Subaru makes an effort at reforestation
Third-generation model recast as a genuine sport-utility vehicle
More tall wagon than sport-ute, Subaru’s Forester had always drawn the Subie disciples and their newly converted ilk who craved something a little different.
Subaru’s horizontally opposed “boxer” engine architecture certainly qualified. Originally designed for airplanes (Subaru’s parent, Fuji Heavy Industries, is an aerospace company — wait, wouldn’t Fuji Light Industries be more helpful?), it lay low in the engine bay, reducing the car’s centre of gravity and quelling the pistons’ paint-mixer shakes.
Subaru indulges its cadre of loyal buyers, but as the compact SUV/ crossover segment exploded, the little automaker ached for a bigger slice of the action. So it recast the Forester as a genuine sport-ute for 2009. Call it Subaru’s reforestation effort. All new from the soil up, the thirdgeneration Forester earned a stouter unibody, a nine-centimetre-longer wheelbase, a significantly broader track, 23 cms of ground clearance and a new, unequal-length control-arm rear suspension, to yield more cargo room and cornering ability.
Added high-strength steel contributed to a weight gain of about 70 kilograms, but at least it garnered an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) top safety rating for the Forester.
Inside, the cabin benefited appreciably from the greater dimensions — the formerly cramped back bench grew to best in class — while retaining the expansive headroom and the seats’ “h-point,” set at an optimal height to allow easy ingress and egress (seniors take note). However, owners saw an odd discrepancy in the front seating arrangement.
“The passenger seat is mounted so low, with no height adjustment,” carped one owner online. Conversely, the driver’s seat does rise and fall on demand. From that perch, owners lauded the excellent sight lines all around.
The updated dash was simple and rendered quite handsome, with three large rotary HVAC controls and a radio that was mounted high in the driver’s line of sight.
Making a return engagement was the familiar 2.5-L SOHC four-cylinder boxer engine, albeit tweaked for 2009 with revised camshaft timing and new intake and exhaust systems.
The base engine churned out 170 horsepower and 170 pound-feet of torque. The be-scooped XT model added a turbocharger and intercooler, generating 224 hp and 226 lb-ft of grunt from the same displacement.
Being a Subaru, all-wheel drive with a viscous limited-slip centre differ- ential was standard. Unlike many crossovers that drive their front wheels and dispatch torque to the rear only when slip is detected, Subarus drive all four wheels all the time.
A five-speed manual transmission was standard, while the four-speed automatic (a Smithsonian relic) was optional with the base engine and mandatory with the turbo motor.
While its outward appearance didn’t change, the 2011 Forester earned a significant mechanical update; specifically, a fresh engine. The new 2.5-L boxer gained 41 cc of displacement and dual camshafts in place of the SOHC.
It still made 170 hp, but torque increased marginally to 174 lb-ft. The advantage? Slightly improved fuel efficiency. The turbocharged Forester 2.5XT remained unaltered.
For 2012, Subaru finally addressed the inequities of the front seats by making a height-adjustable passenger seat standard. Amen. Driving and owning the Forester Run-of-the-mill Foresters could sprint to highway speed in 9.7 seconds, which seemed a little leisurely, even among compact crossovers.
On the other hand, the turbocharged XT could chirp its rubber on the way to 97 kilometres per hour in a fleet 6.7 seconds.
Owners adore the car’s agility and composure on various road surfaces and value the sense of invincibility that comes with piloting a Subaru through adverse weather. What they disliked was the car’s propensity to rattle and chatter on rough pavement.
In terms of fuel usage, the Forester performs well for an all-wheel-drive wagon, but relatively poorly for a four-cylinder car. Expect no better than 11.7 L/100 km (24 mpg) around town. The turbo XT demands premium fuel.
Subarus have long been reputed to be reliable, but a spate of head gasket failures in the previous generation Forester (and other models) challenged that reputation.
Now there’s a new scourge that’s taken some shine off the brand: severe oil consumption.
“Have had excessive oil consumption from day one.
“Car would consume 3-4.5 litres on a thousand-mile trip, over and over again. Subaru put a new short block in it,” reported one disgruntled owner of a 2011 model.
Reportedly, 2011-13 Foresters are part of a class-action lawsuit for this issue.
Other mechanical headaches include: turbo failure, worn-out transmissions, short-lived wheel bearings and catalytic converters, collapsed driver’s seats, malfunctioning air conditioners and frequent brake service. Tell us about your ownership experience with these models: BMW 3 Series and Lincoln MKX. Email: toljagic@ca.inter.net.