2010 Subaru Forester Review

2010 Subaru Forester - Go anywhere.

By: John Stein

Subaru has always equated to one thing in my book - all-wheel drive and an off-road acumen that delivers the message: Go anywhere you like. The new 2010 Subaru Forester will definitely not disappoint anyone looking to take a fun detour off the pavement.

My recent tester, the 2010 Subaru Forester 2.5XT Limited, was an extraordinarily practical family mover with competent road manners and better-than-average off-road capability.

While it had some shortcomings on the inside, they did not take away from the overall feeling this was a durable wagon that had few limits.

Truth is, Forester sits somewhere in-between a raised wagon crossover and a smaller SUV. Here it finds great accommodation for utility and room for the family. My tester started out at $28,495, and with a $695 delivery and destination charge it landed at $29,190. Sure, any specialty vehicle in this class that can actually be "special" (and this Subaru can lay claim to being special) and cost less than $30,000 must be looked at long and hard by anyone seeking value.

So what makes this Subaru so special?

Well, let's start and end with the all-wheel drive system. This manner of drive has been Subaru's calling card for decades and it quite likely is the best system out there - not to mention the best priced on the market.

On the outside, eyes are naturally drawn to the huge air scoop in the center of the Forester's hood. This is a real advantage for Forester because it really is not a fast and aggressive driving vehicle on the road. But that hood scoop gave it a lot of street cred and it was the one thing everyone commented on while I had it.

Adding to the exterior attitude were 17-inch aluminum alloy rims, functional roof rails and a rear roof spoiler. I think the thick black roof rails gave it that active, take-me-off-road calling card. This is not the vehicle on which you expect to see an eight-point buck tethered to the top rails (or on the hood), but it does look like it could get you to the blind or that perfect back woods pond. The spoiler and scoop offered up far more street speed looks than trailblazer. So it's a great balance.

Inside the Forester suffers from some hard plastic surfaces and a rather noisy cabin.

Again, take the price tag and AWD system into account and it is easier to accept this.

Driver and passenger have ample leg and headroom while rear seat passengers should be comfortable. There is room for three adults in the Forester and utility room behind the second row is ample. The higher roof adds to the open feeling inside the cabin and the huge panoramic moonroof, standard on the Limited trim, certainly adds to this roomy perception in the cabin.

Seating was a little too firm for my liking, but it is comfortable and feels quite durable. My tester featured the all-weather package with heated front seats, an essential for the Chicago winters. Sightlines are excellent (the higher seating position is appreciated) and the dash layout, gauges and dials are all in easy sight and reach. A six-disc changer with satellite radio was standard for the Limited and the sound quality was slightly better than average.

The 2.5-liter DOHC intercooled turbo engine, which offers 224 horsepower at 5,200 rpm, is mated to a four-speed automatic transmission that labors sometimes to make the right shift. While I found acceleration and ample jump available when I needed it, the overall performance would be better off as a five- or six-speed gearbox.

Fuel economy average is a respectable 22 mpg; Environmental Protection Agency estimates are 19 mpg city and 24 mpg highway.

When the family leaves the pavement for the path, the new Forester 2.5XT Limited accommodates with a flexible suspension that easily smoothes out big bumps and holes. On each off-road excursion, the all-wheel-drive system was seamless in its transition to the road conditions.

Overall, the Forester is about moving the family while delivering less trucklike handling and more off-road capability.

The boxter engine lays low and helps keep the center of gravity low in a relatively tall vehicle. I like the function and I really love the new look for the 2010 Forester Limited.

2010 SUBARU FORESTER 2.5XT LIMITED

ENGINE: 224-horsepower 2.5-liter DOHC intercooled turbo Boxer

TRANSMISSION: four-speed automatic

DRIVETRAIN: all-wheel drive

FUEL ECONOMY: 19 city/24 highway

BASE PRICE: $28,495

AS TESTED: $29,190

WEB SITE: www.Subaru.com

John Stein

John Stein grew up in an extended family that valued the art of going fast. Spending plenty of weekends at U.S. 30 Drag Strip and Sante Fe Speedway, he fondly remembers the screaming machines and the flying mud that made those long-gone racing havens such special memories. With plenty of late nights spent ‘tinkering’ with cars throughout high school, he never anticipated his interest cars and his love for writing might find a common ground. After graduating from Eastern Illinois University in 1988, John started writing for the weekly Southtown Economist. So, when the Economist went to a daily in 1994, and needed an auto editor, John took the proverbial steering wheel. Featured weekly in the Sun-Times and its 17 suburban publications, as well as ELITE Magazine, John balances being the Automotive Editor for Sun-Time Media with being a husband and dad in Plainfield, Illinois.

2010 Subaru Forester Review

2010 Subaru Forester - Go anywhere.

John Stein

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