Sponsored by Subaru of New Zealand
Art and Matilda Green have been driving their beloved Subaru SUVs since before their three children came along.
The couple, who famously met on New Zealand’s version of reality TV series The Bachelor, now live in Warkworth with their son Milo, 5, and daughters Autumn, 3 and Penelope, 1. But even as their lifestyle has changed, the social media stars’ long -term love affair with their cars shows no sign of waning. Art, who has a fitness business in the offing, still loves to take his Outback (Subaru’s largest and most popular SUV) camping or to the beach, even if these days he’s more likely to have his eldest two children in tow.
But the main family car is Matilda’s Subaru Forester, the 2018 Car of the Year, a spacious SUV that easily accommodates the five of them plus rescue Jack Russell Buster. The Forester offers smooth driving and light steering, thanks to its Boxer engine and low centre of gravity.
“It’s the nicest car I’ve ever driven,” says the podcaster and soon-to-be radio host.
“It doesn’t feel ginormous but it gives us enough room for three car seats in the back which is great as it means we don’t have to move them. Art is a very big, tall man, [nearly 6 foot 3] so it’s important he’s comfortable in the front with enough leg and head room.”
Safety is also a big consideration, one the Forester easily meets with its 5-star safety system, ABS braking, adaptive cruise control, and All-Wheel Drive. The latter has proved handy by providing extra traction on gravel roads and provides extra reassurance when driving on wet roads when it’s raining.
“We’re often driving with the most precious things we have, so safety is number one,” says Matilda.
When they’re not at home parenting, the family love heading away to the beach at weekends – either Omaha, Tawharanui or Scott’s Landing. The family’s 13-year-old
rescue dog Buster, a Jack Russell, also travels with them on a comfy Subaru boot mat that protects the car from dog hair, and a harness for added safety.
“The Forester has great boot space,” says Matilda. “Even when we’re going to the beach for the day, we need to take so many items. We’ll spend all morning packing everything we need. All the stuff comes with us for days out and weekends away with the kids.”
On long road trips, the couple particularly love the Subaru’s Harman Kardon sound system for its brilliant quality especially when playing their favourite music.
The couple’s tastes are not too dissimilar – although when Art drives the Forester he’s more likely to listen to dance or hip-hop than Matilda, who prefers easy-listening and jazz. The Forester’s intuitive Bluetooth connectivity makes it simple to connect their phones and put on their favourite playlists.
It’s something Matilda is particularly looking forward to doing when she starts a new role, filling in for The Hits’ host PJ Harding’s afternoon radio slot when she goes on maternity leave. That will mean long solo journeys into Auckland, five days a week, and a new routine for Art, who’ll take care of afternoon daycare pick-ups in the Outback. The Forester’s raise driving height is brilliant for seeing over and around traffic on the open road and around the city, while side cameras make for easy parking.
“I’ll be listening to audiobooks and podcasts in the Forester, easy listening music that calms my nervous system,” Matilda laughs. “I’m quite looking forward to the commute. The Forester has a really good sound system, although you can always tell when Art’s been in the car listening to his music with the bass turned way up! He’s an undercover boy racer.”
When the whole family is in the Forester, the Harmon Kardon system also allows the couple to channel the kids’ podcasts and audio books directly into the back seat, so the grown-ups can chat uninterrupted.
“Actually it’s been game-changing,” says Matilda. “We’ll put on lots of Enid Blighton stories, RNZ Story Time, a bit of the Wiggles, the Frozen soundtrack. Stuff we don’t mind listening to as well.”
Another favourite feature is the Forester’s facial scanning function via its Driver Monitoring System. This means, depending who has hopped into the driver’s seat, it will automatically self-adjust the settings right down to the preferred angle of the wing mirrors and temperature of the air con, to the position of the seat – handy when Art is so much taller than Matilda. It couldn’t be easier.
For the most part, Art says his preferred Subaru SUV is the Outback, which suits his passion for getting outdoors.
"It has a roofbox set up which is ideal for camping trips and more boot space than the Forester. And surf roof racks which are perfect for paddle boarding and adventuring.”
Art laughs that the adaptive cruise control function – thanks to EyeSight technology that continually tracks your drive for safety – has saved the couple from plenty of speeding fines, while the waterproof, easy-clean interior in both SUVs has made travelling with kids infinitely easier.
“Dirt just wipes straight off. Kids are the grubbiest creatures so we’re continually wiping the car clean.”
If he does get the odd occasion to drive himself to the beach for a solo surf, he enjoys using the car’s console that connects to music and navigation, as it’s “nice and intuitive and easy”.
For the most part though, the couple spend the most time in the Forester together, and say it’s the ultimate family vehicle.
“It’s a great all-rounder, perfect for dropping the kids off in the morning and picking them up in the afternoon, as well as for getting intrepid,” says Matilda. “It’s a really great family car. Especially an outdoorsy family.”
"And it’s not that expensive, compared to a lot of other SUVs,” adds Art.
They’re also big fans of the car’s stylish design, which they say is cool in an understated way.
“I really like that they are a beautiful combination of practical, stylish and not too showy,” says Art. “The perfect blend of practical modesty that suits our lifestyle.”
Check out the Subaru SUV range at Subaru.co.nz or book a test drive at your nearest dealership.