22 Years Ago, Subaru Made A Stick-Shift Turbo Forester That Could Outrun A 350Z

I love a good sleeper, a car that looks like regular traffic until the driver stomps on the loud pedal and rushes off into the distance. Something that lets you blend in while giving you the thrill you need. From V8 Volvos to twin-turbocharged Lincolns, the undercover performance car is a thing of beauty, and several of us agree that the Subaru Forester 2.5XT is one of the all-time greats. While it wasn’t the first or last time Subaru added boost to its RAV4 competitor, the recipe is timeless: take the adorkable Forester crossover and give it one dynamo of an engine.

The two-liter EJ205 flat-four in the WRX didn’t quite have enough grunt, and the EJ257 from the incoming U.S.-market WRX STI was overkill. The solution? Start with a 2.5-liter flat-four with variable valve timing and forged pistons, then bolt on a relatively small Mitsubishi TD04 turbocharger churning out 11.6 psi of boost for fast response and good peak power. The result was the EJ255, a boosted flat-four with a broad power band. While a horsepower peak of 210 didn’t hit until 5,600 RPM, the 235 lb.-ft. apex of the torque curve was achieved at a sensible 3,600 rpm.

As this was still the early 2000s, the EJ255 in the Forester 2.5XT came attached to either an optional four-speed automatic or a standard five-speed manual transmission, with the all-wheel-drive system featuring a viscous limited-slip rear differential. The result wasn’t just one of the quickest SUVs you could buy, it was one of the quickest new cars you could buy for under $26,000.

When Car And Driver put one through the wringer, it sprinted from zero-to-60 mph in 5.3 seconds. That’s more than a second-and-a-half quicker than a period Porsche Cayenne S, a tenth quicker than a Nissan 350Z, two tenths quicker than a Ford Mustang GT, and on the level with a Mercedes-Benz CLK 55 AMG cabriolet.

Granted, the procedure to coax such a serious zero-to-60 mph time out of the Forester XT wasn’t exactly kind. As with most fast, force-fed all-wheel-drive cars, it essentially involves building boost with a series of escalating revs, then dumping the clutch at redline and holding on. A spectacular repair bill was just as likely as a spectacular zero-to-60 mph time, but even without drivetrain-destroying ridiculousness, the Forester 2.5XT posted a wholly respectable five-to-60 mph time of 6.3 seconds, identical to that of a drop-top 350Z.

Of equal importance, while the Forester 2.5XT wouldn’t stick with a 350Z in the twisties, it also wouldn’t fall to pieces when a curvy road sign appeared. This thing’s Impreza-based underpinnings helped a ton, as Car And Driver wrote:

The rest of the XT running gear–the alloy wheels and the Yokohama Geolandar G900 all-weather tires overlaid on the Subie’s independent front and rear strut suspension–generated more smiles. The high-profile tires are made for cutting through snow and yuck and shedding water, but that doesn’t mean the XT won’t corner on them with considerable verve, turning all four of them with equal grunt. Blasting across scenic Route 3 in New York through rain and fog, we felt as secure as George W. in the Oval Office. We didn’t care for the too-much-slack brake-pedal action at first, but we got used to it.

Oh, and did I mention that the Forester 2.5XT was still insanely practical? We’re talking 32 cu.-ft. of cargo space with the rear seats up and 64 cu.-ft. of room with them down, dashboard cubbies capable of storing both flotsam and jetsam, two sunglass holders, and clips in the driver’s sun visor for storing cards and a pen. Sport? Check. Utility? Check. Vehicle? Sure looks like it. Not bad for $25,520 in 2003 money. Of course, improvements rolled in as the years rolled along. Horsepower climbed to 230 for 2006 before falling to 224 for 2007, a broader range of equipment levels became available, and the 2007 to 2008 Forester Sports XT added a sweet body kit. Still, the fundamentals remained the same: Surprising pace in a practical an unassuming package.

Of course, since there really isn’t anything quite like the 2004 to 2008 Forester 2.5XT, stick-shift examples don’t come up for sale super often, and those who are selling often know what they have. Here’s a 2004 model up for sale in Illinois for $10,995 with 132,575 miles on the clock. That’s a lot of money for a 21-year-old crossover, but at least it looks reasonably tidy.

Likewise, here’s a 2006 Forester 2.5XT Limited up for sale in Georgia for a strong $14,995. Alright, it’s a Southern car with a more reasonable 114,000 miles on the clock and a clean vehicle history report, but man. Talk about resale value for an almost two-decade-old family car.

However, if you’re willing to wait it out and put up with a few modifications, you can find a row-your-own Forester 2.5XT for less than $10,000. This 2004 model sold on Cars & Bids back in July for $8,100, and while it is modified and has an astounding 227,200 miles on the clock, the underbody’s pretty clean.

Part of the reason values remain so stubbornly high is that the first Forester 2.5XT occupies a real niche. Subsequent models just got heavier and less involving before Subaru eventually dropped the idea of a turbocharged Forester altogether, while nobody else took up the mantle of the stick-shift, hilariously fast compact crossover. Still, if that old Forester in the staging lane next to you has a hood scoop, watch out. That sucker’s gonna be quick.

Top graphic image: Subaru