ROAD TEST/Subaru Forester: Despite initial misgivings about its aesthetics (or lack of), Michael McAleer found Subaru's Forester a solid and reliable performer.
We approached the Forester more in hope than confidence. Hope based on the strong pedigree of Subaru. Our misgiving, however, emanated from a personal flaw for which we are not proud - the search for aesthetic beauty. The Forester is not the most aesthetically pleasing vehicle on the market. In fact, in terms of eye-pleasing beauty it's rather the runt of the off-road litter.
Sure it's adorned with the Subaru stars, the emblem that graces countless rally jackets and never fails to draw attention from an average pack of male youths.
Yet the Forester is a far more pedestrian-looking offering than its stablemate, the Impreza. It has all the panache and aerodynamic design characteristics of a brick. This car manages to be neither fashionable nor glamorous.
Yet its uneventful bland design masks a very sharp on-road performer that, when price is taken into account, is for our money the best buy in the soft-road category. As for fuel consumption, while we failed to meet the claimed 33.2 mpg, it did prove positively abstinent compared to some petrol off-roaders we have driven.
This is an updated version of the original Forester launched in 1997 and carries many aesthetic similarities to its predecessor, which is a great shame. The Subaru engineers took the time to upgrade the rest of the car, based on the new Impreza, yet failed to make significant headway in smartening up its lines. In its defence, it has that sort of rugged Tonka-toy styling that goes down well with many suburbanites who venture forth into the countryside every now and then.
And if they do, they will find that this is no actor on the country stage. It can get down and dirty with the rest of them, thanks to smart differentials and a set of low gear ratios - more than some of its competitors can offer. Its All-Wheel Drive (AWD) system, derived like so many other mechanical elements in Subaru from the firm's rally experience, provides impressive traction, or grip, on most muddy rural routes.
The Forester also features a low centre of gravity compared to its counterparts - achieved largely through positioning the engine lower than normal. Pop open the bonnet and you see the "flat four"-cylinder unit is actually mounted a lot lower in the engine compartment than in most other cars. The result is a more confident feel when cornering, and less body roll than other off-roaders, which have a tendency to waddle in corners.
Its low centre of gravity has also earned the Forester another important distinction. The ever safety-conscious (and litigious) US market requires Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) - off -roaders - to carry a warning label on the driver's visor that the vehicles "don't handle like a normal car and extra care must be taken to prevent roll over and injury".
While its competitor soft-roaders must carry this warning, the Forester does not. A big boon for the Subaru, and worthy at that. What's more, it does not suffer in terms of ground clearance, managing an impressive 190 mm - on a par with the Land Rover Freelander.
We concur with the views of the US jury, for the Forester does indeed drive like a car. The handling is positive and sharp, and while we would have liked to try the turbo-charged version, the 2-litre held its own, if lacking a little punch on certain occasions. The road-holding is brilliant, thanks to the Subaru All-wheel-drive (AWD) programme and steering was responsive and directed us to where we wanted to go without fuss. With AWD and the low gear ratios, it's probably more in keeping with the likes of off-road estates like the Audi All-Road than the real 4x4 market in terms of driver enjoyment and performance.
Internally the Forester is spacious, even if it retains the same design problems of the exterior - namely being well put together if a little aesthetically flawed.
The cabin is bright and airy with large windows and the driver's view is very good. If you go for the all-weather specification you get a cabin that's surprisingly bright, thanks to the large glass sunroof, although the pack will set you back another €4,000. As for wind-noise, we were taken aback by the fact that in spite of its high-sided body, we didn't suffer too much irritation from wind whistle or road noise.
The decision to put the spare wheel in the boot is also welcome. Some believe fitting the wheel to the back door is the badge of an off-roader. In fact, all it does is impede the driver's view when reversing and, as we have personally experienced, make it a damn sight easier for thieves to build up a fine collection of spare wheels for 4x4s.
The ergonomics are more than adequate for four adults to trek the length and breadth of the country without too much worry. On shorter runs it easily hosts five adults. Luggage space is good and the seats easily fold down to offer up to 1,630 litres of space. The carpeted boot floor contains five hinged flaps that cover the spare wheel and various other compartments including a long, thin one for an umbrella.
The Forester also features raised rear seats that allows back seat passengers full view of the road ahead without craning their necks, an arrangement we first admired on Land Rover's Discovery. Our criticism lies with the quality of the dashboard plastic, which remains below par in comparison with saloons from the German or European marques.
The Forester manages to contradict the ground rules of its marketplace. It does not carry the rugged looks of an off-roader that most if not all its competitors evoke. It prefers the more softly spoken image of a boosted saloon or estate.
Yet where the others fail to deliver on their rugged promises, the Forester comes home strong. Perhaps the greatest disappointment is the failure to develop a diesel variant.
Finally, when you take price into consideration, the Forester offers perhaps the best package in the soft-road market. As for the looks, remember what your mother said - don't worry my child, looks aren't everything.
FACTFILE:
ENGINE: 1,994 cc four-cylinder SOHC 16-valve unit offering up to 125 bhp at 5,600 rpm and 184 Newton Metres (NM) or torque (pulling power).
PERFORMANCE: A top speed of 112 mph with a 0-60 mph of 10.9 seconds.
SPECIFICATION: ABS, dual airbags, electric windows are standard and the All-Weather pack comes with large electric sunroof.
FUEL: Urban 24.4 mpg. Extra-urban 42.2 mpg. Combined 32.2 mpg.
PRICE: €30,995 - 39,495.
THE COMPETITION:
Subaru Forester 2.0X with All-Weather Pack: 1994 cc; 10.9 (0-60); 112 max speed; 125 bhp; 33.2 mpg combined; €34,995.
Honda CR-V 2.0 SE SR 5dr: 1998 cc; 10.1 (0-60); 110 max speed; 148 bhp; 31.0 mpg combined; €37,589.
Toyota RAV4 2.0 5dr: 1998 cc; 10.6 (0-60); 114 max speed; 147 bhp; 32.1 mpg combined; €35,875.
Nissan X-Trail 2.0 Sport S/R: 1998 cc; 11.6 (0-60); 107 max speed; 138 bhp; 30.4 mpg combined; €36,746.
Land Rover Freelander 1.8S GS 5dr: 1796 cc; 12.1 (0-60); 101 max speed; 118 bhp; 27.6 mpg combined; €34,200.