An upgraded SUV Subaru is gathering accolades and crossing the gender gap in the Baltimore area.
The 2009 Forester has been upgraded from a utilitarian little crossover utility vehicle to a larger, quieter and less expensive version of its former self. And the new look is expanding its appeal in the Baltimore area.
“The Forester has always been popular among women but this new one has been drawing in a lot of men,” said Jay Danick, general manager at heritage Subaru Owings Mills.
Recently named Motor Trend’s SUV of the Year, the ’09 Forester now rides on a nearly four-inch longer 103-inch wheelbase, which added extra room for back seat passengers. That leg room is complemented with a huge amount of storage space out back. The interior redesign also included sweeping panels from the dash that are carried through to the doors — a new look that has turned heads among many former sedan owners, said Danick.
The improved interior added space comes in a quieter package, with significant resources put into reducing wind and road noise to lower levels than some of its rivals.
The changes come with a lower price — $19,995, or $1,200 below the earlier model. That has added to the base model’s popularity in the area among price-conscious buyers, according to Danick.
The broadening appeal of the new Forester also was seen by Bill Goldsmith, general manager at Wilkins Subaru in Glen Burnie.
“It used to be mainly families buying the Forester but now a lot of single, outdoors people are looking at it,” he said.
Among the nontraditional Forester buyers are former soccer moms who no longer need a minivan and older drivers who want more visibility than sedans offer, said Danick.
Those drivers also have praised the base Boxer engine that generates 170 horsepower at 6,000 RPM and 170 ft-lb of torque at 4,400 RPM. It comes with a 4-speed automatic that could also be shifted manually.
That power comes with decent gas mileage of about 25 miles per gallon highway.
More performance is available with an optional turbocharged engine that delivers 224-horsepower and 226 ft-lb of torque at 2,800 RPM. A 5-speed manual transmission is available only with the base engine.
Baltimore-area Forester buyers who are upgrading have favored the premium package, which includes a step up from the basic Subaru sound system that has drawn some poor reviews.
The new cost-effective Forester may be just time with the mid-Atlantic winter on its way.
