2.5 litres of Boxer punch, with a manual!
Standard on most Forester models is a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine with 170 horsepower. The ‘flat’ or ‘boxer’ style engine, a Subaru staple, sits low and wide in the engine bay. Among other things, this actually lowers Forester’s centre of gravity for improved handling.
There’s a four-speed automatic available, but you don’t need it. The standard five-speed manual transmission is a delightful rarity for driving enthusiasts in an AWD crossover, and the Forester’s stick setup offers a light clutch, a smooth shifter and refined operation. It’s gentle, forgiving and easy to shift smoothly. You’ll save $1,100 rowing the gears yourself, too. Most compact crossovers don’t offer a manual gearbox with their AWD system, so Forester represents one of just a few options left for stick-shift nuts in this segment. God bless you, Subaru.
Variable valve timing for fun and profit
On your writer’s 2,000-kilometre test drive, variable valve timing helped keep gas mileage well within respectable levels while delivering pleasing on-demand performance. I was impressed with a combined observed fuel consumption figure of just over 10 L/100 km. Driven gently, Forester is relatively quiet and laid back. Opened up, there’s pleasing low- and mid-range torque for passing and merging. The engine is no neck snapper—but it is efficient, eager, and doesn’t mind working.
Do you like traction?
With one of the best AWD systems on the market as standard, Forester offers traction galore with no slippage or squirming in the process. All four wheels are always powered, meaning things feel locked down, stable and dug in on virtually any surface. No driver inputs are required to make the system operate, and whether taking in a sunny highway cruise, a late-winter snowstorm or a muddy cottage trail, drivers can expect confident traction and minimal fuss.
Standard on most Forester models is a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine with 170 horsepower. The ‘flat’ or ‘boxer’ style engine, a Subaru staple, sits low and wide in the engine bay. Among other things, this actually lowers Forester’s centre of gravity for improved handling.
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| Standard on most Forester models is a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine with 170 horsepower. (Photo: Justin Pritchard/Auto123.com) |
There’s a four-speed automatic available, but you don’t need it. The standard five-speed manual transmission is a delightful rarity for driving enthusiasts in an AWD crossover, and the Forester’s stick setup offers a light clutch, a smooth shifter and refined operation. It’s gentle, forgiving and easy to shift smoothly. You’ll save $1,100 rowing the gears yourself, too. Most compact crossovers don’t offer a manual gearbox with their AWD system, so Forester represents one of just a few options left for stick-shift nuts in this segment. God bless you, Subaru.
Variable valve timing for fun and profit
On your writer’s 2,000-kilometre test drive, variable valve timing helped keep gas mileage well within respectable levels while delivering pleasing on-demand performance. I was impressed with a combined observed fuel consumption figure of just over 10 L/100 km. Driven gently, Forester is relatively quiet and laid back. Opened up, there’s pleasing low- and mid-range torque for passing and merging. The engine is no neck snapper—but it is efficient, eager, and doesn’t mind working.
Do you like traction?
With one of the best AWD systems on the market as standard, Forester offers traction galore with no slippage or squirming in the process. All four wheels are always powered, meaning things feel locked down, stable and dug in on virtually any surface. No driver inputs are required to make the system operate, and whether taking in a sunny highway cruise, a late-winter snowstorm or a muddy cottage trail, drivers can expect confident traction and minimal fuss.
 |
| With one of the best AWD systems on the market as standard, Forester offers traction galore with no slippage or squirming in the process. (Photo: Justin Pritchard/Auto123.com) |