent reports from the 2022 J.D. Power Automotive Performance, Execution, and Layout (APEAL) study in Japan say Forester is the number two best compact SUV.

J.D. Power released new vehicle performance and found the 2023 Forester is the second-best new compact SUV rankings with owners. The Forester scores second, and the Mazda CX-5 ranks third. The highest Japanese model is the Toyota Harrier (similar to the Toyota Corolla Cross).

The Subaru brand scores second overall among mainstream brands in the latest J.D. Power APEAL study. Mini scores first with a score of 741, Subaru is second with 709 points, Mazda and Volkswagen third (691), Toyota (669), and Nissan (668) round out the top five.

Power says the study, in its 12th year, measures owners’ emotional attachment and level of excitement with their new vehicle across 37 attributes. These attributes are aggregated to compute an overall APEAL Index score measured on a 1,000-point scale.

The study revealed that installing more driving assistance systems (like Subaru EyeSight) and infotainment-related functions increases satisfaction. However, satisfaction decreases if customers are not satisfied with the quality of these systems and operations.

What sets the Forester apart?

The Forester continues to score the highest safety scores. The Forester earned the IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award this year. Forester is affordable and gets excellent fuel mileage.

New safety technology

The EyeSight driver assist technology is upgraded on the 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.

What is the price of the U.S.-spec 2023 Forester?

All 2023 Forester trim levels increased by $550 in price, including destination and delivery. 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 is the Forester fuel mileage?

The 2023 Subaru Forester compact SUV comes with standard all-wheel drive and gets an EPA-estimated 29 combined mpg and 26/33 city/highway mpg. A 2.5-liter four-cylinder Boxer engine powers the Forester.

The EPA says the new Forester Wilderness gets an estimated 25/28 city/highway mpg and 26 combined mpg.

What’s next for the 2024 Forester?

The Subaru Forester is due for a complete remodel. The Forester compact SUV added a Wilderness trim in 2022 and is expected to be redesigned in the second half of 2023 and be available as a 2024 model. Customers may want to wait for the 2024 Subaru Forester models to come with the exterior, interior, and possible engine upgrades. The announcement is about a year away.

The 2023 Subaru Forester arrives now with no new upgrades. Subaru Corporation makes no changes to the 2023 Forester compact SUV as they prepare for the 2024 model change and improvements. Stay tuned.

Customers who buy the 2023 Subaru Forester in Japan score the second highest in appeal.

You Might Also Like: Subaru Forester Sales Keep Falling Before New Models Arrive

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: Subaru