Verdict

The Subaru brand is an interesting one and the Forester is one of its more unusual offerings, a car of many contradictions. It’s neither an off-roader nor an estate car, it has better performance than most hot hatches, it has a high level of specification and a flimsy looking cabin, and it’s cheap to buy and expensive to run. Thus buying one requires a fairly open mind, but if you’re the kind of person that likes to think differently, there are reasons why it would make a lot of sense.

First of all, it’s an extremely practical car, with a generously sized boot and ample cabin space. If you live in a rural area or often have to cover loose ground, it will cope admirably. It’s also extremely competent on ice and snow – there’s a reason why one of the areas where the Forester always sold best in the UK was the Scottish Highlands.

They’re fairly fussy about being properly maintained, but when they are, Foresters are faithful servants, albeit ones with a fondness for fairly heavy fuel and tyre consumption. On the plus side, this keeps prices down compared to other, more conventional crossovers, so if you cover a low-tomoderate mileage there’s a strong argument for buying one.

But the Forester hides its shiniest light under a bushel. Beneath the slightly bland and gawky exterior lies the chassis and running gear of one of the most successful rally cars of all time. It’s a terrific driver’s car and the average bystander wouldn’t even know.