Used Car Research
Best Year for a Used Subaru Forester to Buy
The short version: 2023 if you want the strongest-scoring year of the fifthgeneration, 2021 if you want most of that for less, 2019 if standard EyeSight is the line you careabout, and 2018 if you want a turbocharged XT.
Start with the generation, then pick the year. Most of what separates one usedForester from another is which generation it belongs to, not which model year inside that generation.Get the generation right and any year within it is a reasonable car. Then use the year to buy thespecific features you want.
Where the Lines Are
Subaru Forester Generations at a Glance
| Generation | Model years | What defines it |
|---|---|---|
| Fourth generation | 2014 to 2018 | EyeSight arrives (2014, initially on Touring), a mid-cycle refresh in 2017 upgrades EyeSight with color cameras. Turbocharged XT still offered. |
| Fifth generation | 2019 to 2024 | New platform, EyeSight becomes standard, the turbocharged XT is dropped. LED headlights reach lower trims in 2021. A major refresh in 2022 adds the Wilderness trim. |
| Sixth generation | 2025 to present | Full redesign with an 11.6-inch touchscreen and the first Forester Hybrid. Too new to be a value play on the used market yet. |
Generation boundaries and feature-change years per the CarGurus Subaru Foresterbuying guide, reviewed September 2026.
The Years Worth Shopping
Five Strong Used Forester Years, and Why
Each of these is on the list for a specific reason rather than a generalimpression. Read the reason and see whether it is the one that matters to you.
2018
The last of the fourth generation
By 2018 the fourth-generation Forester had been in production for five years and had absorbed the 2017 refresh, including the upgraded color-camera EyeSight. That combination of a settled platform and current-for-its-era safety tech is why 2018 shows up repeatedly on best-year lists. It is also the last year you could still buy a turbocharged Forester XT.
2019
The first year EyeSight came standard
The fifth generation launched on the Subaru Global Platform and made EyeSight Driver Assist Technology standard rather than a Touring-trim option. If your shortlist is about safety content per dollar, 2019 is the year the line moves, because you no longer have to hunt for a specific trim to get it.
2021
Equipment trickles down
LED headlights reached lower trims for 2021, and by this point the fifth generation had two years of running changes behind it. It is commonly cited as one of the strongest used Foresters available, largely because it collects those refinements without the price of a post-refresh car.
2022
The refresh year, and the first Wilderness
The 2022 model year brought a substantial mid-generation refresh and introduced the Forester Wilderness, with 9.2 inches of ground clearance and off-road hardware. For an Onslow County buyer who wants clearance for unpaved lanes, this is the first used year where that trim exists at all.
2023
The best-scored year of the generation
The 2023 Forester received a Quality and Reliability score of 84 out of 100 from J.D. Power, the strongest of the fifth generation. It carries the 2022 refresh, sits far enough back to have shed first-year depreciation, and is recent enough that a well-kept example still has a long service life ahead of it.
How to Choose Between Them
Pick the Year by the Feature You Actually Want
If you want standard driver assistance
Buy 2019 or newer. That is the year EyeSight Driver Assist Technology became standard equipment onevery Forester trim instead of a feature you had to find. Adaptive cruise with lane centering earnsits keep on a US-17 commute more than almost anything else on the window sticker.
If you want off-road clearance
Buy 2022 or newer, and look for the Wilderness trim specifically. It is the first year Subaruoffered it on the Forester, with raised ride height, all-terrain tires and underbody protection. Forunpaved lanes around Richlands or a Croatan National Forest trailhead, that is the version to want.
If you want a turbo
Buy 2018 or older and look for the XT. The fifth generation dropped the turbocharged Foresterentirely, so if a boosted engine is on your list, the fourth generation is the only place to find one.
If you want the longest remaining life
Buy the newest one your budget allows, and prioritise service records over model year. A 2021 witha complete history is a better car than a 2023 with none.
Before You Buy
What to Check on Any Used Forester
This list applies to every year and every generation. It is ordinary used-cardiligence, and running it properly matters more than which model year you land on.
- CVT service history. Ask when the transmission fluid was last changed andwhether it was done to Subaru's schedule. This is the single most useful record on the car.
- Oil consumption records on older examples. If the seller has receipts showingregular oil changes and no top-ups between them, that tells you what you need to know.
- Undercarriage and brake hardware, if the car lived near the coast. Onslow,Carteret and Pender County cars see salt air year round. Surface rust on brake hardware and fastenersis the normal wear pattern here, and it is worth a look on a lift.
- All-wheel-drive behaviour on a test drive. Every Forester has it. Listen fordriveline noise on a slow tight turn in a parking lot.
