2014 Subaru Forester XT

SPECIFICATIONS

1. A new turbocharged 2.0L boxer engine delivers 250 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque with a 0-60 mph time of 6.2 seconds. 2. A new CVT offers six simulated gears, or eight in Sport Sharp mode. 3. Fuel economy is 23 mpg city and 28 mpg highway. 4. Priced at $28,820 for the Premium, a top-level Touring starts at $33,820 (destination included)

PREVIEW

In the Subaru world, three letters are synonymous with fun: W, R and X. Prepare for a polarizing shift if you switch those with the pragmatic, family-first Forester. That is, unless the boxy bread wagon bears an XT badge on its caboose.

INTERIOR

Fuel consumption wasn’t the only place Subaru’s boxy ex-hotrod left more to be desired. At its least expensive, the “Premium” XT model still costs $28,820 including delivery. Optional equipment including a touch screen, leather seat upholstery and a suite of increasingly common safety features are all missing.

Leather and the touch screen are held exclusively in the top tier Touring trim, while blind spot monitoring, lane departure warning and lane keeping assist are part of the one available option package, which costs $2,400. It also isn’t available with the Premium trim.

Fully loaded, the car will set you back $36,220. It raises an important question: who is buying the XT model?

Still, there’s room for this powerful compact crossover in the market; from part-time hooligans, to those faithful buyers who picked up the last generation model, to disaffected RAV4 shoppers, now that Toyota dropped the potent V6 from its lineup.At that price level, it’s probably out of reach for the first generation’s crowd who might have been seen strapping STI parts on for extra power. Then again, performance nuts probably aren’t looking at Foresters any more. Most of them likely abandoned the car with last generation’s 4-speed auto.

       

UNDER THE HOOD

The Forester XT was born two generations ago with a turbocharged version of Subaru’s 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine. With an available manual transmission, aggressive styling and shocking torque, the car had street cred.

Jump to the 2014 model year and Subaru is offering an all-new Forester and the XT is faithfully in tow. Or is it?

Much has changed since the tuner’s friend graced North America in 2003 with its WRX-like hood scoop. The 2.5-liter turbo engine is gone and so, lamentably, is the stick shift (although that’s nothing new, as it wasn’t offered in the 2nd generation XT either).

In their places, Subie chose a continuously variable transmission and a 2.0-liter, turbocharged version of the Boxer four found in the new BRZ. At 250 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque, the smaller engine does have more pluck.

Not only that, but the squared-off styling leaves lots of room for carrying cargo. You’ll have 74.7 cubic feet with the seats collapsed or 34.4 with them raised.Aside from the added speed, Subaru made lengthy changes to the new Forester. The A-pillar is moved forward over eight inches to vastly improve sightlines. Blocked vision while rounding a corner isn’t an issue, and the car’s boxy proportions make it practically foolproof to park.

While some people might be turned off by how expensive the car is with leather seats, it probably indicates that Subaru buyers don’t care about smelling rich animal hide.

Instead they care about being able to take on a January blizzard like Tyson on Evander.  They care about value and capability. They care about their dog fitting in the back hanging his head over and drooling down collars. And it will do all of these things.