With its traction control switched off, the GTO’s 400 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque create ludicrous peel-outs in the vein of the vintage muscle cars, to which this beast pays homage.

Bursts of acceleration and tail-out lunacy are accompanied by one of the sweetest exhaust sounds around. Pontiac took pains in refining the exhaust system to produce a burble reminiscent of burly old carburetor-fed motors.

Eclipsed by cooler-looking modern muscle-car competitors, like the Ford Mustang and Dodge Charger, the GTO is a slow seller, thanks in part to bland styling and a tiny trunk. When the current GTO first launched in 2004, automotive journalists and enthusiasts praised its performance, but derided the forgettable styling.
2006 Pontiac GTO
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The GTO resurrects a legendary name that debuted in 1964 when Pontiac tacked those three letters onto a performance package for its otherwise mundane Tempest/Le Mans models. Forty years later, many car enthusiasts still bow at the altar of “The Goat,” as the GTO is sometimes called. Many consider the original GTO to be the first muscle car — the vehicle that launched the trend of low-cost, high-performance Detroit iron back in the mid-’60s.

General Motors looked to its Australian division, Holden, for a suitable candidate to wear the GTO badge. Holden’s Monaro coupe was chosen for its great V8, refined rear-wheel drive platform and relative ease of conversion to U.S. market regulations. The Monaro platform also underpinned Cadillac’s mediocre Catera sedan between 1997 and 2002.

The GTO’s original 350-horsepower LS1 V8 was replaced in 2005 with the stronger six-liter LS2 V8. And unlike vintage muscle cars that tripped over themselves when the road curved or it came time to stop, the GTO’s ride, handling and braking match its growling power plant. The standard four-speed automatic or optional Tremec six-speed manual transmissions keep the V8 on a boil and the 17-inch alloy wheels spinning.

Inside, the instrument gauges and the stitching on the steering wheel, shift knob, seats and door panels, are color keyed to match the exterior paint. Red or blue leather interiors are available for the brave.

The simple and straightforward dash is nice, and the front and rear seats are superb. Technically a 2+2, the GTO has no trouble carrying four adults in comfort. Luggage space can be a problem, because the gas tank was repositioned to meet U.S. safety requirements, leaving a ridiculous seven cubic-feet of trunk space.

Standard four-wheel disc brakes with ABS bring things to a firm halt without the white-knuckle drama classic muscle cars often caused. On the open highway, the GTO effortlessly eats miles. Unfortunately, at 3,700 pounds the GTO is a very thirsty vehicle. Equipped with either the automatic or manual transmission, a combination of city and highway driving will rarely see miles-per-gallon figures past the high teens.

The GTO is an undercover muscle car. Ford’s new Mustang or Dodge’s Charger sedan might get more thumbs up, but the GTO trumps them both with stellar performance and an engine sound that should be bottled up and sold separately.

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In its first full redesign since the 2003 model year, the Subaru Forester has moved closer to the mainstream than some fans might have hoped it would. The old model’s boxy charm has been toned down, and what’s left is a compact SUV whose driving dynamics are on par with some of the nimbler players in this segment. A few Forester diehards may cry foul, but I suspect the changes will widen the car’s appeal to the market in general. The SUV remains as practical as ever, but now boasts enough refinement to merit serious consideration from anyone shopping the latest Honda CR-V or Toyota RAV4.

Trim levels include the 2.5X and 2.5X L.L.Bean, along with turbocharged 2.5XT and 2.5XT Limited versions; click here to see a side-by-side comparison with the 2008 model. Subaru’s full-time all-wheel-drive system is standard. I drove a number of configurations both on- and off-road at a press event in Southern California.

Going & Stopping
Save a few tweaks to improve everyday drivability, the Forester’s four-cylinder drivetrains carry over from last year.

Subaru expects the vast majority of buyers to pick the normally aspirated engine. It’s a solid choice, mustering enough low-end torque to move the Forester smartly from a standstill. The five-speed manual is worth considering — it feels similar to the stick in the Impreza sedan, rowing with medium throws from one gear to the next. While it’s a bit slushy in that sporty sedan, it feels reasonably precise in the Forester, given that it’s an SUV. The clutch has a light touch and long take-up, and the engine revs freely when pressed for acceleration. Stay hard on the gas, and the drivetrain can get a bit loud, but it’s never coarse or buzzy like some four-cylinders are. The stick shift includes an incline-assist feature to keep it from rolling backward when you release the brake on a hill.

