2013 Subaru Forester XT Launch Review
2013 SUBARU FORESTER XT REVIEW
Vehicle Style: Medium SUV
Engine: 2.0 litre four-cylinder petrol | Power/Torque: 177kW/350Nm
Fuel Consumption listed: 8.5 l/100km | tested: 10.1 l/100km
OVERVIEW
The Forester XT has grown up. In Subaru Australia’s own words, it’s been “to finishing school”.
Now in its fourth generation, the turbocharged petrol version of Subaru’s popular Forester soft-roader has ditched its bonnet scoop and traded it for more mature styling, improved comfort and better refinement.
Critics of the previous XT will be happy to note that cabin materials have been greatly improved, while the design is cleaner, more functional and certainly more universally appealing.
But the option of a manual transmission has disappeared. However, with only 16 percent of XT sales in the last generation being for manual-equipped cars, Subaru Australia doesn’t think buyers will care.
What they will notice is the impressive array of luxury and safety equipment in the XT range, which consists of a base XT model ($43,490) and the up-market XT Premium ($50,490).
And there are vast improvements in driveability and refinement.
Much effort has been made to improve suppression of noise and vibration, and the suspension has been comprehensively tweaked to boost road-holding and comfort.
That’s not all: under the scoop-less bonnet is a turbocharged version of Subaru’s new 2.0 litre FB20 boxer four.
It may be 500cc smaller than the motor it replaces, but thanks to a high compression ratio and direct-injection it produces both more power and more torque than the outgoing EJ25.
How big an improvement is it over the previous model? We went along to the 2013 Forester XT’s local launch to check out its deportment.
THE INTERIOR
Yep, there are big changes in here. The old model was burdened with a cheap-looking hard plastic dash with a design borrowed from the Impreza of the time.
It looked and felt cheap; the interior of the new car however feels vastly different.
There’s greater use of soft-touch surfacing, and the quality of switchgear and instrumentation has been improved.
Drivers who prefer a taller seating position will appreciate the raised front seats - lifted 32mm for a more commanding view of the surrounding environment.
Plus, with repositioned wing mirrors, an A-pillar that’s moved 200mm forward and the absence of a bonnet scoop, forward vision is now markedly better.
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