Despite being 6 years old, the outgoing Subaru Forester is still a Cars.com Best Bet. Naturally, we had high hopes for the redesigned model that debuted at January's Detroit auto show. Subaru invited journalists to Southern California to put the SUV through its paces on- and off-road, and I can attest that the updates keep it as competitive as ever. The engines - a regular or turbocharged four-cylinder - carry over with few changes. What's improved is the highway experience: Efforts to quiet the cabin have paid off, and at 65 mph the Forester seems on par with most small SUVs for road and wind noise. That isn't something I could say about the previous model. Subaru says the vast majority of Forester buyers will get the non-turbo engine, and I can see why. Its 170 hp moves the SUV to highway speeds with acceptable oomph, especially with the smooth-shifting manual transmission. I actually preferred that engine's gradual whine to the turbo's choppy roar. The turbo engine's extra grunt (224 hp worth) moves the Forester with authority, but its power comes and goes in patches. Prod the gas on the highway enough to prompt the automatic to downshift, and the SUV surges forward. Putter around town with anything short of concerted acceleration, and the extra power never feels apparent.

For the 1-to-2 mpg mileage penalty and premium fuel requirement,I'd pass - especially because you don't need the turbo to have funbehind the wheel. Like Foresters past, the new model packs adroitmoves: Steering is precise, body lean is relatively limited and brakingis sure-footed. The redesigned Mitsubishi Outlander springs to mind asa similarly fun-to-drive SUV, and that's good company to keep.(Unfortunately, the one variant that might have put the Forester overthe top - a stick shift paired with the turbo - has been dropped due tolack of sales popularity.)The exterior takes on a more generic SUV shape than before, but itkeeps a lot of the utility that gave earlier Foresters a cultfollowing. The doors now have framed windows, which makes for a heftierfeel when you slam them shut. The cargo area boasts a wide opening andlight liftgate, and Subaru says the roof rack's 175-pound capacitybeats most major competitors. (Indeed, the Honda CR-V's rack takes just75 pounds.)The dash borrows heavily from the new Impreza, with panels flowingtoward the A/C and audio controls. For the uninitiated, the layoutmight take some getting used to - the miniscule stereo buttons require20/20 vision, and Subaru has scrapped the intuitive four o'clockcruise-control stalk for less-convenient cruise buttons on the steeringwheel. The large rear window and narrow roof pillars make for excellentall-around views, save for a center rear seat belt that's anchored inthe ceiling. It will either dangle annoyingly in your rearview mirror,or you'll leave it stowed in its ceiling slot where a center passengeris less likely to use it. Competitors like the Outlander and FordEscape (not to mention most larger SUVs) address this with aseat-anchored belt.Those are minor gripes, to be sure, especially when you consider theprice. Subaru knocked more than $1,000 off, so without the destinationcharge the new Forester starts at $19,995. That's with all-wheel driveand a host of new safety features, like side curtain airbags andstability control. Even when you add $1,200 for the automatictransmission, this Subie is a considerable bargain. To see how itstacks up across the board, stay tuned for our full review next week.

Source: Kicking Tires