Topic: First Drive: 2011 Subaru Forester

[Autos_Editor]

For 2011, the compact Forester SUV receives an all-new 2.5-litre engine with better fuel economy, reports Paul Williams.  "The Forester has a distinctive feeling of connectedness to the road," and "punches above its weight when travelling off-road," he says.

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[sailor723]

I like the new Forester but I really don't get the point of the new engine. Maybe I'm missing something but HP, torque and fuel economy gains all seem pretty marginal to me. Seems more like a "tweek" that makes it a bit better than the kind of improvements what you'd expect from a whole new engine design.

[CanuckS2K]

I looked at the Forester when shopping for my CUV.  Overall, I really liked it, however the ancient 4sp auto and Navi system that looked like an etch a sketch was a deal breaker.  IMHO, Subaru really needs a couple of additional forward gears in this.  Overall, it's a great vehicle though.

[Serniter]

I like the new Forester but I really don't get the point of the new engine. Maybe I'm missing something but HP, torque and fuel economy gains all seem pretty marginal to me. Seems more like a "tweek" that makes it a bit better than the kind of improvements what you'd expect from a whole new engine design.

According the the Autoblog.com review, it is a lot more refined:

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/12/10/2011-subaru-forester-quick-spin-review-road-test/

[TagueVagn]

I would agree about the 4 speed auto!  My parents have an older forester with the auto, and it is a terrible transmission.  I have never felt shifts that were so... unsmooth.  I also have an impreza with the 5 speed and I am glad they have finally joined the club with dual overhead cams.  Subaru was getting a little behind the times.

[Mike]

I like the new Forester but I really don't get the point of the new engine. Maybe I'm missing something but HP, torque and fuel economy gains all seem pretty marginal to me. Seems more like a "tweek" that makes it a bit better than the kind of improvements what you'd expect from a whole new engine design.

According the the Autoblog.com review, it is a lot more refined:

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/12/10/2011-subaru-forester-quick-spin-review-road-test/

Yeah, I won't try to fool anyone into thinking my 2.5L is refined.  Sometimes it can mildly shake the car at idle

[JeffyBoy]

Subaru always seems slow to include these little features

  Little features like a 5-speed auto?  Or how about leap-frogging the pack and going straight to a 6-sp?  Make the other manufacturers scramble to catch up for a change.  I don't know - a 4-sp in this day and age just smacks of Subaru not even trying - just like they're sitting on their laurels since their sales are so high...

And I know this has been mentioned already, but seriously, an entirely new engine and it ends up with the SAME horsepower and only 4 ft-lb more torque?  Can you imagine being the lead engine guy at Subaru when this thing finally hit the dyno?  All I can see is him shrugging and mouthing "Oops - my bad..." to the president.  I doubt even the marketing guys will be able to do much with the fact that the peak is now 200 rpm lower...

Finally, if you'll all indulge me this horrible pun.  Paul wrote:

The corollary is that when doing normal duty on-road...

  But this isn't a Toyota review.  So he should've written

The imprezary is that when doing normal duty on-road...

  I know.  That's really, really bad. 

[Dan]

nice post. thanks.

[5 Wheel Drive]

Next time I have mine in for service, I'll see if I can take an '11 for a spin.  I'll be curious to see if there's much of a difference between the 2 engines.  It's not Honda smooth, I noticed sometimes at a fast idle I can feel my car shake a bit too.  Most people probably wouldn't even notice it.

I read the specs yesterday, the new Touring package has an upgraded stereo with usb media hub, 10 way power driver's seat, and 17" wheels.

I do wish mine had an auto up at least on the driver's window.  Coming throught the gate at work, it's a bit of a pain to put the badge down, steer, shift, and roll the window back up.

[Spheric]

Article Quote: "Manual transmission models are also equipped with “hill holder” technology that prevents the vehicle from rolling back on an incline".

^ ^ ^

That's not much fun then ?!  I enjoy playing with the clutch and see-sawing on a steep incline.... 

[Roy]

Yup - the 4-spd auto was a deal breaker for me too.  Actually the fact that they didn't offer this generation XT in a manual was the deal breaker, but I might of, might of mind you, been ok with a 5-spd auto.  At least I would've given the Forester more consideration.

