With perhaps the most comfortable ride of any small SUV, the outgoing Forester handles well in everyday driving. The spacious cabin has straightforward controls and a great view out. The base 170-hp, 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine is neither exciting nor very fuel-efficient at 22 mpg overall. The turbocharged version in the XT is a lot punchier but sacrifices about 2 mpg and requires premium fuel. The four-speed automatic transmission is dated by today's standards. We found that the front seats in the base model lack lumbar support. IIHS crash tests are impressive, and reliability has been above average. A redesign arrives in March.
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