subaru forester off-road australia Page 13

The Subaru Forester is happily more bushwalk than rock crawl: symmetrical AWD and X-Mode give it real traction on gravel, clay and beach access tracks.

With about 220 mm ground clearance and decent suspension travel, it’ll shrug off ruts that make soft-roaders whimper, but there’s no low range and the CVT prefers finesse over heroics.

Fit all-terrain tyres, add a front skid plate and proper recovery points, and you’ve just unlocked a lot more Australia without terrifying the wildlife or your insurer.

Steep, rocky climbs and deep ruts are asking too much; think fire trails, snowy backroads and sand—drop pressures, use X-Mode, and keep momentum smooth to avoid CVT heat.

In short: capable for touring and light off-road in Australia, just don’t mistake it for a dual-range ute; it’s a clever goat, not a mountain ibex.