LONDON: Subaru has all set to hit the markets with its all new 2105 Forester SUV in UK on April 1 with 2.0 liter turbo diesel. The prices of the car starts from £24,995 and it ranged to £30,995
The most significant change is the addition of a diesel-Lineartronic CVT (continuously-variable transmission) powertrain to the UK line-up.
This combination, says Subaru, delivers a more relaxing drive, as well as improved off-road capability by marrying all-wheel drive with Hill Descent Control (HDC) and the X-Mode system, to intelligently manage power, torque, brakes and drivetrain to maintain traction on even the most slippery surfaces.
The Lineartronic transmission fitted to the Forester’s 2.0-litre diesel engine is the same as that found on the 240 ps XT Turbo model, and is engineered to manage the diesel engine’s high 350 Nm torque output.
In its latest application in the Forester, the noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) characteristics of the transmission have been improved with additional soundproofing, while a manual mode provides drivers with seven pre-set ‘gears’ for greater control of the engine.
The 148 ps Boxer diesel engine itself has also received a range of modifications including a new common-rail injection system to enable more precise combustion control and new glow plugs to speed up engine heating for greater fuel efficiency from a cold start. There are also revised turbocharger settings while a new radiator, oil cooler and radiator fans have been adopted for diesel models, to aid engine cooling.
With the new diesel engine and gearbox combination the 2015 Forester will return 46.3 mpg and 158 g/km CO2 on the combined cycle, and go from zero to 62 mph in 9.6 seconds. Diesel models equipped with the standard six-speed manual return 49.6 mpg and a now lower 148 g/km CO2 on the combined cycle (-2 g/km). Acceleration is also improved slightly, with zero to 62 mph covered in 9.8 seconds (down from 10.2).
Subaru engineers have introduced a number of improvements to the interior of the car, designed to raise the quality and ambience of the cabin. Central to the upgraded interior is a new factory-fit touchscreen infotainment and navigation system which replaces the previous, Pioneer dealer-fit options. The 7.0-inch touchscreen, fitted as standard to all XC, AC Premium and XT models in the UK, allows front seat occupants to control the car’s satellite navigation and audio systems using the same touchscreen functionality as a smartphone, with swiping and pinching-in and -out to zoom in on map displays. Drivers can now control the infotainment and navigation system with Subaru’s voice control system, while full Bluetooth functionality enables users to connect their smartphone to the car via StarLink, for weather and traffic reports, wireless audio and news updates.
The upgraded interior also makes use of higher quality materials, in particular a new piano black central fascia, metallic highlights at key locations around the dashboard and new, more tactile heather controls.
The car also now receives an extra USB jack allowing occupants to listen to music from a USB-compatible device while charging another at the same time. The Multi-Function Display (MFD) at the top of the dashboard continues to display useful information to the driver, such as temperature, the status of the standard All-Wheel Drive system and fuel economy data. Improving the sporty image of the XT Turbo model, meanwhile, the MFD now features a turbo boost gauge for all models fitted with the 241 ps 2.0-litre DIT (direct injection turbo) engine.
