SUBARU recorded an increase in vehicles sales of more than 73 per cent in 2023 and, yet again, the Forester was the brand's highest-selling model with the Premium trim level leading the way.

It's a popular choice with those who trust it to be safe, capable and reliable and the latest model has a lot going for it. Over the last 25 years it has sold more than 375,000 units in Europe because of that reputation.

For a start, it is a genuine off-roader as it is equipped with Subaru's trademark symmetrical all-wheel drive, which has been festooned with awards, as standard.

A driver monitoring system is also fitted as standard on all Forester models. It uses facial recognition technology to detect if the driver's gaze has shifted away from the road and alerts vehicle occupants if this occurs.

If the driver looks out of the window or across at a passenger for an extended period of time, the system will recognise their face direction is not forward and a warning will sound to alert the driver to focus on the road ahead. The system also functions if it thinks the driver is drowsy.

Among its suite of driver-assist and safety features is EyeSight driver assist technology - providing pre-collision braking, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning and more - plus Rear Vehicle Detection and Reverse Automatic Braking. It is one of the safest cars in its class.

The popular compact crossover is powered by the company's e-Boxer engine, which combines a 2.0-litre direct injection horizontally opposed petrol engine with an electric motor. A lithium-ion battery unit is mounted within the boot floor and allows for pure-electric driving at speeds of up to 25mph - handy around town.

At medium speeds, the motor and the engine work together to improve power and performance. It also improves off-road ability as it generates earlier torque when using X-Mode and also assists when towing. The Forester e-Boxer's towing capacity is 1,870 kg.

At higher speeds, the Forester e-Boxer is driven solely by the petrol engine. It officially returns 34.7mpg and Subarus are never far off the official figure.

A little niggle is the company's insistence on sticking with its CVT gearbox. It works fine cruising on the motorway but, need a quick burst of speed for overtaking or tackling a steep hill and you get a huge flare in revs and engine noise which doesn't match the car's forward progress.

However, the latest platform has vastly improved the way the Foreter drives.

The previous generation's body roll is gone, there's good levels of grip and it feels very planted on the road. It makes long - and short - journeys very pleasant.

And, while it might look a lot like its predecessor, it's entirely new as well as longer and wider, meaning there's even more space inside - and enough legroom for four adults to travel in comfort.

There are three trim levels for buyers to choose from - XE, Sport and XE Premium - all with a generous level of standard equipment.

There's keyless entry and push button start, LED headlights, equipped with high beam assist, and LED front fog lights standard across the range. There's also an easy-to-use eight-inch multifunction colour touchscreen which comes complete with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, DAB radio and Bluetooth connectivity.

The interior also benefits from an electronic parking brake and eight-way power adjustable driver and front passenger seats.

Sport adds a ‘Sport Pack' which adds red/orange accents to the cabin, aluminium pedals, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, dual-zone aircon and 18-inch alloys.