Subaru Forester XT
I've never particularly liked the Subaru Forester. I can't really pinpoint why--after all, I'm an AMC Eagle acolyte, and the Forester is really nothing more than a latter-day Eagle. Like the Eagle, the Forester is a tall, gawky nerd of a car, with a tall forehead, a geeky chrome grin, and a complete lack of muscle. But also like the Eagle, the Forester is extraordinarily useful, with all-wheel-drive traction and the usefulness of a wagon. Both would make fantastic camping rides.
My general coolness towards the Forester might actually stem from Subaru's insistence on calling the Forester an SUV. It's clearly not an SUV, it's a station wagon. It's a car chassis and engine, with a wagon back. It might be taller and have all-wheel-drive, but it's a wagon. I also get annoyed when Subaru refers to its Legacy Outback as an SUV, but to the virtually identical Legacy as a car. I realize it's all marketing semantics, but I don't have much patience for automakers insulting our intelligence.
Whatever the reason, I've always respected the Forester but never really embraced it. Until, that is, the Forester XT debuted, at which point the addition of a turbocharger and some of Subaru's rally mojo created one of the most incredible sleepers the world has ever seen.
Remember, a sleeper is defined by two attributes--potent performance and an anonymous wrapper. The Forester XT has both in spades. In terms of performance, Car & Driver measured the 0-60 sprint in an unbelievable 5.3 seconds--a stunning testament to the combination of traction and turbocharged thrust. For reference, that's as quick as the Ferrari Testarossa, quicker than a 1980s Corvette, only a tick behind the Lamborghini Countach. It's as quick as a 1990s Porsche 911, a contemporary Nissan 350Z, or even the Forester's performance-oriented sibling, the WRX. At high speeds the Forester's high-drag body hurts acceleration, but at that point who cares? It's a go-anywhere haul-anything wagon that can run with the exotics--like an Eagle with a jet engine.
Just as important, in terms of its sleeper potential, the Forester lost virtually none of its anonymity. Compared to its toothless brethren, the XT gained only a hood scoop. Nobody takes the Forester seriously as a performance car, but in the case of the XT that would be a mistake. If you're a street racer and find yourself alongside a Forester, I'd recommend looking for the hood scoop--it's the only indicator of the XT's fire-breathing performance potential. The XT isn't particularly expensive, either--it starts in the mid-$20K range.
Given all this, and my well-chronicled weakness for wagons, it's no surprise that the Forester captured my imagination in a big way. I dreamed of driving into remote backpacking spots one day, then embarrassing preening Ferrari drivers the next. I'd forget myself and refer to the Forester as a "cool car" to my friends, only for them to guffaw at the latest blemish to my already dubious automotive taste. Not that this is a new thing.
Looking at these photos again--yikes, it's certainly not a looker, is it? But at least I console myself with the thought that maybe, somehow, the "XT" suffix for the performance Forester is some kind of tribute to the original Subaru sports car,the flying-doorstop Subaru XT. If so, that's cool enough to overlook the Forester's homely visage.
Thanks to Flickr user meody for the photos here.
--Chris H.
Bob in Houston on July 11, 2008 at 05:32 PM
And then there is my buddy Eric's Forester from Hell!
http://www.subaruforester.org/userpages/EdTheHead/Ed.html
rob the SVX guy on July 11, 2008 at 05:33 PM
Because.... WRXs are... I hate to say it, but are just too plain jane for carlust. Most WRX owners don't know anything about Subaru, and don't recognize my SVX, and have zero respect for Outbacks, and don't even know what Justy is. They're great cars, but so great that I think they've become too mainstream. I went to a subaru meet, video here actually:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=awvIisLlNgE
And apart from my friend Phil, we were the only two non imprezas. I think that WRXs are great cars, but honestly, I'd rather have a 97-99 2.5RS.
rob the SVX guy on July 11, 2008 at 05:41 PM
Speed6s are garbage. Everyone I've known who's had one had major problems. Rear ends, transmissions, half shafts, suspensions. My close friend who had a regular 6 took it into the dealership constantly for suspension clunks and problems. It was so obnoxious she sold it and bought a Saab 92X, used. No problems.
