   2014 Subaru Forester. Click image to enlarge |
Believe it or not, another ally in the XT’s performance arsenal is its continuously variable transmission (CVT). While in and of itself, a CVT doesn’t put the driving experience at the forefront, Subaru’s XT models feature a high-torque CVT and SI-Drive, which allows you to drive in Normal CVT mode, upgrade to Sport mode, in which the CVT simulates six stepped ratios and increases use of higher engine speeds for sporty driving, or flat-out Sport# (Sport Sharp) mode, which offers eight ratios that the electronic brain will manage, and manage aggressively. In any mode, you can slot the shifter over and use paddle shifters to play around with ‘gear’ selection, or simply tap one of the paddles if you just want to temporarily grab a lower ratio – it will return to automatic mode after a brief period.
Normally I find little reason to use this feature in my daily routine, but on a road like this, the transitions from sweeping curves to long straights to steep climbs, sharp turns and blind off-camber drops simply begged for selection of the lowest gear possible, and I obliged. If it sounds a bit like a racetrack, well, you’re getting the right picture – this was easily more interesting to drive than many of Ontario’s small tracks, never mind roads around the GTA. For a while, I tried to keep up with a local (who happened to be in a competitive SUV) that obviously knew the road well, and it required flexing every one of the eight simulated ratios (okay, mainly two, three, and four), the sharper throttle response of S#, tapping into all 258 lb-ft of torque when climbing the steep inclines, and reaching peak horsepower on a couple longer straights. This engine can pull its weight and the Forester XT’s with absolute mastery, although if you’re towing anything substantial, it is tow rated only to 680 kg (in 2.5i or 2.0XT trim), a figure Subaru’s research finds fulfills most of its customers’ needs.
While the drive was a joy, and surprising for a practical family vehicle like this, it left me desperately wanting to return here in a BRZ, which would have eliminated the body lean inherent in a tall SUV like this (even with the sportier suspension and 18-inch wheels), and offered another level of connection through steering and chassis feedback. Even a WRX, with its numb, disconnected steering, but excellent balance, better power and lower weight would have been a revelation to hoon through these passes. After exorcising my urges to drive like Colin McRae, and realizing I was missing the chance to slow down and appreciate some of Canada’s finest vistas, and at sunset no less, I did just that: slowed down and enjoyed the view. While fun to push hard, this is not the Forester’s purpose, although if an SUV is on the menu, only a couple others would surpass it in this capacity (Tiguan R-Line, anyone?).
No, the purpose of this vehicle is to be the best balanced SUV (capability and practicality wise, not weight distribution) in a highly competitive segment and to offer the best value for those looking to go anywhere and do anything. Perhaps more than any other brand, Subaru owners live the lifestyle we see in the ads for every other SUV. Okay, maybe that is just blatant biased preconception on my part, but I definitely see a disproportionate number of kayaks, bikes and unidentifiable outdoorsy gear racked up on the tailgates and roofs of Subarus.