A four-speed automatic is optional with the non-turbo four-cylinder. The turbo engine comes only with the automatic, and I spent several hours driving it on the interstate and some twisty mountain roads. The turbo spools up quickly and delivers commanding power, though there’s still some noticeable lag under hard acceleration. The extra horsepower feels strongest in highway passing maneuvers, where the turbo colludes with the transmission to deliver excellent kickdown performance — when it finally happens. The problem is just how long that kickdown takes: The automatic’s gears feel widely spaced, and it takes a determined prod on the gas pedal to induce a downshift from fourth gear. Short of that — and during most ordinary driving around town — the turbo doesn’t feel decisively stronger than the regular engine, and it lacks the refined punch of a V-6 Toyota RAV4.

Though I spent the vast majority of my time driving the automatic in Normal mode, it’s worth noting that it has a Sport mode with its own dedicated shifting program. Be sure to check that out before you discount the automatic as a whole. By holding gears into higher rpm, it should eliminate some of the downshifts entirely — though with a mileage penalty.

The turbo requires premium gas. Mileage with the regular and turbocharged engines rivals that of the four- and six-cylinder engines in various competitors, respectively. The premium-fuel requirement remains unusual for this segment, however.

AWD Gas Mileage Compared (city/highway, mpg)

Four-cylinder (rec. fuel)    V-6 or turbocharged engine (rec. fuel)
Nissan Rogue    21/26 (regular)    n/a
Honda CR-V    20/26 (regular)    n/a
Subaru Forester    20/26 (regular)    19/24 (premium)
Toyota RAV4    20/25 (regular)    19/26 (regular)
Mitsubishi Outlander    20/25 (regular)    17/24 (regular)
Hyundai Tucson    n/a*    17/23 (regular)
Ford Escape    19/24 (regular)    17/22 (regular)
Mazda CX-7    n/a    16/22 (premium)
Saturn Vue    n/a**    3.5L: 15/22; 3.6L: 16/22 (both regular)

Last year’s Forester could be had with the turbo and a stick shift, which proved more fun to drive than any SUV deserves to be. Alas, due to poor sales, Subaru pulled the plug on that combo this year.

Antilock brakes come with discs at all corners, an improvement over the disc/drum combination in some trim levels last year. The pedal delivers linear response and firm stopping control, and I found brake fade minimal even at the bottom of a three-mile offroad descent. ABS shows its face only when skids become imminent — a welcome change from some of the more trigger-happy systems out there.

Towing capacity is 2,400 pounds with either engine. That beats most four-cylinder SUVs, though some of the Forester’s V-6 competitors can tow 3,000 pounds or more.

Ride & Handling
The original Forester was one of the first SUVs to adopt a four-wheel-independent suspension, and this year’s model has a new double-wishbone rear setup. Several journalists on the media drive complained of excessive body roll — possibly the result of no rear stabilizer bar, which was standard on the outgoing model — but I think most drivers will find that the Forester’s handling ranks among the sportier SUVs in its class. The chassis remains poised over curvy roads, and Subaru’s all-wheel-drive system delivers unflappable grip accelerating out of a turn.

The steering system offers a quicker turning ratio this year. It delivers lively response, with reasonably crisp turn-in and more feedback about changing road conditions than you get in some sedans, let alone SUVs. Some SUVs accomplish this sporty feel by dialing back the power-steering assist so much that the steering wheel becomes too stiff at low speeds — the Mazda CX-7 springs to mind — but the Forester’s steering is well below this threshold, and its 34.4-foot turning circle beats eight of its major competitors, some by more than 5 feet. Outstanding.

Subaru says it took extensive steps to address road and wind noise this time around, and indeed, highway noise now seems about average for a small SUV. It’s not as quiet as a Honda CR-V, but it’s a distinct improvement over the previous Forester.

