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.

    See also:

    Unlocking the doors
    Press the “” button to unlock the driver’s door. An electronic chirp will sound twice and the turn signal lights will flash twice. To unlock all doors and the rear gate (Outback), briefly press ...

    Fast-reversing
    Type A and B audio Type C audio Press the “” side of the “SEEK” button continuously to fast-reverse the disc/ folder. Release the button to stop fast-reversing. NOTE If you fast-reverse to the ...

    Unlocking the rear gate
    Unlocking the rear gate Pressing the “” button unlocks the rear gate. An electronic chirp will sound twice and the turn signal lights will flash twice. ...