But for 2021, the new Forester receives more power and equipment, namely a 2.5l engine Sport variant, steering-responsive headlights, high beam assist, and a new rear seat belt reminder across the line-up.

The 2021 Subaru Forester is available in four trim levels. The Base model 2.0i-CVT, 2.0i-S ES CVT, new 2.5i-S ES CVT and 2.5i Sport ES CVT.

Zoning in on the new 2.5-litre direct injection SUBARU BOXER® engine with Lineartronic® CVT and a Start/Stop system; The 2.5-litre delivers 136kW of power, an additional 21kW over the 2.0-litre engine. Maximum torque is 239Nm derived from this higher capacity engine, an increase of 43Nm over the 2.0-litre.

According to Subaru, the 2.5-litre remains as efficient as the 2.0-litre model, delivering impressive fuel consumption figures of 7.6l/100km on the combined cycle.

Meanwhile the The Forester 2.5i- Sport features standard equipment such as black 18-inch wheels, gloss black exterior trim with orange accents, a rear roof spoiler, and orange stitching for the cabin. The Sport has more safety features like blind-spot detection with lane changing assist and rear-cross traffic alert. There are 5 body colours that are available with the Sport models: Crystal White Pearl; Dark Blue Pearl; Magnetite Grey Metallic; Ice Silver Metallic and Crystal Black Silica.

Subaru’s award-winning EyeSight Driver Assist System with adaptive cruise control, pre-collision braking, pre-collision throttle management, lane departure warning, and lead vehicle start alert is also fitted on the updated Subaru Forester 2.5i-Sport ES and the 2.5i-S ES models. The 2021 Subaru Forester arrives in dealerships this March.

With that said, its only fitting that we, a technology first media house, review the Subaru XV.

Having won six World Rally championships titles and 46 outright rally wins. The Subaru brand has continuously won over consumers throughout the world. And having arrived at our South African shores in 1992, Subaru has continued to use its unique All Wheel Drive system as seen on this reviewed Subaru XV.

The Subaru XV is a subcompact crossover SUV that was first produced in 2012 to replace the Subaru Impreza XV. The first generation differs quite a lot from the current generation and the technology being at the forefront of that evolution.

The exterior of the Subaru XV in my opinion is very similar to other Japanese cars such as the Toyota CH-R and the Lexus UX 250h. A few tweaks here and there help the XV stand out. The three cars are somewhat related and perhaps that’s the reason for such similarities. The black trimming around the exterior of the car feels a little low-cost for my taste. However, the overall looks are quite welcomed and so are the LED daytime running lights add some sleekness to the XV.

The interior is a little too basic to what we’re used to. We’re mindful that this is an adventure vehicle and materials used make it durable and easy cleaning. It also has full leather seats on all rows. The 8” touch screen infotainment screen is easy to navigate and has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, it also supports voice recognition capabilities allowing for hands free usage. I just wish the screen faced the driver a little for ease of use and convenience. However, the multifunction screen is quite useful as it gives you all the information you need about the car.

The technology of the Subaru XV is something to boast about though, and my favourite feature being the safety system called the “Eyesight Pre-Collision Throttle Management System” which uses a set of stereoscopic cameras to also provide a blind spot monitor, forward collision warning and mitigation via automatic braking, and lane departure warning. The car beeps and reduces your speed and even stops the car completely.

Once on the road, the Subaru XV drives very well and the ground clearance is enough to get you through off-roading. In fact, the XV has the highest ground clearance of any vehicle in its class. Unfortunately, I could not experience the X-drive system that allows you to use features like hill decent as we didn’t get much off-roading during our test period. The test vehicle we had, in Cool Grey Khaki, packed a 2.0 litre naturally aspirated engine and a CVT transmission and pushed out 115kW and 196Nm of torque. The power was sufficient, and I felt comfortable when I had to overtake other vehicles. For the first time I enjoyed driving a CVT that has a naturally aspirated engine. The fuel efficiency is claimed to be 7.3 by Subaru but I managed to average 7.9 l/100km.

The Subaru XV comes in two stock derivatives the 2.0i CVT setting you back an easy R436 000 and the 2.0i-S ES that’s only R499 000. With that Subaru throws in a 5-year/150 000km Warranty, Subaru Assist and a 3 year/75 000km Maintenance Plan that has extension options available.

Ford has lowered the ante and offered a 2.3-litre turbocharged EcoBoost four-cylinder engine in the Mustang since the current generation’s 2015-model-year launch, and for 2019 the Mustang EcoBoost gets a minor upgrades. It boosts output to 213kW of power, and includes upgraded suspension and brakes for improved handling.

