Subaru Forester (1997 - 2002)
BY GRAEME ROBERTS
It was a bit hard to see at first just where the Forester fitted into the Subaru scheme of things. On the face of it, theyd come up with a four-wheel drive Impreza hatchback somehow developed into a square-rigged estate. The point being? As ever, the wily Japanese had done their homework and insisted (as they would) that the Forester would be in strong demand. The desire for heavy, macho looking off roaders was waning but the public love affair with four-wheel drive wasnt.
For proof they pointed to successful sports utility 4x4s like Land Rovers Freelander, Hondas CR-V and Toyotas RAV4. Subaru also reckoned theyd found a niche for buyers who wanted a more car-like package (probably because they lacked the resources to engineer a full-blown RAV4 rival themselves). The company already partly met this need with models like the Impreza and Legacy but those were essentially cars with 4WD traction for occasional tricky circumstances. Hence the Forester rode a little higher than its siblings; it wasnt a full-blown mud-plugger but could realistically tackle forest tracks, muddy car parks and boggy bridle paths.
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There were no fewer than 23 separate storage spaces throughout the car, including a special fishing-rod compartment and even a plastic bucket in the spare wheel. Its purpose? According to the importers, it depended upon your mood washing up or chilling Chardonnay Even the so-called basic version came with power steering, remote central locking, electric windows and mirrors as well as headlamp washers, driver and passenger airbags and ABS. The All Weather Pack marketing-speak was, for once, accurate, as it included an electric sunroof and air conditioning as well as heated front seats and door mirrors, an electric de-icer element to free the windscreen wipers from a frozen screen and, on the active safety front, side airbags (not on early cars). Second generation models are notably tidier inside.
The UK importer carefully controls availability of new Subarus and this canny balance of limited supply and strong demand generally keeps the marques resale values higher than average. Prices for the early 97R-reg manual Forester GLS start at about £4,300 with automatic £150 extra and the All Weather Pack adding about another £350. Later-platers start around £6,100 for a 00W. Turbo models are rare on used forecourts and their values hard to determine but, as a guide, budget between £6,000 (98S) and £7,500 (00W) and again allow £150 for automatic and £350 for the weather pack.
Forester-spotters should note that front fog-lights are the only external give away to the optional All Weather Packs otherwise hidden appearance. Inside, look for the A/C button, labels for side airbags and, on post-facelift examples, cruise control. Check for thrashed turbo models and signs of over-enthusiastic or incompetent off-road driving (especially underbody damage). A service history is essential to get the best sell-on prices and the air conditioning, massive sunroof and seat heaters of the All Weather Pack are also highly desirable.
Subaru parts are usually rather expensive, so check your intended purchase carefully.
(Based on Forester 2.0 approx.) These are pricey. The clutch assembly comes in three separate sections which collectively add up to around £175.
Front brake pads are around £75, a full exhaust (which also comes in three sections) about £330 including catalyst and an alternator (exchange) around £120 or £405 new. A headlamp is about £140.
You wont see the Forester championed on the RAC Rally of course but then in a sense, he doesnt really need to. Under the boxy skin, this car is based heavily on the mechanicals and suspension of the mid-sized Impreza turbo, the car that earned Subaru so many World Rally Championships for manufacturers. In the early S-Turbo version, rest to 60 takes just 7.9 seconds enough to enable the Subaru to easily take on performance-orientated lifestyle estates like Volvos V40 2.
0T or Audis A4 1.8T Sport Avant. Both these two-wheel drive rivals are slower and more expensive. Even if you go for the base 16-valve, 2.
0-litre version, performance is still brisk. Zero to 60 is dispensed in less than 11 seconds with the top speed a respectable 110mph. Whichever Forester you select, the design features a lower centre of gravity than any of its full-time four-wheel drive rivals, yet it still offers that extra ground clearance - over a Legacy - that could make all the difference on bumpy tracks. Subaru learned the value of this in the forests of Carlisle, the gravel of New Zealand and the snow and ice of Scandinavia.
What it means in real terms, however, is high-speed stability and handling that are the equal of many of a class-leading family saloon. The wider track and retuned suspension of the facelifted models sharpens things still further here, plus of course that four-wheel drive system means that traction on wet and slippery roads can be taken for granted.
You wont buy a used Forester for all its gadgets or for its luxury ambience (optional leather-trimmed examples are about). The key appeals are the 200mm of ground clearance and the promise of as much four-wheel driving ability as you can probably cope with. Compact and wieldy, its big on practicality, room and versatility and, though plastics quality could be better, has a standard of fit and finish equal to the best Japanese family saloons. None of this will come as a surprise to existing Subaru owners, however.
The company has always been dominated by an engineering-led culture, like another famous Japanese manufacturer. Unlike Honda, however, who demonstrate their technology on the worlds racetracks, Subaru prefers to concentrate on rugged, rally-proven and unusually styled production cars. Once smitten, most used buyers come back for more.
