Video: Subaru's 2009 Forester gets a makeover

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If you're like me you know a number of people who own Subaru Foresters. It's practically the official car of the Pacific Northwest. Many of us like our cars, but Forester owners seem to love theirs. Not just love, I’m talking L-O-V-E. It could be the all-wheel drive (every Subie has it), or the utility that comes from putting a big box on wheels. Styling?  Hmmm … Even owners describe their Foresters as having more of an "inner sense of beauty." My friend Joan says hers is the automotive equivalent of sensible shoes. She’s not alone. Research by J.D. Powers finds that 42 percent of shoppers that considered a Forester took a pass because of the design. I suppose it’s better to be loved for who you are than what you look like, huh?

Enter the 2009 Subaru Forester. It still emphasizes the "utility" in SUV and comes with standard all-wheel drive but it's clear someone at Subaru was watching "What Not to Wear." The sheetmetal now appeals to the general public, not just professors of geography at Evergreen State College. Subaru is holding the press launch in Laguna Beach, Calif., a town where Porsche 911s are more popular than Honda Civics. A quick check with the good people of The OC finds even they like the new fashion statement. The third generation Forester is off to a good start.

Forester has always been about getting the job done. During the press briefing the PR folks show off photos they found online of owners tackling Yellowstone streams and snow covered mountains. Nosing around parking lots they found people using them as mobile offices and sports lockers. These aren't just ordinary folks either. Turns out 85 percent of Forester owners have a masters degree or higher. In short, don’t get into a debate with these people, you'll probably loose. 

Subaru's competitor to CR-V, Escape, RAV4 and a whole slew of others is 3 inches longer now. Forester drivers really like the size of their rigs and were not looking to super-size. This new rig weighs in at only 110-150 pounds more. The other important number is the rear seat, which gets 4 more inches of legroom. In some models that seat also gets a unique "snack and drink" tray that flips out from the seat cushion. The interior gets a nice material upgrade with the Limited models looking nice though not Lexusesque. Seats are comfortable with durable cloth materials if you don’t opt for the cowhide. Between the front chairs there's a center console that can morph to accommodate an average sized purse.     

Another quality shared by Forester owners and their cars? Frugality. Subaru has added electronic stability control, side curtain bags and airbags and then lowered the price by $1,200 to stay competitive. Hey that's a couple of season passes to the ski slopes. Base cars with a 5-speed manual transmission start at $19,995, turbo XT vehicles begin at $26,195 (add $665 for delivery). Manual tranny Foresters come with Incline Start Assist which is supposedly an improvement on their "hill holder" clutch system. Remember, every Forester has all-wheel drive. Order the 4-speed automatic with manual shift control and the symmetrical all-wheel drive system uses an electronically managed Active Torque Split system rather than the viscous-coupling kind in the manual transmissions.  

Pop open the hood with gas struts no less and you'll find the standard 2.5-liter 170 horse 4-cylinder boxer engine that offers serviceable performance. Those looking to hightail it to the campground will be interested in the XT models with the turbocharged and intercooled version of that powerplant. With 244 horsepower on tap and little turbo lag, it's much more satisfying for your right foot. Subaru claims mid to low end torque has been increased for better drivability. 

DNW

The third generation Forester is off to a good start.

Before we head off to Catalina Island to test its capability, the Subaru team has an impressive dog and pony show (though canines and horses are replaced by snackbars, recyclables and three small mannequins). My normal supply of toilet paper is unavailable but in its place are 5,490 granola bars (that’s now down by one since I grabbed a Nature Valley Oats 'n Honey for later). That's a lot of soccer snacks. This great chunk of rolled oats will fit into the cargo hold with the rear seats up. With room for three there's space for more than $4,000 worth of recycled cans and plastic bottles. A giant wooden box that easily slips into the Forester is denied access in the CR-V and RAV4s on hand. To prove rearward visibility is superior in their crossover, Subaru places plastic 4-year-olds behind the various cars. Forester beats the other crossovers sightlines by up to 20 feet. If you want to see all of this I’ll put it in the longer podcast version of this review that's available on Apple iTunes.  

Adventure time. We board airplanes and fly off to tackle some tough terrain on Catalina Island. Subaru must have some pull. The waiting list for a resident to get a personal car on this island is 10 years (and there aren’t many people living here either). My drive partner is automotive writer Teresa McCallion and we're spending much of the day in a 2.5XT with the automatic. The scenery? Spectacular. The roads? Not so great but most any car can handle the rutted red dirt surfaces. Teresa and I haven't gone a mile before we come upon a heard of buffalo that were brought here decades ago by a Hollywood film crew shooting a western. While they bison never made the final cut, they did find a permanent home. Bouncing along the washboard roads makes us appreciate Forester's headroom that would allow a cowboy to keep his hat on. 

Gradually the route becomes more treacherous with mud and deep potholes. Forrester's all-wheel drive and almost 9 inches of ground clearance are much appreciated (it's 8.7 inches on non-turbo models). Compared to the outgoing model the new one feels more solid and substantial. There’s plenty of power and traction on tap. While this car is not a substitute for a Jeep Wrangler, rough roads and snowy mountain passes should be no problem. Even though we're driving preproduction vehicles, the only rattle heard is from my photography gear. Subaru's research revealed their buyers actually use their vehicles on steep rough roads like the one we're crawling on. Navigating along the edge of a very high peak, it's comforting to know electronic stability control is standard. Subarus also score very well in crash tests, generally 5 stars in all categories but rollover where they score 4 (no crossover scores higher than that I believe).

There's a chance to drive this rig on the highway and here the Forester also does well. The turbo engine has plenty of power with little lag and the standard anti-lock brakes with brake assist are as easily modulated on road as off. This 2009 car is quieter and more comfortable than the car it replaces. XT models get a city/highway rating of 19/24 from the EPA, 20/26 on naturally aspirated engines. Forester will tow 2,400 pounds, equal to two jet skis (call me if you do this, a jet ski outing sounds like fun). Best of all, Forester is fun and confident in the corners, quite possibly best in class. While engineers have increased the ground clearance, they’ve dropped the engine to keep the center of gravity low.   

Gripes are few. You have to buy a turbo XT model if you want a telescoping wheel and that engine requires premium fuel. I’ll grouse about a 5-speed manual and 4-speed automatic in a world where 5- and 6-speeds are common. I understand that sticking with proven units is good for both reliability and cost saving though.    

Subaru has done a commendable job with this new crossover. They’ve kept the utility, improved the styling, made it quieter and lowered the price. Buyers shopping the usual suspects in the compact SUV market are cheating themselves if they overlook Forester. This rig will be hitting showrooms soon. For those who love their Foresters, there's more to love now. This sensible shoe has now become a good looking hiking boot.