The latest version of the Subaru Forester, delivered to us for evaluation a week or two ago takes the wagon even closer to being all things to all people. It boasts all the normal Forester attributes, but with its performance hugely boosted by the addition of a Mitsubishi TD04 turbocharger that ups power by a whopping 40% to 155 kW, and elevates torque from 223 Nm at 3600 rpm to a very useful 320 Nm at the same revs. That’s good enough to get the wagon from 0-100km/h in 7.14 seconds (the auto takes 0.1 of a second longer) and up to a factory-limited top speed of 210 km/hr in pretty quick time.
From the outside the turbo versions of the Subaru can be recognised by the prominent bonnet-mounted scoop that feeds air to the massive intercooler just below, and the 16″ alloy rims. Inside it’s typical Subaru – not as posh as a BMW or Mercedes offering, with plasticky fittings, but well thought out and practical, with storage pockets aplenty and all the luxury features normally offered in a R300 000 plus car.
Snick the lever into first gear and get on the gas and within about a second and a half you get a loud and clear message that this is a serious sports car. The engine has been redesigned extensively around the turbocharger, with the emphasis on midrange steam, and after a fractional moment of lag the car gets going faster than a politician who’s been caught taking a kickback is supposed to, with the thrust continuing until you run out of gears
Handling is good on tar, although you have to make allowances for the elevated ride height and big tyres that make the Forester so acceptable as a moderate off-roader. On dirt roads it feels solid and stable, with excellent feel and handling. Subaru has done away with the transfer box that provides a low-range option in manual non-turbo versions of the Forester, presumably because the masses of extra power and torque would stress it unduly. We tackled some fairly tough terrain without any problems, although plodding along at ultra-low revs in first resulted in the engine stalling often enough to dissuade us from tackling anything too arduous.
Overall we rate the Subaru Forester 2.5 XT as our personal favourite in a very overcrowded SUV market, simply because the hooligan element that’s so thinly concealed beneath that family wagon veneer makes every trip an intense emotional experience. It’s an extremely serious sports car, a safe and comfortable family wagon and a very capable soft roader, all in one finely engineered package. Priced at between R304 950 and R346 950, depending upon what specification level and transmission option you want, we rate it as well worth every penny for those who want the thrills and have the money. Subaru’s three year/63 000 km maintenance plan and their Roadside Assist Plan also help to sweeten the deal.