Mike Hagerty
May 17, 20212 min
Updated: Apr 1, 2022
Subaru makes a lot of vehicles. Probably more than you realize. There are nine Subaru models, not counting the performance-oriented STI vehicles. But if there's one that distills what Subaru has been about for most of its run, it's the 2021 Subaru Forester Sport.
The Forester is what the Outback was for many years before it went upscale ---a simple, rugged, reasonably priced, go anywhere, do anything station wagon/SUV (depending on how you look at it).
Under the hood is Subaru's tried-and-true 2.5-liter four cylinder. It makes 182 horsepower, and is mated to a continuously variable transmission. Getting to 60 miles an hour from a standing start takes 8.5 seconds, which isn't fast, but it's not really slow either. It's fine. As usual, the payoff comes at the gas pump with an EPA fuel economy estimate of 26 miles per gallon city/33 highway.
The base price of the 2021 Subaru Forester Sport is $29,395. The window sticker is at the end of this review so you can see for yourself, but among the standard equipment highlights at that price are 18-inch aluminum alloy wheels, privacy glass and a power panoramic moonroof, automatic climate control with air filtration and two rear seat USB ports.
Our test vehicle had only one extra-cost option, the Subaru Starlink 8.0 Multimedia Plus Audio system, which swaps out the standard 6.5-inch display and adds a 576-watt, nine-speaker Harman Kardon premium audio system bundled with reverse automatic braking and a power rear gate with height memory. That's $1,645. So, with $1,050 destination and delivery charge, the as-tested price of the 2021 Subaru Forester Sport is $32,090.
If we're honest with ourselves, the Subaru Forester Sport is really all the vehicle most of us need for most everything we do---and it does all those things very well. Room for five people and their things, symmetrical all-wheel drive and a killer audio system for $32K and change is a big deal.