Used 2019 Subaru Forester for Sale near North Carolina

Compare 2019 Subaru Forester Trims

The 2019 Subaru Forester offers a range of trims from budget-friendly to adventure-ready, all featuring AWD for enhanced capability.

• Starting at $16,796
• Best MPG/MPGe: 26 city / 33 hwy
• Most Popular: 2.5i Premium AWD

Trim Overview

Prices updated weekly from CarGurus listings.

Quick Compare Table

Listing prices sourced from CarGurus — updated weekly. OEM specs from manufacturer data.

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Trim Deep Dives

2.5i AWD — "Who It's For"

The 2.5i AWD is the pick for shoppers who want a budget-friendly option without sacrificing essential features.

• Avg. market price: $16,796 (updated weekly)
• MPG/MPGe: 26 city / 33 hwy
• Inventory: 239 listings
• View 2.5i AWD listings

2.5i Premium AWD — "Who It's For"

The 2.5i Premium AWD is the pick for shoppers who want a well-equipped vehicle for adventures without going over budget.

• Avg. market price: $18,241 (updated weekly)
• MPG/MPGe: 26 city / 33 hwy
• Inventory: 613 listings
• View 2.5i Premium AWD listings

2.5i Sport AWD — "Who It's For"

The 2.5i Sport AWD is the pick for shoppers who want sporty features and tech without stepping up to the higher trims.

• Avg. market price: $19,310 (updated weekly)
• MPG/MPGe: 26 city / 33 hwy
• Inventory: 417 listings
• View 2.5i Sport AWD listings

2.5i Limited AWD — "Who It's For"

The 2.5i Limited AWD is the pick for shoppers who want luxury features and comfort without the highest price tag.

• Avg. market price: $19,757 (updated weekly)
• MPG/MPGe: 26 city / 33 hwy
• Inventory: 473 listings
• View 2.5i Limited AWD listings

2.5i Touring AWD — "Who It's For"

The 2.5i Touring AWD is the pick for shoppers who want the most premium features and technology in the Forester lineup.

• Avg. market price: $20,953 (updated weekly)
• MPG/MPGe: 26 city / 33 hwy
• Inventory: 289 listings
• View 2.5i Touring AWD listings

Trim Recommendations

Most Popular — 2.5i Premium AWD

With 613 active listings, the 2.5i Premium AWD is the clear volume leader in the lineup.

Browse 2.5i Premium AWD listings

Best Budget Option — 2.5i AWD

At $16,796 avg market price — below the lineup median of $19,310 — it's the most accessible entry point.

Browse 2.5i AWD listings

Best for Fuel Economy — 2.5i AWD

The 2.5i AWD offers the best fuel economy in the lineup with 26/33 MPG/MPGe.

Browse 2.5i AWD listings

These recommendations are based on CarGurus' proprietary market data from September 2, 2026, CarGurus experts' opinions, and generative AI.

How much does the 2019 Subaru Forester cost?

Prices have softened 5.97% compared to this time last year, making it a favorable time to shop this model year.

There are 3,168 listings available, which suggests solid inventory for comparison shopping.

If you find a listing below $18,707.08, that's toward the low end of the year-round range and worth acting on quickly.

Is the 2019 Subaru Forester a good car?

Yes — the 2019 Subaru Forester earns a 4.9/5 user rating and an 8.17/10 expert rating. The standout strength is Safety at 10/10.

Owners consistently praise its spaciousness, safety features, visibility, comfort, smooth performance, and all-wheel drive capability. That lines up well with the Forester’s practical, utility-first mission, especially if you want a compact SUV that feels useful for family duty and everyday driving.

The trade-offs are clear too: expert testing calls out fairly pedestrian performance and uninspired styling. In other words, you’re buying confidence, comfort, and versatility more than excitement.

The Forester’s use case is straightforward: it’s built for shoppers who value all-weather confidence, easy-to-use technology, and a roomy cabin over flash. With 32.5% of listings marked as good or great deals, there’s also a decent amount of market value to work with.

Is the 2019 Subaru Forester reliable?

Owners rate it 4.9/5, a strong signal of long-term satisfaction.

The owner feedback also points to reliability-minded traits like being dependable, trouble-free, and a vehicle you can count on over the long term. The expert evaluation reinforces that impression by tying the Forester’s appeal to Subaru’s long-running formula of practicality, standard all-wheel drive, and sensible packaging.

Its smooth, composed driving character and standard AWD support the sense that it’s built for steady everyday use rather than drama. For used buyers, the main long-term ownership risk is making sure prior use and maintenance history are clean, since condition matters more than reputation once a vehicle is in the used market.

What should I look for when buying a used 2019 Subaru Forester?

At 73% accident-free, a meaningful share of listings has prior incidents — history verification is especially important.

