This is the Subaru Forester e-Boxer. In the past, TG has been a big fan of the Subaru Forester. Previous versions were honest, able and reliable – favouring substance and actual off-road ability when so many others went in pursuit (often fruitlessly in this crossover SUV segment) of style points. However, although it may not look like it at first glance, big changes have come for Scooby’s fifth-generation SUV.
Like so many of its rivals (think Honda CR-V, Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage, Mazda CX-5, Nissan X-Trail, Toyota RAV4, VW Tiguan) the Forester has gone hybrid. At the e-Boxer’s heart is still a Subaru classic: a 2.0-litre four-cylinder Boxer engine. When combined with a small lithium-ion battery and electric motor, power stands at 164bhp and torque at 193lb ft. There’s also permanent four-wheel drive and a CVT automatic gearbox to get said power to said wheels.
IT’S NOT THE MOST EXCITING LOOKING, IS IT?
You’re not wrong, though the Forester did receive a mid-life facelift in early 2022, with a redesigned front fascia, grille, headlights and fog light colours. The headlights are the biggest giveaway, but it’s hardly the best looking SUV on the market.
Underneath it’s based on Subaru’s new Global Platform, which not only simplifies production, but also means body strength is increased by around 40 per cent and rear legroom by 30mm over the old car. The mid-life facelift also saw improvements to the suspension for improved ride comfort and more agile handling, says Subaru.
HAS HYBRIDISATION CHANGED THE FORESTER’S CHARACTER?
The good news is the Forester is still a very capable thing, but there’s no doubt it’s lost some of that old school charm that we loved about the previous generation.
The e-Boxer powertrain just feels like an oversight, or at the very least a missed opportunity – depending on how you view hybrids as a whole – and at odds with the rest of the car’s honest, unpretentious nature.
That one mile of electric range just isn’t enough to justify the extra development and thus purchase costs for buyers, many of whom would be better off with a full plug-in hybrid. Click through to the Driving tab for more.
IS THE INTERIOR ANY BETTER?
Well, that depends what you’re after. There’s no doubt that it feels dated in here compared to some of its rivals, but on the other hand it offers a robustness and practicality that they cannot match. Plenty of hard-wearing plastics, in other words.
Indeed, there are few surprises at all inside. It’s ergonomically laid out while on the tech front you get a 6.3-inch multifunction display that sits atop the dash plus an 8.0-inch infotainment display. Otherwise there’s plenty of space for passengers front and rear plus a good sized boot. Full details on the Interior tab.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
Prices start from £37,990 in basic EX trim, rising to £40,990 in top spec Premium trim. Head over to the Buying tab for the full lowdown.
Our choice from the range
SUBARU
2.0i e-Boxer XE 5dr Lineartronic
£35,420
What's the verdict?
“The Forester is still an extremely loveable, practical SUV… but we just can’t get on board with the e-Boxer powertrain”
The Forester e-Boxer is a tricky one to sum up. The Forester part is still an extremely loveable, practical SUV that has been enhanced with updated safety systems and interior tech. It retains the chunky, reliable feel of the old one and is bigger and thus more practical than it has ever been. It also keeps its off-road abilities without compromising the on-road ride quality.
But we just can’t get on board with the e-Boxer powertrain and its pointless electric range. Couple that with the dated cabin, slightly dozy gearbox and poor economy figures, and there are better, more desirable options available.
Mazda CX-5
Volkswagen Tiguan
£23,225 – £44,160
Toyota RAV4
Continue reading: Driving
Driving
What is it like to drive?
Perhaps the first thing to note is that Subaru has taken what are very much baby steps into the world of hybridisation with the Forester e-Boxer. In fact, the e-Boxer’s battery is so small that it can only manage around a mile of all-electric range at speeds of up to 25mph.
And as there’s no EV-only button, you’ll find yourself engaging the internal combustion engine if you’re ultra gentle with the throttle pedal. This isn’t a 48-volt mild hybrid, but it certainly feels like one. In fact, it sometimes feels just like an effective start/stop system.
WHY DOES THE E-BOXER EXIST AT ALL, THEN?
Well, this was the first Subaru in Europe to offer hybrid power, so if it was designed to not scare off rurally based customers, they’ll have been pleasantly surprised. If you still do plenty of town driving and want something that’ll run on electric power alone, a full plug-in hybrid would be a better option.
Particularly because it’s not as efficient as you’d expect. Subaru claims around town you can expect to see a 10 per cent improvement in fuel economy versus the old Forester, yet we still only managed just over 35mpg on a mixed run. Not great.
It makes do with a CVT gearbox too, meaning you really have to rev it to get any kind of momentum, resulting in plenty of noise under acceleration. It’s particularly noticeable in slow moving traffic around town and when overtaking on motorways, not helped by the lethargic 0-62mph time of 11.8 seconds.
WHAT’S THE RIDE LIKE?
