Audio head... who am I kidding? My base vehicle was equipped with something that resembled the typical stereo found in a 1980s Corolla. No the sound quality wasn't that inferior thanks to its four speakers, but the human-to-stereo interface was. Tiny preset buttons and a barely visible
 |
| The rear seatback is split 60/40. (Photo: Rob Rothwell, Canadian Auto Press) |
LCD screen made the unit more difficult to use when driving than a cell phone. I'm over it now, but really, the Forester isn't a bargain basement econo-box; have a look at the competition Subaru, and you'll get the picture.
Worthy of praise was the comfort of my tester's cloth covered front seats. Although adjustments were of the Arm-strong type (un-powered), it was easy to attain the perfect driving position. To improve rear seat comfort for 2006, Subaru extended the rear seat cushion of the three-person bench by nearly 50 mm (2.0 in) to increase thigh support behind the knees. Unfortunately the Forester is not equipped with rear-cabin air conditioning outlets to solidify Subaru's commitment to rear seat comfort. The rear seatback is split 60/40. Both sides easily flip forward to increase cargo capacity from 906 liters (32.0 cu
 |
| The Forester is powered by a 2.5-litre (153 cu in) horizontally opposed engine, with SOHC heads, 16-valves, and 4-cylinders. (Photo: Rob Rothwell, Canadian Auto Press) |
ft) to 1,815 liters (64.0 cu ft) while producing a wide, unimpeded flat load floor. Adding to the expansive cargo hold is a useful collection of cubbyholes and small-item storage bins.
The nuts and bolts of any road test are... well... the nuts and bolts and how well they all perform together. The Forester is powered by two versions of the same 2.5-litre (153 cu in) horizontally opposed engine, with SOHC heads, 16-valves, and 4-cylinders. In base form this mill spins out 173-horsepower at 5,600 rpm and 166 foot-pounds of torque at 4,400 rpm. Upgrade your Forester order sheet to the top line 2.5XT and an intercooled turbocharger joins the engine, which also gains a couple of additional overhead cams to become a DOHC, 16-valve boxer pumping out 230-horsepower at 5,600 rpm and 235 pound-feet of twist at 3,600 rpm.
