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:

    If the front passenger’s frontal airbag ON indicator illuminates and the OFF indicator turns off even when an infant or a small child is in a child restraint system (including booster seat)
    Turn the ignition switch to the “LOCK” position if the front passenger’s frontal airbag ON indicator illuminates and the OFF indicator turns off even when an infant or a small child is in a ch ...

    Car phone/cell phone and driving
    Do not use a car phone/cell phone while driving; it may distract your attention from driving and can lead to an accident. If you use a car phone/cell phone, pull off the road and park in a safe plac ...

    Use of engine braking
    Remember to make use of engine braking in addition to foot braking. When descending a grade, if only the foot brake is used, the brakes may start working improperly because of brake fluid overheat ...