Forester gets a little spark
Given that we already know already the Subaru Forester is a great SUV – after all it won the 2018 New Zealand Car of the Year Award – we were keen to get to grips with the latest e-Boxer Hybrid.
The 2020 Levorg 2.0 GT-S, successor to the much missed Legacy GTB wagon, features 19” black STI wheels with cross-drilled brake rotors.
It also comes with an STI strut brace for better cornering, a black mesh grille, black badges and matt black accents which on previous models were chrome.
This all-wheel-drive, standalone model is powered by a turbocharged 2.0L direct injection boxer engine producing 197 Kw at 5600 rpm and 350 Nm torque between 2400-5200 rpm. Fuel consumption is 8.7L/100km.
Factory Bilstein suspension units achieve superior handling.
The Levorg has the eight-speed Subaru Lineartronic transmission with paddle shift, complemented by the Subaru Intelligent Drive system with several performance modes from sporty to economical.
A key part of the package is the maker’s third-generation EyeSight safety technology. This identifies potentially dangerous driving situations and deals with them via its pre-collision braking, adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, lane departure warning, lane sway warning and lead car alert.
Other driver aids include rear cross traffic alert, blind spot detection and a front and side camera for easier parking. The Levorg comes with seven airbags and an ANCAP 5-star safety rating.
In the cabin, premium leather upholstery (with 10-way powered driver’s seat memory) and heated front seats warm your butt on those chilly winter mornings.
Intuitive technology sees built-in satellite navigation powered by TomTom including real time traffic information.
A 7-inch touch screen allows easy configuration of the vehicle’s main functions and connections to the outside world are via Apple Car play or Android auto.
