Business First May-June 2017 Business First May 2017 | Page 70
MOTORING
The Subaru Forester is
ready to rock!
by Ian Beasant, BUSINESSFIRSTMAGAZINE motoring correspondent
he 2017 Subaru Forester has grown
from a crossover to a full size SUV. The
Forester has always been a favourite
amongst those who need a four wheel drive
vehicle and also those who enjoy a bit of off
roading. Subaru are celebrated 50 years of
their Boxer engine last year and they have
refined both petrol and diesel variants of this
engine which has always been part of
Subaru’s DNA.
I drove the range topping Subaru Forester
2.0D XC Premium Lineartronic, powered by a
lively 148BHP turbocharged Diesel sipping
engine and was able to achieve just under 40
miles per gallon. Which was impressive as the
Forester is not a small or slow vehicle. The
Forester has been facelifted for 2017 and it’s
boxy looks are easy on the eye and practical.
The Forester is a tall vehicle offering plenty of
ground clearance.
Once on board, the Subaru’s Boxer engine
fires into life, it is very quiet and has no diesel
rattle that I could notice. The seven speed
CVT gearbox slots nicely into driving the four
wheels and off you go. I did find that the
engine does get more audible over 3000rpm
but it is certainly not deafening.
The Forester offers great visibility with its
tall seating position. This is one of the
attractions of owning an SUV. The rest of the
cabin is well finished and well put together
with a balance of hard and soft wellmade
plastics and filled with extras.
The interior offers plenty of space for the
driver and four passengers all sitting in
comfort, behind the rear seats, again plenty of
space for everyday shopping or weekend
luggage.
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On the road the road (I didn’t venture off
road) the Forester is easy, comfortable and
rewarding to drive. The electric power
steering is nicely weighted and you get a good
feel for the road, the engine is nice and
produces plenty of torque; the sevenspeed
CVT gearbox is probably the best CVT
gearbox I have driven as it selects gears
instantly rather than the usual high revving
gear changes that tend to be associated with
most CVT gearboxes.
The Forester is happy in the City as well as
out in the countryside; the suspension is well
balanced and keeps body roll in check. It is
good to drive, well built and it does stand out
from the crowd. It is a great if you live in a
remote area and need four wheel drive, and it
also gives that extra feeling of safety when
driving on a wet road. The Four wheel drive
system helps under braking as well.
Subaru have refined the Forester and its
better for it as a road vehicle. Off road, I
would have no doubt about its abilities as
Subaru have always been good at that.