After two weeks of testing, Cars.com reviewers gave a reviewof the XT 2014 Forester they drove. Reviewers loved the added visibility of the all-new Forester as well as the added cabin room in the back seats.
The Forester received "raves" from every Cars.com editor about visibility. At Subaru, we believe that making a safe car means more than just building it to withstand a crash. It's also about avoiding the crash in the first place. When you're inside most crossover vehicles, you'll notice that the tank-like styling make most of them, well, into mini-tanks. It's got very low visibility to keep the styling aggressive looking with small windows and large blind spots. The thinking some people have is that cars with smaller windows are sturdier and safer then cars with cars with a high visibility. The Forester, however, has styling that creates a lot of visibility and a sportier feel than other crossovers, all while still keeping up with crash test ratings. In fact, the Subaru 2014 Forester earned the position of Top Safety Pick in the small SUV category.
A vehicle's ability to avoid crashes should be just as important as being able to handle a crash and you'll see that in a number of safety features as well as the design of the Forester. Between the smart breaking system that helps you break evenly, the vehicle dynamics control to help you stay on the road, the Eyesight system that helps you watch the road, and Break Assist that breaks the vehicle if you're unable to do it in time, you'll avoid accidents more readily than other crossovers. The Forester gives you more time to see accidents, respond to them, and avoid them than any other car.
The other thing the Cars.com reviewers loved was the extra space in the back seat. While it adds a lot of legroom, they were most excited about it making it easier to use a car seat properly to keep their children safe. The folks at Cars.com do pretty extensive testing for car seats and they found you can safely and comfortably fit two convertible car seats without having to move the driver or passenger front seats forward. Infant-safety seats require a lot more room so the passenger seat had to slide forward slightly but there was still plenty of room for a passenger.
If you're looking for a family car that's safe and reliable, look no further than the 2014 Subaru Forrester. With added visibility, accident-avoidance features, and the ability to fit to children's safety seats comfortably, it's the perfect vehicle for a growing family.
