When you need a seven-seater MPV, there are a variety of choices. But the selection isn’t that generous if driving enjoyment features anywhere on your list of priorities. Tall bodies and boxy profiles equate to abundant body roll during cornering. And buffed profiles do performances no good.
Thankfully for the family man with quite a few mouths to feed, there are some exceptions to the norm. The Subaru Exiga 2.0GT is one good example. Shaped to look like an estate, its smooth shoulder lines and equally slippery roofline make the 2.0GT look nothing like a traditional MPV.
It is better equipped: panoramic glass roof, HID headlights, cruise control, 17-inch smoke grey alloy wheels (with 215/50 R17 tyres), nifty roof spoiler, electric driver’s seat and dual-zone air conditioning. And, most importantly, it is faster and more fun to drive.
Specified with a more potent engine than the base model (which we reviewed last October), and the added flexibility of Subaru’s proprietary SI-Drive (which alters the car’s throttle sensitivity to suit driving styles), the 2.0GT doesn’t drive like an MPV. This newly developed 2-litre twin-cam boxer powerplant makes 225bhp and 326Nm of torque – significantly more than its rivals.
Leave the 5-speed autotrans in “D” and SI-Drive in “Intelligent” for the best mix of performance and fuel economy. Nudge the shifter to the right, twist the knob to “Sport Sharp” and the driving experience changes instantaneously. A slight prod of the pedal makes the car leap forward. Downshifts are even accompanied by a blip of throttle for added smoothness.
Whichever mode you choose, or how you drive, the 2.0GT handles better than many cars. An MPV has never been this fun along the most winding of roads.
Subaru Exiga 2.0GT (A)
ENGINE 1994cc, 16-valves, flat-4, turbocharged
MAX POWER 225bhp at 5600rpm
MAX TORQUE 326Nm at 4400rpm
GEARBOX 5-speed automatic with manual select
0-100km/h 7.4 seconds
TOP SPEED 180km/h (governed)
CONSUMPTION 11.1km/L (combined)
CO2 EMISSION Not available
PRICE INCL. COE Not applicable
