Australian Resource for Car Reviews, News, Advice
December 17, 2007 by George Skentzos
More details now available here.
One sneaky member of the Subaru Forester Owner’s Club has managed to snap these shots of the new 2009 Subaru Forester in brilliant detail.
Also making an appearance in the form of a magazine scan is the new turbocharged Forester GT/XT model.
Print it: 
2009 Subaru Forester sneak preview
This image which has been circulating the web is supposedly an official sketch of the 2009 model Subaru Forester.
The new
All-new Forester unveiled in Japan
After weeks of leaked photos and rumours, Subaru's all new third generation Forester has been officially unveiled in Japan. Details
2009 Subaru Forester X Limited Edition
Subaru has this morning announced its 2009 Limited Edition Forester X.
For a $500 premium the Forester X includes $1500 of
2009 Subaru Forester – 2008 Detroit Auto Show
2009 Subaru Forester - 2008 Detroit Auto Show
The new Subaru Forester has changed shapes, moving away from Subaru's rather odd
Subaru Forester GT STi
Okay so the title is a little bit of fantasy, but we can keep dreaming right? For those of us
Looks very production ready for a 2009 model.
Looks like a mini-Kluger. Dash wood trims looks out of place in an otherwise sensible cockpit arrangement.
This looks terrible, kind of KIA design no real class.
that looks great! Love the GT/XT
Looks good but where is the diesel engine?
Sorry, but you people really must be vision impaired if you think this looks better than the current Territory.
The only problem Ford has is they are milking the last drop of petrol sales before they bring out a turbo diesel version and they have plenty of great stuff to choose from!
“Sorry, but you people really must be vision impaired if you think this looks better than the current Territory.”
who mentioned the terriroty? close minded ford fan go away
“Looks very production ready for a 2009 model.”
its an 08 model that will be called an MY09 to toie in with subarus naming procedures. IE the 2007 model forester is the MY08.
“Sorry, but you people really must be vision impaired if you think this looks better than the current Territory.”
who mentioned the terriroty? closed minded ford fan go away
“Looks very production ready for a 2009 model.”
its an 08 model that will be called an MY09 to toie in with subarus naming procedures. IE the 2007 model forester is the MY08.
guys you sure theis isnt a rebadged kluger?
What are subaru doing, they once had style now there throwing it away!
anti-spam: Subaru.
It’s a nice car apart from the front. The front is hideous.
Not sure about the kmart seat trim/covers. I think the diesel engine will go to Europe first unfortunately.
First they ruin the Liberty with that gross facelift, then the new Impreza comes out and it looks like amy winehouse threw it up on a drug binge and now this.
im never buying a subaru if they continue on with these dreadful looking cars..
This car looks hideous in my opinion. What is happening with Subaru? They are getting too complacent, and they are a 1 trick pony at the moment. All you’ll ever hear from a Subaru fan is “Symetrical AWD”. Compare the interior of this car to a CX-7, or Kluger. NO contest.
Tony who even mentioned the territory. The forester is not to be compared with territory, its competition from ford is the Escape!
Car is not a 2009 model, as pointed out above it may carry my09 naming but it is coming early 2008 (march or april).
Comments about the seat trim mirror my thoughts, the seat trim is very underwhelming. Oh well more people will be swayed to higher spec’d leather clad models i guess.
Car looks ok i think, the sports grill looks far better than the grille on the red model though. But you can always option it.
The big thing will be the drive though. If the refinement even goes close to the new impreza this car will sell incredibly well regardless!
People who buy Suby Foresters (past, present and future) do so for practicality and have never being or will be particularly concerned with looks. There are only so many things you can do with a box. I agree that it will be the quality of the drive and what you get inside that differentiates this car from the competition.
The interior looks pretty cheap aswell. Silver highlights and fake woodgrain is a bad combo. The bright red fake woodgrain would look more subtle if coloured in highlighters.
The interior is almost the same as the Impreza, I hope that Subby don’t screw up the next Liberty inside and out, my guess is that they will.
The Outlander seems like a better opinion.
I love foresters and always will, but what is with the ‘mini me’ mirror on the front???
“I love foresters and always will, but what is with the ‘mini me’ mirror on the front???”
HAHA its an Asian market specific item. Maybe they do alot of towing over there! ;)
Tom – The mini mirror right at the front is what was originally the wing mirror. It’s position apparently removes or at least minimises the blind spot.
Car manufacturers moved the mirror to onto the doors for ease and conveninece to allow drivers to adjust them by hand.
Now that most cars have electric mirrors.. up front isn;t a bad place for the mirrors to be they could still be remote controlled and there would be less chance of them being knocked off by a 2 wheeled kamikaze courier etc.
Mind you they could get rid of mirrors altogether and use small cameras and a central display unit in the console
There’s no way it looks like the territory. It looks more like the Kluger from the rear and a Mazda BT-50/Ford Ranger from the front
Ken Self….The diesel engine is usually under the bonnet/hood!!!!
seriously Subaru are developing a diesel boxer but have had problems with vibration. hopefully they wil sort it. Diesel Car Magazine (UK) state the new forrester will be the first Subaru with a diesel.
At last they realise the power of the European market.
Will it be a competitor against the Toyota Kluger or is it in a totally different class?
