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Subaru Forester 4dventure | Conquering The Forest Of A Million Trees
“The road should be open, but in some places it is really difficult to get through with a car. With your Subaru you won’t have any problem”.
Words Andrea Balti / Photos Jay Tomei
Just wow! Some sort of carpe diem happening because of the canonical mid-life update, I finally take the opportunity to get behind the wheel of the Subaru Forester, the flagship SUV of the Pleiades brand, which has always been an absolute synonym of effectiveness and safety. After having revolutionized the Forester in 2020, with an even more mature and refined design and drivability that despite not forgetting that Subaru means having a permanent all-wheel drive able to overcome every conceivable obstacle, the driving sensation has finally become an excellent alternative even for a more traditional use, perhaps far from gravel and mud. At the start of 2022 we have thus the natural evolution of this concept, which to be honest brings with it almost imperceptible updates for one simple reason: the Forester was already substantially perfect.
Among Subaru customers, 1 out of 4 chooses a Forester and with the arrival of the 4dventure set-up (tested last summer between the Strada dell’Assietta and the Col du Sommeiller, ed) the sporty and more adventurous nature is released thanks to the contrast of orange details scattered here and there both outside and inside the passenger compartment, where nothing has been left to chance. This is evident from the presence of seats made of water-repellent fabric, easy-to-wash rubber mats and badges that make the Forester look distinctly sportier than ever. The version we’re testing includes subtle interventions such as a new design for the front and rear full LED headlights, also with a remodeling of the grille and front-end bumper.
So I took the key and brought a couple of colleagues with me, including the photographer – obviously – and set the satellite navigator using the 8” screen of the refreshed infotainment system, perfectly connectable to Apple Car Play and Android Auto. No mountains this time, it’s still too early to hope not to find a wall of snow, especially since my intentions are driven by the desire to find a more hidden path than usual and let nature meeting an SUV that is confirmed to be able to offer a fantastic coexistence in the city, making use of a rear-view camera and a 4-cylinder 2-liter hybrid engine (mild-hybrid) that limits overall consumption, making the small electric motor intervene at the usually most critical moment in terms of fuel commitment.
The first kilometers of motorway are swallowed up without the slightest problem, demonstrating how the soundproofing of the passenger compartment and the comfort offered by a high-level driving feel can easily put the Forester against the more traditional European competitors. Once the road begins to climb inland, it is important to dose the throttle pedal well, in order to limit the CVT automatic transmission from unnecessarily revving the engine up. Once you understand its functioning and usefulness in off-road (but we will talk about this later on), you can make the most of the 150 horsepower and 194 Nm of torque, maybe by setting the car in Sport mode, which makes the response of the accelerator and engine much more lively.
We leave tarmac behind as kilometers pass slowly and we advance along a path that makes its way through the trees and the most uncontaminated nature. The Forester, despite being an SUV 464-centimeters long and 182 wide, shows that it moves with a pretty impressive agility, all while being fitted with standard tires and 18-inch wheels exclusive for the 4dventure spec. The highlight point of the CVT comes into play just in the most difficult passages when it is necessary to stop in order to overcome a more cumbersome stone than usual or any other tough obstacle. The thrust of the electric engine allows not only to avoid skidding, but to trigger the heat engine once the car is already moving. The permanent symmetrical all-wheel drive, which has always been synonymous with Subaru, clings to even the most imperceptible wedge of land, allowing us to reach the Giogo di Giustenice in a matter of minutes.
A short break to breathe some crisp air and off to the north, where I hope to be able to reach a place that we have looked at for a long time at the office, without however being able to understand if it is passable by car or what. The Barbottina Forest is one of the most luxuriant beech forests in Italy and a destination for hikers and lovers of the most pristine nature. It offers a unique spectacle thanks to an infinity of trees that can even reach 50 meters in height. A few more bends and we reach an altitude of 1,000 meters, all being just 15 km away from the sea (as the crow flies). The first and only person we have met since we left the last stretch of asphalt is a farmer rampaging with his giant farm tractor. We stop a second to ask if the road ahead is viable – “The road should be open, but in some places it is really difficult to get through with a car. With your Subaru you won’t have any problem”. You gonna try that guys”.
There are just 4 kilometers to the forest and after driving for over an hour I have no intention of turning back. The confidence I have in the Forester will soon be tested, but not before having regenerated ourselves with a well-deserved lunch at the small cabin located at the southern entrance of the Barbottina. This is one of those occasions in which to chat with your fellow travelers, appreciating how a well-finished SUV perfectly at home in the city is actually capable of taking you where most similar cars would have flown white flag. X-mode is then that secret ingredient that makes everything even easier, not only allowing you to climb even in the most extreme situations, but managing braking and traction on the steepest and most slippery descents. The entrance to the forest is just a few meters from us and once the meal is done it’s finally time to leave again, without even imagining what awaited us.
The rains of the last few days have created a sort of muddy expanse that stands between us and the path to the Barbottina. Furthermore a gigantic pool of water and mud looks like our way to the woods could be stopped earlier than expected. It is therefore necessary to consider the two options: try to avoid the mud black-hole and tackle some wet grass also covered in mud, or act with brute force and overcome the puddle. A few seconds later the dirty water splashes up to the roof and using X-mode we overcome the small but treacherous ford breathing a sigh of relief, but only after being surprised by several meters of muddy ground causing some serious drifting. A bit of counter-steer and I straighten the Forester until it stops on dry land. But the best is yet to come.
I seriously begin to wonder if we’ve made the right choice, as the road becomes much narrower than before and the presence of stones and chasms on what should be called the path ahead put our Subaru and above all our spirit of adventure to the test. However, this would mean to once again face the huge pool of mud, a place where you really don’t want to get stuck. We continue with X-mode on and with the utmost caution, stopping the car safely and advancing on foot to assess the state of a trail that at times seems to almost disappear in the dense vegetation. The most challenging point is a climb which, being strewn with stones, forces us to stop the car completely. A moment of uncertainty with a skid that already made me imagine being at the bottom of the ravine and the Forester drags me out of trouble once again. A few sighs later it is time to take an equally difficult descent and finally a clearing seems to welcome us in the Barbottina Forest, or at least in the most breathtaking point we have admired today.
We proceed slowly in the midst of a million trees. Their bare branches and the height of the trunks allow the gaze to get lost in a contrast of vertical shapes that seem to rest on a giant carpet of orange leaves. It’s time to stop and as Jay enters the dry vegetation, I try to enjoy a spectacle that I never thought possible. The Barbottina Forest is not only the scenic path that plunges into the most uncontaminated nature above the Colle del Melogno, but the embrace of nature which in the nakedness of the end of winter nevertheless manages to be majestic and incredibly silent. It is the coexistence of two apparently opposite aspects such as the solitude of the forest and the life of nature that reflects the surprising skills of the Forester, with that desire for adventure that once you put your wheels back on the asphalt, shakes off some mud and takes us back to the frenzy of civilization, pampered in a comfortable cabin and by technology that befits a car that continues to represent an excellent response to the most diverse needs of a clientele who, while not giving up the practicality of five seats, a large load compartment and the safety and effectiveness offered by four-wheel drive, know what else is needed for a healthy adventure on the road. Well, off-road.
SUBARU FORESTER 4DVENTURE
Engine 4 cylinder Mild-Hybrid, 1.995 cc Power 150 hp Torque 194 Nm
Traction All-Wheel-Drive Transmission Automatic CVT Weight 1.765 kg
0-100 kph 11,8 sec Top Speed 188 kph Price €44.750
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