"We may be making a huge mistake with this off-road car," feared Subaru President and CEO, Mr. Katsuhiro Yokoyama when Subaru launched its first generation Forester 12-years ago. Such fear quickly evaporated as pragmatic outdoorsy types quenched their thirst for a frugal vehicle to handle all of their recreational needs.
Mr. Yokoyama revealed his initial uneasiness about the Forester to a group of Canadian auto journalists at Subaru's launch of the third generation of this quintessential crossover. Today he brims with confidence and is all smiles as he introduces the 2009 version to the "pens" in attendance for their first drive of the completely new unit.
Larger Forester less visually distinctive
Jumping immediately to mind when I think of the Forester is its unique, tall wagon-like styling; admirers may find the switch to more conventional SUV-crossover styling disappointing however I don't consider myself among them. For 2009, the Forester has lost some of its visual uniqueness in favor of wider mass-appeal.
Not only is the latest generation Forester a marked departure aesthetically, it is larger in every dimension thanks to a wheelbase that consumes an additional 90-mm of pavement. The increased distance between wheel wells has enabled a much-needed expansion of the rear seating area, including legroom, which is now 110-mm more generous.
The tall body of the current Forester enabled it to handle bulky cargo with ease- something sleeker crossovers have difficulty with. Subaru chose to retain this attribute, and demonstrated the extra capacity with a wooden box that fit snugly into the rear of 2009 Forester but was too grandiose for the likes of Honda's CRV and Toyota's RAV4; important considerations for those intent on hauling camping gear and such.
Excellent rearward visibility
Another demonstration I found interesting and of importance pertained to rearward visibility. The cut of the rear glass deep into the tailgate enables a six-foot driver to spot a 3-foot tall child as close as two meters away from the back of the vehicle. Similar testing in the CRV put the child at 4.5 meters away before becoming visible to the driver while the RAV4 set the child back as far as 7 perilous meters.
Two engine choices
The 2009 Forester continues to capitalize on its horizontally opposed 'boxer' engine design, which aids in lowering the vehicle's centre of gravity. The base engine is a naturally-aspirated 2.5 liter 4-cylinder affair featuring Subaru's i-Active Valve Lift technology. This mill produces 170 horsepower and 170 pound-feet of torque.
Mr. Yokoyama revealed his initial uneasiness about the Forester to a group of Canadian auto journalists at Subaru's launch of the third generation of this quintessential crossover. Today he brims with confidence and is all smiles as he introduces the 2009 version to the "pens" in attendance for their first drive of the completely new unit.
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| This third iteration of the Subaru Forester is larger in every dimension than its predecessor. |
Larger Forester less visually distinctive
Jumping immediately to mind when I think of the Forester is its unique, tall wagon-like styling; admirers may find the switch to more conventional SUV-crossover styling disappointing however I don't consider myself among them. For 2009, the Forester has lost some of its visual uniqueness in favor of wider mass-appeal.
Not only is the latest generation Forester a marked departure aesthetically, it is larger in every dimension thanks to a wheelbase that consumes an additional 90-mm of pavement. The increased distance between wheel wells has enabled a much-needed expansion of the rear seating area, including legroom, which is now 110-mm more generous.
The tall body of the current Forester enabled it to handle bulky cargo with ease- something sleeker crossovers have difficulty with. Subaru chose to retain this attribute, and demonstrated the extra capacity with a wooden box that fit snugly into the rear of 2009 Forester but was too grandiose for the likes of Honda's CRV and Toyota's RAV4; important considerations for those intent on hauling camping gear and such.
Excellent rearward visibility
Another demonstration I found interesting and of importance pertained to rearward visibility. The cut of the rear glass deep into the tailgate enables a six-foot driver to spot a 3-foot tall child as close as two meters away from the back of the vehicle. Similar testing in the CRV put the child at 4.5 meters away before becoming visible to the driver while the RAV4 set the child back as far as 7 perilous meters.
Two engine choices
The 2009 Forester continues to capitalize on its horizontally opposed 'boxer' engine design, which aids in lowering the vehicle's centre of gravity. The base engine is a naturally-aspirated 2.5 liter 4-cylinder affair featuring Subaru's i-Active Valve Lift technology. This mill produces 170 horsepower and 170 pound-feet of torque.
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| The base engine features Subaru's i-Active Valve Lift technology. |