Subaru Forester 2002 test drive - 2005 SUV

Printing of intelligence

The first Subaru Forester, which is a compromise between an SUV and a station wagon, appeared at the end of 1997. The idea was successful, and the authors began to cultivate it, periodically upgrading the car. Before you - Forester 2003 of the model year.
 
For all the external similarity of the latter Forester with his predecessors, we would not have been called the modification of purely restyled. When developing this option, the engineers did not limit themselves to the editing of appearance - most of the nodes and assemblies were improved. Even the track of the wheels changed, which positively affected both the stability of the car and its appearance.
 
Forester began to look even more confident, and if he used to resemble a simple worker of the leshoz, now he is drawn on a forester with a special education and a certain level of intelligence, which, as a rule, leaves an imprint on appearance.
 
This sensation is created by the smooth outline of the body. Despite the fact that the dimensions of the car remained almost the same, he seemed to be heard in his shoulders. The reason is the increased glazing area, and first of all - the fifth door. By the way, we don’t know how it happened, but the back of the Subaru Forester almost copies the Suzuki Liana stern. In any case, the shape of the glass is identical.
 
The salon has changed noticeably. Immediately you pay attention to the new torpedo with a dark insert of rubberized material, which encircles almost the entire residential area and gives it a complete look. The insert harmonizes with the aluminum panels of the central console, on which, as is customary, there are a CD resort and a ventilation control unit. It is a cross between the usual heater and the climate control (similar is installed on our ten). Comfortable temperature is set very easily and is supported automatically - sensors that follow this are located throughout the cabin. A huge sliding hatch also makes its contribution to the creation of weather.
 
In addition to the listed on the central console, there was a place for a cup holder, an ashtray and a small glove compartment. There are no complaints about the location and functionality of the first two, but the glove compartment was somewhat puzzled: it is very deep and narrow, the hand does not crawl; You will put some small little thing there, and only the child can get it.
 
However, in the car of a lot of other places where small and large objects can be attached. There are six pieces of closing boxes and boxes alone, a bunch of pockets. And also - the trunk with the possibility of its increase by folding the back of the rear seat.
 
The corner of the driver, as before, is ergonomic. The combination of devices was updated, independent dials became more visual, a somewhat changed the steering wheel. However, steering wheel switches, as it was before, are overloaded. For example, there is no living place in the right - it is almost all dotted with iconograms that display the functions performed. However, in Subaru it is so customary, and it is not difficult to get used to it.
 
But to justify the narrowness of the armrests built into the front seats is difficult. We do not know who the interiorists were guided by, but it is inconvenient to use the armrests: you can rely, if you only put your hand perpendicularly. You have to perceive them as lateral support.
 
But the designers managed to cut off the extra 25 mm spaces for the legs of the rear passengers. Not God the news what numbers, but still. The rear sofa does not have pronounced seats, which allows the Forester to be considered a really five -seater car.
 
The modernization of the suspension affected the first meters of the journey. The car is now slightly tougher, but not to the detriment of riding comfort. On the contrary, it began to behave much better at high speeds. The minimum rolls in fast, cool turns convinced us that the efforts of engineers were not in vain - the car surprisingly easily copes with a rather difficult task for a passenger car. Apparently, the reduced center of gravity of the updated Forester helps. The hood, bumper beams, the longitudinal bars of the roof and the frame of the ceiling hatch were made of aluminum, which provided a car with a clearance of 195 mm good handling. We do not undertake to say that for Forester there are no insurmountable barriers, but its capabilities - thanks to a complete drive, a powerful engine and a self -locking differential - are quite large.
 
Having woven over the highway and making sure that on the highway to our car with a 177-horsepower turbocharged engine no one or nothing threatens, turned into a laundry. Forester and here I felt at home. Naturally, at first we were careful, but all the fears quickly scattered. The forester was equally easily walked both in primer and arable land. I wanted to drive him into the mud, but strong heat, as luck would have it, turned everything in the Moscow Region into anhydrous desert. I had to be content with sand and slope. It is a pity: they have not experienced excitement, which wakes up, say, when forcing a deep viscous puddle. This time they returned to the base clean.
 
Already on the way home, exposing a multi -kilometer cork at the entrance to Moscow and moving at an hour along a teaspoon, we were once again convinced how convenient it was to drive a car with an automatic gearbox. The second difference in acceleration of up to 100 km/h between mechanics (10 s) and automatic (9 s), for which the street raises are fighting, is not so great. But life behind the wheel is much calmer. Especially behind the wheel of Subaru Forester 2.0 XT - a car that can like people with a wide variety of ideas about work and rest.
 
Technical characteristics Subaru Forester 2.0 XT
 
Body - all -metal.
Equipped mass, kg - 1430
Dimensions (length/width/height), mm - 4450/1735/1585
Base, mm - 2525
Maximum speed, km/h - 195
Acceleration time to 100 km/h, s - 9.1
Fuel control (mixed cycle), l/100 km - 9.8
Engine: 4-cylinder., Opposite, with turbocharged
- working volume, cm3 - 1994
- Power, L.S. at min -1 - 177/5600
- torque, NM at min -1 - 245/3200
- power system - multi -point injection
Transmission - automatic., 4 -speed
Tire size - 215/60R16
Wheel suspension:
- Front - independent, mcpherson
- rear - unenvalum., Mollycent
Brakes (front/rear) - disk., Ventil./Disk
Steering - gear -rake, with gur
Price, $ from - 29000
 
Text: Oleg Kalaushin
 

A source: Magazine 5 wheel [09/2002]