Test drive Subaru Forester e-Boxer: beauty in symmetry
The new Forester arrives in Europe with a new platform and cuts off the diesel link.
The drive is assigned to the petrol box, which is assisted by a hybrid system.
Despite the risk of using clichés, the phrase “we live in dynamic times” pretty accurately describes what is happening in the automotive industry. Anathema to the diesel engine and the “perfect storm” caused by the need to certify new vehicles to WLTP and Euro 6d-Temp have washed away the entire landscape of the manufacturer's portfolio.
Subaru Forester is perhaps one of the most striking examples of such a transformation. Based on a new high-tech platform with a very high level of safety, the new representative of the Japanese brand in compact SUVs is now available in Europe with only one type of drive - a gasoline boxer (naturally aspirated) engine, complemented by a 12,3 electric motor. kW With the new generation, Subaru says goodbye to the unique diesel boxer unit that is a leading factor in the Japanese company, and neither did its counterparts at Toyota (owning 20 percent of Subaru) attempt to develop to Euro 6d emissions levels.
With only five percent of the brand's sales in Europe, Subaru can afford it worldwide. The hybrid drive is perhaps a nod to loyal Old Continent customers who are supposed to help the model reduce emissions. Subaru doesn't give a definitive answer as to why a smaller petrol turbo unit isn't being used to drive it, but it's almost certainly at the heart of achieving emissions levels. On the other hand, marketers have taken it seriously to explain to customers that the new Forester is a safe car that should be used to comfortably transport family members.
Somehow dynamics does not appear in this equation.
And before you get behind the wheel, you can easily make sure that this approach is really honest. The design follows the established expressive means of its predecessor, without strong stylistic manifestations and lines that radiate dynamics. The Forester is painfully straightforward, with rigorous forms suggesting solidity, strength and empathy for its main task - to safely transport passengers, even if it has to pass through places where there is no paved road surface. However, the design looks more confident and modern, and this is largely due to the ability of the new Subaru Global Platform (which will now be the basis of all global models of the brand except the BRZ) to provide greater strength and compactness. even joints. It should not be forgotten that good design is largely dependent on the transitions between individual shapes and creating the feeling of ordinary smooth surfaces without sharp step transitions that break the eye. In addition to prerequisites for better quality, lighter weight and a 29mm longer wheelbase, the new platform provides something much more important – structural strength (70-100 percent increased depending on the model in which it is used), which ensures better road handling. road and, of course, much better passenger protection. The model has already received the maximum number of points in the EuroNCAP tests.
Ensuring that passengers are not convinced of the qualities of high-strength steel in the body, apart from the driver, there is of course a new generation of proven extremely efficient EyeSight technology in its latest V3 version, including a huge range from driver assistance systems, i.e. almost everything that is automotive the industry has to offer in this area. Moreover, for all versions, the system is included in the standard package.
Armed with this knowledge, the driver can easily accommodate their passengers in a cabin that is much more refined than previous generations. Its forms are much more elegant, with a much brighter pattern and a strong presence. This is facilitated by all three screens on the dashboard - the instrument panel, the center 8-inch monitor and the 6,3-inch multi-function display located at the top of the dashboard. Using the camera, the car recognizes the faces of the five saved driver profiles and adjusts the seat position, and if the driver shows signs of fatigue, it signals the need for rest.
The serenity of being
The drive also makes a significant contribution to passenger safety by responsibly limiting the possibility of dynamic performance. On paper, the two-litre petrol engine produces 150 hp. in the range from 5600 to 6000 rpm, and the maximum torque of 194 Nm is only reached at 4000 rpm. The latter figure is rather modest given the fact that some modern downsizing units with only one liter displacement achieve similar torque at 1800 rpm. The 12,3kW electric motor (which Subaru tried to integrate into the CVT transmission because an external belt-driven motor-generator above the block boxer would increase the center of gravity) should add torque and at least compensate to some extent. traction deficit. However, in practice its presence is weak. The Forester e-Boxer is a parallel mild hybrid with all the consequences that entails. That is, its hybrid system should not be expected to achieve an effect close to that achieved by the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid or the Honda CR-V Hybrid (with the standard hybrid system). The 0,5 kWh lithium-ion battery with 110 volts is located together with the power electronics above the rear axle in the name of good weight distribution. The effect of the added torque from the electric motor is largely canceled out by the CVT transmission, which, even with a small amount of throttle, causes the gasoline engine to shift to higher speeds at which the presence of an electric unit is not particularly important. This is why the driver of the Subaru Forester e-Boxer quickly realizes that when driving in urban conditions with very careful handling of the accelerator pedal, the whole cycle of more efficient operation of the internal combustion engine and recuperation can have some effect, but with more dynamic driving. Their benefits are not very great. Much more impressive is the information display above, which graphs energy flows similar to those in Toyota hybrid models.
In moderate driving, the new efficient and extremely balanced petrol engine, adapted to frequent stops and starts and with a compression ratio increased to 12,5: 1, will be rewarded with decent fuel consumption. So, as we said earlier, the postulate of comfort in passenger transport is completely honest. If you want speakers, it's good to stay with other cars. Turbo seems to be becoming a taboo word in the European lexicon of Japanese companies.
The dynamics may have been sacrificed for emissions, but Subaru didn't compromise with its all-wheel drive system. Specialists in this field have been creating and developing various dual transmission systems since the 70s and can be completely trusted in this regard. In particular, in the Forester e-Boxer, the system has a multi-plate clutch, it is also possible to activate different modes of operation, depending on whether the car is moving on dry terrain, on deep or compacted snow or on mud. As for the adaptive steering and finely tuned chassis, the truth is they can handle much more dynamic driving.
text: Georgy Kolev
