One of the longest-standing vehicles in the fleet and a perennial crowd-pleaser , the Subaru Forester has grown , matured and become more capable over the years . Now , as the Forester approaches its 25th anniversary , we take a look at what makes this compact SUV such a success story .
When the Subaru Forester first appeared in 1997 , it was one of the very early sports utility vehicles to resemble a “ tall station wagon .” At the time , two schools of thought around off-road ready vehicles were emerging . The first type was based on a truck platform and , although it was certainly capable and rugged , it left plenty to be desired when driving on paved surfaces . The second type was based on a car platform and , while it could not climb a sheer rock wall , it was far superior over a wider range of everyday driving situations .
The first Forester , which was based on the Impreza platform , certainly fits the latter description . The key elements of this revolutionary model continue to resonate to this day : standard all-wheel drive , elevated ground clearance , a low centre of gravity and a truly unique exterior design . For sure , the early success of the Forester set the stage for the appearance of many crossovers and SUVs from competitor brands .
When the second-generation Forester debuted in 2002 , it was again based on the latest Impreza platform . This version featured a number of improvements , many of them aimed at bringing new levels of refinement to what remained an incredibly capable vehicle . This generation also produced the now-legendary XT version , which was powered by a turbocharged 2.5L SUBARU BOXER 4-cylinder . In 2006 , a retuned version of this engine went on to win its class at the prestigious International Engine of the Year Awards .
With the third-generation Forester , introduced to North America in 2008 , the design effort led by Mamoru Ishii made a major departure . With the planning already
STORY BY : DANIEL CLEMENT
underway for the Crosstrek , a smaller crossover to be built on the Impreza platform , there was room to go in a different direction with the Forester . So this popular SUV became longer , wider and taller , adopting a completely new shape in the process . While some traditionalists may have bemoaned this change in approach , the new design proved more popular and more versatile than ever .
Once the larger dimensions and shape of the Forester had been set in stone , the fourth- and fifth-generation models brought increasingly bold styling to bear on the situation . During the introduction of the latter model , in 2018 , Ishii-san referred to the “ Dynamic x Solid ” philosophy , with every Subaru in the fleet landing at some point along a line linking these two characteristics . The sports cars are , naturally , more dynamic , while the SUVs and crossovers are more solid — but all Subaru vehicles feature both qualities in abundance .
“ We use a combination of the hexagon grille and the c-shaped lights to define each model ’ s character ,” Ishii-san said during an interview session . “ Each one of our cars has a different combination of those cues . The front grille has the hexagon motif , it ’ s a symbol for stability ; it shows strength , like a honeycomb structure . The c-shaped lights are inspired by the flat configuration of the [ SUBARU BOXER ] engine found under the hood of every Subaru model .”
With the debut of this Forester , Subaru worked to ensure that comfort , safety and all-road / all-weather capability were taken to new heights . The starting point for this effort was to move the Forester to the new Subaru Global Platform ( SGP ), which brought improved strength , rigidity and crashworthiness .
six star magazine 43