2.0 Automatic

Exceptional handling and driving quality from an SUV

Owners complain about fuel consumption, but that's a given from a car this size with petrol power. Everything else is exceptionally good. Reliability has been 100 per cent over 50,000 miles. Comfort , handling, ride and roadholding are remarkable, and leave other SUVs like Honda and Land Rover in a primitive territory. Unfortunately, the Forester, which was the first SUV (back in 1996) is generally regarded (by motoring writers as well as joe public) as a large estate car, as it defied classification originally. Now, Subaru, envious of others, have enlarged the vehicle to match the general specification, which has deprived it of its frameless doors (the new ones are lighter, because larger, and so have to be reinforced) and a lot of the character is gone from the current model (as well as the dual-ratio box) , although the diesel engine availability is an advance.

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