It's atrocious. There, I said it. And, I feel a little better because I witnessed the unveiling of the next Impreza in Los Angeles last fall so I'm very optimistic. Today's Impreza’s and Forester’s days are numbered.
What's more, the cabin is simply no better. It is hideous. Seriously. Call me mean but I call'em the way I see'em. I've not been able to deal with the Impreza's dash from day one. The Forester’s is identical with a few extra inches of plastic at the bottom as a riser. Fact is, though, that the whole enchilada works; it’s functional and ergonomically laid out. Don't expect fancy switchgear as many of the controls are cheapo spring-loaded buttons. And good luck finding the heated-seat toggles...
Speaking of butts, the front and rear perches are quite comfy and soft. Support is in short supply in every direction but few will really notice. What will be observed is the amount of room supplied to each passenger. With four adults on board, everyone will find space for their appendages as well as a large trunk, one of the largest in the category. Comfort-wise, the Forester is nye-on impossible to falter.
This theme continues on where driving the go-anywhere vehicle is concerned. The Forester is blessed with a supple suspension, which is ideal for country roads and bad city streets. Its setup is well thought out as none of its compliance hampers its highway worthiness.
The only instances where it will be noticed are while negotiating a winding on-ramp, for example. The Forester has a tendency to lean into a corner which is rather rare these days. The Subaru's behaviour is far from alarming, in fact, I found it refreshing. One of my personal favourite compact CUVs, the Kia Sportage, suffers from the exact opposite symptoms. This could be a key element in one’s selection. I would strongly recommend test-driving both to experience the difference.
Another Subaru trait is vague steering, more precisely, when on-centre. When travelling at any speed, initial rack and pinion response is delayed, which can harm driving enjoyment.
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| Inside, the dashboard is functional and ergonomically laid out. (Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com) |
What's more, the cabin is simply no better. It is hideous. Seriously. Call me mean but I call'em the way I see'em. I've not been able to deal with the Impreza's dash from day one. The Forester’s is identical with a few extra inches of plastic at the bottom as a riser. Fact is, though, that the whole enchilada works; it’s functional and ergonomically laid out. Don't expect fancy switchgear as many of the controls are cheapo spring-loaded buttons. And good luck finding the heated-seat toggles...
Speaking of butts, the front and rear perches are quite comfy and soft. Support is in short supply in every direction but few will really notice. What will be observed is the amount of room supplied to each passenger. With four adults on board, everyone will find space for their appendages as well as a large trunk, one of the largest in the category. Comfort-wise, the Forester is nye-on impossible to falter.
This theme continues on where driving the go-anywhere vehicle is concerned. The Forester is blessed with a supple suspension, which is ideal for country roads and bad city streets. Its setup is well thought out as none of its compliance hampers its highway worthiness.
The only instances where it will be noticed are while negotiating a winding on-ramp, for example. The Forester has a tendency to lean into a corner which is rather rare these days. The Subaru's behaviour is far from alarming, in fact, I found it refreshing. One of my personal favourite compact CUVs, the Kia Sportage, suffers from the exact opposite symptoms. This could be a key element in one’s selection. I would strongly recommend test-driving both to experience the difference.
Another Subaru trait is vague steering, more precisely, when on-centre. When travelling at any speed, initial rack and pinion response is delayed, which can harm driving enjoyment.
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| The Forester is blessed with a supple suspension, which is ideal for country roads and bad city streets. (Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com) |