i like the sti one.

 

Looks way better than before...

edit: WTF is that on the driver side of the hood?! another mirror?!

 

i didnt see that on the commercial lol

 

wait. I first thought it was on both sides.

wtf?? lol

 

What's the price on that thing going to be? Anyone have a quess.

 

Those are required in Japan.

 

yeah...dont there mirrors retract so when there parked on the street the bicyclists wont hit them

 

Checked it out a few days ago, but couldn't get a close look at the interior or take it for a spin as all the '09s on the lot were already spoken for and they wouldn't unlock 'em. Going to see if we can take one out at a different dealership today.

 

Looks kinda like they went mini UTE with it, from that picture at least. I sort of prefered it as the uberlarge wagon.

Otherwise, not terrible

 

I believe the '09 U.S. pricing is already listed on subaru.com

As far as Canadian pricing, this is what we've found so far:

 

Looks way better than the older one.

I googled "2009 forester sti" in the image search and it came up with this:



compare it to this:



It kinda does look similar, but to avoid this from becoming another msl82 post, the crossover market is so flooded, and the body style is so similar that manufacturers can't really help it so I don't blame 'em... much.



Every time I went to a Subie dealer there weren't any that weren't accounted for, or had a salesman that would try to explain to me about Subaru's symmetrical AWD system (which was helpful a bit the first time, but after that sounds like it was read off of a script) wouldn't let me touch the damn things, or all else failed they weren't even any of the specific model I was looking for. Adds even more to the allure of Subarus. Gotta go to a used lot and test drive a trade-in if anything.

 

I hate to admit it, but my folks got a FULLY loaded Endeavor as a rental when they were here in Dec...top trim, fully loaded, rear DVD, sounds system with sub, etc...kinda shocking for a rental.

Anyway....it was actually a pretty decent ride.

 

I'm looking forward to taking an 09 XT out for a spin. The amazing thing is it's actually $4000 cheaper than the '08 XT so it's a bit of a bargain. For comparison, you can get a fully loaded XT for about $5000 less than a Highlander SR5 or $15,000 less than a comparably-equipped Highlander Limited.

Other things to like:
- much more interior and cargo room (rear seat now has 4" more legroom)
- although the engine puts out the same peak power as before, it's power delivery has been tweaked to come on a lot sooner which drops the 0-60 time from 9.9 seconds all the way down to 6.6 seconds
- interior plastics and overall build quality seem to be better than the outgoing model
- VDC and side curtain airbags are standard on all models
- best fuel economy of 4WD non-hybrid SUV's in its class

Things I'm not liking so far:
- XT is only offered with a 4-spd auto. With some companies offering 7 and 8-spd autos, I'm amazed there's still someone cranking out 4-spd units these days. I would have preferred a 6-spd manual out of the STI, but I guess that's asking for too much.
- The non-turbo models still only put out 170hp, which is pretty low.
- There are very few dealers around us, and they're all crap. The closest good one is a 75 minute drive from here.

I'll reserve final judgment until I drive one, but from what I've seen so far, it looks pretty good.

 

Well, as for the '09s, they just got them in this week (when we went), and they'd only received a small shipment...5, I think. Those were already pre-sold, so we took a look at them in the lot, but weren't allowed inside. This particular dealer was expected more next week. However, Dan visited a different dealer and they already had one on display in the showroom, so we're hoping to actually take one for a spin there.

 

1. i like the design more than the wagon-ish one.

2. the extra mirror on the hood makes it look like one of those deformed indian babies...you know, the ones with an extra head or face or ear. kinda creepy.

 

We drove a 2.5 Touring model today because the turbos haven't arrived at any of our dealers yet. The base engine is pretty buzzy and the transmission is "adequate", but the acceleration was pretty good for an SUV with only 170hp. If you told me it had 200hp I would believe you. The turning circle is very tight, probably 3 to 5 feet less than my TSX, so it feels very manouverable in tight places. The visibility is also excellent all around.

The 2.5XT with the turbo should be hitting the dealers in a week or two, so I'll be taking one out then. The non-turbo was already a good ride, so I think the XT will be a pretty good upgrade.

 

I don't think I like it.

 

not endeavor...Outlander

 

Yes, the old cars here have 2 of these things out on the front Q-panels. The new Forrester has a single one added on the passenger side so there is extra visibility for backing up, etc.... You won't see it in the US.

Now, the styling is OK for a wagon. My wife and kids want me to buy one as my new vehicle..... That's not happening.

 

are they out yet? cuz I saw a Forrester today at the tracks... with a STi emblem... but thought that the guy put it there (don't ask me how it did in the 1/4 mile, cuz I didn't see it run)

 

I dont think the STi version ever saw American Shores. But when I autocrossed there was a Forrester owner who did a complete STi conversion to his car...it was pretty sick.

 

I like this one better than the old wagon-looking one.

 

After the '09 (non-turbo) test drive.......

I prefer the '08 wagon bodystyle vs. the '09 raised/CUV-style, mostly because, at this point, I'd prefer to drive a wagon over a CUV/SUV (better handling, aerodynamics, fuel economy, and IMO - looks, etc). However, the interior on the '09 provides more space, especially in terms of rear legroom, and has some upgrades in quality.

The seats were comfortable, and there was plenty of headroom - especially for Dan, who is very tall. With certain models, the rear seats can also recline. Padding was good and comfortable.

The moonroof is huge, although I'd probably rather do without (but just not possible to eliminate, depending on model).

The stereo knobs and buttons are still pretty small in size, a little beef of mine when it comes to winter driving with gloves on. They've finally made steering wheel controls standard, which is a nice bonus.

Visibility is great, thanks to good side mirrors and a low-line, unobstructed rear window. Also, the A-pillar was out of the way, which I find often obstructs some windshield view in many vehicles. Certains models include HID, auto-leveling headlights, which sound great, but we've yet to try them out at night. The new gauge cluster looks more attractive than in previous models too.

I'm not a fan of the '09 front grille, but really like the looks of the alternate "mesh grille," which can be ordered. I do like the look of the rear-window spoiler that's standard on the XT model.

The 170hp/170 lbs-ft engine seemed alright...nothing to brag about, but nothing awful. When floored, I kept expecting it to rev much higher before shifting. I just felt like it still had way more oomph before it needed to upshift, but I guess this is probably considered normal in a 4-speed auto tranny, especially one that's not paired in a more "sporty" car. The turning radius was great....well, at least when compared to the super-huge turning circle of our Acuras...We were able to pull a U-turn on a residential street. I couldn't get a good feel of the overall handling based on the test drive we took, but nothing (eg: bodyroll, suspension) stood out in my mind as being poor or noteable.

Downfalls.............

....No dual climate control, no rear vents for passengers, a pretty simple/useless "information display" (it doesn't really inform you of much), it didn't appear that you could get an auto-dim rearview mirror (or homelink) without ordering it as an accessory, and I agree with Dan --- a 4 speed auto seems a bit odd nowadays. But, this is Subaru afterall, and although (IMO) this model is still far ahead of its predecessor, it will never rate among the best interiors with the best ameneties. The U.S. seems to have slightly different models than here in Canada, and of course, much better pricing.

Overall, this is a vehicle I can't see myself having any problem taking, well....anywhere. It's still nothing close to luxurious or super-refined, but has a reknowned AWD system (VDC now standard), and uses materials that would appear to hold up to good, rugged use.

I'm really curious and looking forward to driving the XT (turbo) in the next week or two.