2016 Subaru Forester 2.5i-S REVIEW | The Best Value Medium SUV Of The Moment
WHO WOULD EVER HAVE EXPECTED THE 2016 SUBARU FORESTER 2.5i-S WOULD BECOME THE BEST-VALUE MEDIUM SUV ON THE MARKET?
The Subaru Forester has become many things over the past 20 years and four generations - durable, rugged, a proper ‘off roader’ in the face of softer soft roaders - but only recently has Subaru given it such a value hit, that it overtakes the likes of Kia and Hyundai.
As the flagship of the 'regular' Forester range, sitting below the XT-badged turbocharged versions, the 2.5i-S costs $39,490 plus on-road costs yet is loaded with more features than rivals costing $45k and beyond.
It is one heck of a good buy at the moment. So is this the perfect family truckster?
Vehicle Style: Medium SUV
Price: $39,490 (plus on-roads)
Engine/trans: 126kW/235Nm 2.5-litre 4cyl petrol | automatic CVT
Fuel Economy Claimed: 8.1 l/100km | Tested: 11.6 l/100km
OVERVIEW
The 2016 Subaru Forester isn’t the biggest medium SUV in the land, and nor is it the most powerful. These days it stretches 4.6 metres long, and, in this 2.5i-S model grade gets a 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine.
Buyers can choose a 2.0-litre version dubbed the 2.0-L from $29,990 (plus on-road costs) with a manual transmission, but it’s slow and under-equipped. Optioning the automatic adds $3000 but buys the bigger engine as well, and in the process it becomes the 2.5i-L grade from $32,990 (plus on-road costs).