However, given that Subarus’ Bridgstone and Yokohama stock tires appear to have poor adhesion, switching tires could minimize that trait. Example: Nokians on my Forester changed ride and handling for the better.

BTW, the same complaints about current Subarus are aimed at Mitsubishi; the new evos are “soft” compared to earlier ones. What works for a track doesn’t necessarily work for the street.

“Stunningly horrible dissapointment” ?! It’s really THAT bad? No, it’s not. Sorry. Anyone reading this review should do their homework and check out all the reviews that are out there – and mostly positive (Motor Trend, Consumer Reports, etc.) Just use Google and you’ll find a dozen or so.

I test drove all the cars in this class (CRV, RAV4, Sante Fe, etc.) and ended up picking the Forester. Is it perfect? Of course not. It does have a bit of sway to it in tight turns (but makes it real smooth over bumpiness). And it does have the 4 speed transmission ( … a 5-speed would be better, but not having it doesn’t effect the driving experience noticeably. I still get great gas mileage and have ample acceleration to get around, with fine shifts.) For my needs, it’s the best vehicle I could get, and the best value.

And one more thing – people keep talking about “Toyota-fication.” I would think that this model was far into development by the time Toyota had any sort of effect on Subaru’s dealings. It takes a long time to develop a car… think about it.

I understand that cultish, die-hard Forester fans that loved the boxy look are disappointed … but that doesn’t mean they have to be biased against the new one. Subaru is just trying to sell the most cars it can … and that’s what it will do with this more “mainstream” look. You can’t please everybody.

Seating material in the regular Forester seems to have come from Sears bargain basement drape department, semi-plastic division. Yuck. But at the tootle-around-town pace this car naturally travels at, the handling is probably OK. I remember hopping in my brother’s ‘99 Forester from my ‘99 Impreza, and promptly understeering off the road at the first tight city corner, so if this is worse than that, it’s Aunt Daisy time.

Someone else mentioned that Legacys lose the rear end in emergency maneuvers according to CR, and that this is due to the limited slip rear diff. May I call utter BS on that, please? I’ve had my 08 GT in snow up to its ears, and the rear end doen’t come around like my old Impreza at the first opportunity, no matter how crazy one gets.
My old Talon AWD has the same setup, and it doesn’t oversteer either. The Outback? Well, it’s a wobbler due to ride height, leans more, etc. I don’t personally like them too much, but I’m not in the market to buy a pseudo truck.

And in snow here this week up a steep uphill where due to no plowing and only sanding, it was 6 to 8 inches of granular mess, with vehicles going up sideways, etc., the Leggy GT blasted straight up from a standing start and the Traction Control light blinked only 3 times in 200 yards. First time I’ve seen it come on, and I pushed the car hard. What a blast! That’s the mechanical center diff and rear LSD at work, folks, limiting the work the electrons have to do. The old XT had the same setup in the auto, and I bemoan its demise. Real world performance is what counts.

Many of the replies to Megan’s review are predictable, because she panned the new XT, and new owners don’t like criticism of their new ride. But the new Forester is Mr. Milquetoast with a rattly hatch to me. Fine for normal use.

However, The Acura RDX looks so damn ugly to me that I couldn’t care less how it drives, rides or feels.

As for 007low above here, you have violated the no criticism rule of a reviewer on this site by calling Ms Benoit’s review dishonest, IMO. WTF has Motor Trend’s recommendation have to do with anything in the real world? Ms Benoit is the one who turned me on to the Legacy GT despite her poor service from the car, and snap judgements do not seem to be part of her makeup. Look at her other reviews before writing, and then keep your thought to yourself. I see nothing added by attacking her.

The same applies for the looks. Personally, I never thought the older Subaru models were ugly and kind of like the distinct, rugged, boxy look.
If anything, I think Subaru is heading in the wrong direction by trying to make the Forester look like a ‘normal’ SUV — it’s going to cause diehard Subie fans to jump ship.

I started buying Subaru’s 15 years ago simply because of the utlity and price. Here in Colorado, about every other cary you see is a Subie. I own a Toyota Tundra 4WD( a great truck BTW) for hauling and towing and an old Jeep for dirt fun. When it comes to snow and general outdoor fun, however, you just cant beat the Subie AWD(Jeep number two due to storage issues).

As good as the Tundra is, I would choose the Subie over the Tundra any day when driving home from a ski trip at Copper Mountain in a blinding snowstorm with 2 feet of snow on the Pass(which happens quite often.) When you live where the winter season last 8 monhts a year, a Subie is a decent, economical choice.

Here in Colorado, Subies reputation is so strong that many people will not even consider buying anything but.

If you live in the South, are in the burbs, or are image conscious then obviously the Subie is not the best choice.

Gets the job done and for what you get (AWD etc,) its a decent price. Subaru isnt marketing these things as luxury vehicles. Its all about utility for most buyers.

Not as fast and flashy as an Audi AWD but also consider its about 2/3 the price. Also, many models with the AWD tag are not full-time(toyota Marix, Suzuki etc) .