You should start with a vehicle history report and then prioritize a pre-purchase inspection, especially if the listing price looks unusually attractive. Focus on body condition, signs of prior repair, and whether the cabin and technology features still work as expected.

Key things to evaluate:

• Trim level: The base trim is already well equipped with LED headlights, symmetrical all-wheel drive, EyeSight, a 6.5-inch touchscreen, split-fold rear seats, and useful storage touches. Higher trims add comfort and convenience features such as a panoramic moonroof, power front seats, heated seats, a larger touchscreen, leather upholstery, and a power rear tailgate.
• Powertrain: The Forester uses a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder boxer engine with 182 horsepower and 176 pound-feet of torque, paired with a CVT and standard AWD. It also includes SI-Drive and X-Mode, with dual-mode X-Mode on Premium, Sport, Limited, and Touring trims.
• Safety package: EyeSight is standard and includes forward-collision warning, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, adaptive headlights, lane-keeping Assist, and Lead Vehicle Alert. Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert are standard on the Limited and Touring trims.
• Infotainment: The base and Premium trims use a 6.5-inch touchscreen, while the Limited and Touring get an 8-inch screen. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, and the larger screen is optional on the Sport.
• Fuel efficiency: The Forester returns 26 mpg city, 33 highway, and 29 combined.

Which 2019 Subaru Forester trim should I buy?

The 2019 Subaru Forester is offered in 5 trim levels: Base, Premium, Sport, Limited, and Touring.

Here's the short version:

• Base: This is the value play if you want the essentials without paying for extras. You still get standard AWD, EyeSight, LED headlights, a 6.5-inch touchscreen, and the practical cabin features that make the Forester appealing in the first place.
• Premium: This is the best-value trim for many shoppers because it adds a panoramic moonroof, 10-way power front seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, reclining rear seatbacks, and 4G Wi-Fi capability without jumping too far up the price ladder.
• Sport: Choose this if you want more style and a few useful upgrades, including 18-inch wheels, LED fog lights, heated front seats, push-button start, dual USB ports for the second row, paddle shifters, and a windshield wiper de-icer.
• Limited: This is the sweet spot if you want a more upscale feel. It adds leather upholstery, a power rear tailgate, dual-zone climate control, an 8-inch touchscreen, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert.
• Touring: Pick this if you want the most features, including heated rear seats, a heated steering wheel, navigation, and one-touch quick-release folding rear seats.

Every trim comes with EyeSight and standard safety equipment, so even the lower trims start from a strong safety baseline.

Is now a good time to buy a used 2019 Subaru Forester?

The market looks selective rather than overheated, so you have room to shop carefully.

• Deal availability: 32.5% of listings are priced as good or great deals.
• Inventory: There are 3,168 listings available.
• Price trend: Prices have softened 5.97% compared with last year.
• Clean inventory: 73.0% of listings are accident-free.

If you find a listing below $18,707.08, that's toward the low end of the year-round range and worth acting on quickly.

What is the 2019 Subaru Forester's resale value?

The current average of $18,871 sits slightly below last year's $20,069.

That price movement suggests the market has already adjusted downward, which can help future sellers if they buy at the right price today. If you enter ownership near the lower end of the range, you give yourself a better chance of limiting depreciation exposure later.

The Forester’s practical reputation also helps support demand, especially among shoppers who want standard AWD, safety, and everyday usability. Vehicles with strong owner satisfaction ratings, like this model year's 4.9/5, tend to retain buyer demand, which supports resale value over time.

Is the 2019 Subaru Forester safe?

It earns 10/10 safety score from our experts.

The Forester’s safety package is built around Subaru’s EyeSight suite, which includes forward-collision warning, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, adaptive headlights, lane-keeping Assist, and Lead Vehicle Alert. It also comes with a full array of front- and side-impact airbags and a reversing camera.

That standard equipment is a major reason the Forester fits so well with safety-focused shoppers. The only trim-level gap worth noting is that blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert are reserved for the Limited and Touring trims.

Should I buy a 2019 Subaru Forester or consider a different year?

If you're weighing the 2019 against nearby model years, here's how to think about it:

Choose the 2019 if:

• 32.5% of listings are priced as good or great deals.
• At 73% accident-free, a meaningful share of listings has prior incidents — history verification is especially important.
• Price trend: Prices have softened 5.97% compared with last year.
• Owners rate it 4.9/5 — a strong satisfaction signal.
• The 2019 model year introduced the all-new Forester with standard AWD, standard EyeSight, and a stronger focus on practicality and safety.

The bottom line: The 2019 Forester is the right pick if you want the newer-generation package with standard safety tech, standard AWD, and a strong value story. If you’re especially price-sensitive, a nearby older year may cost less, but the 2019 gives you the more modern foundation and a better overall feature set for the money.

These recommendations are based on CarGurus' proprietary market data from September 4, 2026, CarGurus experts' opinions, and generative AI.