Forester in the Market

The previous Forester was a Cars.com Best Bet on the strength of its versatility, reliability and safety credentials, but I've always had to footnote my recommendation of it with a warning about its sparse interior and noisy cabin.

This time around, the Forester's refinement has turned into a relative asset. The cabin isn't as classy as those of some of the overachievers in this segment, but overall quality has improved to a point where excuses no longer need to be made. Its cargo-area execution and driving dynamics remain as good as ever, as do the Forester's go-anywhere capabilities.

Perhaps Subaru's last hurdle is the Forester's image as a quirky car for quirky people. The latest model does a lot to overcome this, and it's time mainstream shoppers gave it a look.

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    Engine hood
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    DUAL mode
    DUAL mode It is possible to make separate temperature settings for the driver’s side and passenger’s side (DUAL mode). To activate the DUAL mode: Press the “DUAL” button. When the DUAL mode ...

    FM selection
    Press the “FM” button when the radio is on to select FM1, FM2 or FM3 reception. Each brief press of the “FM” button changes the radio in the following sequence starting from the last FM radio ban ...