Subaru Forester 2.0ie: An SUV With An E-boxer

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Subaru Forester 2.0ie: An SUV With An E-boxer
Subaru Forester 2.0ie: An SUV With An E-boxer

Video: Subaru Forester 2.0ie: An SUV With An E-boxer

Video: Subaru Forester 2.0ie: An SUV With An E-boxer
Video: new Subaru Forester e-Boxer Hybrid 2.0ie FULL REVIEW 2020 - Autogefühl 2024, March
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Subaru enters the electrification of its models with a mild hybrid in the Forester 2.0 ie. We found out what the SUV can do in a test drive.

The boxer engine belongs to Subaru like the star to Mercedes. The Japanese remained true to the principle of the horizontal, opposite cylinder banks when a diesel was introduced a few years ago. The diesel only gave a brief interlude.

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And the "contra motor" invented by Carl Benz in 1896 is also playing the main role in electrification, which is now slowly emerging. However, the Japanese carmaker in this country is only very hesitant about approaching the new world of electricity: Subaru is taking the first step with a mild hybrid in the new Forester 2.0ie, which is now available from dealers for at least 34,990 euros - in the USA, however, they offer The Japanese are already offering a model with a plug-in hybrid.

Slight increase in length

In the latest generation, the Forester has grown slightly to 4.63 meters, but thanks to the longer wheelbase it has become really spacious. Visually it appears a little more SUV-like than before, the fact that it used to be an adventure station wagon can hardly be seen today. The interior is typical of the brand: the cockpit is neatly finished, the materials are more or less high-quality, depending on the equipment version, and feel good and the seats are comfortable. There is no avant-garde design or digital instruments, but there is another screen above the infotainment touchscreen that provides the driver with all kinds of information.

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Except in the basic version, the car also collects information about the handlebars: if the driver looks to the side, for example, the driver monitoring system detects this and the Forester warns to keep your eyes on the road. In general, the Subaru means pretty well with warning messages of all kinds, and sometimes achieves the opposite - namely that the many helpful, and largely standard assistants are switched off.

Range of 1.6 kilometers

But back to the real highlight, the so-called e-boxer engine. The term mild hybrid chosen by Subaru itself is a bit of an understatement, as it is now primarily understood to mean 48-volt solutions that help with boosting and energy recovery. The e-Boxer in the Forester works with 118 volts and the SUV can drive 1.6 kilometers and up to 40 km / h purely electrically when the 0.57 kilowatt-hour battery is full; so the Subaru is on the level of classic hybrids that we know above all from Toyota. So you always start up electrically, only in practice does the gasoline engine usually start after just a few meters, even with an extremely gentle foot on the accelerator.

No wonder, as around 1.7 tonnes have to be moved - the hybrid module alone weighs 110 kilograms - and the electric motor housed in the housing of the continuously variable automatic transmission only provides 16 hp and 66 Newton meters of torque. Most of the work has to be done by the two-liter boxer with 150 hp, but the e-support feels a little more temperament for the comfortable boxer. But this is not measurable: The Forester with e-Boxer takes 11.8 seconds from zero to 100 km / h and is therefore even a little slower than its non-electrified brother, which is no longer offered in Germany. The hybrid's top speed is also a few meters lower at 188 km / h.

Stepless transmission sucks

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The infinitely variable transmission is still annoying, forcing the combustion engine to high speeds and the associated loud roar even when the power demand is somewhat increased - the electric assistance does not change that either. The only way to prevent this is to take a leisurely pace: if you start off gently and don't press your right foot through otherwise, you won't hear much from the gasoline engine. The balanced suspension setup, which the Forester has retained over the generations, also fits into this; Thanks to the significantly stiffer body and the optimized weight distribution, you can now move the SUV a little faster around the corner. At the latest when the fuel gauge prompts you to refill, the gasoline engine recalls itself: Compared to the non-hybridized 2.0-liter engine, the e-Boxer should be 0,Save 7 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers, the Forester is specified with 8.1 WLTP liters.

That's not a little, but of course partly due to the permanent all-wheel drive. Probably not all customers would need it, but it is as much a part of Subaru's DNA as the boxer. And: The hybrid drive also plays the electric trump card off-road. With slow crawl over hill and dale, the combustion engine must otherwise always be brought up to speed in order to provide the necessary torque. The electric motor, on the other hand, releases its power from standing and ensures a smoother scramble. (SP-X)

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