2007 forester review Subaru
For over 30 years now, Subaru has been building AWD (4 wheel drive) vehicles and promoting them worldwide. When it comes to AWD Subaru have plenty of experience and with their rally successes in recent years they also know a thing or two about handling too! With the exception of the Impreza turbo models ( WRX and STI) however, one of the failings with Subaru has been the looks or sex appeal of their vehicles, not many people lust after a scooby!
This has limited numbers sold in the UK and has restricted sales to a small but fanatically faithful following. Read any customer satisfaction survey, such as JD power or check out reviews on sites like Ciao, you will find that Subaru models in general are extremely well built, competent and reliable, but the Subaru Forester in particular is a big hit with loyal owners. In fact some say - and I completely agree - that the latest Forester 2007 model could take the honours as the worlds best “real world” car. Check out Jeremy Clarkeson’s Subaru Forester road test in his Sunday Times column to get his opinion.
The Forester is one of those rare cars that can almost be all things to all people. For example its an accomplished tow car, with loads of torque and self levelling supension ( infact the Forester model was voted “Towcar Of The Year 2004” by the Caravan Club). Its also a cracking drive with 208bhp, AWD and a chassis tuned by Subaru - so it can do the GTI tricks too! As a family car it excels, plenty of storage spaces and cubbyholes (23 in total!) good boot space with folding rear seats, well equipped with plenty of airbags. Long trips are a 
pleasure due to the increased refinement and torque of the new 2.5 turbocharged engine and the reassuring feeling of stability on the motorway thanks (again) to that 4WD system, low centre of gravity due to the flat-four engine and well balanced chassis. As an off roader its never going to compete with a Landcruiser or Nissan Patrol over a challenging off road course, but how many people actually do that sort of off roading anyway? For most 4WD owners the hardest terrain they tackle is a rough track leading up to their holiday home, a muddy field for camping or perhaps a steep slip to launch dingy or canoe etc. The Subaru can cope with this sort of “off road” use very well, in fact it has the same ground clearance as a Landrover Freelander and the non turbo models even have a low ratio box. In addition, the Forester is small enough not to provoke a 4WD backlash from the “green” crowd.
So, if you need an exceptionally reliable vehicle that wont let you down and is a good tow car, competent 4WD vehicle, fun GTI, roomy and capable family runabout and refined grand tourer all in one, the Subaru Forester is the obvious choice - perhaps the only choice that will fulfill all the criteria. In short the best real world car on sale today!
If the new Forester is too rich for your blood (top range models are around £25k) then dont despair, even the old turbo models pre 2002, badged S-turbo are just as much fun and still amazingly reliable even with high mileages. Check out reviews on the Subaru Forester S-turbo to see what I mean, customers are raving about how good they are with a 4.5 out of maximum 5 star rating on average.
Another way to save cash is to go for a Japanese import car, these cars are imported directly from Japan and are right hand drive and require some minor modifications (speedo, lights etc) to make them road legal in the UK. Essentially they are exactly the same cars but often with lower mileage and higher spec (they love their extras in Japan and dont mind paying for them!). However watch out for the insurance costs, some companies will charge a higher premium for grey import car insurance. For young drivers under 25, if possible stay away from Turbo models as insurance can be steep ( around group 17), but if you must have the S-turbo or the XT models then check out our cheap car insurance for young drivers page.
While we are on the subject of keeping costs down, it has been reported in the motoring press that Subaru are launching their first ever diesel engine and putting it into the Subaru Forester next year. This will be a worlds first horizontally opposed (boxer) diesel engine. Subaru are already claiming exceptional power, smoothness and refinement from this new engine. Along with further improvements to an already great all rounder I cant wait for the 2008 Forester Subaru vehicle!
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