Mazda: Try harder. Your crap falls apart.
Hinch on July 11, 2008 at 06:08 PM
I own a '04 Forester XT 5 speed just like the one tested by C&D. Can I make it hit 5.3 seconds to 60 mph? No. I own it. I paid for it. C&D didn't. The consensus in the vast Forester community (yes, there is such a thing) is that C&D did it by doing things no owner would do (clutch drop at 6,000 rpm, etc), but experience suggests the 5.3 number is attainable. Additional folklore holds that Subaru under-reported the '04 XT's HP number to 210 so as not to impinge on the WRX's sales. Dynos suggest the stock '04 XT put out 235-245 or so.
But the Forester XT can also haul an 8 ft ladder or an STI 6-speed transmission in a crate or 20 cases of bottled water or a 45 inch plasma TV with the hatch closed. And it handles OK, especially with better tires. It has 8 inches of ground clearance, for Pete's sake. It handles well enough to make curves a pleasure instead of something to endure, anyway.
I'll have mine for a very long time. I can't think of anything that can do all the things it does as well as it does.
Bryan Frymire on July 11, 2008 at 07:04 PM
One thing that would explain the preponderance of boxy Subies in Seattle? Lesbians. And lots of 'em.
C'mon... everyone was thinking it.
rob the SVX guy on July 11, 2008 at 07:32 PM
There are lots of lesbians in Seattle? Sweet. I've always wanted to move there anyway. ZING!
PersonFromPorlock on July 12, 2008 at 07:23 AM
5.3 or 5.9 or 6.1 seconds zero to sixty, if it's like most Subarus I've seen it'll be rusted out by the time it gets there.
PersonFromPorlock on July 12, 2008 at 07:24 AM
5.3 or 5.9 or 6.1 seconds zero to sixty, if it's like most Subarus I've seen it'll be rusted out by the time it gets there.
David Colborne on July 12, 2008 at 09:21 PM
When I think of lesbians and Subarus, I think of a story one of my coworkers told me... according to him, his mom was looking to buy a Subaru Baja. She went down to the dealer, who asked her, "Oh, are you a lesbian?" She replied in the negative, at which point he said, "Oh, you don't want the Baja, then - only lesbians drive 'em".
If that story is remotely accurate, it would explain why Subaru Baja sales went through the floor in the US... and it ticks me off to no freakin' end! I wanted to relive the Brat, dang it!
hunter on July 13, 2008 at 11:57 PM
If I recall right, the Forester XT got the 2.5L engine way before the standard WRX did. That was one reason why so many people were instantly interested in them.
The Baja XT was also at one time the cheapest turbo Subaru, the prices dropped and dropped (because Bajas weren't selling) until it dropped past the WRX.
David Drucker on July 14, 2008 at 05:11 AM
Surprise! I've never owned one of these little cuties. But my ex-wife did -- a lavishly-equipped '99 -- and when she bought an iridescent purple Beetle the Subie was passed on to my son. He's had it for five years, and the only major trouble was a failed engine/tranny gasket at about 60K. Subaru split the cost of the repair, and we snuck in a new cam belt while the car was apart, so it's all good.
I like Q-ships in general, having owned one of the very best of them, a Mercedes-Benz 300SEl 6.3. (You should see the smoke from the rear tires of one of those things at a real tight autocross!) And I especially like the idea of a Subaru Q-ship, especially in the form of the company's boxiest model. I'd take one over a WRX any day, just because the WRX is so... backwards baseball cap. And, you might as well hang a "ticket me" sign off of that goofy (and real-world useless) spoiler.
The Forester holds more, rides better, and is easier to get in and out of. It might not beat the WRX's time at Lime Rock, but how often do you run time trials at Lime Rock? Me, not for ages and ages.
