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:

    Valet mode
    When you choose the valet mode, the alarm system does not operate. In valet mode, the remote transmitter is used only for locking and unlocking the doors and rear gate (Outback) and panic activati ...

    Example of the type of accident in which the SRS side airbag will most likely deploy.
    A severe side impact near the front seat activates the SRS side airbag and SRS curtain airbag. ...

    Seek tuning (SEEK)
    Type A and B audio: Type C audio: Type D audio: If you press the “” or “” button briefly, the radio will automatically search for a receivable station and stop at the first one it fin ...