Award-winner made to get off-road

The Forester X Sport. Compared to Subaru flat fours of old, this is a major leap forward has a maximum power output hovering around the 136kw mark. PHOTO: SUPPLIED

The passing years have not diminished the appeal of the latest generation of the Forester SUV, the perfect vehicle for active New Zealand lifestyles.

Versatility, practicality, advanced safety technology and its go-anywhere AWD capability, provide owners with the peace of mind and confidence that allows them to explore the outback and beyond.

Good enough to win the 2018 New Zealand Motor Writers Guild car of the year award, it is now almost six years old, but still remains a hugely capable and roomy SUV and with its much admired symmetrical AWD, it is still showing it is a deserved winner of this coveted title.

A genuine game-changer for this model back then was Subaru’s first driver monitoring system (DMS), which brought a whole new level of safety to driving.

It is pure genius. By using facial recognition technology it has the ability to set the preferences of the driver around those small but important things such as the position the wheel for seat position, door mirrors, air-conditioning and some instrument displays.

Within seconds of the driver getting behind the wheel, it recognises them and automatically adjusts to their preferences. The system can register up to five drivers and greets each of them once they are strapped in.

It also comes with a "wandering gaze warning", which recognises when a driver looks away from the road ahead for too long and warns both the driver and passengers through a visual and an audio alert.

Its bag of tricks does not end there. The system can also detect if the driver is getting drowsy.

Again, facial recognition technology fires off an audible warning to the driver in what could be a life-saving call. Drowsiness is detected by calculating the time ratio the driver’s eyes are closed.

Creating this innovative technology was a huge coup for Subaru and a precursor to how AI (artificial intelligence) is making our vehicles safer.

Like all vehicles, the Forester — even its most affordable iteration, the Sport — has risen by in price by $7000 since 2020 to $46,990.

STANDOUT

The next step up the model ladder is the $51,990 X Sport with its distinctive orange exterior and cabin accents, making it the real standout in the Forester range.

Carrying the luxury model mantle with ease is the Premium priced at $56,990. Hybrid options are offered from $52,490, and cost just $1000 extra in the Premium.

For this road test we check out the price-leading Forester X Sport, ahead of its replacement by a larger and more sophisticated model due to arrive in New Zealand in the first half of 2025. This is well after it made its debut in the United States last November.

If a long new-vehicle warranty is important to you, the Forester comes up short with a three-year unlimited warranty, leaving it languishing behind most of its competitors where a five-year warranty is now the norm.

Under the bonnet is a new, but hardly ground-breaking, normally aspirated 136kw 2.5-litre motor that continues to adopt Subaru’s signature horizontally opposed 4-cylinder boxer engine layout. However, the new motor offers only ample, rather an abundance of performance.

Nevertheless, it does not take long behind the wheel to appreciate what a smooth and refined motor it is, especially during open-road driving.

Engine noise is well muzzled, although it sounds thrashy when worked hard at higher revs and is a motor that does not really enjoy the driver bullying it past the 5000rpm mark.

Compared to Subaru flat fours of old, this one is a major leap forward and is used on overseas markets where the next generation model is sold, and has a maximum power output hovering around the 136kw mark. Subarus have earned plenty of accolades over the years for their exceptional, low-speed pulling power and this version is earning plenty more. Its hard work ethic in lower revs is the key to delivering effortless driving over hilly undulating roads, with brisk acceleration from standing starts.

The motor drives through a proven Lineartronic continuously variable transmission, which is one of the best all-round CVTs in the mid-sized SUV class.

Subaru has done a fine job in refining this gearbox for over 15 years, with each new iteration noticeably better than the one it replaced.

Unlike some CVTs, this one is smooth, responsive and does not spiral off into aimless bounds of high revving. In fact, it is so good, that most of the time it performs as well, if not better, than a good conventional automatic.

This Forester is the roomiest, most versatile yet, with impressive cabin comfort and extensive use of quality materials, while those getting in and out of the vehicle appreciate the wide door openings.

A larger and wider cargo area, add to the vehicle’s appeal and load-carrying credentials.

There is plenty of evidence the cabin has been designed and equipped with the driver and passengers in mind. A couple of examples are two rear fast-charging USB ports and a faster-operating, powered rear tail gate — almost twice as quick as the previous model.

There is plenty of in-cabin convenience and entertainment in the form of Apple CarPlay and Google Android Auto connectivity.

The suspension in unison with the symmetrical AWD offers confident and reassuring road holding on a range of different road surfaces, typically encountered in this neck of the motoring woods. With its balance, poise and agility the Forester is hard to ignore, if you are in the market for an excellent all-round mid-sized SUV, which thrives in our confronting driving conditions.

Its only down side is that the ride tends to become a bit fidgety over high-frequency bumps, opening the door for some unwelcome suspension noise.

A class-leading 220mm of ground clearance means you will be going off-road in places that other SUV’s would not even contemplate. This, together with the Forester’s X-Mode system that manipulates the AWD, means you are in a vehicle with genuine cross-country capabilities that open up the possibility of new adventures in out-of-the-way places.