Subaru hasn’t messed up with the recipe of the Forester meaning that it may only attract its loyal customer base.
The Subaru XV and Forester have always been unique in the mass-market SUV scene for they share the same platform, drivetrain, five-seat interior and price range.
What really separates the two compact SUVs from Japan’s diminutive carmaker is the exterior design.
Punters needing outright practicality at the expense of a boxy design should find the Forester sufficing.
And vice-versa for the XV which is more about a racier look eating away into some boot space.
In fact, several premium brands have been doing this for quite some time already. BMW, for one, has twinned development for three pairs of SUVs: X1/X2, X3/X4 and X5/X6. However, the sportier ones bearing even-numbered badges are pricier.
Subaru, on the other hand, probably finds it more reasonable to charge buyers less for less. The XV has a Thai MSRP range of 970,000 to 1.015 million baht and the Forester 1.03-1.13 million baht.
So what can be said for the all-new Forester as driven here for the first time? Make it like this. The XV has morphed into today’s generation with a newly-developed modular floorplan albeit extra-small changes in the engine and design departments. That’s exactly the same formula for the latest Forester.
Design-wise, it’s very difficult to tell the new Forester from old. You really need to line up the two generations together to spot the differences. Perhaps the most notable one, just like in the XV’s design evolution, is the appearance of the rear lights.
Go ahead and decide whether the Forester’s maintained boxy profile is to your liking or not, but the large windows and upright pillars certainly pay dividends in two key areas.
First is the commanding view from the driver’s seat. Apart from a well-designed chair and tidy surroundings, it feels relaxing when taking control of Forester. Those who are used to over-the-shoulder parking would hardly need the rear camera.
Rear occupants are also treated with comfy seats and an airy feel. Of course, there are many other five-seat SUVs that have good passenger room, but it can truly be felt in the Forester without having to delve into numerical values on paper.
The second aspect is overall practicality. All doors have wide opening apertures to make entry and exit easy. And the space the Forester’s boot has to offer is sumptuous, with the rear seats easily folding down to create a flat cargo bay.
OK, the Honda CR-V and Nissan X-Trail may have seven-seat options. But if we’re talking strictly about a five-seat SUV capable of taking a family with their belongings, the Forester delivers effectively here.
Like the exterior, the cabin’s design has mildly evolved. Some higher grade materials have made their way into the Forester, although some tacky plastics are still around.
The infotainment screen is new and welcome, but the graphics look old-fashioned and don’t match the more stylish and modern fonts used elsewhere on the instrument panel. Which is to say that the Forester’s interior is about simplicity of use.
Like in the XV, the 2.0-litre flat-four petrol engine has received only mild tweaks raising power to a modest 156hp when compared with similarly sized motors of rivals. The CVT (with manual shift) and all-wheel drive system in the Forester feature as usual. And if it’d really matter to you, there are some drive modes for off-roading.
On the sealed tarmac, where most buyers in this part of the world are likely to drive mostly, the performance the Forester has to offer is still on the lacklustre side. There’s no turbo, so it’s quite breathless at low revs. But once the Boxer unit gets into its powerband, oomph isn’t that bad on the highway, if nowhere brilliant.
Aside from four driven wheels, the need to prod more on the throttle means fair economy ratings. Subaru already has a downsized, turbocharged 1.6-litre engine in the Levorg, but that has yet to see the light of the day in both the Forester and XV globally; the same goes for hybrid already available in Japan and the US.
In the Forester, the chassis appears to be more likeable than the engine. Despite a similar footprint as the preceding model, the Forester is now more comfortable thanks to softly sprung suspension.
But while this has apparently helped for better bump absorption, there’s too much body movement over patchy road surface. Intriguingly, the ride improves as speeds build up. As well, it feels more quiet than ever (thanks to a refined Boxer engine, too) under cruising. Like in the XV, the new platform has paid off here.
While many people may tend to think of Subaru as sporty to drive, the Forester is more about driving comfort and confidence. The all-wheel drive setup helps for enhanced grip and only starts to understeer if you push it hard in corners. The steering, meanwhile, is more about ease than incisiveness.
As driving aids are slowly making their way into comparable SUVs made in this region, Subaru is offering the so-called EyeSight package for an additional 70k; our test car doesn’t feature it but has the same 2.0i-S trim going for 1.35 million baht (the 1.06 million baht list price doesn’t include rear parking sensors, 5-year/100,000km warranty and 3-year roadside assistance).
Nevertheless, the Forester is decently equipped for the money by featuring all the necessary convenience and passive safety items. This helps reinforces the idea of a compact SUV focusing on the needs of a family: space, comfort and refinement.
It’s just a pity that the improvements are too subtle to make the Forester stand out in a class of competent players. Current Subaru owners may feel content with the new Forester, but it’ll probably won’t pop up into the heads of those new to the brand.
