Car Gazing
Been there, done that
Amid crossover trend, Subaru Forester stays true to original mission
By Derek Price
Crossover vehicles – those that combine a car-like body with SUV-like capability – have been the rage for about two years now.
Lots of people who bought full-size SUVs a few years ago are switching to crossovers today as they look for better gas mileage and improved handling without sacrificing their SUV's family-friendly layout. These buyers may think crossovers are a new development, but they're not.
In fact, Subaru has been building crossover vehicles for a long, long time and has developed a rabidly loyal customer base through the years. This is especially true in mountainous areas where four-wheel drive is often essential for getting home, places where – until recently – one of the only vehicles that offered the comfort of a sedan and the traction of a 4x4 was the Subaru Forester.
So how has the Forester changed to tackle the new competition in 2006? Not much at all.
That's not necessarily a bad thing, as Subaru has had a long time to perfect and improve the Forester while other manufacturers only recently jumped on the crossover bandwagon. Instead of changing the Forester's identity to make it something that appeals to different buyers, Subraru wisely kept with the same basic formula that it's used for years: a strong, long-lasting wagon that has a great ride and versatile interior.
Let's start with the good stuff.
At the top of the list is the Forester's handling, which feels perfectly tuned for both off-road performance and on-road cornering. It feels like an expensive sports sedan on the street and is an absolute blast to drive, something you can't say about any SUVs other than the super-expensive ones from Porsche and BMW – and even those aren't as practical as the Forester. It has a truly impressive suspension.
It also offers a great choice of engines. One is a 2.5-liter, four-cylinder engine that makes 173 horsepower in a horizontally opposed layout, meaning the cylinders bang side to side against each other rather than up and down like in most engines. The result is a smooth, robust feel that's most commonly found, once again, in very expensive German cars.
Another good choice is the turbocharged version of the 2.5-liter engine, this one making 230 horsepower. Available only in the top-of-the-line 2.5 XT Limited ($27,895), it feels like it belongs in a sports car rather than an SUV, but that's fine because it's a perfect match for the Forester's fun suspension.
You've also got to love the practical interior that has comfortable space for five passengers and their gear. Unlike some mini-SUVs that have a decent cabin but don't have the room for so much as a paper clip in back when the seats are up, the Forester actually has a big ol' cargo area where you can fit your luggage and have space left for a couple of golden retrievers.
Pricing is also a plus, starting with the base 2.5 X at $21,795, the 2.5 X Premium at $24,145, and the upscale L.L. Bean model at $26,895. Compared to the prices of entry-luxury crossovers – many of which don't feel as well-sorted mechanically as this Subaru – the cost of a Forester looks like a steal.
Subaru's decision to keep the Forester basically unchanged also results in a few downsides.
For one thing, the cabin isn't exactly silent. It falls somewhere between a Suzuki Aerio and a Toyota Camry, offering better sound insulation than an economy car but nowhere near the luxury level of, say, a Lexus or Mercedes. It just doesn't sound quite as good as its new crossover rivals.
It also lacks in the quality of materials in the cabin. While many of the upstart crossovers come with soft, supple textures that invite you to run your fingers along the dash, the Forester is still covered in clunky plastic that feels like it belongs in an early '90s Chevy Corsica.
Other than those minor quibbles, the Forester is pretty much perfect. It's been doing for years what many new crossovers are trying to copy, and even with the new competition there are few vehicles that get an SUV and car combined as splendidly as this Subaru.
(Derek Price is a newspaper editor and freelance writer living in Texas.
Contact him at dprice@cargazingonline.com)
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