Best Value Motoring

I’ll say it now, I love the Forester XT, there’s no other car quite like it. Subaru has taken the Impreza chassis, added a compact SUV wagon body and put in a WRX turbo engine to create this incomparable vehicle. It scampers to 100 kmh in under 6.5 seconds, faster than the Porsche Cayenne S and BMW X5 4.4l V8. Only the X5 4.8iS and Cayenne Turbo are faster, but they cost almost 3 times as much as the forester XT! Of course the Forester is in a different class to the BMW and Porsche, but that places the XT in a class of its own.

The XT is faster than most hot hatches and sedans, yet it has the versatility and space of a compact SUV. Those not in the know will be shocked at how you can pull away from them at the lights. Because the chassis is based on the Impreza, the Forester acquits itself well even in the bends. Outright mechanical grip is not very high and the body does roll, but everything is very predictable and just adds to the silliness of the existence of the XT. Nobody really needs a compact SUV that can outrun a Boxster, but we should be glad that it even exists.

The interior has nothing much to write home about, the dash is made of hard plastics, but it feels durable. The visibility is great in all directions and the double sized sunroof that opens up to the rear bench adds a sense of space and airiness to the cabin. You get a feeling that Subaru is more engineering than marketing led, and the budget is spent on where it counts. You never buy a Subaru because of the perception of quality like an Audi, but you buy it because you understand what a great car it is. And for that, I’d take the Forester over its competitors all the time.

Pros: Surprising speed, versatility and reliability

Cons: Thirsty, some may find it too small

Via Carsales