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Fitted with a class-leading diesel engine, Subaru’s Forester is suddenly an informed choice for compact 4x4 and all-wheel drive estate buyers alike. Jonathan Crouch reports

The Subaru Forester’s clever diesel 2.0D engine, along with the current generation model’s larger body, puts the car in a better position than ever before to snag sales from traditional Freelander and RAV4-sized smallish 4x4s, all well as to continue to serve those family buyers who need occasional extra traction and are in search of something just that little bit different.

This Japanese brand took its time in developing a diesel engine but the end result was worth the wait, particularly for customers of the Forester, the marque’s rather interesting cross between all-wheel drive estate and compact 4x4. It seems astonishing that the car managed to campaign quite successfully on the UK market for over ten years without one, but that tells you a lot about the loyal following this model has attracted since its launch here in 1997.



We’ve now reached the third generation guise of the car that really started off the concept of a pumped up executive estate car with the ability to handle light off road duties. More recently launched (and theoretically slightly larger) rivals include Volvo’s XC70 and Audi’s Allroad but both are far more expensive, leaving the Subaru a largely unobstructed run at the more pragmatic buyers who are going to be particularly attracted by the 2.0D version.



This Forester diesel has a number of class-leading qualities but one of them isn’t the 145PS output of its boxer engine which struggles a little more with this weightier model than it does when installed in the company’s more tarmac-orientated Legacy range. Still, the rest to sixty sprint is dispatched in a quite acceptable 10 seconds on the way to a top speed of 115mph, which is quite as fast as most will want to go. Usefully, the extra engine torque over the petrol model allows a full 2,000 kg braked towing limit.



The class-leading bits are the emissions (167g/km), fuel economy (44.8mpg on the combined cycle) and range (in Europe, you’ll be able to go around 1,000kms between fill-ups). Refinement is another huge strength: when this engine was fitted in the Legacy, Subaru claimed a lower official moving sound level than a Rolls-Royce Phantom. That’s down to the engine’s unique configuration.



Traditionally, diesels have been either traditional upright straight or V-configured units. Subaru has founded its reputation of the low centre of gravity afforded by a horizontally-opposed, or boxer, engine where the cylinders lay flat on their sides, the pistons travelling towards each other like the fists of two pugilists. Manufacturing a diesel engine in this guise has taken some effort but the travails have been worth it.



The very first thing that’s apparent when clocking this Forester is that the third generation version’s rising waistline and broader front end have given it more of a generic compact 4x4 stance. With 110mm more height, 45mm more width and 90mm extra grafted into the wheelbase, this car competes against bigger (and tougher) competition these days, cars like the Toyota RAV4, the Honda CR-V, the Land Rover Freelander and the Nissan X-TRAIL, rivals that have been refining their talents for quite some years.



The styling is neat, albeit with a rather bland front end. Perhaps this is no bad thing after the rather odd-looking Tribeca, Subaru’s last foray into the SUV arena. Interiors have never been a Subaru strong point and while the Forester is never going to challenge for class honours here, it’s neat and well finished with a brushed aluminium-look centre console and a big driver information system near the top of the dashboard. The front seats can fold fully flat while the rears split 60/40 and recline.



With prices from around £20,000, Forester diesel customers pay a premium of over £2,000 more than the comparable 2.0-litre 150bhp petrol engine but they do get a choice of three trim levels – X, XC and XSn. Apart from the expected symmetrical all-wheel drive system, all versions get Subaru Vehicle Dynamics Control, self-levelling rear suspension, fuel-saving electric power steering and 16" alloy wheels. You can also expect to find all-round electric windows, 60/40-split rear seats with reclining back-rests, climate-control air-conditioning, a decent CD stereo, front fog lamps, a vehicle information display, a leather-covered height and reach-adjustment steering wheel, heated front seats, mirrors and windscreen wipers plus cruise-control. In the XC, you get bigger alloys, a better stereo and a full-length sunroof, while the pricey XSn adds leather seats and satellite navigation.



Much of the engineering and equipment on the Forester positions it as one of the more advanced vehicles in its class. Safety is particularly important for family buyers and the Forester excels in impact absorption for both the vehicle occupants and pedestrians. The front seats get seatbelts with pretensioners and load limiters, the brake pedal is collapsible, all pillars feature impact absorbent materials and there are front, side and curtain airbags.



Not only does the Forester lead its class when it comes to emissions (the worst you’ll get is 170g/km) and fuel economy (you’ll get 39.2mpg around town and 48.7mpg on a run), it’s also one of the cheapest to insure. Only the VW Tiguan can match the entry-level version’s Group 9E insurance rating and most rivals are much pricier at your brokers. The Honda CR-V, for example is Group 12, Nissan X-Trail from Group 13 and Toyota RAV4 is classed from Group11 upwards.



As always with Subaru, the warranty is one of the best in the industry, offering three year/60,000 mile cover plus three years’ paintwork and 12 years’ anti-corrosion cover. This is in addition to three years’ free membership of Subaru Assistance – a comprehensive home and roadside repair and recovery package throughout the UK and Europe, administered by Mondial Assistance. Service intervals are 12,000 miles.



Without this diesel engine, the Forester would have remained, at best, a bit player in the compact 4x4 sector. Thus equipped however, it suddenly becomes an intriguing left-field choice amongst those not planning anything too arduous on the rough stuff and looking for something that won’t look too embarrassing when you pass the green protesters with their placards at the school gate.



Its refinement is a particular strength, showing up some diesel 4x4 rivals for the unacceptably loud rumblers that they actually are. And class-leadership in terms of running costs? In a Subaru? It’ll take a little time to get used to that one. Taking time to get this unit right has been one of the benefits of the Forester’s tardy appearance at this particular party.