Auto Buzz: Subaru forester

Subaru forester

The Forester now comes with Subaru’s excellent boxer diesel engine. It’s smooth, powerful and torquey – ideal for towing.But the horsey types have been made to wait. Subaru launched the Forester back in April, but has watched buyers digress to Kugas, X-Trails, RAV4s and Freelanders. All of which had diesel power. Now, Subaru hope to win back their loyal customers with an oil-burner of their own.

Subaru forester

It’s a bloody good one too, and well worth the wait. We’re familiar with Subaru boxers in petrol form, but this is a first in diesel guise. We’ve driven it in the Legacy, and liked it. Don’t expect the usual turbodiesel traits though; the boxer has less lag and, appropriately, a more instant punch. It likes to rev too, so you can hold on to gears longer. It even sounds quite interesting. It’s a diesel with soul.

Subaru forester

So the Forester will whisk an equine load around with ease. It has self-levelling suspension as standard too, an improvement over the old car.

Subaru forester

But improving on the old Forester doesn’t necessarily mean it is good enough. Engine aside, there’s little to compliment. The interior trim is from an Impreza, and feels a bit cheap (you’d be disappointed if you’d forked out £25,495 for the top-spec version).

Subaru forester

And, at speed, the ride is horribly choppy. Taking a series of bumps feels like bouncing off a springboard, only to land on a bouncy castle. You just can’t get this thing to settle down, without killing speed. Seems the engineers did a fine job on the engine, but forgot all about the damping. Which is surprising, considering the suspension is a posh, multi-link affair.

Subaru forester

None of which will matter to Forester buyers. They’ll be more interested in its four-wheel-drive and rugged durability. No pretentions, no fuss, no drama. In fact, the Forester is slightly dull – for once, a lifestyle SUV that doesn’t bang on about being a lifestyle SUV.