This is a car Subaru once said it had no intention of building. A little while after the first, naturally-aspirated Forester appeared, it was followed by the excellent S-Turbo version, which had a detuned 166bhp version of the Impreza Turbo engine. At the time, Subaru's line was that a Forester with over 200bhp seemed like a little too much of a good thing, and it's certainly true that the S-Turbo's appeal centred on its magnificent balance of power and handling.When the Impreza was replaced with a new model and the Forester - which is effectively the same car, only higher and with a different body style - likewise, something similar happened. There were power increases, but the Forester XT was still some way behind the Impreza WRX as regarded power. And in two-litre form it still is.But what have we here? This new XT has basically the same engine as the existing one, but stretched out to 2.5 litres, with a resulting power hike to 208bhp. Well into the cor-blimey zone, then, and a long way past what Subaru reckoned was the reasonable limit for the equivalent car back in the late 90s.Even in its least powerful form, the Forester handles so superbly that it's difficult to think of it in the same terms as any other SUV. The addition of 30-odd bhp to the mix distances the 2.5 XT still further from the herd. Maximum speed is now 140mph,well ahead of what other Foresters can achieve but perhaps limited by the aerodynamic effects of the tall body. More significant is a 0-60mph time of dead on six seconds.Six seconds! The two-litre XT does the job in 7.9, and that feels quick. This thing is something else again. The combination of quite a large-capacity engine and a small turbo (which therefore spins up to operating speed very smartly) means that almost as soon as you hit the throttle pedal you get acceleration, and lots of it. It's very strange to drive something that looks as if it should be towing a horse box but performs like a serious hot hatch.It doesn't actually feel like a hot hatch, though. All Foresters have soft suspension, which leads to quite a lot of body movement, even though it is always very well controlled. The 2.5 XT doesn't seem noticeably stiffer than the two-litre, and the extra power means that you can create more body roll more quickly than you can in the less frenetic version.That's okay in itself. You always know what's happening, and you would have to be a bit of a loony to get into any sort of trouble. But there is a definite sense that in quick motoring the engine is in charge and the rest of the car is having to work hard to keep up. You may like that feeling - I've spoken to several people who think it's great - but it's not my idea of what a Subaru is about. The other quick versions, like the two-litre XT Forester and all the turbocharged Imprezas, seem to be well in control of their engines. Even in the manic Impreza STi, the power seems to be one part of the overall package, rather than the dominant feature.Well, you pays your money and you takes your choice. To me, as much fun as the 2.5 Forester undoubtedly is, it's not as good a car as the two-litre.Inevitably, this is the most expensive model in the range, though it's only £1500 dearer than the two-litre automatic with leather trim. You get leather as standard with the 2.5, but not the automatic transmission; no, no, I should think not. This is definitely a car in which you want to look after the gearchanging yourself. The auto isn't available even as an option.As part of the 2005 model year line-up, the 2.5 benefits from various upgrades including 60% stiffer subframes, a more securely mounted steering system and - nice attention to detail, this - efforts to make the doors shut with a muffled thud rather than a resounding clang.You also get 12-spoke alloys, a smaller-diameter Momo steering wheel and more supportive front seats. Specific to the 2.5, in addition to the black leather trim, are satellite navigation, a seven-speaker audio system and a six-stacker CD player, all available as standard.Second opinion: It's certainly unusual to have a 4x4 with such a low centre of gravity but 195mm of ground clearance to let it tackle moderately rough going, plus self-levelling suspension at the rear. The XT isn't a North Wall of the Eiger off-roader, but it has several other things in its favour, including the fact that it's a little lighter than it looks, thanks to the use of aluminium rather than steel for the bonnet, bumper beams and a few other items. I thought it had an excellent driving position, and as with other Subaru models the 2005 interior is a great improvement on what used to be offered. The 2.5 turbo engine has a peak torque figure of 236lb/ft at 3600rpm, and although you don't get the stump-pulling under-2000rpm performance of a turbo diesel, that should certainly make it a considerable tow machine. What's said above about the engine seeming to be in charge is rather well put, and there's no doubt that "seven-tenths" driving on winding roads is probably just about enough - there's enough performance at that level. Final thing to say about the Forester - isn't it still one of the smoothest-looking 4x4s on the market? Ross Finlay. Engine 2457cc, 4 cylinders Power 208bhp Transmission 6-speed manual Fuel/CO2 25.7mpg / 261g/km Acceleration 0-60mph: 6.0 seconds Top speed 140mph Price £24,695 Details correct at publication date
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