The third iteration of the Forester is 45mm wider, 75mm longer and a whopping 110mm taller than the old car. But while you do sit 30mm higher than in the old Forester, the experience is still very saloon-like.
Despite the new proportions, the design is still Subaru. Which means it’s simple, conservative and well proportioned, but hardly exciting. In engineering terms, the latest Forester doesn’t stray too far from its – or Subaru’s – traditional roots. That means permanent four-wheel drive, a horizontally opposed flat four engine, self-levelling rear suspension and a low-ratio transfer ’box. About the only Subaru trademarks missing are frameless windows – also absent from the latest Impreza.
In fact, the Forester shares more than just window frames with the Impreza. The 148bhp, 1994cc engine comes from its family hatch sibling, as does the viscous-coupled four-wheel drive hardware. The suspension is also based on the set-up used in both the Legacy and Impreza. Up front there’s a conventional MacPherson strut layout, while at the rear there’s a new multi-link arrangement.
The Forester no longer has a front subframe. This saves 20kg, while a new box section for the car’s front cross-member helps to maintain torsional rigidity. Another effect of the newly absent subframe is improved crash performance, helping to spread the force of an impact more effectively across the front of the car. Other passenger safety measures include standard curtain and side airbags across the range, as well as driver and passenger airbags and anti-whiplash front head restraints.
The new Forester addresses the latest pedestrian safety legislation with more space between the bonnet and the catch, and a bonnet designed to spread impact load. There’s also a plate ahead of the front bumper beam that absorbs impact energy and is designed to reduce leg injuries.