The comeback begins
Subaru’s new hybrid Forester e-Boxer is a welcome return to form for a marque which was in danger of losing its way, says Neil Lyndon It still looks like the back end of a Sherman tank, but the interior is far more pleasing
We have been yearning for a terrific new Subaru Forester for about the same time as we’ve been longing for Scotland to produce a competent football team. The new Forester e-Boxer may not be the complete consummation of those distant dreams, but at least it lifts us out of the slough of despond into which we have been sunk for years. There was a time when a Subaru Forester could make a heart sing in something like the manner of a Scotland team containing Denis Law, Billy Bremner and Archie Gemmill. As one of the first cars that genuinely deserved the sobriquet Sports Utility Vehicle, the original Forester of the late 1990s was a delightful surprise in every dimension.
Designed after the style of a potting shed, it had startling abilities on and off-road, and could carry half a football team or a mattress to the municipal cowp. The Turbo version, which arrived in the early 2000s, was a staggering piece of kit. On top of all the practical attributes of the standard model, it had performance and driving dynamics that could give an Aston Martin a run for its money.
At the same time, the Forester – like most Subarus at that time – was relatively cheap, superbly engineered and built to last. The flat, square ‘boxer’ engines fitted to many Subarus gave them terrific balance and stonking powers – as witness all those rally world championships racked up by the late Colin McRae at the wheel of a Subaru.
From those glittering heights followed one of the most depressing declines in the automotive world. After the mid-2000s, Subaru began to concentrate exclusively on the American market, cranking out a succession of models aimed to satisfy people who see nothing to object to in restaurants called Fatburger.
But the tide seems to have turned. The latest Outback estate and the XV SUV have been worthwhile products; and now the new hybrid electric Forester confirms that Subaru is again finding a feel for customers with a European edge of taste.
It still looks like the back end of a Sherman tank, especially because its height and girth have been enlarged. But the interior is far more pleasing, with classy touches such as a lacquered finish to the surface of the infotainment control panel and textured panels to make a break from the wall-to-wall black plastic that is the usual form of decor in Japanese cars.
Nifty, self-assured touches abound. A fingertip control in the luggage area sends the backs of the rear seats tumbling to lie flat. If you’re performing a threepoint turn, an image on the uppermost screen on the dashboard shows where you were when you stopped reversing. The seats are big and firm and there’s plenty of room for feet and legs between the front and back.
Far from being a full-out electric car, this Forester employs a ‘mild’ hybrid system by which a two-litre petrol engine is supplemented with an electric motor running off a lithium ion battery pack. This set-up doesn’t improve performance appreciably, with 0-62mph still taking almost 12 seconds and average fuel consumption only 38.5mpg. In combination with Subaru’s CVT transmission system, however, this Forester will pull 1,800kg of unbraked trailer, while its off-road capability is potent enough for a hill farmer to rescue a lost sheep in the snows of winter. It’s not exactly fun to drive on the road but if you had never driven an original Forester Turbo you might think it was quite handy.
At £39,335 – the price of our Premium XE test car – this Forester is about twice the price of the original. It struggles to live up to its earliest predecessor, but is a marked improvement on recent offerings from Subaru.