YOU buy a Subaru Forester because you expect that one of these days, you will need to momentarily leave behind the madness of the city and hit the road less travelled.
You long for that epic 12-hour driving trip to Kiltepan viewpoint in Sagada, Mountain Province, or that short but thrilling 3-hour trip to Quezon National Forest Park in Atimonan, Quezon. Or perhaps, you just want some peace of mind knowing that the Subaru Forester carries impressive safety credentials that ensures safe driving under all weather and road conditions.
This is probably what Motor Image Pilipinas Inc. (MIPI), the exclusive distributor of Subaru brand of vehicles in the country, would like to highlight as it holds a series of unique driving events for its select clients, members of the Motoring media as well as prospective clients.
Last Saturday, it was time for MIPI to highlight its Forester SUV and brought several Subaru enthusiasts to Daraitan in Tanay, Rizal, an off-roading haven about 60 kilometers east of Metro Manila. The trip showcased the Forester’s X-Mode System (more on this later), a technology unique but standard to the current Forester models (the 2.0XT, the 2.0i Premium, and the 2.0i-L).
The 2.0XT is powered by a 237-horsepower, 2-liter, horizontally-opposed turbocharged gasoline engine, while the 2.0i Premium and the 2.0i-L are both powered by a 148-horsepower, 2-liter, horizontally-opposed naturally aspirated gasoline engine. All the three variants employ lineartronic transmission.
Sublime experience
The trip to Daraitan offered a sublime experience for the participants, thanks to a quirk-free driving experience because of the MacPherson strut front/double wishbone independent rear combo that worked in tandem with the Forester’s legendary all-wheel-drive technology.
While driving through Rizal’s twisting and curved provincial roads, the participants enjoyed the extra rubbery grip of the Forester’s 18-inch alloy wheels on the 2.0XT (or 17-inch alloy wheels on 2.0i Premium and the 2.0i-L).
The Subaru Forester’s DNA goes back to 1997, but had left its boxy image behind just recently to emerge as one of the market’s most exciting ride.
It was in Daraitan’s Tinipak River where participants were able to appreciate why the Forester is a full-fledged SUV. Supplementing its generous 220-millimeter (almost 7 inches) ground clearance, is the Forester’s X Mode System, a software program engineered to get the driver safe on all sorts of terrain, including going up and down very steep terrain.
Professional offroad instructors were on hand to explain to the participants the X-Mode System’s ability to recalibrate various systems to suit offroading via push of a button: traction control, vehicle dynamics control, antilock braking system and symmetrical all-wheel drive system.
Modified gentler
Through the X-Mode, the Forester’s engine map is modified to a gentler setting so it is easier to drive on slippery roads. However, if the driver floors it, the same system will ensure that maximum torque is very quickly made available.
During extreme situations, the X-Mode engages Forester’s lower gear ratios in order to generate extra power. X-Mode also increases the locking between front and rear axles by 25 percent, which means less wheel spin and better control on steep hills. The X-Mode also makes the Forester’s traction control system extra sensitive so that it intervenes earlier during wheel slippage. Right after climbing a very steep hill, the X-Mode commands the Forester to employ the “Hill Descent Control” so that the driver will no longer need to apply brakes while going down a long and steep slope and risk wheel lock up.
The X-Mode can be engaged up to 20 kph, is active till 40 kph, and can be reselected below 30 kph.
According to MIPI, the Forester’s sharp and handsome façade, higher hoodline and chiseled front end hide a very capable SUV that is more than responsive to driving on dirt paths, and loose, gravelly as well as muddy roads.
For more information about Subaru and its range of products, one may drop by any of MIPI showrooms located at Edsa Greenhills, Bonifacio Global City, Manila Bay, Alabang, Sta. Rosa, Batangas, Cebu, Davao and Cagayan de Oro, or visit www.motorimage.net/PH/home.
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