Compact SUV stands out from the crowd

Leroy Burnell
The Post and Courier

The 2009 Subaru Forester, a small, restyled sport utility vehicle that’s fuel efficient, idles on a quiet West Ashley street earlier this month.

Leroy Burnell
The Post and Courier

The rear cargo space in the new Subaru Forester can be extended by folding down one or both of the back seats.

The biggest assignment for Subaru dealers in the Southeast is getting word out to car buyers. The brand is well-known on the West Coast and the North for its standard all-wheel-drive and innovative safety features. But the carmaker has faced more of a challenge in areas where it rarely snows and there are few big hills to negotiate.

Publicity helps, however. And when it comes from a respected independent national source, that's really good news. Subaru managers were quick to note that Consumer Reports last month named the 2009 Forester sport utility vehicle as its top-rated small SUV.

"It's a whole new body style for '09," said Thomas "Coach" Blanco, general manager of Johnny's Subaru Isuzu of Charleston. The Forester has a more contemporarily styled interior, he said. The five-seater model gets a respectable 26 miles

per gallon on the highway and 20 mpg in the city. Smaller sport utility vehicles as a group are grabbing market share that once belonged to the big SUVs. "You see them (small sport utilities) more and more," he said.

Robert McCuen, general sales manager, said the Forester combines a sportier look with its standbys of safety and reasonably good gas mileage. Models, which start just below $20,000 and go up to the $30,000s with extras, include the 2.5X in the base, premium and limited styles that come with a 2.5-liter, 170-hp horizontally opposed Boxer engine, unique to Subaru. Also available are the 2.5 XT and XT limited editions with a 224-hp turbocharged four cylinder.

All models are all-wheel drive. Other standard features include anti-lock brakes, the carmaker's Vehicle Dynamics Control system to stabilize the car, a rollover sensor, and front, side and curtain air bags.

"That's the thing about Subaru — safety," McCuen said.

Cargo space can be enlarged to 68 cubic feet with the rear seats folded down. The seats can fold in a 60/40 split, too, for extra storage without sacrificing as much space for passengers. The model has plug-ins for MP3 players, and satellite radio is available.

"It's a very versatile car," McCuen said.

While hardly a sports car, the more streamlined Forester fits in with Subaru's movement toward a broader car-buying audience. Blanco said.

"Subaru traditionally had its own niche" of sturdy, ecologically friendly vehicles suited to winter weather and not necessarily aesthetically alluring. In recent years, the manufacturer has sought to be more edgy, most notably in its high-powered Impreza WRX sports car that's one of the more popular vehicles among younger buyers who retrofit and customize their wheels.

Johnny's Subaru on Savannah Highway has had the new Forester for about three months. Business has been "very good. We've been selling them," McCuen said.

In a short test drive one afternoon in early July, the Forester showed why it's been picked as a leading small sport utility. The 170-hp engine has plenty of pickup although there was outside noise at interstate speeds. Steering was excellent. Front seating was roomy, and it was easy enough to reach the center console or adjust radio volume on the wheel. The rear seats were adequate, but a bit tight with the front seats pushed back. Cargo room was good even with the back seats up.

A minor concern was exposed when headlights were turned on inadvertently at the start of the drive.

That dimmed the audio and informational screen so much that it was almost impossible to read the radio stations on the dial. Once the lights were turned off, the screen lit up and was easy to decipher.

Still, the best part about the Forester was the overall feel. It was one of comfort, ease of handling, like slipping on your favorite pair of shoes. That familiarity as much as anything else should get the word out about the small SUV.

2009 Subaru Forester

Type: Small sport utility vehicle.

Price range: $19,995-$29,995.

Trims: 2.5X, 2.5X premium, 2.5X limited, 2.5XT and 2.5XT limited.

Power: Four-cylinder horizontally opposed engine generating 170 hp (224 hp with turbocharged-engine option) mated to a four-speed automatic or, on some editions, five-speed manual transmission.

EPA fuel mileage: 20 mpg city, 26 mpg highway.

Maximum seating: Five.

Cargo capacity: 68 cubic feet.

Length: 14 feet, 11.5 inches.

Safety: All-wheel drive; anti-lock braking system; driver and passenger front, side-curtain and front-seat-mounted side-impact airbags; Vehicle Dynamics Control; Brake Assist.

Standard: Halogen headlights; rear window wiper; 60/40 split flat folding rear seats; electronic cruise control; center console with detachable pocket and partition, sliding armrest, two cupholders and 12-volt power outlets; available satellite radio.