With the advent of turbo diesel engine, the Subaru Forester is now ready to rub shoulders with the best SUV on the market.

Those models are more refined, more powerful and probably more appealing, but the Subaru Forester is a crossover for gourmets, a street rally car. In its third generation has grown up, has lost its supercharged diesel (in Europe) and some unique details such as frameless doors, or in the case of diesel version, also the gearbox. But it is the emergence of a variant of spontaneous combustion engine as the Japanese needed to rub shoulders with the best SUV on the market.

From our experience, the Land Rover Freelander and Nissan X-Trail are the most effective and versatile SUV on the market, with permission from more expensive models like the Volvo XC 90 or Mercedes M-Class So we wondered: Subaru Forester diesel can do battle with the leaders of the segment?


FIRST IN ASPHALT

For the first assault took advantage of the necessary asphalt path that leads to one of our favorite tracks. Along with the diesel boxer engine released earlier this year by the Outback, the Forester has adopted a gearbox six-speed redevelopment, which has led to the disappearance of the gearbox and the inability to choose an automatic. The operation of this new box is slow, though not inaccurate, and relations are chosen too long, except for the first gear and reverse.
With all this, is not the best vehicle for urban use, where gear changes are happening and the engine will penalize if we react to drop of 1,800 laps. With the engine in the front, is a little understeer in slower turns, but gains agility rapidly when the radius of the curves increases. The stability control react slow and stop work at the AWD system. It also offers good performance on the highway, with sixth gear that reduces power and noise problems while maintaining legal cruising speeds.


GOOD AUTOMATIC

Land Rover Freelander chosen for this test is available with automatic transmission. This is a modern six-speed Aisin made by Warner. There are two programs (manual and sports) or manually. Its operation is smooth and fast in any of the three programs. Allows very relaxed driving in town, although there is still a bit of verve at the exits from a standstill, which is normal considering that the development of the first gear is 24% longer than with the manual.
On the road very well accepted use in manual mode, while well off highway offers a sixth gear (58.4 mph / 1,000 rpm).It is preferable to the manual gearbox except for their unjustifiable extra price (2578 euro).Regardless of transmission, the British displayed the poise you'd expect to find in a larger vehicle with a rear axle that does not deviate one iota from the path marked and a much higher sound insulation of its two rivals.

Despite its solid aspect, the Nissan X-Trail is surprisingly more agile than the Land Rover Freelander. Regarding the first generation has experienced a significant improvement in mechanical terms, the result of the Renault- Nissan partnership. This translates to 173 hp version that allows a very dynamic driving in both city and highway driving, good acceleration (especially in the initial stages) and cruising speeds easy to keep in top gear (49.6 km / h at 1,000 rpm). The automatic transmission is restricted to 150 hp versions.


FUN STARTS IN OFF-ROAD

But the real fun begins when the asphalt ends. Driving the Forester on bumpy tracks, with all sorts of curves and some jumps, is a very rewarding experience. The suspensions devour a bumpy ride, the engine pulls strongly to the midrange, the address is faithful and the rear starts to lose the grip only if gets out electronics, which are completely disconnected at the request of the driver. The land Rover Freelander shows a very different character, if well guided and the site, much more subject to its rear end less nervous and stability control, inflexible even when supposedly off; no mistake a lot to be out of the path.

With the Nissan X-Trail have a middle ground. Its design is more familiar, less energetic suspensions and higher inertia, while seamlessly supports a registry change when we get out of bed possessed by the spirit of Colin McRae. The suspensions are working properly, there are no unwanted reactions, and only the work piling up in the address change and cushions reminds us that the vehicle was not designed for this. Of course, you should always drive the vehicle in "4 × 4 car."


Inside

SUBARU FORESTER: Right habitability

The driving position is good, but there is present a lack sound insulation. There are three trim levels: Classic, Limited and Limited Plus. The multimedia computer with GPS is only available to the most luxurious finish and must be paid separately (2,100 euro). Our recommendation is the most affordable, for 28,900 euro, because includes everything you need.

LAND ROVER FREELANDER: The Terrain Response is not standard
The upright riding position is very comfortable on long trips. There are excellent finishes, but lacks basic equipment. The S version is recommended, with 65-series tires, while the more equipped HSE comes with lower profile tires. The options list is huge.

NISSAN X-TRAIL: Thinking at the whole family
Its interior is more spacious, ideal for handling child restraint devices and to load bulky objects. With the most powerful diesel engine available here, has two finishes: SE and LE. The first is highly recommended unless you intend to install a roof rack, as the LE incorporates roof rails. 4 × 4 system is unchanged.


