2004 Subaru Forester Review

Specifications

I had something close to a perfect day recently. Its not every week that I have a few days off from work and lifes day-to-day complexities to retreat to one of North Americas premier ski destinations, and then get to stay for more an extended period of time. Yes, the weekend excursions are fun, but all too brief.

The day started off with me sleeping in, eating a couple pieces of peanut butter toast, a banana, and some caramel ice cream. The sun was shining without a cloud in the sky and there was unlimited visibility. I was ready to hit the slopes with my boyfriend, best friend, and some other buddies. I packed my snowboard and my boyfriends 198 cm long powder skis into the Subaru Forester 2.5XT without hassle and headed for the hills.

After a good half hour trek up the ridge of the back country mountains, we reached our destination at a vertical limit of 5,000 plus feet, descended through virgin powder, only to traverse out for the next two and a half hours. It was a lot of work for the short amount of time we actually spent skiing and boarding but it was well worth it.

I had a great cardio workout, spent time with my favorite people, and after the day was done, drove home in a Subaru. Life is good.

Having the 2004 Subaru Forester 2.5XT as my set of wheels during my week away was wonderful. It handled marvelously in snowy and slippery conditions, and gripped even better on dry roads. The ride (Subaru describes it best), has “sport-utility toughness and car-like performance,” due to its fully independent suspension. It has ample cargo room for all my snowboard gear, head and legroom for the 64″ boyfriend, and then some.

Although I do not have a roof rack to store my snowboard, if I had one it would have been easy to hook up because the Forester already comes standard with locking roof rack cross bars. The 2.5XT is ready for the mountain straight from the lot.

I also found it quite handy that the trunk is equipped with a plastic storage bin on top of the standard full-size spare tire, making it easy to clean up any excess dirt left behind from my boots or board. Like I said, the Forester is prepared to get down and dirty as soon as you drive it off the showroom floor.

Speaking of driving it off the floor, when I needed that extra bit of zing to pass fellow commuters the XT responded in record time, 0 to 60 in 6.7 seconds to be exact, due to its turbocharged and intercooled 2.5-litre, DOHC, 16-valve, horizontally-opposed 4-cylinder “boxer” engine. This 2004 model year is the first in which a turbocharged engine is offered. It produces 210 horsepower at 5,600 rpm and 235 lb-ft of torque at 3,600 rpm. Although I had the optional 4-speed electronic direct control automatic transmission (4EAT), I was still able to feel the full potential of the torque when gearing down from Drive to 3rd gear. The pull was very noticeable but still comfortable; not jerky as some transmissions can be. The use of engine braking was ideal when descending down hills or just driving in traffic, not forcing me to tap on the actual brakes all of the time.

But when needed the brakes come on strong. In the front, the 2.5XT features ventilated discs with twin piston calipers, and in the rear solid discs with single piston calipers. Also standard on the 2.5XT is the 4-wheel, 4-channel, 4-sensor ABS, an ideal system especially when driving in the snow.

The Forester 2.5XT does not come standard with winter tires, but does include 215/60R16 94H all-seasons decorated with 16-inch 12-spoke turbo design aluminum alloy rims. Despite having all-season tires, the rubber still gripped very well. I can only imagine how well the full-time all-wheel driver would perform with season-suited snow tires.

The Forester 2.5XT driving experience was enhanced by its AM/FM/Weather Band/6 Disc in-dash CD changer with 4 speakers, 2 tweeters, and subwoofer; it was fantastic. Even when I pumped up the volume to my favorite songs, classical or hip hop, the sound quality did not become distorted.

The next standard feature to fall in love with was its enormous glass sunroof, or more formally known as the “large moonroof.” It is huge, and Im not exaggerating. It spans all the way from directly above the drivers and front passengers seats to half way past the rear passengers seat. I loved it. It let so much light in, and no matter where a person was sitting in the car rays of sunshine illuminated the cabin.

On the topic of letting light in, the Forester has amazing visibility. The front windshield is wide open, along with the side windows. I was astounded that when looking out the rear window, I could see all around me! I found this to be one of the vehicles strongest points because visibility out the rear of many cars is often limited, but not so in the Forester. Parallel parking and backing up was a breeze.

Other standard features on the 2004 Forester include steering wheel-mounted cruise control, a black leather gear selector and steering wheel (very comfortable for the hands and fingers), air conditioning, front and rear cupholders, power windows and door locks with keyless entry, illuminated ignition key ring, twin overhead storage compartments, fog lights, and halogen headlights, just to name a few.

But what might be more important to some, especially current Forester owners is all that has changed from the 2003 model year to the 2004. Well, the exterior reflects sharply defined character lines, flared front fenders “blister” type rear quarter panels that enhance its profile. Particularly on the 2.5XT is the addition of an aggressive front hood scoop, 16-inch turbo style aluminum alloy rims, and a rear roof spoiler, not to mention the beefy 210-hp turbocharged engine.

The interior also underwent a few changes. According to Subaru, “Every model offers an interior styled with a sleek European inspired look, creating a strong sense of sophistication and pride.” The reclining front sport seats (with a 6-way adjustable drivers seat) offer ideal comfort for long trips while rear legroom is quite generous considering the smallish exterior dimensions. Cargo capacity is optimized with a rear seatback that folds 60/40. All the controls are intuitively placed, large and easy to use even while wearing gloves.

In the end theres something special about a Subarus personality that really made me feel first-rate. Whether it was its long list of safety features (the most in its class including dual airbags for the driver and front passenger, and dual, front seat side-impact airbags with head and chest protection), its powerful turbocharged drivetrain, or just the overall impression its stylish new exterior exudes, the 2004 Subaru Forester 2.5XT (and its sibling WRX I previously spent time in) emanates quality. From the first minute I sat in the heated drivers seat to the time I said goodbye, there was never a dull moment.