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:

    Components
    Components 1) Airbag control module (including impact sensors) 2) Frontal airbag module (driver’s side) 3) Frontal airbag module (front passenger’s side) 4) Front sub sensor (left-hand side) 5) F ...

    Defrosting or defogging the windshield
    To direct warm air to the windshield and front door windows: 1. Set the air inlet selection button to the OFF position. 2. Press the “” button. 3. Turn the temperature control dial all the way to t ...

    Low tire pressure warning light (U.S.-spec. models)
    When the ignition switch is turned to the “ON” position, the low tire pressure warning light will illuminate for approximately 2 seconds to check that the tire pressure monitoring system ( ...