Rob the SVX guy on July 14, 2008 at 06:57 AM
David speaks truth. I do, however, still dislike the handling of them. I drove one as pictured, without the turbo, yesterday. It's a firm ride, yet it still plows through corners. :|
Ideally, I'd want this for a daily subie:
http://www.perth-wrx.com/vb/pp-classifieds/data/2/3229WRX_1-large.jpg
To me, that was the pinnacle of Subaru performance cars. Lighter, smaller, and more nimble than later WRXs, it also represented the time period that Subaru was dominating the WRC. I'll probably write a carlust about them at some point.
Jeff on July 14, 2008 at 09:03 AM
"Jeff: "Can you post a link?"
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/hot_lists/car_shopping/suvs_family_haulers/subaru_forester_2_5xt_road_test
It was this road test that first inspired the months of car lust that followed.
I agree, it does seem fast. I've driven a Forester XT (albeit an auto - they didn't have a 5-speed for me) and it didn't feel like a 5.3 car. Car & Driver probably had a good example. But 5.9 or even 6.1 from a Forester is still pretty nuts."
I was looking at new models (2007 and 2008) - that was a 2003 model with a stick (you can't get an XT with a stick now). If Subaru would drop a six-speed auto in the XT, I think you would see acceleration like the 03.
Like you said, 6 seconds in a Forester is very quick and nothing to sneeze at...
Mochi Mochi on July 14, 2008 at 04:26 PM
David: "time trials at Lime Rock"! I love Lime Rock - it's been way too many years since I drove there. Sign me up for Subie time trials at Lime Rock - especially if Rob is willing to let me drive his SVX;) How about it Rob? It could be a CarLust event. I'd make a special trip back to New England just to make that happen - and don't think I wouldn't. This weekend I drove across the US - Greenville SC to Los Angeles - by myself - starting Friday afternoon ending Sunday night. Not exactly Gumball Rally times but creditable endurance none the less. And can I just say how much I enjoy driving in West Texas and Southern New Mexico.
Frank Black on July 16, 2008 at 08:26 AM
My house continues to be Car Lust central: Someone up the street owns one of these. I'd been walking past it for a while but finally really noticed it because of this.
dicduc on July 21, 2008 at 07:27 AM
easy to get in/out, can ford a 1.5ft snowbank, can achieve 30mpg w/ 235lbs/ft @ 3500rpm.
nothing compares.
Overbear the XT bear on July 25, 2008 at 01:04 PM
I am the owner of a XT, and let me say...yes they are the ultimate sleeper. With just the $4000 in mods I have put on, I stop quicker, accelerate faster, and out handle both the EVO and the STI. In the corners I will keep up with a GT3, and I leave Z-06's in the dust tell we get out of the twists and turns that is. By far one of the most fun cars I have ever built/owned.
satalac on September 05, 2008 at 02:32 PM
i know everyone is bashing the xt's handling, but why? what would be the point of making the xt handle like a wrx? i actually take my 04 xt offroad. i don't want it to have the same suspension as the wrx. the handling is actually very good with different tires (geosquealers are decent, just not track worthy). the xt serves it's purpose just fine. if you don't like the suspension, then get a wrx or go aftermarket.
That Car Guy on October 26, 2008 at 02:32 PM
The misclassification of the Forester as an SUV, like our Tribute, means we can call it a "Truck", and therefore get a major insurance break as we can list the thing as a "Farm Utility Vehicle" with the insurance companies.
All the while feeling comfy and cozy in our "Cars" LOL.
Jason Carpp on December 01, 2008 at 07:16 AM
I've always loved Subaru vehicles. What I've always liked were the 4wd/AWD drive systems and its horizontally-opposed "boxer" engines. The Subaru Forester is my favourite. The first year it came out, I loved the styling. I loved the front grille. I was more than disappointed when they restyled the front end to what the pics above show. Overall, I liked the styling. Like all Subes I've seen, it's kind of unusual. But the grille just makes it look uglier than ugly.
