Subaru Forester X 2008 Review

Tree Changer

Frankly, in the prevailing new-model context, the base model Forester X is a stand-out surprise and delight. Surprise because, with most makers focusing on mid-range and top-end variants at new-car launches these days, base-spec editions are rarely sighted, let alone made available for testing. It's sometimes questionable whether they actually exist outside the price lists and specification columns.

Delight comes from finding the base Forester X is not only alive and kicking, but also a ringing endorsement of the glass-is-half-full philosophy. No stripped-out cheapskate, this. Indeed, the $30,490 Forester X is the sort of car that says enough's plenty enough.

Of course any number of soft-roaders offer more creature features in return for extra outlay, not least the from-$33,990 Forester XS if you must have alloy wheels instead of steels, climate control rather than a/c, body-colour mirrors and other such delicacies. Beyond which the from-$38,990 XT derivatives apply when personal fulfilment depends upon turbocharged power and an even larger swag of goodies.

Yet to anyone with an eye for value and an appreciation of core functionality, the X's attractions and sensibilities can't be denied. Among them is resale. The previous Forester was rated by Redbook at 65 percent retained value; the yet unseeded new model can only maintain or further improve this.

That's not to say the newcomer is perfect of course. The radio reception, for instance, is pith-weak outside town. Subaru should listen to other Japanese radios' pulling power, or, better yet, Australians. Inside, the Forester's cowl is intimidatingly high for short people, and the super-size mirrors can easily obscure pedestrians or bicyclists.

Front-seat comfort isn't bad, actually fairly reasonable by previous Subaru standards, but with the cushion raised for over-cowl visibility (without also lifting the wheel), drivers risk knee-to-column contact during entry and egress.

Unlike the main dials' graphic blue backgrounds, and the cowl's bright-white temp/fuel/time read-outs, the dim odo/trip display lacks the contrast to remain easily legible in strong light or through sunnies.

Irksome though such niggles may be, they pale next to the X's numerous assets, which include air-con, power windows and mirrors, wheel-mounted audio switches and cruise control, two-way wheel adjustment, driver's-seat height adjustment, styled steel wheels, full-size spare and remote central locking. The X also provides DataDot anti-theft protection, four handholds and a sunnies pouch overhead, large pockets with bottle holders in each door, curry hooks in the boot, roof rails, centre rear armrest, rear backrest recliner adjustment, retractable cargo cover, vanity mirrors, driver's footrest, no-cost metallic paint and three 12-volt power sockets, among other details. All of which emphatically refutes any implication that X equals material and social deprivation.

Further, the manual version has dual-range transmission and hill-start assistance. It omits the auto's sliding front centre armrest, but shares the elbow-friendly door armrests. User-friendliness is central to the Forester's job description.

In its latest guise, the familiar 2.5-litre single-cam flat-four adopts Subaru's Active Valve Lift system and other tweaks that bring its emissions rating to Euro 4 while nudging maximum power by 5kW and peak torque by 3Nm. It mightn't be the punchiest thing in the ring, but it is elastically tractable through the middling rev range. Seldom sounding or feeling strained, the meaty engine's signature is a mildly but noticeably throbby idle that sets its character apart from conventional in-line peers.

The engine is also distinguished by its electronically induced flywheel effect, wherein the revs die slowly when the accelerator is released. While that ploy benefits exhaust emissions, it doesn't nurture gearshift quality. Hardly the fastest thing from slot to slot, the gearchange has a heavy-duty feel. It's not at all weighty or reluctant, mind, but the movements are noticeably deliberate and you can feel the synchro cones and teeth engaging nicely. Rushing it costs shift crispness and satisfaction.

Befitting the Subaru's above-average all-road and trail aspirations, the manual's dual-range gearbox suits both regular and more demanding driving conditions, as does the full-time AWD system in which the centre/third diff includes a limited-slip viscous coupling.

Although not quite electrifying, the X's performance is amply robust by the class standards. Despite weighing 80kg more than its predecessor, and claiming only very modest power and torque increases, the latest Forester shaves tenths from the previous acceleration times to post 0-100km/h in 9.6 seconds while accounting for the 400m dash in 16.8 seconds.

In most driving the engine's lack of rampant sportiness is repaid with beefy mid-range torque that minimises the need for fevered down-shifts and, indeed, justifies the case against any marketing-led calls for six speeds instead of five.

The Forester's improved fuel consumption is a credit to Subaru's unsung engineering. You wouldn't say the X manual has gone on the wagon (pardon), but the 'combined' consumption has officially fallen from 9.6 to 9.3 litres per 100km. (Other Foresters' gains are even better, proportionally). On test, the X's consumption reached mid nines during brisk driving, fell to low eights in 100-ish cruising, and averaged out to 8.9L/100km for more than 1000km of mixed driving.

Steering feel isn't one of the X's virtues. Sure, the weighting is medium and consistent, and the turning circle reasonably tight, though 3.2 turns is a bit slow. The steering suffers most from lack of communication, and an on-centre wedge of vacancy which sometimes invites a slight nudge of the wheel to maintain straight running.

The brake pedal is noticeably wooden too, without much modulation, but the brakes are amply powerful. Thanks to the improved tyres, brakes and suspension, dry braking distances are claimed to be reduced from 48m to 41m, with wet stops shortened from 52.3m to 43.5m.

The Forester's handling shares AWD Subarus' usual nosey attitude and understeery turn-in when cornering forcefully, with enough body roll to register on your middle ear. However, the X settles securely to feel grippier and quicker than ever on its feet, for which the new multi-link rear suspension must take some credit.

However the biggest 'dynamics' tick belongs to the ride quality. Subaru has done an uncommonly good job of attuning the suspension, springs and dampers to deliver a ride that is commendably quiet, supple and comfortingly absorbent at low speeds and high, on smooth roads and rough, while retaining good body control and faithful handling.

Low noise levels are the icing on the Forester's driving-dynamics' cake. Subaru's attention to noise-vibration-harshness reductions are easy on the ears because, except for extreme driving, mechanical sounds are well suppressed, even on coarse-chip surfaces tyre/road whine is rarely objectionable, and at legal cruising speeds the wind is scarcely more than a background rustle.

A quiet achiever all round, this latest Forester. And, very significantly, advances in roominess, hospitality, refinement and driving skills are no less obvious at X level than farther up the family tree. Consider with confidence.