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Subaru ForesterJune 2008

Average.

The quirky old Forester was a bit of a cult classic - especially the raucous 2.5-litre turbo version - but the Forester's now gone all sensible.

7 variants from £21,370 to £29,070

Our rating:

3

User rating:

3_5
Subaru Forester
 
 

Fifth Gear Subaru Forester review

 
 
1. Ride quality
2. Interior space
3. Price and generous spec

WE DON'T LIKE

1. Dull looks
2. 2.0-litre petrol lacks low-down punch
3. Ignore the EU bureaucrats and send us the petrol turbo. Please.
 
 

They've replaced the old jacked-up estate car - the choice of many a land owner for charging around country estates - with this more conventional looking SUV. In fact, the new Forester is really a soft-roader. Perhaps that's no surprise, given how popular the pseudo 4x4 segment of the market has become in recent years. The only problem is it's now a direct rival for established contenders like Honda's CR-V, Toyota's RAV-4 and the Land Rover Freelander. So how does the Forester stack up in this company?

Well it's appealingly priced for a start, with on the road costs beginning well below the rivals we've mentioned. It's also roomy inside, so it's still a very functional machine, if not as utilitarian as its predecessor. Subaru has equipped it generously too, with climate control and cruise control standard on all models.

There are only two engine choices - a 150 bhp petrol and a 147 bhp diesel - the traditional turbocharged petrol is no more, alas. Most people go for the diesel, which shows how sensible the Forester has become. It's a definite contender for the Caravan Club's car of the year...

Fifth Gear overall car ratings

STYLING

You can understand why Subaru wanted to make the Forester SUV look more conventional. To that end, the styling's successful. But the Euro box looks could do with pepping up a bit - the Forester doesn't stand out from the crowd.

HANDLING

Surprisingly entertaining, although the body roll's pronounced and that takes getting used to. Traction and stability control comes as standard. Low centre of gravity boxer engines with four-wheel-drive aids the Forester's on road manners.

COMFORT

A soft ride helps here, although the seats could offer more support. The Forester can get a bit too bouncy on rough roads.

QUALITY & RELIABILITY

Subaru's track record for high build quality and making tough cars that don't break down is hard to fault. But the interior fixtures and fitting on the Forester don't look or feel as premium as a Honda's or a Toyota's.

PERFORMANCE

The 2.0-litre boxer four-cylinder is smooth and thrums along nicely, but it lacks the low-down punch that is required in a 4x4 like this. The diesel version is likely to be more impressive. The Forester's relatively light kerbweight (1460kg) aids straight-line pace.

ROOMINESS

Very good. It's a rival for bigger 4x4s like the Nissan X-Trail in this department. The rear passenger seats fold flat to the floor to further expand the already generous boot.

STEREO / SAT NAV

Not the best in terms of sound quality, but both are thrown in as standard on the XS trim, which is the pick of the range. The stereo has an auxiliary socket for an iPod.

RUNNING COSTS

Improved fuel economy is useful in the petrol (33mpg), and the diesel boxer engine should offer well in excess of 40mpg. A CO2 rating of 198g/km for the petrol keeps the Forester out of the most expensive tax band.

VALUE FOR MONEY

The Forester is certainly a strong value position. The only issue is with depreciation, because Subaru isn't a strong enough brand in Europe for values to stay high - unlike its more established Japanese rivals. However, if you're after a workhorse to run for many years the Forester would be a good choice.

ENVIRONMENT

The new diesel engine means Subaru now gets an average environmental score for one of its large models, which is a step forward.

This review has been tagged with: Subaru | Subaru Forester

There are 7 variants of the Forester

Forester variants Price (£) Fuel type Engine
size (cc) 		CO2 emission
(g/km)
2.0 X 5dr £21,370 1995 173
2.0 X Auto 5dr £22,370 1995 174
2.0D X 5dr £23,070 1998 155
2.0D XC 5dr £25,070 1998 158
2.0 XS 5dr £25,370 1995 173
2.0 XS Auto 5dr £26,370 1995 174
2.0D XS NavPlus 5dr £29,070 1998 158
 

Average

3_5

User reviews (4)

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andrew roberts
1

andrew roberts15 October 2010

what a dreadful website; absolutely meaningless.

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Andrew Skelly
5

Andrew Skelly03 April 2011

I have owned my subaru forester boxer diesel for nearly two years now,and nothing has gone wrong.The car has been totally reliable. Fuel economy averages between 40 and 45mpg,occasionally close to 50mpg. Engine is very smooth and revy and very quiet to as well as being very punchy. The car is very roomy and comfortable, rear seat passengers love the reclining rear seat.Full time all wheel drive gives excellent traction. The car corners well with very little body roll due to the boxer engine giving the car a very low centre of gravity. I've also had great service from Subaru dealer. Would definately buy another Subaru.

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Cadwyn
4

Cadwyn30 April 2011

I'd love to see the Subaru Forester on the TV show compared with the top Japanese 4x4 SUVs.

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Sandy Taylor
4

Sandy Taylor27 January 2012

I have a Forester XTband can't fault it. What I would like to see as a Fifth Gear feature is a proper off road test in snow/mud between all the so called SUV's - Subaru Forester, Mitsubishi Outlander, Audi Q5, BMW X3, Citroen Crossover, to see which actually can deliver in difficult conditions.

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