LONG before they sprouted wings, spoilers and alloys larger than a dustbin lid, Subarus were the vehicle of choice for farmers and adventurous types.
Where I grew up - in the north of England - you bought a Subaru if you needed a vehicle to cross muddy fields, scramble up hills slathered in cow manure or battle through six inches of snow, not if you wanted to break the sound barrier on your way to 60mph.
They were dependable, hard-working and easy to maintain.
No wonder so many Subaru owners are repeat buyers (seven out of ten buyers have already had one). People who drive them tend to love them.
This sixth generation Forester is a return to Subaru's rugged roots.
It's incredible to recall that when the first Forester arrived on these shores way back in 1997, Land Rover hadn't even taken the wraps off the Freelander. The idea of an off-road capable crossover that was as good to drive on the road as it was off it, was a radical departure.
These days crossovers are ten-a-pretty-penny and the new Forester finds Volkswagen, Hyundai, Kia, Vauxhall, Ford and Honda all parking their tanks on its neatly manicured lawn.
Arguably, the Forester is the most capable of them all, thanks to its permanently connected four-wheel drive system and higher than usual ground clearance. This is still a car to appeal to farming types and off-road adventurers.
This is the best Forester yet.
It takes all that was good about the previous model, the floor pan based on the Subaru Global Platform with an extra ten per cent rigidity, and the sensible lightweight 2.0-litre flat-four engines, then wraps it up in a noticeably tidier body.
It's now classed as a mild-hybrid thanks to an electric motor and a small battery which provides a handy boost in acceleration and allows for battery-only driving at low speeds to save fuel. The system works seamlessly in conjunction with the Forester's CVT automatic gearbox. Power is transmitted very smoothly and, most of the time, you're only aware that the car is running on electricity when the EV logo lights up on the instrument cluster.
Maybe that's because the Forester is a lot quieter. According to Subaru's own figures, interior noise has been reduced by an impressive 39 per cent.
The hybrid powertrain helps in another important way, too.
Traditionally, Subaru's flat-fours have been rather 'thirsty'. By adding mild-hybrid technology to take the load off the petrol powerplant at low speeds, when the ICE engine is at its most fuel inefficient, Subaru has made the Forester a much more frugal vehicle. Thanks to the amount of time the car switched to its battery-only mode, we had no problem achieving more than 40mpg in town.
The same hybrid powertrain is fitted to every Forester for sale in the UK. There are three trim levels: Limited kicks off the range from £38,995, whereas the mid-range Field model can be had for a few hundred quid over £40,000 and the top-of-the-range Touring will set you back £42,995.
Whichever model you buy it will come with plenty of equipment. Highlights include new LED headlights, hefty 18-inch wheels, heated and power-adjustable driver and passenger seats (very handy for British wintertime), an 11.6-inch touchscreen display, 360-degree cameras and wireless charging. The top spec Touring throws in features such as a panoramic sunroof, larger wheels and (much to my daughter's delight) heated rear seats.
Subaru's traditional symmetrical all-wheel drive set up gives the Forester excellent traction and, thanks to the engine's unusual low centre of gravity, keeps things balanced even under hard acceleration or traversing tricky road conditions. The Forester really does feel safe and secure at all times.
Subaru has made big strides in its materials quality and cabin layouts over the past few years. The Forester's interior is comfy and ergonomically sound. It feels well-built from hard-wearing thick plastics and there were no untoward squeaks or rattles. This is a cabin built to take whatever life throws at it.
The large centrally-located portrait touchscreen responds quickly to your touch and it's good to see a couple of old-school dials for on/off, audio volume and station seeking. Touch controls for the heating and ventilation occupy a permanent space at the bottom of the screen. The sat nav comes with What3Words compatibility for precise location selections - an unusual and worthwhile feature.
I got to grips with the user interface within seconds - not something which can be said about some of the Forester's rivals which place fashionable good-looks ahead of practicality.
There's plenty of space inside for five adults. Subaru has lowered the window cut off by 14mm to give the interior a lighter, more airy feel; nervous passengers will be thankful for the excellent visibility. The flat roofline means everyone gets plenty of headroom, too. Families will be thankful for the three built-in Isofix points for child seats. Naturally, there are a couple of cupholders in the centre console and there's a handy charging pad for compatible mobile phones. The boot is capable of swallowing more than 500-litres before you need to fold the rear seatbacks down.
Subaru is justifiably proud of its safety record - none of its cars have ever scored less than a full five-star safety award - but the eye-tracking device is sometimes a bit too zealous. It would scold me for not keeping my eyes on the road if I so much as glanced at the touchscreen and some of the warning sounds are noticeably louder than other cars.
So it's safer, quieter and more frugal than before. As it's a Subaru you'll be able to depend on it to start first time, every time, and the four-wheel drive is an absolute boon in bad weather.
I'm not surprised the Forester is Subaru's most popular model in the UK. It looks as though the farming community's might not be able to keep this one to themselves for much longer.
Subaru Forester
Price: from £38,995
Engine: 2.0-litre flat-four with mild-hybrid assist
Max power: 134bhp
Max torque: 136 lb/ft
Top speed: 116mph
0-62mph: 12.2 seconds
Fuel consumption on test: 42mpg o/all
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