NEW SUBARU FORESTER PREVIEWED
THE SUBARU Forester has long been a hit amongst South African motorists thanks to its solid engineering, no frills approach to family travel and a variety of model choices. Over the years, the Forester has been sold with crawler gears, in high performance XT and S-Drive derivatives, and it even retailed with a unique boxer turbodiesel engine for a little while.
The latest Forester launches in SA in less than a month’s time, and we’ll be driving it to bring you a full report on what it’s like on the road, and off it.
For now though, Subaru SA has us given a brief look at the 2019 model range, which at first glance seems to be missing a particular model of interest, but more on that later.
According to the Japanese car maker, the all-new fifth generation Forester offers the most space, off-road capability, advanced safety and comfort features in its 22-year history.
At the upper end of the new range, Forester models will come standard with Subaru’s award-winning EyeSight Driver Assist Technology. Named an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) Top Safety Pick for twelve years running (2007-2018) and achieving the highest possible rating of ‘Superior’ for front crash prevention from IIHS when equipped with EyeSight, the 2019 Forester builds upon its long history of award-winning safety with a stiffer and stronger chassis and adds Subaru’s EyeSight Driver Assist Technology and LED low and high beam headlights, making this the safest Forester to date.
The 2019 Forester is designed around the Subaru Global Platform (SGP) and it is said to deliver major improvements in safety, ride, handling and occupant comfort. All Forester trim levels come standard with seven airbags including Subaru Advanced Frontal Airbags, front seat side airbags, side curtain airbags and driver’s knee airbag.
Every new Forester, naturally, comes standard with Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive and Active Torque Vectoring and is powered by a new version of the 2.0-litre SUBARU BOXER engine. This new engine boasts 80% redesigned parts and now features direct injection for enhanced responsiveness. Also, all models will be paired with a Lineartronic CVT (continuously variable transmission). The engine delivers 115kW of power and 196Nm of torque, which is on par with its key competitors like the Nissan X-Trail.
To ensure it can tackle the rough stuff with ease, you’ll get Subaru Intelligent Drive (SIDRIVE) as standard too. SI-DRIVE is a powertrain performance management system that allows the driver to tailor the vehicle’s throttle characteristics by choosing between Intelligent and Sport modes. Intelligent mode helps smooth out accelerator inputs for fuel saving, while Sport mode tunes the throttle response to emphasise performance.
Added to this, the 2019 Subaru Forester will be the first model in the local Subaru line-up to receive a new two-mode X-Mode system. X-Mode is a programme that automatically adjusts the throttle power in off-road driving, leaving the driver to handle only the steering in difficult driving conditions. The new X-Mode offers modes for driving in snow and deep mud and for driving in sand and snow, and it comes standard on the range-topping model.
The other Forester models in the range have the standard X-Mode single mode function. Both versions feature Subaru’s Hill descent control system, though.
The 2019 Subaru Forester launches nationally at the beginning of December 2018 and grades and pricing will be announced closer to the time.
If you’re itching to see what the new XT model looks like, you’ll be disappointed to learn that the turbocharged petrol Forester will no longer exist. Subaru’s focus with the Forester is shifting more toward safety and comfort, so there’s no ‘hot’ model any longer. Watch this space for prices and the full model line-up.