This is the new Subaru Forester, due to be unveiled at the Detroit show in January before going on sale in the UK later in 2008.After the controversial designs of the Tribeca and new Impreza, Subaru is playing it safe with the styling of its new 4x4 estate, opting for a much safer, more conventional look. The Forester is based on the new Impreza platform and will be available with a 2.5-litre flat four, and eventually the all-new 2.0-litre diesel engine, which makes its first UK appearance in the Legacy and Outback early next year. Transmission is four-wheel drive – Turbo models get the Impreza’s SI Drive – with a choice of a five-speed manual or four-speed auto.The new car is larger all round than the current model – 75mm longer, 45mm wider and a substantial 85mm taller, with a wheelbase extended by 90mm to 2615mm. Despite this, Subaru hasn’t taken advantage of the increased size to make the Forester a three-row seven seater - it remains a five-seater. The interior is as conventional as the exterior and has been lifted straight from the Impreza, so expect the same hard plastics and cheap-feeling switchgear. If Subaru have carried forward the utilitarian abilities of the old Forester, understated design and plastic interior shouldn't be a problem. The all-important diesel engine should ensure good UK sales for the much-loved Forester.
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