Subaru Forester (2002-) Review

On the road

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It couldn't be easier, really. The clutch is light and smooth, the gearchange is easy (without the occasional obstructiveness of the old car's), and you get a great view out from a driver's seat that's high by car standards, if lowish by 4x4 standards. A low rear window line makes reverse parking easy, too. The plasticky column stalks look dated but function well, including the variable intermittent windscreen wipe, and the optional four-speed automatic transmission shifts smoothly, if rather frequently if you're driving briskly. Manual Foresters have that Subaru speciality, a hill-hold clutch, which stops you moving backwards when you've stopped on a gradient - a feature much-welcomed by caravanners.

Suspension has been revised for 2006 with strengthened mounts and new spring and damper settings, reducing pitch and body roll even further, and fine-tuning responses. Subaru's rally-developed symmetrical AWD set-up splits power 50:50 between the front and rear axles under most conditions, redistributing torque if any slippage is detected to counterbalance any oversteer or understeer. The Forester is as agile as a regular car and corners nearly as flatly, thanks largely to that flat-format engine and the low centre of gravity it allows. Both 2.0 and 2.5T have precise steering with believable weighting, and both are damped well enough not to flop or lurch in bends. They feel like the slightly taller Imprezas that they effectively are, and their four-wheel drive is as much for on-road grip and handling as off-road ability. The turbo XT is especially satisfying, thanks to the extra grip and sharpness that come from its wider, lower-profile tyres - which don't ruin the ride comfort, incidentally. Here is the driving enthusiast's off-roader - and if you do want to venture off-road, there's a low-ratio gear set in the 2.0-litre manual versions to help them lug up, or trickle down, steep hills. Best to avoid rocks, though - ground clearance isn't huge. Otherwise, it makes a competent, practical all-round vehicle for rural use, towing or other demanding work.

The flat-four engines make the distinctive, throbby sound known to rally fans in the Impreza Turbo, but it's much quieter here. The lead-in 2.0-litre 'boxer' flat-four engine has been modified for an extra 33bhp in 2006 cars, now giving 158bhp at 6,400rpm and 137 lb ft of torque lower down the rev range at 3,200rpm. A new electronically-controlled throttle promises more responsive acceleration, and a revised exhaust network brings more reduced emissions and greater efficiency from the catalytic converter. With the five-speed manual gearbox, the Forester 2.0 is now capable of 122mph and 0-60mph in 9.4 seconds; the auto does 118mph, 0-60 in 11.6 seconds. It certainly compares well to similarly-specified rivals in its class, and with its low centre of gravity, excellent weight distribution (it has an aluminium bonnet, bumper beams, roof rails and sunroof frames, which reduce overall weight and top-heaviness) and full-time four-wheel drive system, its handling is nearer to that of a conventional - and sporting - car than that of any other SUV on the market.

With the 2.5T turbo engine, though, the Forester is something else altogether. This engine has been developed from the outgoing 2.0T unit, uprated by 19bhp to 230bhp; torque has been upped by 55lb ft to a very strong 236lb ft, peaking at 3,600rpm. Top speed in manual versions is now 134mph - and acceleration 0-60mph comes up in a supercar-like 5.7 seconds. The auto is a little slower, at 133mph and 0-60 in 7.3 seconds. But if you were about to mistake the 2.5T for an impractical sports car, it also has a rear limited-slip differential and self-levelling rear suspension in addition to the AWD system, to help out load-lugging and towing (it can now pull up to 2000kg). Standard too on this model is Subaru's Vehicle Dynamics Control for more stable cornering.

The 2.5T manual model only has a five-speed gearbox, but in practice, the engine is so flexible that there's not really any need for a sixth ratio. It pulls strongly in any gear, though it's particularly explosive off the mark: underneath that very sensible-looking, sturdy exterior is the heart of a hot rod. The auto, though slower on paper, feels even more relentless in its surging forwards, and the driver can interact further with the transmission via the new sequential-shift facility. As performance SUVs go, it's up there with the best - and though the Forester isn't quite in the same league as the likes of the Mercedes-Benz ML55 AMG, it's a much more affordable and arguably even more entertaining alternative. The BMW X3 doesn't come close.