MOTORNETNEWS  ROAD  TEST  -  AUGUST  2008

SUBARU  FORESTER XT PREMIUM WAGON

Subaru vehicles, with their unique all wheel drive system and 'boxer' engines, have been very popular in Australia. They have established an excellent reputation for economy, reliability and safety.

The several wagon derivatives cover soft-roader and family versions and the most popular of these has been the Forester with more than 8,100 sold so far this year (Year-to-date July). That is a 17% rise over 2007.

The luxuriously fitted and well equipped XT model is very good value-for-money as it is quite economical to run, roomy and comfortable.

OUTSIDE:

The Forester is quite a good looking vehicle - much less aggressive than most other soft-roaders. The XT Premium gets smart 5-spoke alloys, guard extensions, roof racks, fog/driving lights. chrome grille & door handles. The headlights have an attractive sweep back into the front guards and the taillamps are visible from the sides. 

The rear roof line dips slightly at the back and the third side window is shaped to give a European sporty look. The bumpers are large and a bit bulbous but they do offer very good protection.  As few people will ever take their Forester into the bush, the normal  tread tyres will present no problems and they do help to improve the ride and road noise levels. 

The large rear window in the one-piece tailgate is fitted with a washer/wiper system. The petrol filler is on the right hand side - strange place for a Japanese-sourced, right hand drive vehicle where it would normally be on the left. Paint is excellent and the fit and finish of the panels is exemplary.  The engine bonnet has gas struts and some under hood insulation but the engine layout is very untidy with lots of pipes and hoses visible. Access is quite good.

INSIDE:

The interior is quite luxurious with leather upholstery, woodgrain and matte brushed silver highlights. The dash is more functional than elegant, the instrument dials are well hooded although why manufacturers still persist in fitting a tachometer to automatic cars is a mystery. The night lighting is excellent.

The air-conditioning controls are circular twist knobs, very easy to use and the audio system is also very simple. The fully adjustable, three spoke leather-clad wheel has audio remote controls and the buttons for the cruise control on the cross spokes.

The handbrake lever is in the right place and the auto shift lever sits neatly where your left hand drops off the wheel. The auto box has a manual shift capacity called SportShift.

The front bucket seats are very comfortable and have plenty of lateral support but no lumbar adjustment. the driver's seat has electric controls. The rear seats are very cosy for two and a bit of a squeeze for three, in fact, the middle seat is very flat and firm and is suitable only for a small child.  There are lots of storage spaces - ideal for a family wagon and include bottle holders in the four door bins.

There are four cupholders and an armrest/table that folds down in the rear compartment.  Both sun visors have covered vanity mirrors. Head and leg room are generous all round. The XT Premium comes with a very large standard electric sun roof.

LUGGAGE AREA:

The station wagon layout means that luggage space is no problem unlike many large 4WD wagons that have very little space behind the rear seats. The one-piece tailgate opens easily and the load height is nice and low. 

The rear seats split fold for extra carrying capacity and a full length cargo blind is standard.  The whole area is fully trimmed in quality material and six tie-down lugs are provided. 

The tail gate has an internal recess to assist in closing for vertically challenged persons. Under the very solid floor is a full sized steel wheel and tyre (full marks Subaru) and the tools are neatly stowed in a poly foam holder. 

I am not so sure about the child restraint lugs being in the roof, however, it does keep the straps out of the way of cargo. 

ON THE ROAD:

The ride is firmer than in the sedan and hatchback versions of the Subaru range - with the exception of course of the WRX and STi models. There is no harshness, though, and the ride is quite acceptable. Performance from the 2.4-litre, 169kW engine is good mainly due to the fact that the flat six develops 320Nm of torque at a useful 2,800rpm.

The auto transmission only has four ratios and economy would be further enhance if there was a fifth ratio - perhaps in the next model! It is smooth and, because to the ample torque in the engine, it doesn't have to hunt up and down through the ratios. 

The handling is typical station wagon and does feel a bit top heavy in sharp corners. All round vision is good except for the extremely large exterior mirrors that tend to obstruct the view of intersecting roads.  Economy averaged a very good 11 litres per 100kms in urban use and this dropped to 10.4 on freeways.

PRICE:             $46,990 (4-speed auto) $44,990 (5-speed manual) plus on-road costs.

STANDARD:   ABS Brakes with Brake Assist and Electronic Brake Distribution; Air-conditioning; Alloy Pedals; Auto-off Headlights; Audio System with 6 Speakers, CD & DVD; Central Remote Locking; Cruise Control; Dual front and side Airbags; DataDot Security;  Engine Immobiliser; Fog/Driving Lights; Front Seat Belt Pre-tensioners; Leather Upholstery; Leather Steering Wheel, Power Mirrors/Steering & Windows;  Powered Driver's Seat; Roof Rails; Roof Spoiler; Satellite Navigation; Self-Levelling Suspension; Sun Roof; Vehicle Dynamic Control.