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2019 Subaru Forester Drivers' Notes Review | Space with a view

The Subaru Forester, launching in the 1990s, is one of the earliest crossover models, blending SUV design and capability with car-like handling and refinement. For 2019, the Forester was completely redesigned, though it might be hard to tell. The styling is conservatively updated, and the boxy, upright design people seem to like it kept as untouched as possible. One of the bigger changes is the under-the-hood offerings. The 250-horsepower turbocharged 2.0-liter flat-4 has been dropped completely. Also, the standard 2.5-liter naturally aspirated flat-4 no longer offers a manual transmission option. On the upside, power has increased from 170 horsepower to 182, and torque increases from 174 pound-feet to 176. Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore: I spent a couple of nights in the 2019 Forester and I generally liked it. The new gen feels fresher, without overt changes. The front end looks great. All of the sharp design lines, the now-standard LED headlights and the prominent grille work together to make a statement. Subaru, Ford and plenty of others, all seem to have taken a page from Audi's playbook of using piercing headlights and a simple yet sporty silhouette. It works. The back is not as good. The last Forester looked cleaner. This one looks like a Honda CR-V knock-off. It's tough to make rear styling in a crossover great, but the Forester went in the wrong direction. Overall, though, it's a good looking machine, stem to almost stern. Inside, the visibility is outstanding. The pillars are relatively thin and the seats are mounted up rather high. You can see out of this thing in all directions. The Forester has always had a good greenhouse feel, so I'm glad that continues. Inside is more of a mixed bag. The cabin pieces and shapes are a little cheap and odd. This one, done up in almost all black with some leather, is decent, but I'd prefer a simpler aesthetic. The boxer four is fine. It works hard to build speed, but it channels mid-range power and blasts by slower moving traffic. The Forester rides better than ever, thanks in part to Subaru's new global platform. Steering is a little light in a good way, the brakes have a solid grab and in general, I like driving the Forester. I'm more of an Outback guy, but Subaru has fortified the Forester in enough ways to keep it competitive. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Nissan exec Andy Palmer derides Toyobaru coupes as 'midlife crisis' cars

Andy Palmer, Nissan's executive vice president, does not like the Scion FR-S or Subaru BRZ. To us, that's like saying you enjoy barbecuing puppies, but we'll let him slide, because his statements about the Toyobaru twins are much, much more than just idle trash talk.
Speaking to Motor Trend's Nate Martinez, Palmer said, "Do we have any competitors [in the small, rear-drive coupe segment]? Are you talking about the Subaru [BRZ]? It was a car designed for a 50-year-old. It's for a midlife crisis. That's not what we do." Strong words, but what followed was even better.
"Are you coming to the Tokyo Motor Show? You'll see the answer to the midlife crisis. Except it won't be for the midlife crisis." So, if you were wondering whether Nissan is working on a competitor to the Scion FR-S and Subaru BRZ, the answer seems to be a resounding "yes."

Buyers resent low inventories, prices over MSRP, study says

Vehicle inventory low, vehicle transaction prices high, customers fretting … welcome, J.D. Power, to the era of supply and demand. In a recently published survey from one of the auto industryÂ’s top analytical firms, findings show that customers' satisfaction with vehicle purchases in the United States this year has dipped for the first time in 10 years. The 2022 U.S. Sales Satisfaction Index (SSI) Study found that overall sales satisfaction has dropped to 786 (on a 1,000-point scale) from 789 in 2021. In that year, higher than expected trade-in values softened the effect of new vehicle price increases. But in 2022, on top of trade-in prices shrinking, many dealers elected to charge more than the ManufacturerÂ’s Suggested Retail Price, a factor that did not sit well with buyers. “When dealers charge more than MSRP, particularly with long-term loyal customers, they risk a potential long-term negative effect on customer advocacy and service business," said Chris Sutton, vice president of automotive retail at J.D. Power. Satisfaction among buyers who paid more than sticker price is 757, while satisfaction among those who paid the sticker price or less is 850, the Power report said. The lack of dealership inventory was also a customer irritant, J.D. Power found, a point that automakers and their dealers may want to consider. Many have maintained, or considered maintaining, a smaller inventory in the wake of the pandemic, keeping costs down and driving more customers toward factory orders. Regarding those consumers shopping for electric vehicles, the survey said that more than a third of them “failed to get instruction on EV charging before they left the dealership, which notably affects satisfaction.” Said Sutton, “Salespeople donÂ’t need to show gas-powered vehicle buyers how to fill their tank, but they do need to show EV buyers how to charge their vehicle.” There are positives to the Power conclusions, however, especially for Alfa Romeo dealers. The Italian brand ranked highest in customer satisfaction among premium brands with a score of 833, with Porsche a very close second (831) and Lexus (819) third. Alfa is on something of a roll these days, with its compact Tonale crossover due for release in the spring, and a new sports car in the works. Meanwhile, in PowerÂ’s “mainstream brand”” segment, Buick ranked first with a score of 825, followed by Dodge (816) and Subaru (804), all performing higher than the industry average.