Driving Sports

Most of the evaluation cars sent to reporters for review are top-of-the-line models, with every possible option included. That’s good, for the most part, because it allows us to take a look at everything you might want to include on your personal car, and render some judgments on whether those options are worth the money.

But once in a while, it’s nice to take a look at the car that most of you will actually buy – the basic stripped-down model with the lowest possible price.

So I was happy to test the 2009 Subaru Forester in its most basic form – the 2.5X. Well, almost - the car did come with the “Popular Equipment” package, which costs $451 and includes a luggage compartment waterproof tray, a luggage area cover, rear bumper cover, and mudflaps. The car was also equipped with a $453 Sirius satellite radio receiver built into the stock stereo.

But other than that, this was the basic Forester for ’09. It came with a 5-speed manual transmission, 2.5-liter normally aspirated boxer engine, cloth seats, and an attractive $21,764 sticker price.

The engine makes 170 horsepower and 170 pound-feet of torque. The 5 speed transmission is Subaru’s standard across the entire Impreza and Legacy platform lineup. In this configuration, the Forester gives you EPA fuel economy of 20/26, which is OK for the displacement. The Forester is also rated as a “PZEV” or Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle, which means that there are zero evaporation emissions from the car’s fuel system and that the car otherwise meets the strict SULEV (Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicle) standard. SULEV vehicles emit 90% less pollution than an equivalent ordinary car. Most vehicles in this class are hybrids, so the Forester is one of the few gas-engined cars in this class.

The Forester weighs 3,250 pounds, and scoots along very nicely with the power provided. It’s not a WRX or STI, but if you want better performance, you can spend some money and get the turbocharged XT version, with 244 horsepower.

The Forester was reshaped for the 2009 model year, and honestly, it’s a mixed bag for those of us who loved the old Forester. The new car is bigger than its predecessor, taller, and generally more like a crossover SUV than a small station wagon. Put the new Forester next to a Ford Escape, Mitsubishi Outlander, or similar vehicle and it’s the same size. This shows up in the driving experience - which is great for an SUV, but not the passenger car feel that the previous Forester offered.

But there’s an upside - with the increased size, you can comfortably carry 5 adults in the Forester, with plenty of room behind the back seat for gear.

On the inside, the basic Forester is nice - you get all the goodies you expect from a modern car. In decades past, these features would be found only on a fully-loaded luxury model, but now they’re just basic. The Forester gives you air conditioning, cruise control, CD stereo with Aux input, and power everything. The basic seats are comfortable and the controls are laid out in a usable manner. You won’t ever feel like you’re driving the el-cheapo car.

Perhaps more important, on top of all the nice comfort items, you get basic safety features like All Wheel Drive, stability control, air bags everywhere, 4-wheel disc brakes, and a tire pressure monitoring system.  The Forester is a family wagon, so those things are critical to the buying decision.

The bottom line on the basic Forester X is that you can get into a capable AWD Crossover SUV for $20,195.  I’d keep the Popular Equipment pack, but leave off the satellite radio option, and drive away in a great car for about $20,500 on the sticker.  With the economic situation being what it is, I’m betting you could haggle your way into a Forester for substantially less than that at your local dealer.