Scoob really relishes tough going

SUBARU's latest version of the Forester won't win any beauty competitions, but the arrival of the firm's silky-smooth Boxer diesel engine to the range will find it many more friends than it previously had.

In fact, it is not a bad 4x4 at all. OK, so it's permanent four-wheel drive and there's no low range available but the sure-footedness and generous ground clearance, work in the Forester's favour as a confident green-lane and stubble field negotiator.

Deep ruts and muddy puddles won't phase it much neither.

But on the open road, the compromises made for off-road hand-ling soon blight the lofty Scoob. It's very softly sprung and rolls through bends like a pig on stilts.

There's acres of room inside, but not too many useful cubby holes for in-cab storage, which is a shame given the paraphernalia which often needs to reside among the front seats and door pockets of today's family truckster.

And the gimmicky, large diameter starter button won't let you make fast, turn-key getaways – there's just nowhere to put the key, so you're forced to let clever electronics decipher who has the ignition key, and where it is, before it will authorise an engine start-up.

And that process also requires the clutch pedal to be fully depressed too.

More sensible though, are a couple of 12-volt power sockets scattered through the centre console – the latter is concealed by a sliding armrest which can be tweaked fore and aft to make gear changing more comfortable – this proved essential.

The Forester does beat its Legacy D stablemate in the gears department – it gets six against the Legacy's five. But the ‘box is notchy and clunky to use, despite it's positive engagement – there's never any confusion over which gear you've chosen, but those who don't eat three shredded wheats for breakfast could need help.

And rushing the shifts merely makes you fight harder against the baulkiness of the transmission.

Six speeds though make much better use of the 150hp Boxer diesel engine, which feels much more spritely and capable than its paper figures suggest. The low first gear helps the Forester to get away without feeling choked or flat, and the leggy sixth means there's reduced rpm's at motorway speeds, countering some effects of chunky aerodynamics.

Brisk progress – and swift over-taking – is provided by a useful third gear ratio which allows the Forester's legs to be effortlessly stretched up past 70mph.

It's a sweet, free revving two-litre diesel that is so hushed and keen, you'd be hard pressed to tell it's a diesel.

It revs and sounds like a performance petrol, but easily gave 41mpg back.

Inside the car, it's serene until speeds creep past the National limit and tyre noise becomes intrusive for the front seat occupants. But when sat in traffic, there's only the occasional mild shake that filters through at idle.

It's a small price to pay for the convenience of filling up from the farm's white diesel tank instead of traipsing to the garage for petrol.