[Mike]

Article Quote: "Manual transmission models are also equipped with “hill holder” technology that prevents the vehicle from rolling back on an incline".

^ ^ ^

That's not much fun then ?!  I enjoy playing with the clutch and see-sawing on a steep incline.... 

It stops holding after a few seconds......or you can pull a fuse.  I quite like mine when carrying a large load as stuff doesn't shift around as much

[JeffyBoy]

Oh, and one more thing:  A detachable faceplate on the nav/audio?  Come on.  That deserves to be left in the '80s with the 4-speed auto.  You ask ANYONE currently living with a detachable faceplate anything and they either never take it off to begin with, or they take it off and just store it somewhere else in the vehicle.  Listen up Subaru: NO ONE likes carting around a detachable faceplate with them...

(By the way, I don't want to come across as a Subaru-basher.  In fact, I like Subarus, and recommended a Forester to a friend, who ended up buying it and loves it.  It's just that the company has so much potential and it's frustrating that they don't live up to it....)

[John MacDonald]

I agree that the 4 speed tranny is a deal breaker for most, but the deal breaker for me was that it only makes 170 HP.  I'm sorry but they need to start offering more powerful 4 cylinders because everyone else is offering them with more HP and the upgraded engine isn't all that great either.  The upgraded engine needs to be a minimum of 250hp.  Subaru only really makes 3 really good vehicles, the Outback 3.6R, WRX, and WRX STI.  All the rest are not up to par with the competition.

[tortoise]

I agree that the 4 speed tranny is a deal breaker for most, but the deal breaker for me was that it only makes 170 HP.  I'm sorry but they need to start offering more powerful 4 cylinders...

You mean like the Subaru Forester XT?

[quadzilla]

I really like this Forester and think it would make a great car for us but like others, feel that its living 5 years in the past and always has (excluding the AWD system of course). When they made it look more like the other CUVs out there sales increased. Now lets bring the content level up also.

I wonder how sales would be with a diesel under the hood? If they did that I would be really tempted to trade the GTi in for one. That would make an amazing car to get to the trail heads.

[Roy]

I'm sorry but they need to start offering more powerful 4 cylinders because everyone else is offering them with more HP and the upgraded engine isn't all that great either.  The upgraded engine needs to be a minimum of 250hp. 

Do you mean from a bragging right the more the better sort of way or actual performance?  The previous gen Forester XT, with the same engine and turbo had the same if not better acceleration times the the same generation Mustang and F-body camaro.  Not bad for a paltry 224hp.  Good power-to-weight ratio, good gearing and plenty of traction showed that HP isn't the be-all-end-all for performance.

[inco]

Okay TIME OUT here.

So it's an outdated 4 speed. But be careful what you wish for - they could slap in the CVT in here and then what? Given a choice I'm very happy to have the 4 speed thank you.

CVT - been there and no like. Sure a five or six speed would be nice and people would die for it however the thought of them putting in a CVT really scares me. One small step - the engine, next year maybe the tranny.

[Drew]

I looked at the Forester when shopping for my CUV.  Overall, I really liked it, however the ancient 4sp auto and Navi system that looked like an etch a sketch was a deal breaker.  IMHO, Subaru really needs a couple of additional forward gears in this.  Overall, it's a great vehicle though.

I must agree. The Forester is great all around vehicle but why does Subaru continue to saddle it with four speeds if the auto box is checked?

[Lexusfreak]

Just an FYI Paul & fellow readers (I think it is significant enough to have been mentioned in both this article & the 2011 'buyers guide' section, but sadly was not) the new DOHC 2.5L engine now employs a timing chain, not a belt like the SOHC engine did...this is now a maintenance free item.   Potential owners that want to keep maintenance costs in check will appreciate this.     More info here...

  http://www.cars101.com/subaru/forester/forester2011.html


I do agree however & wonder what Subaru is thinking by continuing to use the 4 speed auto when they have a 5 speed auto at their disposal    But I guess if it ain't broke...

And it's too bad the diesel engine never made it across the pond...