Subaru Forester – First Drive

The sixth-generation Forester, Subaru’s best seller here, is now on sale. And the press has already driven it, on road and off, across the Canterbury Plains and in the foothills of the Alps. There are two drivetrains, one an updated 2.5 boxer four with CVT, the other a new ‘strong hybrid version’. Both are worthy. 

New Forester may look a whole lot more modern than before, thankfully, but it retains its offroad creds, still with 220mm of ground clearance, AWD and X-Mode standard on all models. The latter provides added control on challenging terrain, like mud, snow and the like. We certainly saw lots of the former. 

This new model also features a shored-up chassis, with 10 per cent more torsional rigidity thanks in part to extra use of adhesives. There’s also enhanced suspension tuning and new dual-pinion steering for improved precision and response. The engineers have seen fit to add more soundproofing and thicker glass up front, making for a quieter drive. The chipseal surfaces we drove on caused minimal road rumble. So that makes it feel even more premium, as does the interior makeover and the component quality in general. 

A genuine hybrid now

The initial Subaru hybrid was a fairly mild affair so they’ve differentiated this by calling it a ‘strong hybrid’ e-Boxer powertrain. 

It pairs a 121kW/212Nm Atkinson cycle 2.5-litre boxer engine with a 90kW electric motor and 1.1kWh battery. There’s another motor that’s purely a generator for the battery pack. Both of these reside in the updated CVT transmission. 

For the complete Forester rundown see here.

The traction motor is much more potent than its forebear. Overall output is a claimed 145kW (formerly 110kW with the mild hybrid) and mean fuel use is 6.2L/100km (versus 6.7L/100km previously). Working through a CVT it does indeed deliver smooth, quiet, and efficient performance. On road, we typically saw 7.2L/100km and with 7.8 for the non-hybrid. 

The latter improves too. While output is similar to before, 136kW and 247Nm, with overall fuel use a stated 7.9L/100km, there’s more torque at everyday revs. Helping is an SI button, good for overtaking. Overall, the hybrid uses roughly 20 per cent less fuel than the petrol-only powertrain, but there doesn’t feel to be much difference in straight line acceleration, as you might expect given power outputs are similar. So it’s fuel use in the main that would make you consider the step up and extra outlay for the hybrid. And perhaps off-roading too for at slow speeds the motor does most of the donkey work. 

The hybrid stretches the range some. The former model was good for around 700km from its 48L tank. This one can manage 1000km per 63L tank. 

Proper interior makeover

The cabin highlight is a high-definition 11.6-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. It lets you know what’s going on at ground level when off roading. There’s also a customisable 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. Figure also on wireless charging capability. New ergonomic seats are excellent, and room in the rear is up with key rivals in the medium SUV area. Luggage capacity is a claimed 496-1174L for the petrol models, 484-1162L for the hybrid. Respective braked towing rates are 1800kg and 1200kg.

Safety first

There are many devices on board to keep you on your toes. Look away from the road momentarily and it gets angry. It’s insistent and annoying but easy enough to cancel. Same with the lane-keeping. The steering is quicker too, and sharp so you may as well enjoy that to the fullest on road. 

New Forester features the latest-generation EyeSight Driver Assist technology, with a new wide-angle monocular camera. It’s also smart enough that it can detect a medical emergency and pull to a halt on the roadside autonomously. 

In recent tests, New Forester achieved a five-star safety rating.

Even more confidence inspiring

Subaru is always up for a proper spot of off-roading, given their vehicles are designed to tackle the great outdoors. No surprise then that this waltzed through off-road tasks we encountered around the remote Lake Heron area. There was plenty of mud (it cruised through in X Mode) and water crossings (all negotiated without incident). And the generous ground clearance meant no touchdowns either. Confidence on gravel roads is a strength, any minor slides negated without excess electronic intrusion. Rocky terrain showed off the new suspension settings well, the ride calm, while on road there’s great grip, as you’d expect and sound stability and roll control. It’s a fine drive.

Subaru really does seem to have nailed Forester this time around with a stylish and sensible evolution of what was already a competent machine. Now it looks right, is just that bit cleverer, and displays improved economy and performance, from the hybrid in particular. But there’s little wrong with the petrol version.

It ranges from $49,990 for Forester AWD to $60,990 for the range-topping Forester AWD Hybrid Touring. There are three petrol-only variants (Forester AWD, AWD Sport -$55k- and AWD Touring-$57k). The other three are hybrids (Forester AWD Hybrid -$53k-, AWD Hybrid Sport -$60k- and AWD Hybrid Touring). If the budget allows it, opt for the hybrid, but you shouldn’t be disappointed with any of these models.