I have noticed that all new subarus (except for impereza) have a new grill, example the 2008 tribeca and the new 2009 forester.
Another bonnet pressing identical to the Kluger that looks like an elephant has sat on it. The instrument layout mirrors the current model. It is wrong on the current model and is wrong on this one.
So when does the world get a serial hybrid diesel electric Forester? With seats as comfortable as a Volvo!
Certainly looks different, hopefully its a bit more refined than the current model. I brought my wife a MY06 XT-L a couple of years ago. Great fun to drive, a little bit crude on the interior, the manual needs another gear, to bring the fuel consumption down. Road noise is harsh.
I will definately consider buying another one in a couple of years, and again you can’t go past the 2.5 turbo for a bit of fun!
Another disaster from Subaru. One ugly assortment of chrome bits smearing the grill right across the nose between headlights ?
Subaru has totally lost the plot.
Generally the appearance in pic format look okay although my jury is out regarding the bonnet shape and will wait until seeing one in the flesh.
Having a MY08 Forester now and an MY05 outback I must admit I can’t handle the MY09 Foresters curved dash, a la Tribeca, which is an absolute abomination.Will someone kindly put the designer out of his/her misery.
Thankfully I won’t replace either existing Subies for a year or so and maybe Subie will have sorted the bonnet and dash design appearance problems by then.
Also I am interested in the diesel rather than petrol replacement as our family covers lots of rural distance annually.
And while at it, Subaru, how about giving buyers some gravel puncture resistant tyresas standard fitment. The Yokohamas, as were the Bridgestones before them, are totally inadequate and a major annoyance and inconvenience. And yes, many manufacturers now offer suitable and puncture resistant tyres. If I wanted supermarket carpark characteristics I would have bought a Liberty or Impreza! And for God’s sake I hope you have not fitted that insane tempory spare you insult us with in the current Impreza. And finally bush vehicles, i.e. “Outbacks” deserve steel wheels as fitted to Forester. If alloys are wanted let them be an option. You should see what has happened to the alloys on our Outback!
I think the forester rivals any competitor and I like the new design. It is true that those of us who have owned and continue to buy Subaru do it for pure functional reasons. The unit gets you where you want to go and snow covered roads become a pleasure with the current AWD. Interior effects have always been in practical reach and the 09′ is further improved. The new framed windows is a plus and the overall stability of the vehicle is second to none in its class. What’s the problem?
I currently owned MY06 Forester XS Luxury. I am quite happy with the body looks, but if is a bit more sportier will be nice, with the performance sometime is exceptable but other time it is horrible I guess lots of people experienced it, and road noise is very loud compare with the MAGNA (my old car). Interior for the Luxury is not good enough.I have had been waiting for the new model mainly the interior changes and the engine torque improvement.
The new MY09 Forester seems a little bit better in power (Luckily there is XT models for better performances, but the exterior looks is not acceptable as its rear is more likely the Kluger,why??? the front looks is really shocking. I always like the Liberty but the front light is shaping like the eagle (not my shape, never!!!) the only one is not eagle looks was the Forester, now they are bacame one family now (disappointed). With engine options I am really proud of the new Accord V6 ( 3,4 0r 6 switching around). The Liberty can too but not enough options, why not Forester ranges.
Wacaer mentioned the looks is not important as the car can drive where you want to go. My say any car can do that…
But the badge of Subaru always known as Performance,Safety and LUXURY class. To impressed buyer style is the first sight. Toyota always well known as a reliable car still chasing for styles.
subaru, were original, now they`re blending in with all the rest, what next- remove the low range
We have bought the XT Premium and I can safely say that it has turned heads. And they are very impressed. The drive is impeccable and so easy. We actually had avoided the Forester before because of looks, but this new model got us in. Very nice drive!
*wow…
#thing new forester surely catching people’s eye…nice job for the GT model…sure fast one of a SUV…..(much better than impreza models) (”,)
Hi, I live in Europe and drove the Legacy Station Diesel today. It is amazing, with no engine vibration at all and sounds like a gasoline engine. The torque is overwhelming (320 Nm) and is just always there no matter what speed/revs.
The dealer told me he was already able to order Forrester Diesels from Germany. Hope to get one soon 8-D
When are you guys that are raving on about diesel going to understand a diesel motor has to run for 20 minutes at 100km/hour to stop clogging up the engine. That is why they have to be serviced twice a year and why there is absolutely no fuel consumption advantage whilst driving a diesel engine in the city. I didn’t realise people had enough time to go touring every weekend.
Yes the new model just looks like every other car on the market now UGLY
carol you are an idiot……i bet the only thing that is UGLY is your face.
I’m with u Z.
Carol reminds me of when Lady Penelope said to Winston Churchill, Your Drunk.
Winston replied, And your ugly,but tommorrow I will be sober.
What r u on about carol? I bet your a ‘greenie’.Not only does the wifee and I go touring on weekends but god forbid we do it on weekdays as well, when all the weekend warriors are off the road. There is no fuel consumption advantage driving any engine in a grid-locked city, why pick on diesels, and I doubt very much that private and government buses working in the city would ever get up to a speed of 100 kph for 20 minutes. please feel free to come to our abode for a pleasant weekend tour.
damn i am ugly.. carol is fat and ugly, i mean