Subaru Forester Is One Of The Safest SUVs Around

For the 2022 model year, Japanese automaker Subaru treated its popular Forester SUV to a spate of updates. To keep it fresh in a competitive segment, the front end now boasts reworked headlights and a new grille design. Underneath, the suspension has been retuned to provide a more comfortable ride. Most importantly, vehicle safety also saw plenty of improvements. EyeSight gained a new stereo camera, for example, enhancing the Forester’s crash avoidance abilities.

It comes as no surprise then, that the much-loved SUV scooped up its 16th consecutive IIHS Top Safety Pick + award. Overjoyed at the announcement is Subaru of America CEO, Thomas J. Doll. “We are committed to providing customers with vehicles set to the highest safety standards year over year and this streak is a testament to that commitment,” he said.

The Forester’s impressive achievement follows on from Subaru’s earlier safety successes. In March, the Tokyo-based carmaker celebrated as many as six safety achievements, with the Crosstrek Hybrid, Legacy, Ascent, and Outback all receiving the same Top Safety Pick + awards. The Impreza and Crosstrek earned the honorable Top Safety Pick rating.

As a reminder, the 2022 Top Safety Pick or Top Safety Pick+ awards are only given out to vehicles that garner a ‘Good’ rating in the IIHS’s six tests, and that have available front crash prevention systems rated ‘Advanced’ or ‘Superior’ in vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-pedestrian tests. The prestigious ‘Plus’ designation is reserved for vehicles that are equipped with ‘Good’ or ‘Acceptable’ headlights.

Remarkably, Subaru has received a total of 63 Top Safety Pick+ ratings since 2013, currently more than any other brand – even Volvo.

You don’t have to be a millionaire to enjoy the safety afforded by the Forester. Even the base model, priced at $25,895, receives EyeSight as standard. This includes adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, a pre-crash braking system, as well as lane departure and sway warning. It’s admirable that Subaru sees fit to include these important features as standard when certain companies are charging extra for them on cars costing nearly twice as much.

Depending on which Forester you select, there are even more safety features on offer. Plusher models also receive technology such as blind-spot assist (with lane change assist and rear cross-traffic alert), along with reverse automatic braking. We applaud Subaru’s commitment to safety and hope to see other companies follow suit and provide a more comprehensive safety suite, as standard.