About

Here are three of the most efficient SUV off-road, each endowed with a unique character. The Subaru Forester is the best suited to driving on slopes, the Land Rover Freelander is the most comfortable on long trips and tours(also the most effective in difficult road condition), while the Nissan X-Trail is the most suitable for family use by the breadth of the compartment. The loss of the gearbox with manual counts of gasoline version overrides the traditional advantage of Forester in the field. Its engine is still good due to the limited slip rear differential and wheels with some profile, but can no longer boast the shorter first gear, something that takes a toll when you have to overcome obstacles slowly.

Now we have to use the clutch where it was not necessary because the engine stalls at idle as soon as something gets difficult to advance - and it is a shame.

With Automatic Land Rover Freelander opposite happens: nothing seems impossible. In fact, it's easy to find the limits of Britain, just a trial bike of medium difficulty, an obstacle that only UNTT with good dimensions and lowering can happen. The Nissan X-Trail remains in an intermediate position.


Rivals

ALTERNATIVES IN SEGMENT

Apart from the two leading rivals below, we find interesting the Honda CR-V (diesel engine for excellent and good habits), the Skoda Octavia Scout (outstanding on-road and very cheap), the Dodge Nitro (if you're looking for something different) and the Nissan Qashqai (a compact that scores high on almost all sections). None of them is as effective in the field and the players in this comparison.

OTHER ALTERNATIVES ON THE MARKET

The market leader in TT, the Suzuki Grand Vitara is a compact SUV that can arise as a purchase option to crossover to illustrate these pages. We must not forget other TT that for the price of these crossover, offer higher performance in the field. They are the Kia Sorento, SsangYong Kyron and Jeep Cherokee. Among luxury SUV alternatives are functionally similar but economically unfavorable is the Mercedes GLK is available from € 49,900.


RIVALS

VW Tiguan

Is the current leader of segment sales. Well done, have a powerful and varied mechanical range. Price: € 31730-39200.

Ford Kuga

Good price, good engine and good habits are the weapons of this crossover, which is defended with dignity in the field. Price: € 28850-31215.


Fact Sheet

TECHNICAL
Forester 2.0 D Freelander TD4 2.2 X-Trail 2.0 DCI

MOTOR
Type:4 cyl. oppositeDiesel, 4 cyl. on-line Diesel, 4 cyl. on-line
Position:Front longitudinal Front transverse Front transverse
Distribution:4 valves per cyl. DOHC 4 valves per cyl. DOHC 4 valves per cyl. DOHC

Displacement:1,998 cc 2179 cc 1,995 cc
Feeding: Injection. Common rail direct, turbo and intercooler Injection. Common rail direct, variable geometry turbocharger and intercooler Injection. Common rail direct, variable geometry turbocharger and intercooler

Power: 150 hp at 3,600 rpm 160 hp at 4,000 rpm 173 hp at 3,750 rpm

Torque: 350 Nm at 1,800 rpm, 400 Nm at 2,000 rpm, 360 Nm at 2,000 rpm

DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHTS

Long / anch. / alt. 4.560/1.780/1.700 mm 4.500/1.910/1.740 mm 4.630/1.785/1.685-1.770 mm
Battle 2615 mm 2660 mm 2630 mm
Weight 1570 kg 1890 kg 1544-1705 kg
Deposit 64 liters 68 liters 65 liters
Trunk 450 liters 1670 liters 1703 liters

FEATURES
Max. Speed: 186 km / h 181 km / h 200 km / h
0 to 100 km / h: 10.4 s 11.7 s 10.0 s
CONSUMPTION
Consumption: 5.9 / 7.4 / 10.4 L/100 km 6.2 / 7.5 / 9.2 (6.8 / 8.5 / 11.0) 6.3 / 7.4 / 9.3 l/100 km

Autonomy 864 km 906 km 878 km
CO2 170 g / km 194 g / km 198 g / km

Dyno: The Land Rover Freelander offer better performance from idle to 2,800 laps. From that point, the Nissan X-Trail takes over and manages to outperform its rivals in the high zone of the counter. A low-end, the Subaru Forester also offers performance superior to that of Nissan, 3700 and turns the engine reaches the Land Rover Freelander.

Dimensions: The Land Rover Freelander is the most qualified of the three to win the competion. At Nissan X-Trail will penalize the angle of departure, while he fails to Forester breakover angle.


Verdict

Subaru has developed a good diesel engine, but the gearbox is surpassed by the Freelander, especially if equipped with Terrain Response and automatic. Pity that in these conditions the price for Freelander is big. The X-Trail gets a good performance in the field to be an SUV without gear and his habit gives it a more familiar and versatile.
via:autofacil.es