I have an 04 Forester with 187,000 miles and no problems to speak of. With that being said,I have to aggree a bit with the review. As its about time to get a new Subie, I test drove the 09 Forester, WRX, and Outback at the local dealer in Boudler.

I never thought I would say this about a Subie but — Peee uuuu — what the hell did they do to my beloved vehicle? They have made it a bit too ‘pretty’ and it has lost the rugged out-doorsy look I love. It sits higher and the interior smells like someone ate some plastic and farted.

I also noticed the body lean and there is a step-down in handling from the 04 model I now drive. It definately lags a bit and has lost the somewhat sporty feel I am used to on the 04. I could hit the corners on the pass with the 04 but I wouldnt try it with the 09 model. I believe this has to do with the higher COG.

I think I am going to get the 09 WRX this week — I have my eyes on a Silver spark metallic premium. The Outback was not a bad fit for me nor a bad ride(handles much better than the 09 Forester)but I instantly loved the ride on the WRX. Slap a Ski rack on and I’m good to go. It will also eat up the mountain pass.

Also, I would reccomend folks look at the Outback over othe 09 Forester — much better ride and a lot peppier, even in the base trim; Or, consider a used Forester from 04-07.

I have to admit Subie dropped the ball on this one. I am even going to drop a line to them telling them how much a dissapointment I find it(FWIW.)

..

Also, I had to add…

Most people who talk about how their vehiclce handles off-roading so well never really off-road. By off-road I dont mean driving on the grass or dirt or a coating of snow on the highway — A Toyota Yaris will do that. I mean boulders, streams, rocks, 45-degree dirt embankments, or three-foot snow drifts. On these condtions, ANYTHING can get stuck, slide, or roll ..Subies, Jeeps, Audis, doesn’t matter. If you dont have the right tires on and don’t use the correct techiques you will either spin out ot get stuck — period. AWD doesn’t mean drive however you please.

It cracks me up when I see Posers fropm the East bring their shiny new Jeep Wrangler out to CO and get stuck in the mud on the way up to Pikes Peek. They then complain , ‘This Jeep sucks, I thought it was supposed to be good out here’.

Dude, your Jeep is fine. Just get tires appropriate for the condtions, don’t floor the pedal and learn when and how to use the locking diff. I have learned that most Jeeps are better than most drivers(myself included.) Also, most people who buy Jeep Wranglers never once ever really take them off road or remotely use them for their intended purpose. Most Jeeps you see on the highways in CO are driven by Posers. A Subie would be a better choice for an all-around vehicle if you want AWD and wont really be truly off-roading. You can still take your vehicle in the dirt, on the snow, and MILD off-roading. You will also have a LOT more storage space and won’t have to fill up the tank nearly as much. You also won’t need to visit a chiropractor after driving the Jeep cross-country for six hours on a trip. Jeep Wrangler is the primo-superb vehicle for true off-roading fun(nothing compares), but it blows for anything else IMO. Unless its going to be used for ‘real’ off-roading, the Subie is the more practical(and less expensive) choice. Just my 2 cents.

Nissian designed the GT-R’s Limited slip diff to avoid that by compensateing for deaccelerating as well as accelerating in corners. Then again, we’re talking a vehicle 3.5X the cost of Forester or Outback.

If after you read the article on Cobb’s Tuning and like what you see they have a forum where you can request they step up to improving the ‘09 Forester.

http://forums.cobbtuning.com/forums/showthread.php?t=39858&page=2

According to Subaru sales the ‘09 Forester has increased sales by over 50% and a good business man never fails to observe a niche that’s wide open.

Maybe next year Subaru will make the appropriate improvements at their factory but, until then…

Demon Tweak: 2006 Subaru Forester 2.5XT Limited – Specialty File

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/hot_lists/high_performance/sport_compacts/demon_tweak_2006_subaru_forester_2_5xt_limited_specialty_file

The tire idea is a good one only if you’re a warm weather tarmac driver but, Michelins have proven themselves to my entirely family time after time and vehicle after vehicle…it’s just a night and day difference in all categories as tires go.

What I do not have a solution for is the 5 speed AT…that bothers the hell out of me and I’ll have to make some more contacts on that score.

My only question for Megan at this point is; Just how tall are you Ma’m?? I mean, are the seats THAT low and uncomfortable?? Well, at any rate I’ll know to look specifically for this by sitting in all the seats and I thank you for the heads-up.

Thanks again guys and gals, your input was and is invaluable.

Because as you emphatically pointed out, even off-road capable vehicles spend 99% of their time on paved roads and the on-road manners of Jeeps don’t exactly win a lot of praise.

Wait a minute; Megan likes stiff punishing rides so maybe she might actually prefer a Jeep Wrangler ;-)

Roo: Generalizations and insults anyone? Am I a hippie? Well, conceived in the “Summer of Love” maybe, if that counts…am I a hoon? Hmm…sorry, that description doesn’t fit either.

…and finding your mother-in-law standing there instead. At least the MIL eventually goes home. The Forester XT just hangs around and keeps disappointing.

Roo: Another generalization about MILs?

Why is Subaru making SUVs? Beats me, ask Toyota.

Roo: Toyota owns a MINORITY share in Fuji Heavy Industries. It does NOT control the day-to-day decisions or operations of FHI.