Josh on January 16, 2009 at 03:26 PM
I own an 04 Forester XT and I have to ask why people "don't see the point". The point in what? Having power in an SUV/Wagon vehicle? Yes, the car is insanely quick in a straight line (even with the lazy 4-speed Auto). It goes around corners decent enough, but has body roll and doesn't take corners as well as it's sister, the WRX. (which is expected in a SUV/Wagon styled vehicle). Throw on some stiffer sway bars and you're set (though, the off-road capability suffers a little when you do this). That's why the "all-terrain" aspect of the Forester is great. It works good enough on the road, and good enough off the road. It's an all-rounder......NOT a sports car.....nor was it ever intended to be.
So why have an extremely powerful engine in an SUV/Wagon? How about towing, off-roading, hauling cargo/people, you know, SUV stuff......that is why all your "real" SUV's out there have huge V8 engines.......the only difference is that the Forester packs a damn good 0-60 sprint time versus the larger, "more powerful" SUV's out there.
I do my fair share of off-roading in my Forester XT as well (sand dunes mainly) and can say that if I didn't have the turbocharged 2.5, I wouldn't have NEARLY the ability of climbing some of the dunes that I do.
I also know that hauling around my track-prepped motorcycle with trailer, spare wheels/tires, fuel, supplies, etc. to the track every weekend wouldn't be as easy either if I didn't have the larger engine.
Final verdict. This car has a lot of personality. It can keep up with sports cars on the street, and with Jeeps off road. It truely is what it's marketed to be......an "all terain" vehicle that does everything. It's quick, perky, takes corners well enough, and impresses off road.
Before stating "I don't see the point"........drive one.....then you'll see why it was only a 10 minute decision to decide to buy it.
Josh on January 16, 2009 at 03:27 PM
I own an 04 Forester XT and I have to ask why people "don't see the point". The point in what? Having power in an SUV/Wagon vehicle? Yes, the car is insanely quick in a straight line (even with the lazy 4-speed Auto). It goes around corners decent enough, but has body roll and doesn't take corners as well as it's sister, the WRX. (which is expected in a SUV/Wagon styled vehicle). Throw on some stiffer sway bars and you're set (though, the off-road capability suffers a little when you do this). That's why the "all-terrain" aspect of the Forester is great. It works good enough on the road, and good enough off the road. It's an all-rounder......NOT a sports car.....nor was it ever intended to be.
So why have an extremely powerful engine in an SUV/Wagon? How about towing, off-roading, hauling cargo/people, you know, SUV stuff......that is why all your "real" SUV's out there have huge V8 engines.......the only difference is that the Forester packs a damn good 0-60 sprint time versus the larger, "more powerful" SUV's out there.
I do my fair share of off-roading in my Forester XT as well (sand dunes mainly) and can say that if I didn't have the turbocharged 2.5, I wouldn't have NEARLY the ability of climbing some of the dunes that I do.
I also know that hauling around my track-prepped motorcycle with trailer, spare wheels/tires, fuel, supplies, etc. to the track every weekend wouldn't be as easy either if I didn't have the larger engine.
Final verdict. This car has a lot of personality. It can keep up with sports cars on the street, and with Jeeps off road. It truely is what it's marketed to be......an "all terain" vehicle that does everything. It's quick, perky, takes corners well enough, and impresses off road.
Before stating "I don't see the point"........drive one.....then you'll see why it was only a 10 minute decision to decide to buy it.
The G-Man on September 29, 2011 at 10:53 AM
If you are one who doubts the ability of the Fozzie to run with some of the best modern sports cars on the roads today, just act brave and try one out for size and don't hate the player hate the game thats the car business for creating this Frankenstein Monster called the Sports 2.5 XT Fozzenstein Monster. The G-Man I'm out! 5.9 zero to sixty and a 13.9 quarter sprint in my auto trans. Just push and go, go man go! Run Forester run!