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Vehicle Tests > Driven - Axe In A Velvet Glove
Driven - Axe In A Velvet Glove
Issue: October 2008
Words by Mathieu Raudonikis
The Forester's axe may have been blunted, but it now gets the job done with more sophistication.
The nearly all-new MY09 Subaru Forester arrived earlier this year bringing increased space and new levels of refinement to the popular compact all roader. The problem is that extra space and a tighter, quieter body means increased weight and in the case of the base model Forester X that equates to around 80kg.
To motivate the extra bulk in the way we've come to expect the Forester to move would require more power and the Forester carries over the same 2.5L boxer engine with just a 5kw/3Nm increase in output for the naturally aspirated mill and the unchanged peak numbers for the turbo. Not enough to give the new Forester the oomph we'd like and although we were impressed with the ride and refinement we were less than excited by the performance when we tested the X in our July 2008 edition.
So we were keen to sample the turbocharged XT version of the Forester, but this was delayed a few months when Fuji Heavy Industries had engine troubles with a few of the very early production versions and sales of the XT were delayed in Australia.
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With the problem resolved in Japan we eventually got behind the wheel of a Forester XT manual with Premium pack, which retails here for $44,990.
The XT's turbocharged and intercooled 2.5-litre flat four produces 169kW and 320Nm. The only real difference for '09 is improved drivability with the peak torque figure coming in 800rpm lower at 2800 revs. Like the naturally aspirated Foresters, the same amount of poke in a heavier new car, the MY09 Forester XT isn't the pocket rocket it used to be.
The Forester XT still feels like a high performance SUV but you'd call it swift rather than quick. In the compact SUV ranks it is out paced by the 200kW V6 RAV4, which has much more zip. The key to the turbo Subie is it's tractability allowing it to be driven as smoothly or as hard as you like. It's just as happy doing either.
The subdued performance feeling is multiplied by the new found refinement, which hides the performance as the '09 Forester is such a quieter car than the old model. Gone is the traditional boxer burble and the transmission on road noise from rough surfaces has also been improved over the last model. The Forester's cabin is a much quieter and more comfortable place to be than it's ever been before. Fuel economy too is better in the '09, with the XT manual dropping from 11.4L/100km in the previous model, down to 10.5L/100km in the new.
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Words by Mathieu Raudonikis
The Forester's axe may have been blunted, but it now gets the job done with more sophistication.
The nearly all-new MY09 Subaru Forester arrived earlier this year bringing increased space and new levels of refinement to the popular compact all roader. The problem is that extra space and a tighter, quieter body means increased weight and in the case of the base model Forester X that equates to around 80kg.
To motivate the extra bulk in the way we've come to expect the Forester to move would require more power and the Forester carries over the same 2.5L boxer engine with just a 5kw/3Nm increase in output for the naturally aspirated mill and the unchanged peak numbers for the turbo. Not enough to give the new Forester the oomph we'd like and although we were impressed with the ride and refinement we were less than excited by the performance when we tested the X in our July 2008 edition.
So we were keen to sample the turbocharged XT version of the Forester, but this was delayed a few months when Fuji Heavy Industries had engine troubles with a few of the very early production versions and sales of the XT were delayed in Australia.
read on below advertisement
With the problem resolved in Japan we eventually got behind the wheel of a Forester XT manual with Premium pack, which retails here for $44,990.
The XT's turbocharged and intercooled 2.5-litre flat four produces 169kW and 320Nm. The only real difference for '09 is improved drivability with the peak torque figure coming in 800rpm lower at 2800 revs. Like the naturally aspirated Foresters, the same amount of poke in a heavier new car, the MY09 Forester XT isn't the pocket rocket it used to be.
The Forester XT still feels like a high performance SUV but you'd call it swift rather than quick. In the compact SUV ranks it is out paced by the 200kW V6 RAV4, which has much more zip. The key to the turbo Subie is it's tractability allowing it to be driven as smoothly or as hard as you like. It's just as happy doing either.
The subdued performance feeling is multiplied by the new found refinement, which hides the performance as the '09 Forester is such a quieter car than the old model. Gone is the traditional boxer burble and the transmission on road noise from rough surfaces has also been improved over the last model. The Forester's cabin is a much quieter and more comfortable place to be than it's ever been before. Fuel economy too is better in the '09, with the XT manual dropping from 11.4L/100km in the previous model, down to 10.5L/100km in the new.
next page »
