I like Subaru and I'm not afraid to admit it. If you've read my review on the 2011 WRX, you'll clearly notice that this is the case, with a catch. If you've ever owned or driven a Subaru, you will agree that these are special and even unique products. This is what sets them apart.
You see, Subaru and Subarus have a soul, character and they still shine today. In the past, they also had uniting characteristics that brought the entire line-up together; a supple suspension, a flat-4 warble, frameless doors, thin steel panels, and this applied from the Justy up to the Forester. Still the case.
Yes the Forester which, at the time in 1997 (as a 1998), was one of the pioneers (along with Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V) of what was to become one of the fastest-growing and most-populated segments. The Forester sold quite well from the onset with increasing sales during the 2000s. By 2005, increases turned into decreases up until 2008. The explanation was simple, in part; the Forester was old and had been eclipsed by its competitors. Meanwhile, Subaru was devising a plan for a complete image revamp. Here's where things got ugly, literally.
Like the Impreza, the Forester came away from the assembly lines in 2008 completely revised with a new generic Japanese face. I was flabbergasted. Disgusted. Still am actually. What had Subaru done to its cars? In a few words, the best thing they could have ever done.
The Forester grew in every direction and became one, more or less, with the surrounding landscape. It would appear as though being different was what put them on the map, but blending in was what was needed in order to sustain sales. In fact, the Forester has never been as popular as it is now.
As with the Impreza, Subaru's non-identical twins have never found so many new homes (the Impreza and Forester share the same platform). Clearly, I'm from the shallow end of the Subaru styling appreciation pool. This part seems to hold many brand enthusiasts; obviously, Subaru is no longer counting on them for survival.
Why the Forester is selling is no secret: it's still a Subaru. What that means is the vehicle feels robust, solid and is comfortable, capable and reliable. The Forester is.
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| The Forester grew in every direction and became one, more or less, with the surrounding landscape. (Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com) |
You see, Subaru and Subarus have a soul, character and they still shine today. In the past, they also had uniting characteristics that brought the entire line-up together; a supple suspension, a flat-4 warble, frameless doors, thin steel panels, and this applied from the Justy up to the Forester. Still the case.
Yes the Forester which, at the time in 1997 (as a 1998), was one of the pioneers (along with Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V) of what was to become one of the fastest-growing and most-populated segments. The Forester sold quite well from the onset with increasing sales during the 2000s. By 2005, increases turned into decreases up until 2008. The explanation was simple, in part; the Forester was old and had been eclipsed by its competitors. Meanwhile, Subaru was devising a plan for a complete image revamp. Here's where things got ugly, literally.
Like the Impreza, the Forester came away from the assembly lines in 2008 completely revised with a new generic Japanese face. I was flabbergasted. Disgusted. Still am actually. What had Subaru done to its cars? In a few words, the best thing they could have ever done.
The Forester grew in every direction and became one, more or less, with the surrounding landscape. It would appear as though being different was what put them on the map, but blending in was what was needed in order to sustain sales. In fact, the Forester has never been as popular as it is now.
As with the Impreza, Subaru's non-identical twins have never found so many new homes (the Impreza and Forester share the same platform). Clearly, I'm from the shallow end of the Subaru styling appreciation pool. This part seems to hold many brand enthusiasts; obviously, Subaru is no longer counting on them for survival.
Why the Forester is selling is no secret: it's still a Subaru. What that means is the vehicle feels robust, solid and is comfortable, capable and reliable. The Forester is.
 |
| The Forester came away from the assembly lines in 2008 completely revised with a new generic Japanese face. (Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com) |