Sized between an Impreza and a Legacy, the Forester has always been a versatile vehicle, yet it has never been a beauty, especially with its 2006 nose job. It's been function over form for the ten years of its existence, that is, until now.
For the 2009 model year, the Forester gets a major redesign and is much more attractive. Okay, its exterior styling isn't drop-dead gorgeous, but the wagonesque SUV is no longer a wallflower. Svelte and muscular, with ribbed front and rear fenders, dual exhausts and higher stance, the new Forester draws many more stares on the road.
Excellent driving position
Subaru owners will quickly notice something different when they open the doors; like the new Impreza, the Forester now gets window frames. The Limited model gets leather wrapped around very comfortable seats. The driver's chair even gets power-adjustable lumbar support.
The dash and door panels are built with what seems like quality materials, although the woodgrain trim isn't very convincing. The sound system includes a 6-CD changer that can read MP3 and WMA files as well as 6 speakers, and its output is pretty good; the wheel-mounted controls are perfectly placed.
The driver enjoys a good view of the road ahead and behind, as the glass surfaces are big and the pillars aren't oversized. The giant moonroof is nice, despite not being able to open entirely. Rear-seat passengers get cupholders that flip out of the middle seat cushion, which is neat, but sacrifices comfort for the 5th occupant even when not in use. The rear seatbacks recline, something that's getting more and more common these days. The rear hatch is light but requires a good slam to close shut.
 |
| Svelte and muscular, the new Forester draws many more stares on the road. |
For the 2009 model year, the Forester gets a major redesign and is much more attractive. Okay, its exterior styling isn't drop-dead gorgeous, but the wagonesque SUV is no longer a wallflower. Svelte and muscular, with ribbed front and rear fenders, dual exhausts and higher stance, the new Forester draws many more stares on the road.
Excellent driving position
Subaru owners will quickly notice something different when they open the doors; like the new Impreza, the Forester now gets window frames. The Limited model gets leather wrapped around very comfortable seats. The driver's chair even gets power-adjustable lumbar support.
The dash and door panels are built with what seems like quality materials, although the woodgrain trim isn't very convincing. The sound system includes a 6-CD changer that can read MP3 and WMA files as well as 6 speakers, and its output is pretty good; the wheel-mounted controls are perfectly placed.
The driver enjoys a good view of the road ahead and behind, as the glass surfaces are big and the pillars aren't oversized. The giant moonroof is nice, despite not being able to open entirely. Rear-seat passengers get cupholders that flip out of the middle seat cushion, which is neat, but sacrifices comfort for the 5th occupant even when not in use. The rear seatbacks recline, something that's getting more and more common these days. The rear hatch is light but requires a good slam to close shut.
 |
| The wheel-mounted controls are perfectly placed. |