Yahoo Autos Subaru Infotainment Review | Testing tech in our long-term Forester
Subaru isn’t top of mind when we start talking about the best infotainment systems, and after using the Starlink system in our long-term 2019 Subaru Forester for months, we still think Subaru is mid-pack.
The best aspect of the 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system in our Forester is its simplicity. You couldn’t ask for a more basic layout and software experience on this screen, and while that’s not the case for the upper second screen, most of your core vehicle functions are handled on the lower one. We’ll note that both the Subaru Outback and Legacy have newer, larger screens available that we'll also go over later in this review. The Impreza, Crosstrek and Ascent offer up a similar experience as this Forester does.
All your essential app tiles like Radio, Map and Settings can be found in the customizable home screen. The lack of apps and extra gizmos means there isn’t much to customize, though. Subaru uses a bright variation of colors for its various app tiles. It doesn’t come off as especially professional or classy, but it gets the job done and makes picking them apart from each other easy. Features like navigation, in-car WiFi, basic voice commands, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are all accounted for. Subaru is still using wired CarPlay and Android Auto, as most non-luxury brands do, so you’ll need to bring a plug along to connect.
Our biggest gripe about the screen is its general sluggishness. You’ll get to where you want to go, but it takes a beat longer than most. Swiping across screens and scrolling through menus is always accompanied by a touch of lag. Even the smartphone connection experience is affected by the screen’s lack of response. On some occasions, a light touch or swipe will do. On others, you really need to put some pressure behind your touch. It’s nowhere near smartphone standards, but then again, many infotainment systems haven’t caught up to those speeds yet.
The best part of the screen is its ability to take presses and swipes made with winter gloves. You can keep your hands warm and switch the radio station at the same time, which is always a nice convenience.
