“I am the God of Hellfire and I bring you – – – FORESTER!”
No – that doesn’t work.
“Dude, your Subaru Forster is BAD ASS!”
Nope.
“I followed my posse in my Foe-IZ-tah yo!”
(Sigh) That’s wrong too.
I suppose the fun car I am trying to pigeonhole is a Subaru Impreza WRX. None, not even the turbocharged Forester XT are very exciting. They occupy a place in the consumer consciousness festooned by Honda CR-Vs, Nissan Muranos, Ford Edges and GMC Terrains just to name a few. The Subaru Forester is a mid level, safe, comfortable, family friendly, capable crossover SUV – with something special. It’s a Subaru.
I know, I know – I sound like a commercial. It helps that I live in the Rocky Mountains where the all-wheel drive (AWD) can be fully exploited. Indeed, I am a fan of Subaru’s excellent AWD systems. In the interest of honesty – I used to own a Subaru Forester.
I still miss it.
With that said, I got the 2011 Subaru Forester XT testing model as a replacement for the 2011 Mini Cooper S Countryman I loved so. It was a hard transition as I was used to pretending I was a rally champion in the wee little Mini. Still, I had a turbocharged 224 horsepower and 226 pound-feet of torque “Boxer” four-cylinder engine in a vehicle that weighs about 200 lbs – 300 lbs more than the Mini Countryman (base curb weight for the Forester is about 3,500 lbs).
Sadly, Subaru no longer offers a manual transmission with the turbocharged Forester. Still, the rather ancient four-speed automatic transmission works nicely and is rarely flummoxed when choosing a gear. If you want the five-speed manual, you will have to get the normally aspirated, 170 hp Boxer four-cylinder that puts out 170 lb-ft of torque. The shifter is a bit rubbery, but it is efficient and can return some entertainment.
Speaking of entertainment; for some reason, every stereo system I’ve tested in every Forester I’ve driven since 1999 has a ho-hum entertainment system. This top of the line model is no exception.
As a poppa with two little ones, knowing how safe and secure these Foresters are is gratifying. Subaru is one of the few automakers that have the highest safety marks for every single model. That’s a comforting thought when driving through a blizzard.
The 2011 Subaru Forester only falters from the competition in gas mileage which is mediocre at best. I averaged just about 20 mpg in mixed driving while at the helm of the 2011 Subaru Forester XT. I got just over 18 mpg in mixed driving while piloting the 2009 Subaru Forester with a five-speed manual transmission. I think it was my constant flogging of the older Forester that lowered my efficiency. A friend in the same model got 23 mpg.
Subaru struck an excellent balance between comfortable yet solid suspension. Power delivery is smooth, easy with very little turbo lag. If you floor it, there is a momentary bog in power before the turbocharger spools up and pulls you aggressively. It’s a completely different feeling than the WRX which has a much more noticeable turbo whiz.
Steering feel is not very good, I felt like the steering system was over boosted and was a bit too easy to turn for sporty driving. Still, if you push hard and beat up on the Forester in corners, (yes, I do thank you) it will obey better than most. The nose dips a bit and there is some body lean, but it’s never alarming and you always feel like you’re in control.
Even on some nasty, rutted, muddy, Rocky Mountain trails – the Subaru Forester is hard to foil. With 8.9 inches of ground clearance, I was impressed with its off highway competence. It could go to places where I would never take other crossovers. No buttons to push, no levers to pull – just point the Forester in the direction you wish to go and apply accelerator.
The rear cargo area has 31 cubic feet of space with the rear seats up and an impressive 69 cubic feet with the rear seats down.
All around seat comfort is commendable especially for small families who can appreciate an easy loading height. Most interior materials are quite good and the interior design is contemporary – if a bit mellow. It is quiet and comfy.
The rear cargo area can easily hold two large dogs and all Foresters can tow up to 2,400 lbs. So, hook up a tent-trailer, put up the rear dog gate and load up the family (including the pooches) – it’s camping time!
No joke – I’ve seen more Subarus loaded with kids, dogs, trailers and roof storage pods than any other crossover. There is a huge appreciation for Subarus among rugged folk – for good reason. It feels almost overbuilt for daily tasks – that goes for most of the Subaru fleet.
Subaru’s Forester is a good looking machine with excellent proportion throughout. The 2011 Subaru Forester’s design harks back to the Subaru of old; back when there was a simple design standard with smooth panels. I think it’s one of their better designs.
Prices for a base model 2011 Subaru Forester begin at about $20,500. That’s a bargain considering the safety, sophistication and AWD system you get. My top of the line 2011 Subaru Forester XT Touring is still reasonable at about $31,000.
The most notable changes for the 2011 Subaru Forester is the new grill, a new base engine and a spoiler for the turbo.
Sure, this is not a car that gets your pulse going – but that’s not the point. It does nearly everything well and is absolutely ideal for the daily commuter who needs the security of AWD. Let me put it this way: every time I’m questioned about which car I recommend a small family new to the Rocky Mountain region – I always begin with “check out the Subaru Forester.”
Well done Subaru, you built a Golden Retriever – that’s a good thing.
Here’s a video that has absolutely nothing to do with the Subaru Forester. Except that Toyota, parent company of Scion is a partner of Subaru. AND it’s a Japanese car. AND Roman Mica fits in both vehicles.
Oh, A-N-D my friend once drank liquid Drain-o in the back of an older Forester – – – he now owns a new Scion tC!
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