While Subaru was once best known for rally-bred speedsters such as the WRX and STI, the Forester SUV has come to the fore as the Japanese brand’s best selling model in SA by a significant margin.
It is also popular oveseas and has sold 4.5-million units globally since its 1997 debut.
In a world that seemingly can’t get enough of SUVs, the Forester fits right in with its higher-than-average ground clearance and all-wheel drive system, making it more off-road capable than many so-called softroaders.
The sixth-generation Subaru Forester SUV has arrived in SA in a line-up of four models with updated exterior styling, enhanced interior features and upgraded safety technology, but the basic recipe stays the same with a lofty ride height and symmetrical all-wheel drive that provides superior traction on slippery surfaces.
The designers have added muscular wheel arches and revised aerodynamic elements to give the midsized SUV a more assertive stance while also improving efficiency.
Priced from R699,000 to R830,000, all Foresters are sold with a five-year/150,000km warranty and three-year/75,000km maintenance plan.
Spec and comfort levels vary throughout the range, but all four versions are mechanically identical, powered by the carryover 2.5l four-cylinder boxer engine with outputs of 136kW and 247Nm. It is paired with a Lineartronic continuously variable transmission (CVT) with an eight-step manual mode operated via paddle shifters on the steering wheel.
On test is the range-topping Forester 2.5i Premium, which comes standard with features such as electric front seats, panoramic sunroof and an electric tailgate with hands-free kick sensor, 11.6″ infotainment display and a 10-speaker Harman Kardon sound system.
At 4,655mm long, the Forester has a spacious cabin that comfortably takes four to five adults, plus a boot with space saver spare wheel of a decent width — not one of those skinny Marie biscuits. The roomy 496l boot takes a large stack of holiday luggage and expands to a giant 1,174l by folding the rear seats down with a one-touch system.
The Premium model’s cabin looks businesslike and a little dour, with subtle red stitching and suede seat inserts in the leather upholstery to perk things up a little. In terms of perceived interior quality, the Subaru scores well; most of the plastics are of the premium soft-touch type, including the armrests, which makes for good long-distance comfort.
The infotainment system is user-friendly once you get used to it after a few days, and it connects wirelessly to smartphones via Android Auto or Apple CarPlay. It is a digital-intensive driver interface as per the modern trend, but the climate controls have physical buttons, which leads to less driver distraction.
Standard across the Forester line-up is EyeSight Driver Assist Technology with adaptive cruise control, lane centring, pre-collision braking, autonomous emergency steering and other driver aids, while the Premium version gains reverse automatic braking. The Forester also has Subaru’s Emergency Driving Stop System, which can safely bring the vehicle to a halt if the driver becomes unresponsive. Features like the lane-keeping assist and the “keep your eyes on the road” alert can be switched off if they become annoying.
The Forester is one of the least powerful SUVs in its class, but the relatively modest outputs translate into acceptable performance. While the car delivers little excitement in terms of forward thrust, it doesn’t feel underpowered.
The car is refined and has minimal engine noise, though you can hear a distinctive flat-four cylinder background sound. It is reasonably frugal for a large petrol-powered car, averaging 9.5l/100km in a town-freeway combo.
Belt-driven transmissions are controversial and we’ve driven some really horrible ones, but the Forester’s doesn’t cause as much of a slipping-clutch effect as some CVTs. With its simulated gear changes, it drives much like a car with a regular automatic gearbox except when you really floor it, which causes it to drone a little. You can change gears manually with the steering wheel paddle shifters.
The Forester’s winning point is a very comfortable ride quality and it excels on gravel.
It has plenty of grip in the slippery stuff thanks to Subaru’s Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive system, with driver-selectable modes for snow, dirt and mud if your travels take you to paths more adventurous.
Standard X-Mode with hill descent control provides extra grip on loose surfaces, and Subaru SI-Drive allows drivers to switch between efficiency- and performance-orientated engine settings.
Overall the Forester is a practical, refined and roomy family SUV that is more than capable off the beaten track. The Subaru badge has a strong heritage and the Forester is competitively priced against mainstream rivals, if not Chinese competitors.
SUBARU FORESTER VS RIVALS
- Haval H7 2.0T 4WD Super Luxury, 170kW/380Nm — R674,950
- Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max 2.0TGDI Executive AWD, 187kW/390Nm — R731,900
- Nissan X-Trail 2.5 Acenta Plus 4WD, 135kW/244Nm — R812,900
- Subaru Forester 2.5i Premium, 136kW/247Nm — R830,000
- Toyota Rav4 2.5 VX AWD, 152kW/243Nm — R834,200
- VW Tiguan 2.0 TSI R-Line 4Motion, 140kW/350Nm — R856,200
- Hyundai Tucson 2.0D AWD N Line, 137kW/416Nm — R859,900