Offroad Chops
The offroad portion of Subaru’s press drive consisted of a lengthy course on California’s Catalina Island, and I had a chance to tackle some fairly demolished dirt roads. I imagine a tiny fraction of Forester owners will take their SUVs to these lengths, but it performed well nonetheless, clawing up steep slopes and rutted pathways with well-controlled body motions. The wheels stayed well-connected to the dirt, allowing the nose or tail to swing wide only under the most sudden turns. (All deliberate, of course.)

SUV Styling
Where previous generations looked more like tall wagons than SUVs, this redesign moves the Forester a lot closer to what it purports to be. There are still some windswept lines here and there, so it’s not yet in the territory of more upright SUVs like the Saturn Vue or Ford Escape, but for better or worse it will now blend in with the herd much more easily. The creased headlights and stacked bumper looked a bit busy to me, but they’re attractive enough. The tail closes things off with a tidy, clean design.

Standard dual exhaust pipes add a sporty touch, as do the 17-inch alloy wheels that come on all but the base trim level. The doors have window frames now, which gives them a much sturdier feel when slammed than last year’s frameless doors had.

The Inside
The Forester’s dash sits higher against the windshield than you’ll find in many SUVs, which gives the cabin a more carlike feel and a lower perceived driving position. Thanks to the large side and rear windows, however, overall visibility remains excellent.

A height-adjustable driver’s seat is standard, but the steering wheel in most models only tilts, and its adjustment range is limited. You have to upgrade to the turbocharged model to get a telescoping wheel, which allows drivers of varying sizes to position themselves a safe, comfortable distance from the steering wheel and its airbag. It’s an unfortunate omission, seeing as both the CR-V and RAV4 have telescoping wheels across all trims.

Interior quality is good, if occasionally inconsistent. The materials vary: The upper dash panels have an upscale finish, but some of the plastics lining the glove compartment look grainy and cheap. If you like silver plastic, your day has come: The stuff has spread like foreclosures in Tampa. Here it adorns the center controls, dash, steering wheel, gearshift and doors. The steering wheel has a satisfying grip, but I found the blue-and-white gauges a bit tacky. Other controls, from the turn signals to the window switches, show sturdy construction, and overall fit and finish is respectable.

Roominess & Cargo
Front-seat legroom and headroom was fine for me (about 6 feet tall), even with the panoramic moonroof that comes on most trim levels. The seats have slight side bolsters that come in handy during spirited driving, and the seatbacks provided adequate back support during my several hours behind the wheel.

Thanks largely to a wheelbase that’s 3.6 inches longer, backseat legroom has increased more than 4 inches over the previous Forester, and that’s a lot when it comes to legroom. The doors open a few degrees wider, too, and I found the resulting backseat comfortably roomy. One caveat: A large floor hump crowds foot room. The CR-V and RAV4 have virtually flat floors.

A low lift-over height and wide opening make the cargo area’s 33.5 cubic feet of volume easy to access. The 60/40-split rear seats fold flat in one simple step, extending volume to a maximum of 68.3 cubic feet. Those figures compare favorably with the segment, especially when you consider that each SUV that beats the Forester has a corresponding annoyance: The RAV4 has a cumbersome, sideways-opening rear door; the CR-V requires you to tumble the second-row seats forward and secure them in place; and the Outlander’s tumbling seats are a pain in the neck to fold back into place. On the space-versus-impediments index, the Forester scores high.

Safety & Reliability
In crash tests from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the Forester earned the top score, Good, in front and side impacts. The SUV was awarded an IIHS Top Safety Pick designation. Because it was redesigned this year, reliability scores for the Forester are unavailable. The previous-generation Forester got top marks in this area: Consumer Reports awarded it good or excellent reliability ratings for six years running. While history among brands and models is often informative, cautious buyers will wait for results. Every car is different.

Standard safety equipment includes six airbags, with side-impact airbags for the front seats and side curtain airbags for both rows. The curtain airbags have tip sensors to deploy during a rollover. Active head restraints, four-wheel-disc antilock brakes, traction control and an electronic stability system are also standard. All five seats have adequately high head restraints. Parents with young children should check out the child-seat provisions in the photos above.

