Ask a room full of Perth parents what they want from a family car and you’ll hear the same list: safe, roomy, reliable and able to handle the occasional gravel road without complaint. It’s a simple brief, yet finding a vehicle that ticks every box without blowing the budget can take months of research.
The Subaru Forester has been a regular on that shortlist for more than two decades. Its appeal has always been straightforward: a boxy, practical shape with good visibility, genuine ground clearance and all-wheel drive as standard. The current generation builds on that formula with a hybrid option, more technology and updated safety systems.
This guide looks at the Forester through a local lens. Rather than repeating a spec sheet, it covers how the car suits the way Perth families actually live, from school runs in Mount Hawthorn to long weekends down south, along with what to check before you buy and how to decide between petrol, hybrid, new, demo and used options.
Why the Forester Suits the Perth Lifestyle
Perth is a city built around the car. Suburbs stretch more than 100 kilometres along the coast, public transport doesn’t reach every corner, and many of the best weekend escapes involve at least a couple of hours behind the wheel. That combination rewards a vehicle that’s comfortable over distance and capable once the bitumen runs out.
The Forester fits that pattern well for a few reasons:
- Ground clearance. At around 220 mm, the Forester sits higher than many mid-size SUVs, which helps on rutted farm tracks, gravel campsite roads and steep kerbs.
- Its upright glasshouse and relatively thin pillars make it easier to see out of than many sleeker SUVs, which is helpful in crowded school car parks.
- Standard all-wheel drive. Every variant sends drive to all four wheels, so there’s no need to pay extra for a higher grade to get it.
- Practical cabin. The wide-opening doors and square cargo area make loading prams, eskies and sports gear simpler.
It’s also worth being clear about what the Forester isn’t. It’s an all-wheel-drive SUV, not a dedicated four-wheel drive with low-range gearing. It will comfortably handle gravel roads, firm sand tracks and the unsealed access roads to many national parks, but soft beach sand and serious rock crawling are a different matter. If driving on the beach at Lancelin or tackling the tracks around Wedge Island is part of your plans, lower your tyre pressures, check local conditions and know the limits of the vehicle.
Petrol or Hybrid: Choosing Your Subaru Forester
The current Subaru Forester range is available with two powertrains, and the choice between them is one of the biggest decisions you’ll make.
The petrol models use a 2.5-litre horizontally opposed four-cylinder engine paired with a continuously variable transmission. It’s a proven, simple setup that suits buyers who cover plenty of freeway and country kilometres.
The hybrid models pair a 2.5-litre engine with an electric motor and a small battery that charges itself while you drive, so there’s no need to plug in. The electric motor helps most in stop-start traffic, where it can reduce fuel use noticeably, and hybrid variants claim a driving range of more than 1,000 kilometres per tank.
So which is right for you? A few questions help:
- Where do you do most of your driving? If it’s mainly suburban school runs, shopping trips and peak-hour commuting, the hybrid’s efficiency advantage will be most noticeable.
- How far do you travel on weekends? Regular long country drives narrow the gap between petrol and hybrid, as highway cruising is where a petrol engine is already at its most efficient.
- How long will you keep the car? Hybrid variants cost more up front. The longer you own the car, the more time you have to recover that difference through fuel savings.
It’s worth taking both on a test drive. The hybrid feels slightly different at low speeds as the electric motor does more of the work, and some drivers prefer one character over the other.
Space, Safety and Everyday Practicality
For most families, the real test of an SUV comes on a wet Tuesday afternoon with three children, two school bags, a cricket kit and the weekly shopping. That’s where the Forester’s practical design earns its reputation.
The cabin seats five, with a 60/40 split-folding rear seat that lets you carry longer items while keeping a passenger in the back. Rear-seat headroom and legroom are generous for the class, and the tall roofline makes fitting and removing child seats easier on your back. Before you buy, bring your own child seats to the test drive and install them. It’s the only way to know for certain how they’ll fit alongside another passenger.
On safety, the current Forester carries a five-star ANCAP rating. Its driver-assist system uses cameras to monitor the road ahead and can brake automatically to help avoid or reduce the severity of a collision. Other features include:
- Blind spot monitoring and lane change assist
- Rear cross-traffic alert, handy when reversing out of busy shopping centre car parks
- Reverse automatic braking
- A driver monitoring system that watches for signs of fatigue or distraction
- Nine airbags
Technology inside the cabin includes a large central touchscreen with wireless smartphone mirroring, and higher grades add a digital instrument cluster.
If you’re comparing a Subaru Forester in Perth across several grades, focus on the features your family will use every day. A powered tailgate, for example, sounds like a luxury until you’ve tried loading a pram in the rain with a toddler on your hip.
Planning Weekend Trips Around WA
Many Forester buyers are drawn to the idea of getting out of the city more often. Western Australia rewards that ambition, but distances are big, and a little preparation makes trips far more enjoyable.
A few Forester-friendly drives within reach of Perth include:
- The Perth Hills and Dwellingup. Winding bitumen, forest tracks and campgrounds within a couple of hours of the city.
