Subaru Forester SUV Coloring Page: Free Printable PDF

Subaru Forester: History & Fun Facts

A 1997 Debut Built for Elevated Ground Clearance

Subaru introduced the first Forester in Japan in 1997, reaching United States showrooms for the 1998 model year as a raised, wagon-based crossover built to compete with taller truck-based SUVs while keeping car-like handling on paved roads. Reviewers at the time were surprised at how nimbly it cornered compared with the body-on-frame SUVs it was chasing in showrooms.

Built Around the Impreza Platform

Engineers based the earliest Forester on the compact Impreza platform, stretching the ride height and adding rugged trim so the finished vehicle sat between a station wagon and a traditional off-road SUV in both size and stance. That shared underpinning kept manufacturing costs down while giving Subaru a taller, more versatile body style to sell alongside its sedans.

A Name Borrowed From Forest Rangers

Subaru chose the name Forester to evoke a forest ranger's rugged, all-terrain vehicle, signaling a crossover built for gravel roads, campgrounds, and light trail driving rather than just city commuting. The badge stuck through every redesign that followed, unlike some Subaru nameplates that changed over the decades.

Six Generations of a Tall Glass Greenhouse

The Forester has moved through six generations since 1997, and every one of them kept the tall, upright greenhouse with large windows traced in this outline, a shape Subaru has never abandoned because it gives drivers and small passengers wide outward visibility. That consistency is part of why longtime owners can usually spot a Forester from any angle.

Standard Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive

Every Forester since its debut has come standard with Subaru's symmetrical all-wheel-drive system, sending engine power to all four wheels at all times instead of switching in only after a tire starts to slip on wet pavement or gravel. Subaru markets the layout as symmetrical because the drivetrain components sit balanced along the car's centerline rather than offset to one side.

A Flat Boxer Engine Under the Hood

Subaru builds the Forester around a horizontally opposed boxer engine, a layout where pistons lie flat and fire outward instead of standing upright, helping keep the crossover's center of gravity low despite its taller SUV-style body. That low mass placement is part of why the Forester feels planted in corners compared with taller rivals.

Assembled in Lafayette, Indiana

Since 2003 the vast majority of Foresters sold in the United States have rolled off the line at Subaru of Indiana Automotive in Lafayette, making it one of the relatively few compact SUVs actually built on American soil for the American market. The plant also builds several other Subaru models on the same production lines.

EyeSight Driver Assist Technology

Later Forester generations added Subaru's EyeSight camera-based driver assist system, which watches the road ahead and can apply the brakes automatically to help avoid a collision, a feature that helped the Forester earn top safety ratings from independent crash-test organizations year after year.

A Perennial Small SUV Sales Leader

The Forester has consistently ranked among Subaru's best-selling models in the United States, popular with hikers, campers, and small families for combining a low load floor with genuine light off-road capability and easy-to-park dimensions. Its resale value has also stayed strong compared with many rival compact SUVs.

X-MODE for Loose Terrain

Newer Foresters include Subaru's X-MODE system, which adjusts throttle response and the all-wheel-drive system at the push of one button to help the crossover manage mud, snow, or loose gravel without any special driving skill from the driver. A hill-descent function pairs with it to hold a steady speed on steep downhill trails.