'09 Forester sports softer lines

The new Forester costs $1,200 less than the 2008 model, but keeps the roomy interior and high seating position that made the previous model so popular. (Subaru of America, Inc.)

In the mid-1990s, long before anyone had heard the term "crossover" applied to a sport utility vehicle, Subaru rolled out a wagon version of the midsize Legacy sedan, called the Outback and intended as an alternative to the popular SUVs of the day.

Even before the 1996 introduction of the Toyota RAV4, which many in the auto industry consider to be the first crossover utility vehicle, Subaru's Outback offered the combined attributes of a car and a sport utility on a car chassis, the classic definition of "crossover," a designation that didn't appear until a few years later.

But the Outback still looked more like a wagon than an SUV, which is probably why Subaru added the Forester to its US lineup in 1998. The Forester, built on the chassis of the compact Impreza sedan, had a boxier look and was intended to compete against the similarly shaped RAV4 and new Honda CR-V.

The crossover designation for these car-based SUV derivatives didn't arrive until around the time of the introduction of the Toyota Highlander for 2001. The Highlander was the market's first midsize crossover, opening a floodgate that brought an onslaught of these vehicles, which now have replaced the traditional SUV as the family vehicle of choice for many Americans.

Subaru, though, still gets the credit for bringing the crossover concept to market (although the AMC Eagle four-wheel-drive wagon from the late 1970s arguably was the first).

For 2009, the Forester enters its third generation; and for the first time, Subaru actually calls it a crossover, trying, I'm sure, to capitalize on the crossover craze.

This newest model actually is less boxy than its predecessor - the current trend in the crossover segment. The lines of the crossovers, or CUVs as some people call them, are softening and becoming even more carlike.

Still, the Forester has the same roomy interior and high seating position that made the previous generation so popular.

Subaru says the 2009 model rides on an all-new chassis, so it's not just a partial makeover. The new model has a wheelbase that is 3.6 inches longer than before and a new double-wishbone rear suspension designed to improve crashworthiness. The changes improve handling, increase interior space, and provide a quieter ride.

The Forester comes in two major variants, differentiated primarily by their engines. The base model, known as the X, comes with a normally aspirated version of the great Subaru 2.5-liter "boxer" (horizontally opposed) four-cylinder engine, while the uplevel XT model comes with a turbocharged version of this engine.

The base engine has 170 horsepower and 170 foot-pounds of torque, while the turbo is rated at 224 horsepower and 226 foot-pounds of torque.

For those who like the extra power, the nice thing is that it doesn't lower the fuel economy much. The EPA ratings for the base engine (with either a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission) are 20 miles per gallon city and 26 highway; for the turbo engine, the ratings drop to 19 city/24 highway.

Surprisingly, Subaru actually has lowered the starting price of the 2009 Forester compared with the 2008 model by $1,200 - the vehicle now begins at $19,995 (plus $665 freight). That brings the normally aspirated engine and manual gearbox. For the automatic, add $1,200.

To get the turbo engine, though, you'll have to upgrade to the XT, which begins at $26,195 and comes only with the automatic. This is the vehicle we tested, and while I did enjoy the zip that the turbocharger added, I'm sure I could have been just as happy with the less expensive base engine and its slightly better mileage.

Still, it was nice to feel the response from the throttle that the turbocharger gave when I needed to merge into freeway traffic from an uphill ramp and when passing other vehicles on two-lane Texas Hill Country roads.

Our tester wasn't the top model. There is an XT Limited version that starts at $28,195.

And for those who want a gussied-up version of the base model, without the turbo engine, an L.L. Bean edition of the X model for $25,995 adds such amenities as perforated-leather upholstery, automatic climate control, stereo with six-disc CD changer, 10-way power driver's seat, heated front seats, and windshield wiper de-icer. This one also has L.L. Bean embroidered floor mats and a special embossed cargo tray.

Only the automatic transmission is available with this model.

The main extras with the XT model are the turbo engine and 17-inch alloy wheels, but upgrading to the XT Limited brings most of the upgrades that are found in the L.L. Bean version.

For $22,495, you can get the base X model with the premium package, which adds a power moon roof, 17-inch alloy wheels, rear seat center tray, roof rails, steering-wheel audio controls, and reclining rear seatbacks.

Our tester came with cloth seats, and the front buckets were comfortable for even a daylong drive. The rear bench seat has limited knee room when the front seats are pushed all the way back but otherwise easily can accommodate two adults or three good-size kids.

I like to drive on unpaved roads, and that's possible up to a point with the Forester because, as with all Subarus sold in the United States, it has full-time all-wheel drive. There is no low-range gearing for serious trail driving, but the Forester has enough ground clearance, and the all-wheel drive is good enough for most dirt and gravel park roads. Where the all-wheel drive shines, though, is on wet pavement.

There is a roomy cargo area behind the second seat, and that can be expanded by folding down the second-row seatback when extra cargo space is needed.

A navigation system ($1,800) is available only on the L.L. Bean and XT Limited models.