I could have felt frightened. I can remember many times of being afraid when caught in shocking conditions on the road.
But out in the golden Subaru XS Forester I was sitting high and dry. I felt in absolute command of my world. I had a good view of the road. Just that little bit of elevation in the compact all-wheel-drive makes all the difference.
I had good windscreen-wipers going front and back, and good headlights. Instead of the trepidation at driving in such foul conditions, I was quite enjoying myself. That's how we like it, we girls. There is nothing we love better than being in control.
It was much the same story heading up into the Hills, this time in drizzly, foggy, slippery and generally lousy Hillsy conditions.
The vertiginous twists and turns of Greenhill Rd were undaunting. The car hugged the road like a lover.
The Forester was as friendly and affirming in the city as the country. It feels big and strong, but then, blow me down, it tucks away into narrow car parks like a little dream.
This new model seems a little oomphier than the old one. I tried to find out why and got lost in a litany of tech-talk about displacement and linear motion. I let it go.
After all, the big news is that they have added some much needed extra storage space – a secret compartment in the rear. My umbrella tucked into it quite nicely.
We all know you can never have too many cup holders – and this one has fancy bonus ones with a wee tray which opens backwards from the centre console.
That is a lovely feature for people in the rear. But, woe, front seaters. You have lost your fold-down armrests – not that most people noticed they had them.
Most importantly, the Suby is really comfy and rides nicely, even over speed humps. The demister works in less than a trice. The fuel consumption seemed surprisingly low – and the quality of life on the road extremely high. It's a case of in XS and lovin' it.
LOVE IT LEAVE IT
Subaru Forester XS 2.5-litre manual
Price: $38,411
LOVE IT
The height
The sense of safety
The extra storage
The fuel consumption
The parkability
More oomph than the old model
LEAVE IT
Giving it back
Subaru Forester 2005: Xs
| Engine Type | Inline 4, 2.5L |
|---|---|
| Fuel Type | Unleaded Petrol |
| Fuel Efficiency | 10.0L/100km (combined) |
| Seating | 5 |
| Price From | $4,070 - $6,050 |
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