Filed under: Spy Photos, Crossovers/CUVs, Subaru
2009 Subaru Forester brochure finds way onto web

Remember that unconfirmed sketch of the 2009 Subaru Forester we brought you a couple of weeks ago? It appears those scribblings will be very close to the actual tall wagon/CUV-thingy that Subaru eventually unveils. What appear to be scans of an actual brochure for the redesigned Forester (albeit a JDM version) have popped up on the NASIOC forums, as well as what looks like a scan of a Japanese auto rag cover. Though these scans are extremely tiny, we can make out a grille similar to the Tribeca's flanked by new swoopy headlights that soften up the Forester's famously blunt visage. Will the car completely lose its boxy character in favor of a Matrix/Vibe profile and swept back D-pillar as the sketch suggested? Unfortunately, these scans don't offer much enlightenment and their validity is difficult to confirm. While this scan of the Japanese auto rag's cover does show the whole vehicle, it's almost certainly a rendering and therefore doesn't necessarily show us the final version of Subaru's next Forester. Looks like we'll just have to wait until it pops up on the auto show circuit, though all signs are pointing towards a radical design departure for Subie's little CUV.
[Source: NASIOC via Straightline Blog]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Brian St. John 11:18AM (11/26/2007)
Subaru needs to fire their exterior design staff/committee. They've become the Garth Brooks of automotive design, trying desperately to please everyone.
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Ligor 11:49AM (11/26/2007)
I 2nd that
what is up with Subi - with this ugly designs they might go the way of Suzuki, a 50k/yr car company in the US (the biggest market in the world)???
mark_welby 1:25PM (11/26/2007)
Great Analogy, lol. So where the base Impreza is Garth himself, the "rock n' roll" WRX is the black dyed emo-haired, soul patch sporting Chris Gaines, eh?!
stefan 11:19AM (11/26/2007)
First they killed the impreza and now the forester the legacy is next.
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John R 11:20AM (11/26/2007)
looks like sub is turning it into a people carrier instead of a tall wagon. more dodge journey than mazda 5.
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geo.stewart 11:31AM (11/26/2007)
the toyotization of subaru has begun.
they will be assimilated
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Huis 11:36AM (11/26/2007)
The tail light looks like they took it straight off an Equinox. Blah.
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Josiah 11:37AM (11/26/2007)
the sketch looked better, it didn't have the Chrysler-looking grille
also the profile in the sketch looked more swept back like a Pacifica (which in this case is a good thing), where as the brochure image looks more like an Isuzi Axiom
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iQuack 1:05PM (11/26/2007)
Oh, please, not another SUV with that awful, reverse kick "D" pillar like the ugly Jeep Compass!
That design looks good on BMWs and a few other sedans, but sucks on blocky SUVs IMO. Limits rear visibility, too.
All of these boxes look the same now--useful for what they can carry, but dull as dishwater. Buick Enclave is one of the few smart styles in SUV-land.
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Fooman 1:11PM (11/26/2007)
anyone notice the forrestor STI at the LA Auto show?
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Leaf 1:35PM (11/26/2007)
What a turd.
Bad Scooby! Bad!
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Snowdog 1:41PM (11/26/2007)
Ugh! Subaru is beating all their models with an ugly stick.
I still really like the current Legacy/Outback. When is that due for uglification?
I am looking for a new car in 2009/2010. Subaru is knocking itself off the list of potentials one car at a time.
An Outback(Legacy based) with Diesel would still interest me, if they don't ruin it before the Diesel arrives.
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k.w.a 1:58PM (11/26/2007)
...well subarus in general (especially the forester) were never really known for having great looks to begin with...this design doesn't seem too much out of subaru's character to me.
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Eek 5:07PM (11/28/2007)
That thing is scary ugly.
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Don 4:42PM (1/28/2008)
Does anyone have photos of the 2009 forester is the sage green color i believe that would be a great color all I can find is the red and blue color on the net.
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Gary Fulton 12:02AM (2/15/2008)
I second that
They seemed to have scrapped their award winning design and replaced it with a look a like of their worst recieved looser-Tribeca.
The only thing that needed to be fixed was to add a 5 speed auto.
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