Subaru Forester Estate 2002 - Present

The Subaru Forester is a car that is hamstrung by it’s looks.  It looks like an old style 4X4, back from the days when they were driven by people who needed to use them off road, and will have you looking more like a farmer than a city slicker as you pull up beside that Porsche Cayene at the lights.  It’s long been said that you can’t judge a book by it’s cover and there are few better illustrations of a saying than the Forester.  While it looks comparatively primitive compared to some of it’s rivals it will outperform almost all of them on the road, certainly it is for the money.

The Forester is a big motor and on the outside it lacks a little of the panache of some of the alternatives, but once you’re on the inside you can quickly forget where you are and if you’re behind the wheel you can soon become intoxicated by the sheer pleasure of driving the Forester.  While it may look tall and likely to be hampered by it’s own weight and inertia that’s for from the case.  The Forester has an extremely low centre of gravity, which makes cornering a breeze.  The supple suspension allows the car to lean remarkably far while throwing the Forester round corners, while maintaining a perfect line as your passengers go round the bend.  . It doesn't have the same level of ground clearance as many other 4x4s however, which limits it off-road, in the event that you were going to take it there.

At launch the engine options were simple to choose between it’s a 2.0L unit either with or without a turbocharger.  The Flat four unit generated 155 bhp in normally aspirated mode and 174bhp with the turbo.  2004 saw the turbo engine replaced with a 2.5 turbo that generates 208 bhp, this was tweaked a bit more in 2005 to up the power output to 225 bhp.  The superb four wheel drive system puts this power down sufficiently well to embarrass Porsche Boxter drivers coming away from the lights.  All of the engines offer decent performance and provide acres of usable power and performance throughout the rev range.  the combination of great handling and superb engines make them a really versatile road car.

On the inside the Forester offers a good standard of finish and refinement.  The Rear seating is tight for three adults and head and legroom aren't overly generous in the back, room in the front is goods. Refinement is good - although you'll still be able to enjoy the rasping engine note if you're working it hard. The ride is generally good, but given the performance potential the driver will easily be able to terrify their passengers.  Maybe if you’re looking for an inheritance you could offer to take the mother in law home…

Boot space is a let down for such a big car but the easy folding seats make the most of the room available.

The Forester offers big 4X4 looks but delivers a top draw road car.  The engine outperforms expectations and the handling more than matches it.  Criticisms come from the lack of room in the back seats and small boot but it’s a great car to drive.

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