The Forester has long been renowned for its offroad capabilities but can the shift to mild-hybrid drive ensure competent fuel efficiency in a fast-changing market? Al Suttie tests it out.

Subaru Forester e-Boxer 2.0i XE Premium Lineartronic

List price (BiK): £39,895 (37%) CO2: 185g/km Economy: 34.7mpg Test efficiency: 32.7mpg

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Monday

The Subaru Forester could well be renamed the de-Forested as they are a rare sight nowadays, Round my neck of the further-flung woods they used to be ten-a-penny as one of the go-to cars for farmers and, well, forestry types. The arrival of this latest mild hybrid Forester e-Boxer today poses the question of whether or not it can tempt those people back into a Subaru and away from Škodas and Ford Rangers?

Tuesday

As with Foresters of old, this latest generation sits somewhere between large estate and SUV in size. That’s no bad thing in my book as it makes the Subaru easy to get in and out of, and it provides the raised driving position so many people like, yet it doesn’t feel like it’s towering over other cars. After a couple of hours in the Forester today, the driver’s seat feels too narrow and misses support, so longer drives could be a chore.

Wednesday

The petrol-electric power for the Forester is at the very mild end of the hybrid scale. It will pull away in EV-only mode if I’m gentle with the throttle pedal, but you only get a very short distance before the petrol motor comes in smoothly but audibly. As speed builds, the engine also feels like it’s revving too hard for a lot of the time as it’s a CVT (continuously variable transmission) rather than a traditional auto ’box.

Thursday

A sudden deluge of rain while out and about today in the Forester shows Subaru’s all-wheel drive system remains as tenacious as ever. On the motorway and back roads, the Forester is sure-footed and relaxed, and the ride comfort is one of the stand-out best things of this car. It smooches over rough roads easily, but I do have to keep disabling the steering assist that is way too intrusive on country lanes.

Friday

There’s been no call for me to try out the different modes for the four-wheel drive in the Forester. In winter, this might be something I’d turn to, but it feels unnecessary for the type of driving I cover. What is good about the Subaru, however, is the amount of ground clearance it has over most other SUVs in its price range. The result is you waft over bumps and potholes with no fear of damaging the car.

Saturday

Space is good in the Forester, and the quality of the build, even if many of the materials are dull to look at. What bothers me, though, is the fussy look of the dash. After a week, I’m still hunting for buttons and info. It’s just all too cluttered, and this from someone who is usually keen to advocate physical dials and buttons in place of infotainment screens.

Sunday

Checking the Forester’s onboard computer this morning, it’s readying 32.7mpg average economy, which is 2mpg down on the official combined figure. Normally, that would be nothing to write home about, but low 30s economy ain’t great, especially with a mild hybrid car that kicks out 185g/km of CO2. On that alone, I’d be looking at a Škoda Kodiaq or Kia Sportage instead of the Subaru.