- EyeSight camera function. On 2019 and newer, confirm the system arms and thatadaptive cruise engages. Windshield replacement history matters here, because the cameras mount tothe glass and need recalibration.
- Tyres as a matched set. Subaru all-wheel drive prefers four tyres of the samemake, model and wear depth. A car with one odd tyre is telling you something about how it was kept.
- A pre-purchase inspection by a Subaru-certified technician. It costs a fractionof what the first unexpected repair does.
Feature and generation history per the CarGurus Subaru Forester buying guide,reviewed September 2026. Reliability scoring references are third-party assessments, cited as such,not our own measurement. To compare EPA fuel economy across the model years on your shortlist, thegovernment's own database is the cleanest source:fueleconomy.gov Subaru Forester,where you can switch the year and see how each generation actually rated when it was new.
Shopping One Here
Finding a Used Forester at Sport Durst Subaru in Jacksonville
Used stock turns over constantly, so the useful thing we can offer is not alist of what is here today. It is three routes into the inventory and a phone number.
Factory Backed
Certified Pre-Owned Subaru
Subaru's own inspection process and a factory-backed warranty. On an older Forester where theservice history is thin, this is usually the cheaper path once you account for risk.
Shop Certified Pre-OwnedAll Pre-Owned
Full Used Inventory
Everything on the lot, Subaru and otherwise. Filter by year to line up the range you decided onabove, and check back, because what is listed changes week to week.
Shop Used InventoryIf the year you want is not listed, call (910) 507-7316 and tell us. Tradescome in continuously and we would rather watch for the right one than sell you the wrong one. Youcan also start a trade appraisal or anonline credit application before you come in.
Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best year for a used Subaru Forester?
There is no single answer, but the strongest candidates cluster in two places. From the fourth generation, 2018 stands out as the settled final year with the upgraded EyeSight from the 2017 refresh. From the fifth generation, 2021 through 2023 are the years most often recommended, with 2023 carrying the highest J.D. Power Quality and Reliability score of the group at 84 out of 100.
Which Forester generation should I be shopping?
For most buyers, the fifth generation, 2019 through 2024. It runs on the Subaru Global Platform, has EyeSight standard on every trim, and covers a wide enough price range that you can pick your year by budget. The fourth generation, 2014 through 2018, is the value play if you want a turbocharged XT, which the fifth generation does not offer.
What year did EyeSight become standard on the Forester?
2019, with the launch of the fifth generation. Before that, EyeSight was introduced in 2014 as a Touring-trim feature and expanded over the following years, so a fourth-generation Forester may or may not have it depending on the trim and how it was ordered. Check the specific car.
When did the Forester Wilderness first appear?
The 2022 model year, as part of the mid-generation refresh. It brought raised ride height, all-terrain tires, underbody protection and off-road-tuned all-wheel drive. If you want a used Wilderness, 2022 is the earliest year it exists.
Is a used Forester a good choice for Jacksonville and Camp Lejeune?
It is a common one here, for two reasons. Every Forester ever built comes with all-wheel drive as standard equipment, which matters on wet NC-24 and US-17, and the cargo shape suits people who carry gear to Topsail or the Croatan National Forest on weekends. Coastal salt air is the thing to inspect for, and we cover that below.
What should I check before buying any used Forester?
Ask for maintenance records, and pay particular attention to CVT fluid service history and to oil consumption records on older examples. On any car that has lived near the coast, get the undercarriage and brake hardware looked at for corrosion. A pre-purchase inspection by a Subaru-certified technician is the cheapest money you will spend on the transaction.
Is certified pre-owned worth the premium over a private sale?
It buys you a factory-backed warranty and a Subaru inspection process rather than your own judgment. Whether that is worth the difference depends on how much of the car's history you can actually document. On an older Forester with thin records, the certified route usually costs less than the first surprise repair would.
Do you have used Foresters in stock in Jacksonville, NC?
Used inventory changes constantly, so the live listings are the honest answer rather than anything a page can promise. Check our used inventory and certified pre-owned pages, or call (910) 507-7316 and tell us the year range you are after and we will watch for it.
Shop Used Foresters in Jacksonville, NC
Decide the generation, pick the year by the feature you want, then check what is actually on the ground. We are at 2400 N. Marine Blvd.
Shop New Subaru InventoryShop Used InventorySchedule ServiceGet FinancingContact UsCall (910) 507-7316
Sport Durst Subaru of Jacksonville, 2400 N. Marine Blvd, Jacksonville, NC 28546. Sales (910) 507-7316. Service (910) 427-5812.Hours and directions.
