Subaru’s new generation Forester has rated ahead of the new crop of medium SUVs in a comparison published in today’s edition of The Daily Telegraph’s Carsguide.
In the same week that Toyota launched its new RAV4, Paul Gover, one of Australia’s most experienced and respected road testers, rates Forester ahead of the pack – four and-a-half stars, versus RAV4’s four, Honda CR-V’s three and-a-half and Mazda CX-5’s three.
Gover summarizes Forester by saying “(It) Has reset the bar for compact SUVs, with a cushy drive and all-round class...”
His verdict on RAV4: “Plenty of improvements but it’s not as good as the Forester and the diesel tow rating will be a deal breaker for a lot of people.”
On driving, Gover says that while RAV4 has improved “…it can’t match the improvements in the latest Subaru Forester, which is sublime in the ride and feels roomier inside.”
On ride, he says RAV4 is “disappointing.” He adds: “The RAV4 is almost certain to become the sales leader in its class but, for me, it’s not as good as the new Forester.”
Other points of difference include RAV4’s lack of a five-star ANCAP rating for occupant safety (it has yet to be tested), use of a space-saver spare wheel and a low 500 kg towing capacity for diesel RAV4 (versus Forester diesel’s 1800 kg).
For the full story, see the Carsguide in today’s edition of The Daily Telegraph in NSW.
This info and more can be found at: http://subaru.com.au
