Subaru forester cargo space... is it really that small

Subaru Forums Subaru Forester
1

I was looking at the Forester’s cargo space numbers, and on paper, it seems pretty bad compared to other compact SUVs. Most trims have 27.5 cubic feet, while the base model has 29.6 because it doesn’t have a sunroof. That’s like 9 to 13 cubic feet less than the top competitors. But apparently, that’s not how it actually plays out in real life? Subaru might be measuring it differently or something. Anyone else noticed this?

image
image1280×853 172 KB

2

Yeah, I read somewhere that Subaru changed how they measure it after 2019. The older Forester had 33 cubic feet, then suddenly it dropped to 26.9? Same car, different numbers lol.

3

ToyotaTim3 said:
Yeah, I read somewhere that Subaru changed how they measure it after 2019. The older Forester had 33 cubic feet, then suddenly it dropped to 26.9? Same car, different numbers lol.

Wait, so they just changed the number but the space didn’t actually shrink?

4

@Aeron
Basically, yeah. The cargo area is still big, just measured differently now.

5

I’ve got a Forester and can confirm it’s not as small as the specs make it seem. I fit a ton of stuff back there. Way more usable than some SUVs with ‘bigger’ cargo numbers.

6

DolphGabbana said:
I’ve got a Forester and can confirm it’s not as small as the specs make it seem. I fit a ton of stuff back there. Way more usable than some SUVs with ‘bigger’ cargo numbers.

Exactly! Some SUVs have weirdly shaped trunks that mess with real-world space.

7

So does that mean it’s better than a CR-V or RAV4 for cargo?

8

StellarToyota said:
So does that mean it’s better than a CR-V or RAV4 for cargo?

Not necessarily better, but it’s not as far behind as the numbers make it look. It’s way more competitive than you’d think.

9

Honestly, I think a lot of these measurements are kinda misleading. Like, they don’t always take into account real-world usability.

10

ace said:
Honestly, I think a lot of these measurements are kinda misleading. Like, they don’t always take into account real-world usability.

Yeah, exactly. A boxy shape like the Forester’s makes it easier to load stuff, even if the ‘cubic feet’ number is smaller.

11

So what’s the takeaway here? Subaru’s cargo space is actually decent?

12

nelly said:
So what’s the takeaway here? Subaru’s cargo space is actually decent?

Pretty much. If you’re just looking at the numbers, it seems bad, but in real-world use, it’s solid.