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March 13, 2009
2009 Subaru Forester 2.5X Road Test by NP
The same good stuff repackaged
Source: NationalPost
Brian Harper
I will be the first to admit I was less than overwhelmed with Subaru’s decision to rework its Forester wagon/crossover into a more mainstream, sport-utestyle body configuration for the 2009 model year. After all, the original, award-winning, quirky-in-a-cute-way Forester could make a legitimate claim as the progenitor of this whole crossover movement when it made its debut back in 1997 as something more than a mall crawler, less than a rock climber. The third-generation model’s new identity as a compact SUV seemed to lose some of the Subaru charm that attracts its fiercely loyal clientele.
Yet, the people have spoken, the awards have been handed out and the new Forester has garnered its own accolades. It is the winner of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada’s Best New SUV/CUV Under $35,000, having bested the Dodge Journey and Volkswagen Tiguan in competition, and it was also on the short list for overall Utility Vehicle of the Year honours. So, personal issues aside, the Forester warrants a closer look.
The first noteworthy thing is how little one has to pay to get into one. The base 2.5X starts at $25,795 when fitted with the five-speed manual transmission, $1,200 less than it did the year previously. My tester, equipped with the four-speed automatic, came in at $26,895. One can move up to the Touring Package, Limited Package and the 2.5XT Limited (with its turbocharged 2.5-litre boxer engine), forking out more for added content and amenities, but, for those on a tighter budget, the 2.5X proves to be well equipped. Standard on the base unit are four-wheel disc brakes with ABS, air conditioning, tilt and telescopic steering, cruise control, power mirrors, windows and door locks, heated front seats and, naturally, Subaru’s famed all-wheel-drive system. That’s far from a stripper model.
But a low entry point and carefully thought-out features only go so far if the ride and drive experience is sub-par. And this is where my initial recalcitrance started to recede. Although it looks bigger and heavier (it tips the scale at 1,500 kilograms) than the first two generations of wagon, the new SUV-style Forester really isn’t all that much different — it’s essentially the same good stuff repackaged.
Oh, there are a few noteworthy upgrades. For instance, the 2009 Forester is fitted with a double-wishbone rear suspension that replaced the strut-based system used in the first and second generations. Up front, the strut-type setup features L-shaped lower arms with liquid-filled rear bushings and anti-dive geometry. The result is a more compliant ride with what feels like the same amount of car-like responsiveness.
Along with the standard four-wheel disc brakes with ABS come Vehicle Dynamics Control, electronic brake-force distribution and brake assist safety systems. Stomp on the pedal and the SUV will drop from 100 kilometres an hour to zero in a tidy 41.5 metres.
In all but the XT Limited, the only engine offered is the 170-horsepower, 2.5L SOHC boxer four-cylinder. Maximum torque of 170 pound-feet is increased by four pound-feet compared with the previous Forester, and Subaru says the torque curve is broader for better everyday driving response. It doesn’t make the Forester a powerhouse, though, with the SUV taking 10.7 seconds to reach 100 km/h and nine seconds to accelerate to 120 km/h from 80. More than the middling turn of speed when called for, the engine becomes rather coarse and unrefined under heavy load. It’s probably the single biggest negative to what is generally a decent and stalwart powerplant. Under less strenuous operation, things are noticeably quieter. And, although I have no real complaints regarding the operation of the four-speed automatic, it’s still worth noting that some of the Forester’s competitors have smoother five-and six-speed auto boxes –Subaru should follow suit.
For those who actually use their SUV as something more than a glorified station wagon, the Forester has a towing capacity of 1,087 kilograms — not enough to haul an Airstream but more than enough to pull a snowmobile or watercraft trailer. As for fuel economy, my week with the tester yielded an average of 11.8 litres per 100 kilometres in a fairly even mix of highway and urban street travel.
Like all Subes, the Forester is equipped with the company’s Symmetrical full-time All-Wheel Drive. Without delving into its technical operation, let me just say that this AWD system — and a good set of winter tires — imbued the Forester with steady grip no matter what the road conditions. All other things being equal, if you have a choice between two SUVs — one with full-time AWD and the other with a reactive part-time system– choose the former.
Though a part of me still yearns for the wagon version, I will give Subaru kudos for taking the Forester mainstream and making it work. It’s a very likeable SUV that is cleanly styled, comfortable, easy to drive and, most of all in these tougher economic times, fairly easy on the wallet. The fact that I see more and more of them on the road would seem to indicate Subaru made the proper decision.
Source: NationalPost
Brian Harper
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- Posted in : 2009 Subaru, Articles, Road Tests
- Author : admin
Kudos subaru.
hujudos!