See The Forester From The Trees

Sydney Morning Herald

Friday June 27, 2008

Joshua Dowling

Why the next big thing in four-wheel-drives is small.

A ustralians can't get enough of the great outdoors - or at least the dream of one day making the great escape.

Despite record petrol prices, sales of recreational vehicles are still strong, although we are doing more with less.

Last year, sales of compact soft-roaders increased by 20 per cent as sales of large off-road wagons dropped by 14 per cent.

Vehicles such as the Subaru Forester are all the rage. Indeed, the Japanese maker deserves credit for the "tread lightly" approach to off-roading.

It could be argued Subaru started the compact soft-roader trend almost 30 years ago with humble high-riding versions of the Leone wagon. Back then it was an answer to a question few motorists asked but today used examples still fetch decent money.

I bet Subaru wishes now it patented the idea. Ten years ago there were about half a dozen compact soft-roaders on the market, today there are 20 models from which to choose.

The Forester is among the biggest sellers in its class, along with the Toyota RAV4, Nissan X-Trail and Honda CR-V, each of which have claimed the top sales spot at various times depending on how new they are - and how old the competition may be.

The Forester is Subaru's biggest selling model locally and accounts for a third of all sales. The third-generation model was released in March this year, starting from a highly competitive $30,490 for the Forester X, $33,990 for the middle-of-the-range XS and $37,490 for the top-line XS Premium. Automatic transmission adds $2000 to each.

For those who want a bit more zip, there is the turbocharged Forester XT, available in two model grades, priced between $38,990 and $46,990. However, the standard, non-turbo Foresters are the versions we have focused on in this test.

As with previous generation Foresters, the new model shares its underpinnings with the Impreza hatch sibling.

The latest version is larger in every dimension but Subaru has cleverly resisted the urge to make it too big. Many car reviewers have penalised previous Foresters for their small size but owners actually appreciate the more compact dimensions, as it makes parking and manoeuvring easier.

Earlier Foresters had reasonable-sized cargo areas but rear-seat room was tight. With the new model, Subaru has increased the distance between the front and rear wheels to create more room for all occupants and sacrificed a little cargo space.

The result, incredibly, is a car with more occupant space than the much larger Nissan X-Trail, although the X-Trail has a larger cargo area.

Safety has long been a focus of Subaru and the new Forester finally completes the maker's safety story.

All Forester models (and Subaru models for that matter) now come standard with dual front, side and curtain airbags as well as stability control and anti-whiplash head restraints.

Most car makers use safety features to distinguish model grades but Subaru is among the few brands ensuring that safety is not an option. That is, the level of protection a family gets is not determined by the budget.

So every new Forester comes with a five-star safety rating, awarded by the Australian New Car Assessment Program, an independent crash test authority that is funded by motoring bodies and insurance companies from every state and territory in Australia. (Most of its main rivals have four-star ratings.)

Even the most basic Forester is well equipped with remote entry, CD player, cruise control, air-conditioning, map lights and soft-glow cabin illumination.

The middle-of-the-range model gains fog lights, alloy wheels, a six-CD player with a sub-woofer and privacy glass on the windows rearward of the front doors. The flagship model gains leather upholstery, a sunroof and electric adjustment for the driver's seat.

Other neat touches on all models include reach- and height-adjustable steering wheel, auxiliary audio input jack and steering wheel-mounted audio controls. A navigation system is optional.

The Forester's interior is simple but practical. The rear seats fold flat to create a decent load space. The dashboard is the same as the Impreza's but is finished in a matt grey rather than a gloss grey which, cleverly, improves the perception of quality even if the plastics are still hard to the touch. The door trims have larger storage pockets than the Impreza.

Seat comfort is excellent and the fabrics have a quality feel but a few passengers on our comparison test earlier in the year complained the headrest in the front seat was too far forward.

The steering is smooth and feels secure on corners, also in part thanks to its permanent all-wheel-drive system.

Rear vision is fair thanks to the low window line (although we wish rear parking sensors and a rear view camera were available), while ultra-wide-view convex mirrors on both sides provide an excellent over-shoulder view.

The 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine has had a minor revision but is essentially carried over from the previous model. When cruising it is relatively quiet but when revved hard it gets a bit noisy. Experience tells us Subaru engines tend to be a little thirsty until they're run-in and start to get reasonable economy from about 10,000km. Service intervals are every 12,500km - most rivals require a visit to the dealer every 10,000km - and the Forester has a three-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, handy for anyone planning a big trip.

The five-speed manual gearshift is still notchy but over time you learn how to finesse some of the changes. That said, we can't understand why the shift quality on manual Subarus is so poor after so many years of criticism.

For that reason, we prefer the automatic transmission. It's only a four-speed but it gets on with the job without fuss and it's definitely the pick of the two even though it carries a $2000 premium. Of all the Forester models, we can't go past the most basic version, the Forester X. It has everything you need and it's $1500 cheaper than the competition.

The Forester isn't perfect but it's one of my favourites of 2008. It's good to drive, well built, sharply priced, economical and has excellent safety credentials. And it's just the right size for the times.

Subaru Forester

RRP From $30,490 to $39,490.

Country of origin Japan.

Engine 2.5-litre, four-cylinder.

Power and torque 126kW at 6000rpm, 229Nm at 4400rpm.

Transmission Five-speed manual or four-speed automatic.

Consumption and emissions 9.3L/100km, 220g/km (manual), 9.6L/100km, 227g/km (auto).

Safety Five-star safety rating by Australian NCAP. Standard equipment includes front, side and curtain airbags, stability control and anti-whiplash head restraints.

Resale Strongest in its class. We've seen low-kilometre 18-month-old Foresters sell at auction for $21,000 to $23,000 when rival models are going for less than $15,000.

Pros Safety is not an option. Every model gets the five-star treatment. Roomier cabin than before but not too big overall. Well-priced. Well-appointed. Good quality. Strong resale. Good low- and high-beams. Large side mirrors. Full-sized spare. Unlimited kilometre warranty.

Cons Engine can sound coarse at high revs. Manual gearshift could be smoother.

Stars 4/5

© 2008 Sydney Morning Herald

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