Neither rain nor sleet nor hypothermia...

MANILA, Philippines - This is the big picture. Baguio City threw down the gauntlet on Subaru. The typhoon barely hit land but the weather in Baguio during the Subaru-STAR Drive could very well have been a trip through the eye of the storm.

The downpour began just as the Subaru convoy left the dealership. While Manila eventually became partly sunny with a few scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms, a few kilometers up Kennon Road and the Subaru convoy was still maneuvering up a major downpour. You could say it is the proverbial storm-clouds-over-one’s-head-that-would-never-go-away but it is hard not to be a little bit paranoid that Baguio was out to get Subaru one way or the other. One could say STAR Motoring journalists didn’t do the test drive on this event, Baguio did. And not only did Baguio test the Foresters and the WRX, the City of Pines also tested the mettle of a bunch of adventurous, almost foolhardy, mountain bikers as well.

The conceit of this particular STAR Drive is loading kick-ass mountain bikes on Foresters, drive ’em mean looking Subarus up to Baguio with a WRX bringing up the rear and then conquering the Yellow Trail while taking scenic photos for bragging on Facebook.

A convoy of Subarus is an impressive sight. If Motoring events convoys can be compared to the Crusades with a long line of shiny armors and flying colorful banners out to conquer a foreign land, the Subaru convoy is the Knights Templars of Motoring Crusades. It is intimidating and fierce yet eye-catching and stylish. You see a convoy like this and you want to trade in your donkey for a stallion and be knighted.

But alas! Fate has it that on this particular journey, the convoy will be swallowed up by rain and fog. And one would know Baguio’s got a target on your back when you have to mountain bike through freezing wind in thick fog, you bear with the low temperatures and rain that could very well be icicles on the Yellow Trail only to drive back down to downtown Baguio City and watch the locals basking in sunshine. And just when you thought it was all over, you leave sunny downtown Baguio behind to drive down Marcos Highway in practically zero visibility.

The big picture may be that Baguio City was out to get Subaru but when one gets to the details it’s a different story altogether.  – AYVI NICOLAS

Nobody needs to tell you that a storm is not the best time to go for a bike ride. Especially not someplace as high as Baguio, where the temperature hovers at 18-20 C, and gets worse with wind chill and freezing rain. But in the spirit of Subaru-ness, we went anyway in search of adventure, excitement, and a nice, warm shower afterwards.

By now you already know that Subaru makes cars that aren’t for everyone. For one thing, they all come with all-wheel drive, which trades a little in fuel economy for better traction. And then the styling, which is never the conventional kind that most people seem to like, is always interesting to look at. Especially if you like hood scoops.

Finally there is the small matter of image. While the brand is Japanese, Subaru is perhaps a notch above in status compared to Honda, Toyota, or Nissan. Compare the prices of equivalent models if you don’t believe me. This is because Subaru is known for performance and driving enjoyment. Yes, other brands arguably make cars that are fun to drive, but only Subaru has consistently stuck to its promise of lively driving dynamics thanks to its vehicles’ low center of gravity and Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive technology. While most cars are fast in a straight line, few can match the agility of a Subaru when the road curves left, then right, up, down... you get the picture.

For our little mountain biking excursion to the trails of Baguio, our little flotilla consisted of an Impreza WRX, a 2-liter Forester, a Tribeca, and the ‘boosted Forester XT. The latter is what was assigned to me, and while I was inclined to go for the WRX, the XT was the practical choice. This is because we were also transporting 4 mountain bikes and the accompanying gear (pump, helmets, hydro packs, chocolate bars...). While it’s possible to load same stuff onto a car like the Impreza, it’s just not pretty. With the Forester XT, it looks just right.

To accomplish this task, we equipped the XT with 3 mounts on the roof rack and another mount on the tailgate. The roof mounts are the new type by Thule that don’t require you to remove the front wheel. Instead, you just place the bike as is on the mount, lift up a down tube clamp, then ratchet the wheels down. You must do this VERY CAREFULLY since a 25-plus pound bike crashing down on a 1.7 million peso roof is not in your best interest. The tailgate mount is only a little less precarious since it is held in place by sturdy-looking rope. Just pray no truck crashes into you from behind. By the time we were done we either looked like one of those neutral support vehicles you see in a professional bike race, or a bunch of fools off to ride bikes on a stormy mountaintop.

If our XT was having problems transporting us, we never felt it. Even with all that gear up top and behind, 3 people inside, and around 100 pounds of luggage, we made good time on the road to Baguio. While we’ve heard rumours that other XT drivers have hit more than 170kph with bikes on their roofs, we played it safe and responsible, cruising at 100-120kph because a) we’re afraid the bikes will fly off and b) speeding tickets are such a hassle. The XT has a huge power moonroof, by the way, allowing us a fine view of our bikes vibrating in the wind and shuddering with every pothole. To solve our jitters about crashing bikes and scarred rooftops, we effected a simple remedy: close the moonroof, enjoy the drive.

Even at highway speeds, the XT’s cabin is still reasonably quiet, free of the wind ruckus that overhead equipment usually causes. It also drives almost as well as when lightly loaded, with a center of gravity that doesn’t cause alarming body roll on the Marcos Highway. And then there’s the power. I’m a sucker for high horsepower engines, and while 230-hp isn’t stratospheric, it blows the doors off every other similarly priced and sized SUV. Complementing the power are the engine type, drivetrain, and suspension.

The turbocharged, flat-four engine has a low center of gravity. (It sounds kind of funny compared to an inline-4, but if it works...). The all-wheel drive, on the other hand, works seamlessly to balance power delivery between the front and rear wheels. Finally, the all-independent suspension is well sorted out. It feels softer compared to the previous generation, but it’s more forgiving of ruts, dips, and bumps without sacrificing jounce or rebound control. While the body leans a bit more into curves, the drivetrain makes up for it. With very little turbo lag, you just floor the accelerator and the XT wooshes forward like a rocket to regain the speed that was lost. And to think the transmission is just a 4-speed manumatic.

By the time we got to the trailhead, vibility was down to around 20 feet, the rain was freezing, and the wind chill was making us question our sanity about getting out of the comfort of the Forester’s heated cabin. So why were we abandoning the safety of our cars for a mountain bike ride in freezing rain? Because, in the spirit of Subaru-ness, we’re not like everyone. A little bit of insanity is good for the soul.

We gingerly pedalled our way up and down the hills with howling wind, sheets of rain, and visions of landslides for entertainment. Just to be safe, our non-riding companions followed in the Forester XT up to the point where the trail’s slippery, rocky surface would have been dicey for its low-profile street tires. Coincidentally, that’s where we also decided to call it a day and ride back already.

What’s worse than hypothermia? Having to put back all your gear, re-mount the bikes on the roof, and towel yourself dry in the middle of a storm while getting the shakes, that’s what. Thankfully, shaking fingers and stuttering instructions weren’t enough to stop us from successfully placing the bikes back on top without a scratch, and then scurrying inside the car before we lost a few digits from frostbike... err, frostbite. By the time we were done, the door panels and carpeting had been doused with the equivalent of several pails of ice water, giving me another insight on why Subaru doesn’t use fabric door inserts like the rest of them, or even go for friendlier tan-and-caramel color schemes instead of its steadfast adherence to Spartan black. Since it’s a lifestyle vehicle, they expect owners to occassionally get messy, and the insistence on synthetic interiors makes it easier to wash and maintain. A Subaru will never be as conventional as your everyday Japanese make, and that, I think, is just what makes it much more fun to play with.   – ANDY LEUTERIO