I wasn’t sure I was going to write a review of the 2019 Subaru Forester Sport. It’s a fine car – and one that we’ll surely see transformed into a hashtag-wanderlust overland-style vehicle in the very near future – it’s just that the one Subaru sent me was broken.

Okay, so it wasn’t the whole car that was broken – just the power liftgate. You know, the part that lets you access the 76.1-cubic foot cargo area. And let’s be frank: having access to all that cargo area is the primary reason why someone buys one of these cars.

I don’t know exactly what’s been happening with the liftgate – just that it refuses to open. Press the button on the key fob: I hear three beeps and then nothing happens. Unlock the car and then try and use my hand to open the liftgate: I hear three long beeps followed by three short beeps and… nothing happens.

A quick Google search shows that this is a common issue with Subaru’s with power liftgates. Fixes include popping off an interior access panel to try and open things manually; disconnecting the car battery to “reset” the whole car; or taking it to a dealer. As this particular Forester Sport is just a press loaner, I opted to do none of the above. So each day I try and open the liftgate to see if it magically fixed itself, only to get the same result over and over again.

Now, mechanically the car is fine. There are absolutely no issues with its 182-hp flat 4; and even despite its CVT, the Forester Sport feels lively. Hell, with the Forester Sport’s inclusion of Subaru’s Sport# engine and throttle map selection, I’ll even go so far as to say that this CUV is genuinely quick.

Acceleration is smooth and linear, always seeming to have just the right amount of power – not too much, but not too little, either. That’s likely due to Subaru keeping this 2.5-liter engine naturally aspirated – no turbo means no turbo lag, after all. But even when keeping the Forester Sport in its fuel-saving “Intelligent” mode, things never feel slow. You just press the gas, feel the response, and marvel at how Subaru can finally get a CVT to feel right. Now only if Subaru would put this powertrain into the Crosstrek.

Handling is okay - nothing to get too excited about. It’s still a crossover with 8.7-inches of ground clearance, so if you’re looking for BRZ-like levels of responsiveness, you’re going to be disappointed. That said, it’s nice to not have to slam on the brakes and do the sideways creep every time a speed bump appears.

The interior is where the Forester Sport really shines. Subarus have always been great to drive, but their interiors have historically been cheap and plastic-y. Not here. This cabin feels more like an oversized (and pricey) Oakley outdoor bag than a car interior. The fabrics are nice to touch and feature intricate detailing, yet feel robust enough to withstand years of abuse. The orange contrast stitching used throughout the cabin give off a “tacti-cool” vibe, and the anodized orange accents are more mountain carabiner than they are bling. And with things like Apple CarPlay, it’s a great cabin to spend time in.

Too bad I can’t talk about the cargo area. This one malfunction puts a negative spin on what otherwise is a fantastic car. Given the “suburban survivalist” vibe that some of Subaru’s fanbase goes for, having a full manual release function would go a long way here.

When my time with the Subaru Forester Sport came to an end, I made sure to talk about this problem with the fleet manager who came to pick up the vehicle for me. Last thing I want is to be blamed for breaking a car that was already broken. And as I was giving my spiel to the fleet driver, I went to demonstrate just how broken this Subaru was…

And the hatch opened right up.

Highlights	Description
Engine	2.5-liter Boxer 4
Horsepower	182 hp @5800rpm
Torque	176 lb-ft @ 4400rpm
Transmission	CVT
Suspension, F/R	Strut-type/double wishbone
Brakes, F/R	12.4-in vented discs/11.2-in. vented discs
Wheels and Tires	118-in. alloy,225/55R18
Curb weight	3531 lb
Overall length	182.1 in.
Overall width	71.5 in.
Overall height	68.1 in.
Wheelbase	105.1 in.

2020 Subaru Forester Limited

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