Impressively soft – in part thanks to the high sidewalled tyres – and the improvement to the coil springs and dampers as part of the mid-life facelift, which improves ride and handling. Nothing special, but it’s dynamic enough for something of this size. And it’s not like you’re going to be sending this round a track anyway.
All e-Boxers also get Subaru’s EyeSight safety system as standard, including Adaptive Cruise Control, Pre-Collision Braking, Pre-Collision Throttle Management, Lane Sway and Departure Warning, Lane Keep Assist and Lead Vehicle Start Alert.
Sounds a lot, but as ever you’d likely only notice the systems at the point of truly needing them. The only thing we found too intrusive in daily driving was the Pre-Collision Braking, which kicked in on more than one occasion for no apparent reason.
WHAT ABOUT OFF THE BEATEN TRACK?
Subaru knows off-road capability will probably be just as important to Forester buyers as on-road performance, so it has covered that base with its Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive system and an X-Mode dial that can switch between normal, snow/dirt and deep snow/mud modes. Ground clearance stands at 220mm.
The lack of a torquey diesel option may disappoint frequent towers, though Subaru claims it still has a towing capacity of 1,870kg.
Previous: Overview
Continue reading: Interior
Interior
What is it like on the inside?
As with the driving experience, there are two sides to the story when it comes to the Forester e-Boxer’s interior. On the one hand, it feels very dated (there’s even a CD player, remember those?), there are too many cheap plastics and premium it ain’t.
But on the other it’s all thoughtfully laid out, extremely easy to operate, and there’s a robustness that suggests it’d be an effective family companion.
The seats are comfortable enough and offer good levels of adjustment, while there’s plenty of space in the rear for backseat passengers to stretch out. We also liked how bright and airy it felt, with good visibility for all.
WHAT’S THE TECH LIKE?
In front of the driver sits a pleasingly old school analogue instrument cluster with a small digital display. Otherwise there are two screens, the first of which is a 6.3-inch multifunction display that sits in the centre of the dashboard and can be customised to show general vehicle information, hybrid system flow, satnav guidance, audio information, fuel consumption, clock/date and more.
It works fine but in truth adds to the dated feel, particularly as that information could easily have been integrated into the main infotainment display.
Speaking of which, that’s an 8.0-inch unit: it works well enough, even if the graphics and OS leave a little to be desired (e.g. adjusting the volume results in a graphic that takes up the whole screen. Eh?), though Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard. So once you’ve plugged in you can leave things well alone. Plus, the physical climate control dials have been retained, a big thumbs up from us.
ANYTHING ELSE TO NOTE?
Well, the Forester e-Boxer’s biggest strength is undoubtedly its practicality. OK, it might not have the premium feel of rivals, but it’ll likely be more durable as a result, and it gets a good-sized and easily loadable boot.
While the boot itself is quite shallow, you get 509 litres of space with the rear seats up, and 1,779 litres with the seats down. Plus a 1.98-metre-long loading area, which should come in handy for the dump run. Or just the weekly shopping run.
Previous: Driving
Continue reading: Buying
Buying
What should I be paying?
Prices start from £37,990 in basic EX trim, rising to £40,090 in mid-spec Sport trim and £40,990 in the uppermost Premium trim.
On lease, you’re looking at £489, £519 and £529 respectively, on a four-year agreement with a £5k down payment and 8,000 yearly mileage allowance, through Subaru’s own finance scheme.
For reference, the Volkswagen Tiguan, Mazda CX-5 and Nissan X-Trail all start from less than the EX trim, while the Toyota RAV4 is less than a grand more and the Honda CR-V is £46k… and that’s a full-fat PHEV. So the Subaru doesn’t really have cost on its side.
What’s the difference between kit?
The Forester e-Boxer does come pretty impressively equipped as standard, including 17-inch alloy wheels, keyless entry and start, LED headlights, power folding door mirrors, an 8.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, reversing camera, and Subaru’s full suite of driver assistance systems.
This includes the Driver Monitoring System, which points cameras at the driver and uses facial recognition to detect whether you’re paying attention or not. It can recognise up to five different drivers, and if you head deep enough into the menus you can set the system up to automatically adjust things such as the seating position, door mirror angle, display screen content and air conditioning settings depending on who gets behind the wheel. It’s impressive tech, if a little Big Brother for our liking.
Sport models add slightly more style (depending on your taste) courtesy of 18-inch alloys, privacy glass, black door mirrors and roof rails, and red/orange accents on the front and rear bumpers, side skirts and roof rails.
Meanwhile, Premium spec models get 18-inch diamond cut alloys, built in satnav (not that you really need it), leather seats, heated steering wheel and rear seats, a sunroof and powered tailgate.
What’s the best spec?
Considering the equipment you get as standard, we’d be tempted to go with the entry-level XE spec, which offers more than enough creature comforts and likely the best ride courtesy of the smaller alloys. Spend any more, and you’d likely be better off with one of the Forester’s many rivals.
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