2026 Subaru Forester Interior
The Subaru Forester interior protects you so well that the SUV earned the IIHS Top Safety Pick award.1 The Forester and Forester Hybrid are also notably comfortable and well-equipped, as previous iterations have ranked high in the compact SUV segment per Consumer Reports.2 This agile model promises immense adventuring capability that the rest of the compact crossover world can only hope to equal; in short, the revised 2026 Subaru Forester is your ultimate outdoor companion, offering impressive space, comfort, and safety along the way.
We've made this 2026 Subaru Forester interior guide to detail its main benefits so that when you take one for a test drive at the Quantrell Auto Group Subaru dealership, Quantrell Subaru, you'll have a good sense of what to expect. Scroll down for more details, then contact us to schedule a personal tour at your convenience.
Subaru Forester Interior Dimensions
The Subaru Forester is positioned as one of the brand's compact models, placing it in the middle of the lineup, roughly between the Solterra and the larger Outback.
However, as you take a closer look, "compact" seems to apply to the exterior in this case. Once you're inside, you'll see that the Subaru Forester seating space is more like something you'd see in a midsize model's spec sheet:
- Seats: five
- Passenger volume: 106.6-110.8 cubic feet (depending on trim)
- Front headroom: 40-41.2 inches (depending on trim)
- Rear headroom: 37.7 or 39.6 inches (depending on trim)
- Front legroom: 43.3 inches
- Rear legroom: 39.4 inches
- Front shoulder room: 57.7 inches
- Rear shoulder room: 56.7 inches
If you want the most spacious Subaru Forester interior, select the Forester Base: It has the largest passenger volume and headroom measurements. The available moonroof, which comes standard on all trims except for the Forester Base, is mainly responsible for those varying specs.
Likewise, the Subaru Forester cargo space specs reach their highest number in the Forester Base, with 29.6 cubic feet behind the rear seats and a total cargo volume of 74.4 cubic feet with the rear seats lowered. In comparison, most other Forester trims have 27.5 and 69.1 cubic feet of cargo room, respectively.
Subaru Forester Interior Colors and Upholstery
The space surrounding your seats is plentiful, and the style and substance of the upholstery make the Subaru Forester interior an even nicer place to be. Here are your options for customizing your new Subaru Forester:
- Gray Cloth (Forester Base)
- Premium Gray Cloth (Forester Premium)
- Premium Black Cloth (Forester Premium)
- Gray Sport StarTex (Forester Sport)
- Gray Textured StarTex (Forester Wilderness)
- Gray Leather (Limited)
- Black Leather (Limited)
- Touring Black Leather (Touring)
- Touring Brown Leather (Touring)
StarTex upholstery is synthetic leather with water-repellent qualities, making it easier to clean up the Subaru Forester interior after a camping trip, soccer practice, or any other outdoor activity where mud and spills are an inevitability. Leather also provides durability and an edge of luxury.
Although the 2026 Forester Hybrid has not yet been released, we anticipate that similar options will be available for this variant.
Subaru Forester Interior Features
Aside from the versatile Subaru Forester trunk space and cabin layout, the interior features are also quite compelling.
Specific amenities vary depending on which trim you choose for your leasing or financing plan, but the Forester Base starts strong with the following standard features:
- Dual-zone automatic climate control
- Multifunction center console with illuminated storage tray
- Illuminated front USB-A port
- Dual 7-inch touchscreen multimedia system
- Analog gauges with integrated 4.2-inch digital display
- 4-speaker sound system
- Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™
- Four bottle holders
- 60/40-split flat-folding rear seatbacks
There's no chance Subaru designers would stop there, and indeed, the following upgrades are available if you go for higher trim levels:
- Panoramic power moonroof
- Heated and ventilated front seats
- Heated rear outboard seats
- 10-way power driver's seat with two-position memory
- Illuminated front and rear USB-C ports
- Heated leather-wrapped steering wheel
- 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster
- 11.6-inch touchscreen multimedia navigation system
- Wireless Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™
- Harman Kardon® premium sound system with 11 speakers
- 4G LTE Wi-Fi capability
Contact us now to set up a test drive of the Forester trim you want; our team can walk you through each option and what it contains.
Subaru Forester Interior Safety
The Subaru Forester is an IIHS Top Safety Pick;1 one of the many ways it earned that rating is by having an advanced airbag system, a ring-shaped crash-protection frame, and EyeSight Driver Assist Technology as standard on all trims, the latter of which includes the following standard or optional systems:
- Advanced Adaptive Cruise Control with Lane Centering
- Automatic Emergency Steering
- Lane Departure and Sway Warning
- Pre-Collision Braking
A High-Beam Assist and Brake Assist are also standard inclusions. The Subaru Forester interior can be enhanced further by confidence-inspiring technologies in upper trims. These available safety-focused amenities include:
- Blind-Spot Detection with Lane Change Assist and Rear Cross-Traffic Alert
- DriverFocus Distraction Mitigation System
- Reverse Automatic Braking
- 360-Degree Surround View Monitor
The great news is that the Forester is also designed with affordability in mind, and our new vehicle specials can make it even easier to choose upgraded trims like the Forester Sport, which comes with MySubaru Connected Services.
Get in touch with Quantrell Auto Group today to see all the ways you can make the Subaru Forester interior your own and take the SUV home at a price that suits your budget.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Subaru Forester have third-row seating?
No, the Subaru Forester is a two-row SUV with seating for five. If you like what it offers but need third-row seats, see the Subaru Ascent, a similarly spirited Subaru SUV that includes three-row seating for up to eight people. The Subaru Forester seats are spacious, though, providing impressive specs like 39.4 inches of rear legroom.
Is the Subaru Forester a five- or seven-seater?
The Subaru Forester is a five-seater compact SUV that's both spacious and agile. During your in-person tour, you'll discover this vehicle comes with up to 110.8 cubic feet of passenger volume and a 74.4 cubic-foot maximum cargo volume with the rear row down, plus a remarkable 39.4 inches of rear legroom, letting all five occupants stretch out.
Which Subaru Forester has a leather interior?
The Subaru Forester Limited and Touring trims have a leather-trimmed interior that bestows an air of luxury in this sleek SUV. The Limited model has genuine leather, while the Touring trim level offers special Touring Leather interior upholstery that's supple yet strong. Alternatively, you can find StarTex synthetic leather with water-repellent properties in the Forester Sport and Wilderness.
Customer Review
Charles Bryant
07/26/2025
The most straightforward and professional car buying experience I’ve had. Randy G was extremely responsive from the beginning and consistent with all communications & timelines through out the process. Questions, pictures, information, test drives, pricing etc. all were straightforward, to the point and honest. When a couple unforeseen items came up last minute Randy was quick to remedy, finding fair solutions we all walked away feeling good about.
Learn More About The Subaru Forester
1Reference to this third-party claim is solely for informational purposes and not to be relied upon. For details regarding this award, visit https://www.iihs.org/ratings/vehicle/subaru/forester-4-door-suv/2025
2Reference to this third-party claim is solely for informational purposes and not to be relied upon. For details regarding this rating, Consumer Reports members can visit https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/types/new/suvs/?categoryId=11364