The Subaru Forester first came into the limelight in the 1990s as an option to car lovers who loved the emerging compact SUVs. Subaru which is well known for its production of seamless all-wheel-drive (AWD) in all its vehicles came out with the forester to compete with the rest of the other Japanese automakers. The Forester offered the buyers with the rugged style of traditional SUVs. The Subaru Forester is a car of its kind and it was designed just to compete with the rest of the SUVs.

The Subaru Forester has indeed performed better than the average SUV. Nevertheless, the two generations of the car had less off road capability. The latest Subaru Forester was designed for 2009 model year and is a five passenger SUV that offer impressive cargo capacity as well as interior space.

The Subaru Legacy comes in 8 trim levels that include 3.6R Limited, 3.6R Premium, 3.6R, 2.5GT Limited, 2.5GT Premium, 2.5i Limited, 2.5i Premium and base 2.5i. The standard features on the base 2.5i include 16 inch alloy wheels, tilt and telescoping steering wheel with audio controls, air conditioning, adjustable driver’s seat, and 4-speaker stereo and electronic parking brakes. Leather wrapped steering wheel and an 8-way power seat for the driver are some of the features available on the 2.5i Premium. Its 2.5i Limited trim level comes with 17 inch alloy wheels, 4-way power seat for the passengers, Bluetooth, leather upholstery, climate control and a 9-speaker sound system.

The base has a 2.5 liter engine with 170 horsepower with a 6-speed manual transmission. The 2.5GT models of the Subaru Legacy come with a 2.5 liter engine with 265 horsepower while the 3.6R models have a 3.6 liter engine with 256 horsepower. Safety features include antilock brakes, stability control and airbags.

The Subaru Outback comes in 6 trim levels that include 3.6R Limited, 3.6R Premium, 3.6R, 2.5i limited, 2.5i Premium and 2.5i. The standard features on the 2.5i include 16 inch alloy wheels, cruise control, 4-speaker stereo, tilt and telescoping steering wheel and an adjustable driver’s seat. For the 2.5i Premium, the standard features include 17 inch alloy wheels, privacy glass in the rear, fog-lights and an 8-way power seat for the driver. The optional features for the Premium trim levels include heated mirrors, heated seats and de-icer for the windshield wiper.

The 2.5i Subaru Outback models come with a 2.5 liter engine with 170 horsepower while its 3.6R models have a 3.6 liter engine with 256 horsepower and 5-speed automatic.

The standard safety features on the Subaru Outback include traction and stability control, antilock brakes and front and side airbags. It is a great family car that provides adequate legroom with about 71.3 cubic feet of cargo space when its rear seat is lowered.