Equipment & Pricing
Given that all-wheel drive is standard, the Forester packs impressive value. Subaru shaved some $1,200 off the sticker price for 2009, so the 2.5X now starts at $19,995 without the destination charge, including a temperature/gas mileage display, A/C, cruise control, a CD player with an MP3 auxiliary jack, power accessories and remote keyless entry — albeit with Subaru’s dated, flimsy keyfob.

An automatic transmission costs $1,200 — a bit much, considering the Escape’s automatic costs $1,000 and the last Forester’s automatic was $800. The Premium Package adds alloy wheels, a panoramic moonroof and more for $2,500. An automatic comes standard on the 2.5X L.L.Bean ($25,995), which includes heated leather seats, automatic climate control and a power driver’s seat. Turbo models start at $26,195 and top out close to $30,000. A navigation system is optional with either drivetrain.

Forester in the Market
The previous Forester was a Cars.com Best Bet on the strength of its versatility, reliability and safety credentials, but I’ve always had to footnote my recommendation of it with a warning about its sparse interior and noisy cabin.

This time around, the Forester’s refinement has turned into a relative asset. The cabin isn’t as classy as those of some of the overachievers in this segment, but overall quality has improved to a point where excuses no longer need to be made. Its cargo-area execution and driving dynamics remain as good as ever, as do the Forester’s go-anywhere capabilities.

Perhaps Subaru’s last hurdle is the Forester’s image as a quirky car for quirky people. The latest model does a lot to overcome this, and it’s time mainstream shoppers gave it a look.

Vehicle Overview
The Subaru Forester, a successful small SUV/wagon since 1998, has been completely redesigned for 2009 on a new platform. This third generation is larger and a little closer to all the other car-based compact SUVs out there — such as the Ford Escape and Honda CR-V — rather than an in-between size that seemed to suit it well. Its standard all-wheel drive can be driven by regular or turbocharged four-cylinder engines through a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission.

The 2009 Forester hits dealerships in spring 2008 in trim levels ranging from the 2.5 X to the luxurious Forester L.L.Bean Edition.

Exterior
While the 2009 is only 3 inches longer than the previous generation, its proportions have changed, and it seems like the model’s exceptionally tall greenhouse was replaced by one of average height. In particular, the hood is higher, even though Subaru has always noted that its horizontally opposed engine style helped keep the hoodline low and visibility high.

Ground clearance is also raised a bit, to 8.9 inches. Fog lights are an option. Turbo versions are distinguished by a hood scoop that funnels cooling air into the intercooler just under the hood.

Interior
The interior shares the design and materials of other recent redesigns, including some faux metal and higher-quality cloth seats. The door openings are larger and the rear window is enlarged for better visibility. The Forester’s growth includes a 3.6-inch longer wheelbase, which adds to interior roominess. A center armrest is standard for the backseat, and a retractable center tray is optional.

The standard stereo includes an input for MP3 players, and the optional navigation system adds full audio/video inputs for playing a video game or some other video source on the dashboard screen when the car is parked. Both XM and Sirius satellite radio are offered, as is a premium stereo with a six-disc in-dash CD changer and an MP3 player input with iPod control connections.

Under the Hood
The 2.5-liter four-cylinder engines have been modified for 2009 to give not a jump in output but more power at low engine speeds. Subaru says the engines are “pre-wired” for a remote start feature. The manual transmission is a five-speed, and a four-speed automatic with a sequential-shift mode is optional. The transmissions come with different all-wheel-drive systems. According to Subaru, the automatic comes with Variable Torque Management that shifts power to the front and rear axles by monitoring throttle position, battery voltage, generator rpm, wheel speed, brake status, lateral g-force and automatic transmission fluid temperature. The manual Forester has a simple viscous coupling that’s reactive rather than proactive.

The manual includes Incline Start Assist, which is a refinement of the older Hill Holder feature; it prevents the car from rolling backward when taking off from a stop on an incline.

The previous Forester’s strut-type rear suspension is replaced by a double-wishbone design, which is theoretically superior.

Sixteen-inch steel wheels are standard, and 17-inch aluminum-alloy wheels are optional.

Safety
In addition to the required front airbags, there are side-impact torso airbags for the front occupants and side curtains that protect front and backseat occupants against head injury. A rollover sensor can deploy the curtain airbags to protect occupants and prevent their ejection in the case of a rollover. Active head restraints are standard for the front seats.

