Subaru Forester named Motor Trend Sport Utility of the Year
Click above to view high-res gallery of the 2009 Subaru Forester
Motor Trend has gone back to the basics by picking the newly redesigned Subaru Forester as its 2008 SUV of the Year. Right off the bat, editor Arthur St. Antoine claims that the choice wasn't a reaction to high fuel prices, with the Forester posting the highest fuel efficiency in a group of contenders that includes the BMW X6, Ford Flex, Kia Borrego, Infiniti EX and FX, Nissan Murano, Toyota Sequoia, Volkswagen Tiguan, Honda Pilot, Chevy Traverse, Dodge Journey and Lexus LX570. In fact, their choice may seem somewhat surprising considering that the Forester's 2.5L flat-four engine (turbocharged in the Forester 2.5XT and naturally aspirated in the 2.5X) is borrowed straight from the Impreza and makes do with only a 5-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission. There's surely lots more innovation in this field of SUV contenders, but MT gave the Forester credit for being a Swiss Army Knife in a drawer of specialized cutlery. The rest of the field each does its own particular thing well, but according to MT, the Forester often equals or betters the field in some surprising areas like space efficiency and ground clearance. It lacks a lot of whiz-bang gadgets, but was appreciated by MT editors for keeping it simple and doing many things well. By virtue of this last quality the most, they deemed it the winner seemingly because it stretches the family dollar in more ways than just good-for-an-SUV fuel economy. Click the source to read MT's reasons in their own words, and let us know in the comments if you think it was a good choice.
Gallery: 2009 Subaru Forester
[Source: Motor Trend]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
mr.ed 9:48AM (10/16/2008)
The Subie's good, but remember that historically, MT has a reputation for selling its COTY spot. Check the list over the years for some really bad vehicles.
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Richard 11:15AM (10/16/2008)
My first thought was: "Great for Subaru!"
My second: "Oh. It's the MT list."
Chase 9:39AM (10/16/2008)
Its a great choice. Subaru puts utility first and wiz bang second in all of its products. (Even the STI has four doors, and it sure as hell does its job well)
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Serge 9:56AM (10/16/2008)
Well... the EVO does it better. I personally would buy a base manual 335i sedan... not that much more money, but you get RWD and a better car IMHO.
1337 10:37AM (10/16/2008)
The new Forester could use a little more bang. Unlike the last generation, there's no manual/turbo combo. A 6-speed manual with a turbo would be great...add some sporty suspension and call it the Forester 2.5GT.
Ruben 11:02AM (10/16/2008)
RWD is for drawing on pavement.
AWD is for driving. Enjoy your 335i in the winter.
And personally the Evo STI comparison is a wash. The STI does stuff better than the Evo, while the Evo does other things better. I would rather 6 speed and be able to tolerate highway speeds, not to mention trunk space and actual utility on a car that can go like crazy.
BTW: 08 Sti Owner and Evo Test Driver here.
BoxerFanatic 11:05AM (10/16/2008)
A base 335i...
Not for me, when Legacy GT Spec B or 3.0R Limited comes LOADED for less money than 335i's base price before any options.
And Legacy has real AWD, and a 5-speed automatic in the 3.0R models, and the Spec B has a 6MT, and GT limited has a choice of manual or auto at or below $30k, and the turbocharged cars are a computer tune and exhaust pipe change away from >300hp, and a lighter car than the BMW.
Not to mention Subaru's reliability, and maintenance cost differences from a BMW, especially out of warranty.
Subaru has it's downsides, and I am usually the first to call them on them, like Impreza's styling, and Legacy's lack of advertizing and available accessory options, and some other issues...
But, regardless of the state of the economy, SUBARU's fundamentals are VERY strong, and the cars they do sell work very well.
Since I have no need for NAV, and can live without some of the other toys, but really like the way my Legacy puts the rubber to the road, and the fact that it is affordable (affordable enough for it to be paid in full, in my case) it makes a lot more sense than some other AWD and RWD, and pretty much all FWD sedans.
If the Forester does it's SUV thing as well as my Legacy does it's sport sedan duty, then it is no wonder it was chosen as SUV of the year.
Cat 10:11PM (10/16/2008)
Nice! Real Nice! But NOT as nice as my Subaru Brat. It's redeeming feature is that it is paid for.
DCragtop 9:39AM (10/16/2008)
Good choice.
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ed 10:38PM (12/21/2008)
I'm trading in my Mazda3 Hatchback for this one probably will go for the Turbo version but what bothers me is that it's still 4 speed auto and I can't drive manual.
Seminole 9:39AM (10/16/2008)
Actually, this is a good pick. Not only is it a solid performer in everything it does, but it is a car a normal person can afford. Congrats Subaru
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Dude 9:41AM (10/16/2008)
Silly me. I thought you had to be an SUV to be the SUV of the year.
Look at this list. Kia and Toyota are the only SUVs in the group. The rest are just jacked up wagons.
Subaru Forester
BMW X6
Ford Flex
Kia Borrego
Infiniti EX and FX
Nissan Murano
Toyota Sequoia
Volkswagen Tiguan
Honda Pilot
Chevy Traverse
Dodge Journey
Lexus LX570
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Justin 9:48AM (10/16/2008)
Ever consider that realistically maybe that's what SUVs should be...more capable cars with a higher suspension?
Few people need the monstrosities that typically fall under the SUV umbrella. Something like this has most of the pluses without most of the minuses.
And keep in mind...there's really no one definition for SUV.
Richard 11:13AM (10/16/2008)
Dude,
Forester is an SUV (well, a CUV).
Outback: now that's a jacked-up wagon.
trevor2k 12:38PM (10/16/2008)
Didn't realize that the Land Cruis...err...I mean LX570 was a jacked up wagon.
Dude 3:12PM (10/16/2008)
You guys are right about the Outback and Lexus.
Yes, it can be hard to define the modern SUV, but to me, an SUV shouldn't be any bigger than a H3. The S stands for Sport and there is nothing sporty about a Suburban. The larger vehicles should be called Off-Road Wagons.
Still not a fan of the whole CUV thing. I'd rather have a true wagon.
TKE 9:44AM (10/16/2008)
Well-deserved. Capable, spacious, powerful, reliable. And great Sumo wrestling commercials.
(http://goodcarbadcar.blogspot.com/2008/06/subarus-advertising.html)
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Ligor 9:50AM (10/16/2008)
good choice yes. this is ugly as tehy get, but does what it asked to do.
Now reliable, I don't know last I looked Subaru was at hte end of the least for being reliable.
This is kept very simple by Subaru, so maybe it's their other offering that push their reliability down
as much as I want to like this little SUV, it's just way too UGLY
BigMcLargeHuge 10:26AM (10/16/2008)
"Now reliable, I don't know last I looked Subaru was at hte end of the least for being reliable."
What crackhead list have you been reading? JD Power?
Scott K. 10:28AM (10/16/2008)
Ligor, I don't know what sources you read from, but from the sources I've read from they've always been near the top with Toyota/Honda.