Subaru Forester SUV 2013 review - CarBuyer

Опубликовано 19 июля 2013, 10:42

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"It's not the best looking SUV out there, but the Subaru Forester is practical, rugged and reliable."

Subaru has always excelled at rugged, no frills SUVs. The new Forester picks up where the old one left off, but offers more interior space, sharper handling and smart looks.

As you can see the boot is a decent size, larger than a Nissan Qashqai with a flat load lip and with the seats folded as easily as pulling this lever standard on all but the cheapest you can transport larger items.

Thanks to a lowered floor there is also more room for passengers, headroom and legroom is plentiful and these big wide opening doors make it easy to get in and out.

In fact the whole cabin is larger because the front pillars have been moved forwards and for items that you don't put in the boot, there is a large cubby hole here. The new Forester definitely lives up to practical reputation built by previous models as there is more storage here and here. There is enough adjustment in the seat to find a comfortable driving position, and on that note...

The first place I wanted to drive was off road, the 4x4 system adapts to whatever conditions you are driving in (perfect for the rough British winter), and features hill hold and downhill aid functions as standard. Plus the suspension settings are well judged keeping things comfortable on rough ground.

Minimising body roll in the corners on tarmac. Combine that with the good throttle response, lower centre of gravity and more rigid body and the Forester has an improved drive over the 3rd generation it replaces. If it's towing that you will be doing then this car can tow 2 tonnes and is fitted with a stabilisation system to keep things under control when your trailer or caravan is attached.

Now though it is time to talk about its negative points. I will start with the steering. Although light it offers very little feedback. The the CVT automatic gearbox is not smooth and is a bit whiny. But the real whining will come from your purse because despite fuel consumption and performance coming on leaps and bounds in recent years, sadly the Forester's figures do not fare well against the competition. You will be lucky to get 28 miles to the gallon out of the 2.0 litre petrol, so you could go for the diesel which returns a more acceptable 49 miles to the gallon, but that's still some way behind the Mazda CX-5 and Ford Kuga.

Inside, there are some cheap looking buttons and switches, however let's not forget what type of vehicle this is, it's a rugged, fit for purpose, hard wearing Subaru with a loyal following by those that love its workmanlike charm. And for that reason, it's sure to win the heart of those wanting a dependable, reliable and practical SUV.