Category: Small 4x4s 
Price Range: £19,115 to £26,495
Car-like handling, smooth engines, lively pace, lots of space, useful off-road ability, ludicrously quick 2.5 XT, unique appeal
Too many hard plastics inside, clumsy styling, not a full off-roader (if that matters), no diesel option, thirsty fuel consumption, too quirky for many.
For sheer driving pleasure, the characterful Forester is the best of the soft-roaders.
As with most Japanese cars, the Forester is impeccably assembled and very well-engineered; there were some early reports of gearbox and clutch problems in the 2002 cars, but these glitches have now been sorted. Most issues with Foresters in the UK have been with 'grey' imported Japanese-spec cars not fine-tuned for European fuel or driving conditions. Subaru continues to score very well in customer satisfaction and reliability surveys, though if repairs are required, they tend to be expensive.
The Forester's interior has been much-improved over that of the early cars, with an excellent standard of fit and finish. For 2006, though still looking a little dated, the cabin has been revised with better-quality plastics, and new upholstery choices, including water-repellent black cloth and black or beige leather. Attention has been paid to detail, creating a more pleasant tactile experience, with extra damping to cupholders and storage compartments, and special low-friction door handles - Subaru boasts that the latches have a new disulphide molybdenum coating, whatever than means, though it certainly sounds effective.
Latest Readers' Drives About the Subaru Forester
wrote on 22 12 2006