Why would Ford bother making a sportier four-cylinder Mustang when buyers can still get a V8? The idea isn’t unprecedented. From 1984 to 1986, Ford sold the Mustang SVO, a performance model powered by a 2.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine – just like today’s Mustang EcoBoost. Fast forward to 2019, and Ford has stricter emissions standards to think about.

So, can you really have the same amount of fun as a V8 with four fewer cylinders? To find out, we accepted an invitation from Ford to drive the 2020 Mustang EcoBoost for a week on the roads in/around Johannesburg.

Hiding In Plain Sight

That’s exactly what this Mustang does.  It’s hiding its performance capabilities behind nondescript bodywork. While a Mustang is always likely to attract a certain level of attention, this car’s lack of “5.0” and “GT” badges (indicating a V8 model) or the coiled snake of a Shelby GT350 or GT500 or even that distinct Bullitt badge, will lead the uninitiated to dismiss it as a refugee from a rental car lot. That’s all part of the fun.

Other than an aluminium dashboard panel, and oil and turbo-boost gauges most owners will probably never use, the interior is unchanged. The Mustang’s interior doesn’t have the clean, minimalist look of  other sports vehicles, but it doesn’t have the Supra’s bunker-like feel, either. Neither car can match the spacious feel of the Mercedes-AMG GT cavernous interior, but the GT is just too big. It isn’t in the same league as the Mustang or Supra when it comes to driving dynamics, so it isn’t really a fair comparison.

Like other Mustang models, the EcoBoost gets an 8.0-inch touchscreen running Ford’s Sync 3 infotainment system, with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. A 12.0-inch digital instrument cluster is also available, replacing the analogue gauges with a reconfigurable display that can show up to eight virtual gauges. They range from simple dials in Normal mode to a more elaborate setup in Sport+. The graphics were nice to look at and easy to read.

All That Power

The 2.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder EcoBoost engine used in the Mustang is related to the engine from the Ford Focus RS – the company’s ultimate hot hatchback. That got some engineers at Ford proving ground thinking, “What if we put a Focus RS engine in a Mustang?”

So a team of five engineers took the engine out of a Focus RS test mule, turned it 90 degrees to fit the Mustang’s rear-wheel drive layout, and tested it out. The result was so good that Ford’s top brass approved the car for production. But the Mustang has a different turbocharger, a different exhaust system, and radiator, and different transmissions.

On The Road

On the road, the changes Ford made add up to a lot more than just an EcoBoost Mustang, giving it a character very different to the traditional V8 Mustang.

Instead of an all-American V8 roar, this Mustang emits the sound of a European hot hatch. The Mustang includes an active exhaust system that lets the driver choose different levels of loudness, from Quiet mode to Track mode. Switch it to Track mode, and you get a nice mechanical growl, accompanied by the whistle of the turbocharger. It’s a great soundtrack, and one we never expected to hear from a Mustang.

Like the exhaust note, the driving experience proves that you can teach an old Mustang new tricks. With its independent rear suspension, the current-generation Mustang was already pretty good in corners. But this model takes things to a whole new level. The tire, chassis, and brake upgrades – combined with the EcoBoost engine’s lighter weight – create quick, precise reactions that are more sports car than muscle car. Ford’s engineers weren’t kidding about usable power, either. This engine has remarkable flexibility, with ample power available throughout the rev range.

The automatic is fine for highway cruising, but in the heat of battle it can be frustratingly indecisive. It constantly juggles its many gears for no obvious benefit. Granted, you can shift manually using steering wheel paddles, but if you’re going to do that, Ford should’ve just introduced a manual transmission.

Would we buy one for our garage? Nope, hand it over as a gift.

The Mustang is pretty light on driver aids. Autonomous emergency braking and adaptive cruise control are now available. But it’s a similar story with other sporty cars in this price range.

Ford offers a4-year/120 000km comprehensive warranty, 5-year/100 000km service plan, 3-year/unlimited km roadside assistance and 5-year/unlimited km corrosion warranty. Service intervals are every 20 000km.

The Mustang EcoBoost was once the car you bought if you couldn’t afford the V8-powered Mustang GT, it still is but there’s no shame about it as Ford has built this into something desirable. The combination of classic Mustang looks and the type of engine normally found in hot hatchbacks is a good one.

However, there are other options which makes things difficult or easy (depending how you look at things) to choose your next sports car. Two-seat sports cars like the Mazda MX-5 Miata, Fiat 124 Spider and Toyota 86 twins, as well as the Nissan 370Z can be had for similar money. So can a Volkswagen GTI or Subaru WRX, which are more practical than any of these cars. One thing is for sure: it’s a great time to be shopping for an affordable performance car.

Would we buy one for our garage? Nope, hand it over as a gift. Starting price of the Mustang 2.3 EcoBoost is from R856 200.

Photography by Harmonix