The Subaru Forester: practical, dependable, and often boringly good at what it does. And now there’s an all-new sixth gen, featuring a fresh exterior, lightly swept interior, and likely still enough off-road talent to match most mountain goats.
That’ll be thanks to the naturally aspirated, mild-hybrid boxer four-cylinder and Lineatronic transmission. No specific outputs are given, but we reckon it’ll continue to bobble close to its former engine’s 148hp and 194Nm. Not hugely impressive, but this is a Subaru at the end of the day. That means the Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive system should add at least an invisible 50hp on sketchier roads.
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And said invisible powers will be further supported by the various off-road systems, which include improved versions of the ‘X’ driving mode and hill-descent control. With a maximum ground clearance of 220mm and tow load of 1,870kg—both commendable figures in its class—your average mountain goat would almost certainly struggle in a sprint race against this thing.
Aesthetically, the new Forster gains a boxier front with a thin light bar now connecting both lamps, a glossy new grille with extra components, and remodeled foglights. It’s a similar approach at the other end, where another light bar sits beneath a small, squarish wing. The rest of the exterior still looks typically Subaru, though: chunky tires, lots of rugged underbody cladding, and creases right across the side profile. Very dramatic.
There’s also mention of a small upgrade to the safety suite, which now includes an improved emergency stop system that’ll be more reactive to dangerous situations.
NOTE: This article first appeared on TopGear.com. Minor edits have been made.
