By Frank S. Washington
DETROIT – A guy walking by asked “what is that” and the response was it’s a Subaru. Then, he said, “You can’t wrong with at Subaru.”
He had a point and though his comment was at the start of a week-long test of the Subaru, nothing happened to sway that opinion of the 2014 Subaru Forster 2.5i Touring CVT.
It was a five-seat crossover equipped with a 2.5 liter four-cylinder engine that made 170 horsepower and 174 foot-pounds of torque. This was enough oomph to do most of the things anybody would want to do in everyday driving.
It was easy to maneuver the Forester on the expressway. There was enough power to pass, to change lanes and to get up to speed in a reasonable amount of time while getting on the John C. Lodge Freeway.
The electric power steering was responsive and still gave a feel for the road. That’s a complaint about EPS systems. They take away that tactile relationship that drivers have with the pavement.
But the average drivers have no idea that EPS systems are rapidly replacing hydraulic steering systems. The reason is weight savings that translate into better fuel efficiency.
Literally every pound saved counts. The 2014 Subaru Forester weighed a tad more than 3,300 lbs. That’s downright slim for a utility vehicle.
The Forester was equipped with a continuously variable transmission (CVT). Some don’t like CVTs but the one on the Forester transferred power to the pavement efficiently and in relative quiet. That alone is positive.
Even better, was the Forester 2.5i Touring’s EPA rating of 24 mpg in the city and 32 mpg on the highway. That was impressive because the Forester, like all Subaru’s, had an all-wheel-drive system that put power to all four wheels at all times.
The new Subaru Forester got up to speed quickly, it stayed relatively flat in the curves and braking was pretty good. It was a very capable vehicle.
The interior was roomier on the new model. This was fourth generation of the Forester which was one of the earliest crossovers on the market and helped to define the segment.
The backseat was cavernous. It could accommodate three people for a long distance drive. The floor of the AWD Forster was almost flat. Even on an overcast day, the moon roof let in plenty of light.
The option packages on the 2014 Forester were impressive. Keyless lock and unlock, plus start and stop are becoming industry norms in terms of option packages. The crossover’s heated front seats, like its Bluetooth, backup camera and satellite radio weren’t all that surprising either. But the slot for an SD card; you can always count on Subaru for a little something different.
What Subaru called its EyeSight® Driver-Assist System was surprising. It combined adaptive cruise control, pre-Collision Braking and Vehicle Lane Departure Warning. It wasn’t the technology that was surprising.
These options are not breakthroughs. But the price point at which they were offered was eye opening. The test vehicle had a base price of $29,995. Add on the driver assist option and freight charges and the price climbed to $33,220.
That’s really not that much for this kind of technology that no more than five years ago could only be found as options on luxury vehicles.
Frank S. Washington is the editor of AboutThatCar.com.
This was printed in the July 14, 2013 – July 27, 2013 Edition
