Subaru Forester targets Nissan Qashqai with £38,995 starting price

Now in its sixth generation, the Subaru Forester is available to order in the UK in three trim levels and just one powertrain, a hybrid ‘boxer’ unit with all-wheel drive. 

Priced from £38,995, it kicks off with Limited trim, rising to £40,440 for Field and topping out at £42,995 for Touring.

Limited trim comes with Subaru’s latest ‘Eyesight’ driver assist technology, 18-inch alloy wheels, a wireless smartphone charger, electrically-adjustable and heated front seats, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a 360-degree camera. 

Mid-range Field adds tinted windows, a heated steering wheel, a gesture-controlled powered boot lid and integrated sat-nav for the 11.6-inch touchscreen. Touring adds 19-inch alloy wheels, heated rear seats, a powered sunroof and black leather interior upholstery. 

The new Subaru is longer than the old model but narrower, and while the Forester still has a focus on off-road ability, its rivals consist of the usual family SUV cohort such as the Toyota RAV4, Nissan Qashqai, Vauxhall Grandland and Ford Kuga.

The new model uses the same Subaru Global Platform as its predecessor, although it has received a few tweaks to keep it competitive. There’s more structure adhesive in the body that contributes to a 10 per cent improvement in torsional rigidity, new electric power steering which provides “improved response and more natural feedback” along with extra sound deadening which cuts cabin noise by 39 per cent. 

Subaru says it has made 23 technical improvements to the engine, but it remains broadly similar, with a 2.0-litre four-cylinder in ‘boxer’ configuration and a hybrid system paired with a CVT gearbox. The set-up produces 136bhp for a zero to 62mph time of 12.2 seconds and its tow rating is the same as before, at 1,870kg. Also unchanged is the ground clearance, at 220mm. The 508-litre boot space is 12 litres down on the old car’s capacity.

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