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Thursday, June 23, 2011
Much of Subaru's success has stemmed from its skill at meeting the needs of very specific -- and very dedicated -- groups of car buyers. Models like the Outback have traditionally been aimed at people wanting something civilized enough for mundane urban travel, yet rugged enough for snow and light off-roading, while sport sedans like the WRX were intended for driving enthusiasts. More recently, though, the brand has been making an effort to offer vehicles that attract a broader, more mainstream audience. The 2011 Subaru Forester is a perfect example.
The typical crossover buyer will find his needs nicely met by the latest Forester, which was last redesigned three years ago. There's enough room in its attractive-looking cabin to carry passengers in comfort; the rear seat is especially spacious and plush. The cargo capacity is among the largest in the segment. And finally, this crossover also delivers a smooth, comfortable ride.
But the Forester hasn't forsaken the great outdoors. With a class-leading 8.7 inches of ground clearance and standard all-wheel drive, this crossover is a natural fit for poor weather or light-duty off-road trails. The Forester is also one of the few small crossovers to offer a turbocharged engine, which could hold particular appeal for people who often drive at high altitudes.
Even so, shoppers on the hunt for a compact or midsize crossover get to choose from a wealth of very strong contenders. With sportier handling than the Forester, the Hyundai Tucson and Mazda CX-7 are likely better picks for people who really like to drive, while the Toyota RAV4 offers a gutsy engine (the optional V6) and available third-row seating. Other top choices include the impressive Chevrolet Equinox and refined Honda CR-V. Still, with its wide range of talents, the Forester certainly deserves a place on your consideration list.
Interior quality has never been Subaru's strength, and the Forester needs work. Cabin materials improve on the Escape's industrial plastics, but other competitors — particularly the Chevy Equinox, Journey and Honda CR-V — have handsomer finishes and more appealing controls. The Forester's feel a generation old: a crummy headliner, undersized stereo knobs and a flimsy keyfob.
Our test car's leather seats were supportive during twisty roads and highway cruising alike, but the driver's seat needs a longer adjustment range. At 5-foot-11, I could have used another inch or two of rearward travel. Legroom and headroom in the backseat is good, but the seat could sit a bit higher off the floor — an issue that dogs many small crossovers. There's also a footwell-robbing center floor hump in back, something many other crossovers avoid.
The Subaru Forester comes with plenty of standard features. However, some reviewers complain that it doesn't offer as many high-tech gadgets as competitors – and the ones that it does offer, such as a navigation system, don’t measure up.
The base Forester comes standard with a single-disc CD player, auxiliary audio input jack, air conditioning, cruise control, a manual height-adjustable driver’s seat with lumbar support, a tilt-adjustable steering column, rear seat heater ducts, and a rear window wiper/washer.
To get the optional navigation system and premium stereo system, you’ll have to upgrade to the next trim, the 2.5X Limited. For 2011, the navigation system is a new unit, which may help erase reviewer’s complaints about the old system. Bluetooth is newly standard for all trims but the base 2011 model. Also, the new-for-2011 2.5X touring trim has upscale features like dual-zone climate control and a rearview camera.
Subaru's full-time all-wheel drive powers all four wheels all the time, helping the crossover claw its way through muck that stops part-time all-wheel-drive systems cold. It's only after driving other crossovers through heavy snow near our Chicago offices — or, more accurately, going nowhere at all in a few of them — that I fully appreciate the Forester's resilience. An impressive 8.7 inches of ground clearance (8.9 inches with the turbo) really helps when you're trying to get through the deep stuff.
Appreciated all year-round are the Forester's sight lines, which are free of the descending rooflines, tiny rear-quarter windows and massive roof pillars seen elsewhere. The Forester easily won a blind-spot evaluation among small crossovers two years ago, and I'm confident it would still win against today's competition.
The rectangular cargo area offers a modest 30.8 cubic feet behind the backseat and 63.0 cubic feet when that seat is folded down. Both figures are at the low end of the segment. Without the Forester's headroom-robbing panoramic moonroof, the base 2.5X has a more competitive 33.5 and 68.3 cubic feet, respectively.
Every Subaru comes with standard all-wheel drive, and the Forester is no different. The 2.5X models are powered by a 2.5-liter horizontally opposed (flat) four-cylinder engine that makes 170 horsepower and 174 pound-feet of torque. The XT trims feature a turbocharged variant that produces 224 hp and 226 lb-ft of torque. A five-speed manual transmission is standard on the 2.5X and 2.5X Premium, with a four-speed automatic offered as an option. The automatic is the only transmission available on the 2.5X Limited, 2.5XT Premium, 2.5X Touring and 2.5XT Touring.
With both the manual and automatic transmissions, 2.5X models earn EPA ratings of 21 mpg city/27 mpg highway and 23 mpg combined, or exactly what you'd get from the similarly powered AWD Honda CR-V. 2.5X models sold in states with more stringent emissions standards earn a squeaky-clean PZEV rating. With the XT's turbocharged engine, fuel economy dips to 19 mpg city/24 mpg highway and 21 mpg combined.
The federal government hasn't tested the 2011 Subaru Forester, but gave the 2010 model top five-star scores for driver and passenger protection in frontal crash tests as well as front- and rear-seat occupant protection in side crash tests. They also give it a four-star rollover score, which means the Forester has just a 17 percent risk of rollover in a single vehicle crash.
The insurance industry gives the Forester top scores of "Good" in frontal, side impact and rear crash tests. It even earned a score of "Good" in roof strength tests and was named a 2011 "Top Safety Pick."
The Forester comes standard with four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes with Electronic Brake-force Distribution, Brake Assist, Vehicle Dynamics Control, Traction Control System, driver’s and front passenger’s airbags, side-curtain airbags for front and rear outboard occupants, and front seat-mounted side-impact airbags. A rearview camera isn’t offered, but one may not be needed -- test drivers say visibility is excellent. reference:usnews.rankingsandreviews.com,www.edmunds.com,www.cars.com
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