This solid SUV was voted as the world's most reliable car by consumers this year.
Subaru is hardly visible on a map of South Africa’s motoring landscape. But the Japanese carmaker’s existence presents an excellent case of quality versus quantity.
The quantity is the relentless push for market share led by an ever-growing number of Chinese players. It has become an all-out price war. The more they can sell, the lower the prices will stay. The jury is still out on how reliable the tsunami of new offerings is, as most them haven’t even been around long enough for their warranties to run out.
While Subaru’s sales dwarf in comparison to the volume-movers, it has a huge quality ace up its sleeve. Subaru was ranked the world’s most reliable car of 2025 by Consumer Reports, an American nonprofit consumer organisation dedicated to independent product rating.
Familiar face arrives
This explains why the brand has such a staunchly loyal following, albeit a small one. Sadly, their small presence leaves them with a tiny footprint (when last did you see a Subaru dealership?) and not in a position for any kind of price war.
The Citizen Motoring has not driven a Subaru in many years, a time we sampled dozens of offerings from new brands. When we finally got the chance to get into new Subaru Forester in Sport guise recently, it was almost like catching up with an old friend you have not seen for a long time.
Despite undergoing a number of changes from the fifth to the sixth generation, it was still the good old Subaru Forester its buyers feel so comfortable in. The changes are still conservative and anything but dramatic, something reminiscent of Toyota. The latter of course writing the playbook on reliability and loyal buyers.
Subaru Forester gets sporty
What started life as a tallish station wagon and evolved into a crossover SUV, now features a much more modern look with a slimmer headlight design and smaller but wider grille prominent at the front. At the rear, the taillights are connected with a full-width LED bar.
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Being a Sport, our Subaru Forester’s exterior black roof rails, grille, door inserts, wheel cladding, charcoal mirror caps and 18-inch gloss black alloys were complemented by green detailing.
The green detailing continues inside, where the black water repellent polyurethane seats are quite a feature. They are not only comfortable, but added peace of mind in case your doggo has an oopsie.
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Simple and easy
The combination of materials creates a durable yet stylish finish along with switchgear that might be slightly dated, but still old school and uncomplicated. A large 11.6-inch infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is a highlight, while the traditional analog dials in the instrument cluster should appease technophobes.
Standard spec on the Subaru Forester Sport includes rain sense wipers, push-button start, keyless entry, hands-free electrically opening one, dual-pane sunroof and 360-degree camera system.
Leg and headroom is plenty inside, with the boot swallowing a very healthy 496 litres.
Subaru has always placed a premium on safety and Forester has no shortage of advanced systems keeping you safe. Thes includes the likes of Reverse Automatic Braking, Adaptive Cruise Control and Autonomous Emergency Steering.
Tried and tested power
There is no changes under the bonnet where the trusty 2.5-litre naturally aspirated Boxer engine still a sterling job. It produces 136kW of power and 247Nm of torque which is sent to all four wheels via CVT. On the Sport, the Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive System offers two X-Mode driving modes in the form of Snow/Dirt and Deep Snow/Mud.
These modes, along with the car’s proven off-road capabilities and a generous ground clearance of 220mm should go a long way in appealing to those who likes going off the beaten track. It’s off-road prowess being one of its standout traits in the consumer ratings.
Out on the road is where you realise why a conversation with a long-lost friend has the potential to go on forever. It is so comfortable and easy to operate that hours can go by without you realising it.
ALSO READ: Subaru Forester built to survive imminent World War III
Subaru Forester faces challenges
The power delivery is smooth with plenty of urge from the get-go without the turbo lag that burdens blown mills. We also thought the revised CVT behaved well. It still drones a bit when you need more oomph for acceleration, but we doubt the perfect CVT exists.
What we also like is that the comprehensive safety systems is not as downright obnoxious as in Chinese cars can be. The brand’s EyeSight range of driving systems goes about its job much more discreetly.
The new Subaru Forester is a lot of car with great capabilities and an undisputed pedigree. But with its price tag of R790 000, it will struggle to appeal to more than its loyal followers. While it compares very decently with other heritage brands, but there is just so much tech and bling available from the People’s Republic at the price point.
