Recommended by their son-in-law, George and Karen are turbocharged converts.
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What we love
- Acceleration, power and handling
- Comfortable and quiet ride
- Leg room and boot space
What we don’t
- Material used on seating is poor quality – driver’s seat is already ripping
- Workmanship issue at dealership, engine misfire
- Should have a built-in navigation system
Justin spoke with George and Karen about their forced-induction Forester…
Our 2015 Subaru Forester XT was the first turbocharged vehicle we had ever bought.
It was recommended to us by our son-in-law, who worked for Subaru Australia. Originally, we tasked him with finding us the ideal car to suit our new lifestyle as apiarists in the Southern Highlands region of New South Wales.
| Key details | 2025 Subaru Forester XT |
| Engine | 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder ‘boxer’ engine |
| Power | 177kW @ 5600rpm |
| Torque | 350Nm @ 2400-3600rpm |
| Weight (kerb) | 1631kg |
| Drive type | All-wheel drive |
| Transmission | Continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) |
| Power to weight ratio | 113.0 (kW/t) |
| Price when new (MSRP) | $40,990 plus on-road costs |
We now run Wattle-Bee Honey in our retirement, and you can find our products in the Kangaroo Valley Fudge House in town.
As a result, our requirements included space for equipment relating to our bees, and the latest safety features. I am interested in the brand’s EyeSight camera system, as I see merit in this type of technology.
Our son-in-law’s initial suggestion seemed to ignore this. Instead of grabbing a Subaru Forester i-S model for me to experience, he instead brought home an entry-level XT model, much to our disgust.
After some initial anger, his reasons became clear. The driving we conduct is in-and-out of a steep valley, often in arduous conditions, so the turbocharged performance is almost required.
| At a glance | 2015 Subaru Forester XT |
| Boot volume | 422L / 1481L |
| Length | 4595mm |
| Width | 1795mm |
| Height | 1735mm |
| Wheelbase | 2640mm |
| ANCAP safety rating | Five-star (tested 2013 – link) |
| Warranty | 3 years, unlimited km (when new) |
| Price when new (MSRP) | $40,990 plus on-road costs |
| Colour as tested | Crystal White Pearl |
| Competitors | Toyota RAV4 | Nissan X-Trail |
Also, the performance is a must when safely overtaking in the left lane – sometimes at speeds of 100km/h – in the rural areas surrounding our farm. Another point he mentioned was cheaper windscreen replacements given the lack of EyeSight cameras, and right he was, given we’ve replaced a couple so far.
After well over 150,000km of hard use, the car has been great. The entry-level cloth and leather seats have begun to rip at the bolster, the car developed a small misfire that was fixed under warranty, and once a technician overtightened a wheel nut and damaged a stud.
Fuel Consumption – brought to you by bp
| Fuel Usage | Fuel Stats |
| Fuel cons. (claimed) | 8.5L/100km |
| Fuel type | 95 Octane petrol |
| Fuel tank size | 60L |
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Other than that, we want to replace it but will wait until another turbocharged one becomes available.
We refuse to go back!
Thank you to George and Karen for sharing their owner story.
Do you have a unique car or ownership story you would like to share? Reach out at [email protected]
Keyword: 2015 Subaru Forester XT: owner story