SUV Styling

Where previous generations looked more like tall wagons than SUVs, this redesign moves the Forester a lot closer to what it purports to be. There are still some windswept lines here and there, so it's not yet in the territory of more upright SUVs like the Saturn Vue or Ford Escape, but for better or worse it will now blend in with the herd much more easily. The creased headlights and stacked bumper looked a bit busy to me, but they're attractive enough. The tail closes things off with a tidy, clean design.

Standard dual exhaust pipes add a sporty touch, as do the 17-inch alloy wheels that come on all but the base trim level. The doors have window frames now, which gives them a much sturdier feel when slammed than last year's frameless doors had.

    See also:

    Refueling
    Only one person should be involved in refueling. Do not allow others to approach the area of the vehicle near the fuel filler pipe while refueling is in progress. Be sure to observe any other p ...

    Printed antenna
    CAUTION Do not use sharp instruments or window cleaner containing abrasives to clean the inner surface of the window on which the antenna is printed. Doing so may damage the antenna printed on th ...

    Making a phone call from speed dial
    It is possible to select a phone number from speed dial registered with the invehicle equipment to make a phone call. 1. Select the top menu (phone menu). 2. Press the preset button (from to ...