• 2016
• SUV
• 69969
• Manual
• 2L Petrol

This is the fourth incarnation of the Subaru Forester, a practical and no-nonsense 4x4 that has developed a reputation as a rugged workhorse, beloved by farmers and those that live in remote rural locations. Subaru even claims 75% of its cars are bought by country dwellers.It's not quite an all-new car, more of an extensive update of the outgoing model. The 13-on Forester is longer and wider than the car it replaced, allowing greater interior space for both people and luggage. Sadly, like the previous version it's a bit anonymous-looking both inside and out. Despite a subtle redesign in 2016, the interior still falls short of its rivals thanks to a bland design, but it's solid and will likely last a long time.The Forester makes up for its cabin with decent driving dynamics, though. On the road it doesn't roll around anywhere near as much as you might expect from a tall 4x4 thanks to a comparatively low centre of gravity, while off road it makes a pretty good fist of things too.All Foresters are equipped with four-wheel drive – Subaru calls its system Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive. Automatic versions include an 'X-Mode' function, which adjusts the gearbox, traction control and throttle settings to help the car find grip on muddy ground. It also incorporates Hill Descent Control, which can ease the car down a slippery slope so the driver can concentrate on steering. Ground clearance of 220mm is slightly more than that of a Land Rover Discovery Sport, and it's far more capable than softer rivals such as the Toyota RAV4.Subaru offers three engines – two petrol and one diesel. The entry-level petrol is a 2.0-litre engine with a six-speed manual or CVT automatic transmission. Fuel consumption is improved over the older model with claimed average of 40.9mpg and 43.5mpg for the manual and CVT auto respectively. There's a potent turbocharged petrol 'XT' version with 237bhp and 350Nm of pulling power, which is a genuinely fast car. The solitary diesel is a 2.0-litre

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