Antilock brakes and an electronic stability system with traction control are standard on all trim levels. The optional heated front seats come with heated side mirrors and a windshield wiper de-icer.

When a manufacturer decides to redesign a popular model, so often we see a substantial departure from the qualities that made that vehicle popular in the first place - such as making it bigger, more powerful, more expensive.

A tip of the hat, then - preferably an outdoorsy, Indiana Jones-type felt fedora - to Subaru product planners. They were very attentive to input from current Forester owners who said not to go overboard in making the 2009 model all that much bigger and more powerful, and consequently more expensive. What emerged from those customer focus sessions was a vehicle that is very much like the first- and second-generation Foresters, only more so. And it’s even cheaper than before.

Yes, it is larger, but not substantially: The wheelbase stretches from 99.4 inches to 103, and overall length from 176.6 inches to 179.6. Width is up from 68.3 inches to 70.1. And the rear suspension goes from a struttype to the more compact double wishbone, resulting in a substantially roomier interior. Four actual adults will now fit comfortably in the 2009 Forester, and there’s an extra 5.2 inches of width in the cargo area. A side benefit from that new rear suspension: A smoother, more controlled ride, especially over rough roads.

Under the hood you’ll find the venerable 2.5-liter, four-cylinder boxer engine, albeit revised for 2009 with a new intake system, revised camshaft timing and a modified exhaust system. The regular engine pumps out 170 horsepower. If you want more, the XT model adds a turbocharger for 224 horsepower. If most all your driving is done in the city limits, the base engine is fine, but the turbo makes highway driving much more fun, merging into traffic less dramatic.

Transmission is a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic for the base-model engine, while the turbo gets only the fourspeed automatic. Why still just a four-speed? U.S. reps for Subaru say the Japanese just don’t see the advantage of another gear or two, just to say you have one. We tend to agree, but dealers may have more trouble making that argument to comparison-shopping customers. Regardless, the automatic works fine, spaced nicely to maximize power for either engine.

Inside, the Forester is well-appointed even in base configuration, which is called the 2.5X, and which starts at an attention-getting $19,995. Instruments and controls are well-placed and sensible. It has the inevitable allwheel- drive, the manual transmission, 16-inch tires and wheels, and even has stability control, traction control, antilock brakes with brake assist, and a limited-slip rear differential. Air conditioning is standard, as are side and side-curtain air bags, power windows and locks, and pretty much everything else the urban adventurer needs, and Subaru packages it all nicely enough that you won’t feel as though you couldn’t afford the up-level 2.5X Premium Package, which adds such features a 17- inch tires and alloy wheels, a “panoramic” power moon roof, roof rails and steering wheelmounted audio controls.

Of course, opt for the L.L. Bean edition - the one tested here - and your excursion into outdoor-nerd nirvana is complete with a standard automatic transmission, 10-way power driver’s seat, an upgraded stereo and loads of L.L. Bean logos. Options include a touch-screen navigation system. For more power, there’s the 2.5XT, and the top-ofthe- line 2.5XT Limited, which gets you leather upholstery, automatic climate control and several other features.

On0 the road, ride and handling are better than you’d expect, regardless of horsepower or trim level. Cornering is relatively flat, with little of the tipsiness found in older Foresters. Braking and steering are linear and properly sensitive.

Off-road, the Subaru Forester won’t replace your Jeep Wrangler, but with an available 8.9 inches of ground clearance, this is more than just a cow-trailer. There’s no low-range gearing, of course, but the boxer engine has enough grunt to power up hills, through mud holes.

As mentioned, prices start at $19,995, which actually represents a pretty substantial drop of about $1,200 over 2008 - and that’s real money, not weighted according to standard equipment. The Premium Package starts at $22,495, the L.L. Bean model starts at $25,995, not bad considering it gets you an “L.L. Bean-embossed cargo tray.” If you want to go turbo, the 2.5XT starts at $26,195, and the Limited model is $28,195. All those prices are plus $665. The navigation system adds $1,800.

Subaru has spent 11 years building up customer good will for the Forester, and there’s nothing about the new model that will threaten that. Nothing at all.

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