If you’re a compact SUV shopper — and who isn’t these days? — you’re almost certainly considering marquee favorites like the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4, possibly overlooking the Subaru Forester. Though hardly a sales slouch, whatever the Forester lacks in blockbuster popularity, it makes up for in cult status among fervent fans. The Forester boasts livable cabin accommodations and drivability, as well as standard all-wheel drive. And while it may not win an Academy Award, this Subie suvie does take home one of the top prizes on this week’s countdown of Cars.com’s most read news articles.
The Forester, in Wilderness guise, finds its way to a third-place spot for a rapid-fire roundup of the things we like (and don’t) about the SUV’s all-new-for-2022 trim level. Things we’re here for include punchier acceleration; an extra half an inch of ground clearance; more rugged tires that improve grip off the asphalt without making everyday driving uncomfortable; and a 3,000-pound max towing capacity, double that of a non-Wilderness Forester. Things you can miss us with include a substantial gas mileage penalty in exchange for the added acceleration and interior annoyances like stingy storage, an awkward above-dash info display and wind noise.
For full details on the pros and cons of the 2022 Subaru Forester Wilderness, follow the link below to the No. 3 news story of the week.
Despite its highly practical 258 miles of EPA-estimated all-electric range, the 2022 Hyundai Kona Electric wasn’t able to make it quite as far as the Forester, running out of charge in fifth place. Still, the EV version of the Hyundai subcompact SUV fared well in Cars.com reviewer Jennifer Geiger’s comprehensive critique, in which she lauded not only its driving range but its competitive $35,000 starting price (which sounds more competitive after subtracting the $7,500 federal EV tax credit for which it’s eligible), agreeable ride and refreshing absence of quirky cabin controls.
Sounds great, right? It is … unless you live in the roughly three-quarters of states where you can’t buy one.
“There’s one more caveat, and it’s a big one — especially given the inventory shortages shoppers already face nationwide: The Kona Electric is currently sold only in states that require increasing sales of zero-emissions vehicles,” Geiger notes in her review. “As of this writing, those states include California, Colorado, Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington.”
If you’re a resident of one of those states — or if you already have your route mapped out with strategically located EV charging stations to get you back to wherever you’re from — follow the link below to the No. 5 article on this week’s countdown for Geiger’s full review.
Beyond that, we have headlines on the Nissan Sentra, Honda Civic and much more — so don’t stop reading till the digits double. Here are the top 10 news stories Cars.com readers couldn’t get enough of this past week:
1. How Much Does It Cost to Charge an Electric Car?
2. Here Are the 11 Cheapest Electric Vehicles You Can Buy
3. Is the 2022 Subaru Forester a Good SUV? 4 Pros and 2 Cons
4. What It Cost to Outfit 6 Homes With EV Chargers
5. 2022 Hyundai Kona Electric Review: A Likable, Livable EV — if You Can Find It
6. Top 10 Most Efficient Electric Cars
7. What Are the Best MPG Pickup Trucks for 2022?
8. 2022 Nissan Sentra Vs. 2022 Honda Civic: How Do the Sedans Compare?
9. What Are the Most Fuel-Efficient Cars for 2022?
10. What’s the Best New-Car Deal for March 2022?
Keyword: 10 Biggest News Stories of the Week: Subaru Forester Leaves Hyundai Kona Electric in the Wilderness