UK Drive: Does hybrid power make the Subaru Forester a class-leader?

What is it?

Subaru has a heritage of building some of the best four-wheel drive rally cars for the road.

With its success in the FIA World Rally Championships, it’s no wonder why some of its homologated specials proved a massive hit with car enthusiasts.

However, the Forester was always seen as the sensible and practical family wagon in the firm’s line-up, having a raised driving position,while featuring the same four-wheel drive system as its performance-oriented siblings.

But, in recent years, the Forester has gone from a compact estate car into a rather anonymous SUV. So, can the latest iteration pull it back from the brink into the overcrowded world of jacked-up family cars? Let’s find out.

What’s new?

The exterior design appears very similar to the model it replaces, however look underneath and you’ll find a new powertrain.

Called the ‘e-Boxer’, it uses one of Subaru’s trademark Boxer petrol engines and combines it with an electric motor to help reduce CO2 emissions and improve fuel economy.

The car also comes with the firm’s latest portrait infotainment system and several driver assistance features to make this Forester the safest model yet.

What’s under the bonnet?

The e-Boxer setup is the only powertrain available, which uses a 2.0-litre naturally-aspirated four-cylinder petrol engine mated to an electric motor.

In terms of power, it produces 134bhp and 182Nm of torque, while 0-60mph takes a rather lengthy 12 seconds and the top speed is 116mph.

Also, despite its hybrid credentials, Subaru claims the car has a combined fuel economy figure of just 34.9mpg and pumps out 183g/km of CO2.

All versions of the Forester come with Subaru’s ‘Symmetrical’ all-wheel drive system, which allows the car to have a lower centre of gravity, while improving traction and body control in slippery conditions.

What’s it like to drive?

Sadly, the Forester’s driving characteristics don’t live up to Subaru’s rally-bred models of yesteryear.

The 2.0-litre Boxer engine is rather sluggish on the open road and the groan from the CVT gearbox is  draining. The steering is lifeless and vague at speed and there is a fair bit of body lean around the corners, too.

However, around town the electric motor cuts in seamlessly, making short journeys a lot quieter and the ride does a good job of being composed on potholed roads.

Visibility is also worth a mention, as the Forester’s large windows makes manoeuvring and pulling out of junctions a lot easier.

Plus, despite Subaru’s claimed fuel economy figure of 34.9mpg, we saw a consistent 38mpg around town, which isn’t too bad.

How does it look?

At first glance, this new model looks almost identical to the car it replaces.

The only changes come at the front end, where there is a rounder radiator grille and slimmer headlights.

The door mirrors are now smaller and there are chunkier lower-body mouldings, to give it a more rugged appeal.

However, its overall design lacks any character, with the Forester looking like any other SUV. Our test car’s ‘Magnetite Grey’ paintwork doesn’t liven the profile up anymore, either.

What’s it like inside?

The Forester’s party trick is with its interior space, as there is lots of it. Thanks to the boxy design, rear-seat occupants will have no issues at all getting comfortable, with acres of head and legroom.

Storage is good too, with there being deep front and rear door bins, four cup holders, a centre armrest storage area, an average-sized glovebox and quadruple-rear seat pockets.

However, the interior design lacks any style, with lots of grey and dark plastics, which feel cheap to the touch, but at least it will be hard-wearing.

The portrait infotainment screen is also difficult to read in bright sunlight, and the climate control functions are buried into the screen itself, which can be a nuisance to operate while on the move.

Boot space is on par with its rivals though, with the low-load lip, wide aperture and 508-litre capacity making it very usable. While the simple one-touch folding mechanism allows the rear seats to fold completely flat, to extend space to 1,679 litres. In comparison, rivals such as the Mazda CX-5 offer 506 litres of room and 1,620 litres with the rear bench folded down.

What’s the spec like?

Subaru offers plenty of standard equipment on the Forester, and there is a choice of three trim levels.

The entry-level ‘Limited’ features 18-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, power-folding door mirrors, rain sensing windscreen wipers and heated front seats.

Mid-level ‘Field’ cars add extras such as a heated steering wheel, rear privacy glass, satellite navigation and 18-inch dark grey alloy wheels.

We’re driving the flagship ‘Touring’, which comes in at a rather hefty £44,100, but does boast 19-inch alloy wheels, a glass sunroof, heated rear seats and black leather with suede inserts on the seats.

Verdict

The Forester is one of those cars that doesn’t stand out from the crowd, but doesn’t fall short of the competition, as well.

It may be bland to drive and it looks won’t set the world alight, but with its practical interior space, impressive load capacity and capable all-wheel drive system, it makes the Forester a sensible, family-friendly SUV.

However, with its high price tag, sluggish performance and so-so economy, we’d find it difficult to recommend it over the competition from Kia and Mazda.