Step on inside. See that hood scoop? Yes, that bulbous nostril encroaching upon your field of vision

Roo: You mean the INTEGRATED hood scoop? It has a MUCH LOWER profile than previous generations.

Then the cold hard reality hit me that (A) I’m going to be riding in the front 99.995% of the time and (B) it is wicked hard to reach into the baby’s car seat to retrieve a pacifier when it’s a half mile back.

Roo: If you have a child, and are NOT driving, what prevents you from riding in the back seat with the child? If you ARE driving, then you shouldn’t be removing your attention from the road to give the child a pacifier.

The new Forester, like the WRX, packs more low-end torque at the expense of the high end but unlike the WRX it feels oddly sluggish overall.

Roo: That’s FUNNY…they have the SAME MOTOR!!!

Want to add insult to injury? Here are your four automatic gears. By this point, I’m starting to wonder if Subaru doesn’t just want to discourage their hoon-oriented customers– they actively want to crush their spirits.

Roo: There are notches below “D”, and properly used WITH rev-matching (YES, you CAN rev-match the 4EAT), you can keep up with the rest of the guys and gals.

The handling, absolutely atrocious even by SUV standards, betrays Subaru’s integral brand image. The loosey-goosey steering wheel feels like the ‘91 Explorer my parents drove.

Roo: That’s why I can manage to handle a STOCK ’09 Forester at entry speeds twice the posted suggestion on the road signs?

Understeer makes cornering an exercise in unexpected surprises. This fact might make you a safer driver, but not by choice. The whole thing handles like a sack of cornmeal being hauled by sled dogs – it’s all mush.

Roo: With proper driving techniques, a LOT can be done to overcome the understeer. Fact is, every car in its class has been built with understeer for liability reasons, and that applies to MOST cars on the road. Purpose built sports cars excepted, the companies don’t want to build in oversteer, because MOST drivers wouldn’t be able to cope with losing control of the vehicle.

…but if you have off-roading in your plans, why buy one of these when you can get a bargain bin Jeep instead?

Roo: Reliability? Safety? Those would be my top two answers.

If you’re looking for a sporty, fast CUV with room for the family, go buy an Acura RDX. It may be more expensive, but you’ll never regret it.

Roo: Nice if you can afford an extra $7k, and suffer the gas mileage penalty. EPA mileage estimates 20/26 vs. 17/22.

In which lies a bigger issue with TTAC’s car reviews. Ratings are based on likes or dislikes of the reviewer for the vehicle and not solely on the merits of the car. For this reason I rarely read TTAC reviews and for the review giving a Bullit Mustang 5 stars?

For the last time, TOYOTA HAD NO INPUT ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CURRENT FORESTER!!!!

Could have fooled me. The vast majority of your comments addressed its “Sport” aspects (or lack thereof). There was scant mention of the vehicle’s utility.

I hated how it handled

Again you compare it unfavorably to the RDX which rides great for a sports car but no so much as an everyday pothole thumping driver.

I hated the automatic transmission

Many have abused Subaru for only offering a 4-speed but few who actually drive it think it suffers noticeably from lacking an extra gear. Adding extra gears just for the sake of having more is merely pandering to the American mentality that more is always better. There are certainly automotive examples that prove otherwise.

I hated how uncomfortably placed the front seats were

Okay however you could at least acknowledge that seat fit and comfort are very subjective and what one person finds comfortable, someone else will think is painfully uncomfortable.

I hated that Subaru doesn’t seem to know what the hell they’re doing anymore

I think this is the real root of your animosity. And you can certainly make a good argument that by appealing more to the masses, Subaru risks not only losing its core enthusiasts but also seeing its market niche disappear. However, you could just as easily argue that were Subaru to only offer quirky AWD vehicles in a market increasingly flooded with AWD choices, that Subaru’s survival would be in question.

Don’t get me wrong; I would love it if Subaru sold the Forester STi (manual of course) here in the States but… I recognize that for what it offers, the FY09 Forester is a pretty big hit.

And the Forester offers a lot: utility, practicality, middle-of-the-road looks, decent sporty handling for a small SUV; all at a reasonable price.

Meanwhile, my wife LOVES hers. It gets great mileage and handles almost as well as my new WRX.

The Forester has evolved quite nicely. I currently own a ‘98, my wife owns an ‘04, and we’ve both had the experience of driving the ‘09 – right before it was placed on a dyno. It handled rather well considering it was completely stock. We were expecting a lot more body roll, and definitely a soft(er) ride, but when we took it into the twisties, it firmed up nicely, giving us the confidence to drive it quickly.

(Representing for “Guys Who Will Buy Anything Small With A Pickup Bed on It”)

Subaru could have been, until very recently, fatally contaminated with General Motors DNA. I’d say their customers should be grateful.

Just look at how GM has “helped” Isuzu.

As for the hood scoop blocking the view over the hood, that’s simple to solve.

Buy the non-turbo version and get a booster seat with some of the money thus saved.

With the proliferation of on-board navigation systems, it can also be said that most (SUV) drivers seldom KEEP their eyes on the road…