- The Pinnacles and the Turquoise Coast. An easy highway run north with sealed and gravel roads to explore.
- Margaret River and the South West. Wineries, beaches and forest drives, many with unsealed car parks and access roads.
- Wave Rock and the Wheatbelt. Long, straight country roads where a comfortable ride and a large fuel range come into their own.
Before any longer trip, check your tyres (including the spare), pack plenty of water and let someone know your route if you’re heading somewhere remote. If you’re planning to use X-Mode, the Forester’s traction management system for slippery surfaces, spend some time learning how it works on an easy track first.
New, Demo or Used Forester: Weighing Up Your Options
With the Forester’s long history in Australia, there’s no shortage of choice, from brand-new cars through to vehicles that are well over a decade old.
New makes sense if you want the latest safety technology, the hybrid powertrain and the full manufacturer’s warranty. Subaru’s warranty in Australia runs for five years with unlimited kilometres, which offers solid peace of mind for families covering serious distances.
Demonstrator vehicles are often overlooked, but they can be one of the smartest buys in the market. They typically have low kilometres, still carry the balance of the manufacturer’s warranty, and are available straight away rather than on a wait list. You’ll also avoid some of the steepest early depreciation.
Used Foresters offer the widest range of prices. If you’re going down this path:
- Check the service history carefully, particularly for regular transmission servicing.
- Look for even tyre wear, as all-wheel-drive systems prefer matched tyres.
- Run a PPSR check to confirm there’s no finance owing and the car hasn’t been written off.
- Have a qualified mechanic inspect the car before you buy privately.
- Be aware that safety ratings and driver-assist systems differ between generations. An older model may not have the features you’re expecting.
Perth’s harsh summer sun also takes its toll. Faded paintwork, cracked dash plastics and perished rubber seals don’t necessarily rule a car out, but they’re useful bargaining points.
Getting the Most From a Forester Test Drive
A quick lap around the dealership’s block won’t tell you whether a car will suit your family. If you’re serious about a Forester, set aside at least half an hour and plan a route that reflects your normal week.
Try to include:
- A freeway stretch. Check road and wind noise at 100 km/h, and see how the adaptive cruise control handles traffic merging in and out of your lane.
- Stop-start suburban streets. This is where you’ll notice the difference between petrol and hybrid most clearly, particularly how smoothly the car moves off from a standstill.
- A busy car park. Test the cameras, parking sensors and turning circle in the kind of tight space you’ll deal with at the local shops or school pick-up.
- A rougher road. Older suburban streets with patched bitumen reveal a lot about ride comfort.
Bring the family along if you can. Children are refreshingly honest about whether the back seat is comfortable, and you’ll quickly find out whether there’s enough room between the front seatbacks and little legs. If you have a pram, a set of golf clubs or a dog crate you carry regularly, bring that too and check it fits in the cargo area without a struggle.
While you’re parked, spend a few minutes with the infotainment system. Pair your phone, set a destination and try adjusting the climate controls. Some people find touchscreen-heavy layouts easy to live with, while others prefer physical buttons. It’s far better to know before you buy.
Finally, don’t feel obliged to decide on the day. Drive a couple of variants back to back if you can, take the brochure home and sleep on it. A reputable seller will respect that.
Owning a Forester in Western Australia
Once you’ve bought the car, a few habits will keep it running well for years.
Stick to the service schedule. Subaru vehicles in Australia generally follow a 12-month service interval, with a kilometre limit that depends on the model. Your service handbook sets out the specifics. Regular servicing protects your warranty and helps resale value, and capped-price servicing makes costs predictable.
Look after the tyres. Keep pressures correct and rotate tyres at the recommended intervals. If you run the car on gravel regularly, inspect the tread and sidewalls for cuts or stone damage.
Protect it from the sun. Where possible, park undercover or in the shade, and use a windscreen sunshade in summer. It’s a small step that preserves the interior.
Wash off salt and dust. After a trip to the coast or a long gravel drive, a thorough wash, including underneath, helps prevent corrosion and keeps seals in good condition.
Know your insurance and roadside cover. If you travel regionally, check how far your roadside assistance will tow you. Some policies have limits that don’t suit long country trips.
Choosing a service provider close to home or work also makes ownership easier. It’s much simpler to keep on top of scheduled maintenance when drop-off and pick-up fit around your day.
Conclusion
The Subaru Forester has built its reputation on doing the basics exceptionally well. It’s safe, practical and comfortable, with standard all-wheel drive and more ground clearance than many rivals, which makes it well suited to the way Perth families live and travel.
The current generation broadens its appeal with a hybrid option, stronger safety technology and a more modern cabin, while keeping the square, easy-to-use shape that owners appreciate. The right choice for you depends on how and where you drive: hybrid for plenty of suburban stop-start kilometres, petrol for regular country cruising, and a demo or used car if you want to stretch your budget further.
Take your time, test drive with your family and your gear on board, and think honestly about the trips you’ll really take. Do that, and the Forester can be a reliable partner for years of school runs, weekend adventures and everything in between.
