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The Exiga sits on a front-end section platform and powerplant from a Forester, rear double-wishbone suspension coming courtesy of the Impreza and the five-speeder with SI-Drive taken from the Legacy.
A bad thing?
Not when you have symmetrical-vehicle balancing technology, a forced-induced engine that has a reduced amount of vibration due to the placement of its pistons, and the all-admirable-rally-proven All-Wheel Drive (AWD) system to keep the vehicle planted when the conditions get slippery.
Designed with the Impreza in mind
Before attempting the Exiga, the designers at Subaru were having a hard time in the office.
They learnt about the terrible reviews they were getting in regards to the design of the third generation Impreza hatchback. Ditching its typical sedan bodyshell in response to being more competitive in the World Rally Championships, it seems, dealt the final blow to the Impreza bringing the moisture to boy racers dreams all over the world.
So when it came down to unveiling their highly anticipated seven-seater, Subaru's management must have put in place some design restrictions to contain the damage the brand was suffering.
And the end product isn't half as bad. In fact, I think it looks pretty darn good for a seven-seater.
You've got those daring headlights that continue its creasing path up towards the bonnet, cutting the car a more aggressive snout, though I think the bonnet intake does that job relatively well. The rest of the car has been kept clean, with a single speed-line running from under the side-view mirrors up towards the high rear-end.
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Walking around the car, you begin to appreciate how the thin B-pillars and the windows work together in helping the Exiga along in achieving that clean-cut image. No protruding wheel arches or blistered bumpers, nothing to really hint at the smile-generating potential this family car actually has behind the wheel.
The interior and drive
The interior continues the theme the Exiga conveys from its exterior.
A tastefully appointed dashboard with buttons fairly good to the touch is what greets you once you've got yourself in. The sporty leather seat optioned in our test car provided a comfortable seating position that gave me just the right amount of height to be confident in taking corners with gusto, and maneuvering within tight multi-storey carparks. If you preferred it any other way, there's the eight-way electronic adjustable buttons to tinker with in getting your perfect position.
Turning the ignition on in this MPV (Multi-Purpose Vehicle) is a docile affair with the 2.0-litre turbocharged unit not even hinting at the 225hp it possesses at a healthy 5,600rpm. Putting your foot gently down on the right pedal eases you off from still and gets you up to about 60 km/h, a speed people-barges are more accustomed to, in no time.
But what, if after dropping your final passenger off, you find yourself staring down a long straight leading into a taunting S-curve? Do you ignore it, deny the rapid misting in your eyes and admit that you're too old for that nonsense or would you grin on the inside, firm up your grip and bury your right foot in the floor?
Well, if you're anything like the latter, you've probably been waiting for something like the Exiga for some time now.
Once the needle hits 3,000 on the rev counter, the turbo kicks in rudely almost and urges this seven-seater up to 100km/h in just below 8 seconds. Steer abruptly into the corner and the Exiga denies its vehicle category, obeying your every command. Such direct steering owes itself to the result of a couple of things like the suspension setup and the horizontally-opposed engine that helps the car in its asymmetrical proclamations.
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The Verdict
When the Exiga first appeared on the various international automotive websites, the sentiments from most people I talked to were that it looked like a box, "too squarish for my liking" or just "plain ugly". But I actually think it looks really good, the same way I thought the third generation Impreza WRX STi hatchback was the meanest, baddest looking rex in the entirety of its existence.
While the visual divide couldn't be further apart, the sentiments over the Exiga's performance are much less controversial.
With the 225hp and 326Nm of available pulling power, overtaking on the expressway was reduced to a gentle prod at the pedal. Then you've got Subaru's SI-Drive system which gives you three choices of settings to select from. Intelligent mode is suited for normal daily driving, Sport makes steering and engine response more sensitive to inputs and lastly Sport Sharp, which is the optimal setting you'd be on when tackling the corners or speeding down a straight road.
I enjoyed the drive in the Exiga GT 2.0. In fact if I were in a situation as mentioned earlier in the article, I could possibly snap one of these up in Subaru blue.
It has space for the kids, the groceries, ferries the family on weekends for outings and puts a smile on your face whenever the need for some adrenalin pumping is warranted. So guys, being a parent doesn't mean having to drive that final nail into the 'driving-fun' coffin. Car's like the Exiga helps you along that journey, accommodating both your new-found responsibilities and your old habits.
