2018 Subaru Forester Exterior and Dimensions

The Forester has, since its birth in 1997, prided itself on its no-nonsense styling that champions function over form, yet there's something beautiful about it nonetheless. As of late, the Forester has grown into a car that looks more SUV than station wagon, and strong lines that swoop to the rear-end still gives off the sense that the Forester likes to party, especially in Black Edition trim, which doesn't leave anything to the imagination. The aforementioned Black Edition gets a range of black exterior trim items, while if you're looking for a panoramic sunroof, it's to be found on Premium and higher models. 18-inch alloys are found only on the Touring and 2.0XT, with lesser trims sporting 17-inch wheels - steel items on the base 2.5i. LED headlights are available on all but the base and XT trims, and a rear spoiler is standard on all but the base.

The Forester lives within the realms of the compact crossover segment and thus its dimensions follow suit. The Forester measures 181.5 inches long, 68.2 inches tall, 70.7 inches wide, and rides on a wheelbase measuring 103.9 inches. That second dimension suggests that the Forester sits quite high, partly thanks to the generous 8.7-inch ground clearance, and has a longer wheelbase than most others in its class. Because the Forester was designed for light to mild off-roading, the approach, departure and breakover angles should also be mentioned, and are quite impressive for a car that's not an all-out trail machine: 23.0/25.0 degrees approach/departure and 21.0 degress for breakover. The base model weighs in at 3,322 lbs, not too hefty for a compact crossover, comparable to a Jeep Compass, while heavier iterations weigh 3,653 lbs.