Subaru Forester review

This is, count ’em, the sixth generation of Forester, Subaru's family-sized rugged crossover. It was a bit of a fashion leader in 1997, but since then it has happily allowed fashion to leave it behind. Remarkably little has changed.

Yes, at its launch the first Forester was a quiet revolution. There wasn't really any such thing as a crossover. The gen-1 Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V preceded it, But they were basically lifted estate cars. That's the recipe most crossovers have stuck to ever since. The Forester was more off-road capable.

Shortly after the Forester launched, Land Rover produced the first Freelander five-door, a car similar to the Forester in many ways. But LR has since developed that bloodline into something bigger and more expensive.

OK but it must have some rivals?

Enough history. These days the Forester plays on the same pitch as the 4WD versions of the Hyundai Tucson, Mazda CX-5, Ford Kuga, perhaps the VW Tiguan.

But those nameplates are actually mostly sold as two-wheel drive and central to the Forester's rural nature is the AWD. The flat-four engine, four-wheel-drive, high ground clearance (22cm) and superb all-round vision make it a great track car… where the track isn't bordered by red and white painted kerbs, but rocks and vegetation and mud.

On the day Subaru told us the price, the cheapest Forester was the only 4WD family-size crossover under £40,000. But the very next week the 4WD version of the Jaecoo 7 appeared at £32,850. We can gently reassure Subaru it needn't panic.

So what’s new for this generation?

Let's invert it: what's the same? Most things. Same powertrain – actually a few horsepower down because of emissions rules. Very largely the same platform and suspension. Best of all, it hasn't really grown, and still gives you excellent visibility, so it's fine for country roads. Or come to that the constipated and broken streets of modern British cities.

The design is all new. You know it's a Forester all right, but at the front slim lights and a general tidy-up give it a notably less gawky expression. It's neatened and modernised along the sides, with well-sculpted octagon-section arches. The top-spec gets 19-inch wheels. Inside, the dash is neater, the touchscreen bigger and the material selection less haphazard. The seats are better too.

On the go, while it's not night and day different, it's smoother and quieter and the transmission behaves much more predictably.

The changes are probably enough to please someone trading out of an older Forester. Which is where most of Subaru's business comes from. Its customers are very loyal. But it doesn't move the Forester into new territory.

What drives the four wheels? Any new-fangled plug-in sorcery?

Nope, we're right in the Subaru motherlode, with a 2.0-litre flat-four petrol engine out the front. This is light, and it combines a low centre of gravity with high ground clearance. So it's good for both road manners plus off-roadery.

That's the good news. Less good is it lacks a turbo, so you can forget your Group A fantasies. Zero to 62mph takes a finger-drumming 12.2 seconds. Transmission is a CVT. Not the best for driver involvement.

Although you wouldn't know it, there is mild-hybrid assistance. Emphasis on the mild – Subaru is being pretty cheeky in calling it the e-Boxer. The combined system makes a paltry 136bhp. As the figures imply, there's little sense of electric heft in the acceleration.

Ah but does it help economy? We can't be specific because there's no version without the electric system. If it really is boosting efficiency, things would be pretty disastrous otherwise. The official test figure is 34.9mpg. Not good. We saw 30mpg on an unhurried test drive. Besides, the fuel tank is just 48 litres, so you'll be on the warning light after 300 miles.

Does the lack of power make it a chore to drive?

Not really. The suspension is supple and well balanced. The engine is mostly refined. So you fall into a Zen state. If you're moving more slowly, it takes less time to catch up to the car in front, so it feels like there's less traffic.

Besides, when the road is empty you find it doesn't mind being hustled through corners. Momentum takes a long time to acquire, yes, but you can conserve it. For more detail click on the Driving tab of this review.

How is it for passengers?

The seats are good, and there's plenty of legroom in the back. Just as the driver, the people in the back get a grandstand view via the big glass area. For more details on the cabin and controls, click on the Interior tab.

But for a car that's otherwise so practical, the boot is a little shallow, so you'll be broaching through the roller blind at times.

This is a particular car for particular people. It's absolutely not a fashion machine, but the new generation has quite a comely, purposeful design. It's spacious, comfortable and capable. It's the sort of thing that'd come to be seen as a member of the family.

Which is perhaps why owners tend to keep them longer than with most cars, and usually buy another. Buy for themselves too – as a company car, the CO2-based tax would be pretty crippling. These private buyers want a car that's safe, reliable, robust and trustworthy in all the important ways.

Yes it's slow, but it would absolutely guarantee that you get there… eventually.