Subaru Forester – 2022
By Ian Strachan.
The Subaru Forester has long been one of my favourite 4x4s, with good looks and high specification in a sensible-sized package. It’s a four wheel-drive vehicle with a strong personality and a purposeful look.
The latest version builds on its strengths of being a tough and capable 4×4, with an attractive cabin, high equipment levels, smart styling and lots of safety features.
The Forester – which has picked up a fair few awards in its time – can’t be described as a true off-roader – more a grass and gravel vehicle – but it certainly looks like one. And its capability is more than you might imagine. I tested it over fields and rough tracks and it didn’t put a wheel wrong.
I test drove the Forester in 2.0i XE Premium spec. You get large 18 inch alloy wheels and a high ground clearance which make the Forester look impressively imposing.
This two-litre petrol-powered version which pumps out 150 horsepower is brisk and dynamic. It propels you from 0-60 mph in around 11 seconds, but feels quicker. My test car was equipped with Subaru’s lineartronic automatic gearbox, which is stepless and smooth.
Fuel consumption from the 2.0 petrol Forester automatic is nothing to write home about at 34.7 mpg in mixed driving, but this is quite a big vehicle.
The Forester has a crisp, well laid out and comfortable interior with an abundance of soft materials. The centre armrest is also a storage box, and there’s lots of stowage space around the cabin. Leather heated seats – electrically adjustable with memory in the front – are large and supportive. Instruments are clear and well laid out. The whole of the interior feels spacious, pleasant and light, particularly with the large powered sunroof.
You get good loadspace at the rear which can be expanded with the 60-40 split rear seats folded – and plenty of leg and headroom for passengers.
The Subaru’s all wheel drive makes for a stable and safe ride. The Forester is glued to the road on cornering, but still provides light handling and driver involvement.
Equipment levels are high, and the on-the-road price of the Premium version which I tested – at £39,360 – is competitive, bearing in mind the high equipment levels. Attractive metallic Jasper Green paint adds £550.
Standard equipment on this specification includes cruise control, climate control, remote central locking with keyless entry, rear parking camera, satellite navigation, six-speaker DAB radio with Bluetooth and Apple CarPlay controlled from an eight-inch multi-function screen or steering wheel-mounted controls, electric heated door mirrors, electric sunroof, automatic steering-responsive headlights, front and rear fog lights, roof rails, powered driver’s seat, powered tailgate and all round electric windows.
This is a capable and attractive vehicle which has been nicely freshened-up – building on its strengths without taking away the things that made it a good car to start with.
