MotorMouths

The 2011 Subaru Forester is our current favorite small all-wheel-drive vehicle. It’s a Top Safety Pick. Space is adequate. The design is updated. It’s clearly not the perfect car for everyone, but we find ourselves asking, What’s not to love?

More grown up in both size and character than past iterations, the 2011 Subaru Forester is a top pick in the highly competitive small SUV segment.

While it might not win any awards in the fuel economy category, the combination of standard symmetrical all-wheel drive, a good chassis and a surprising amount of cargo space, make the Subaru Forester an attractive proposition.

Despite the strengths of its rivals, the 2011 Subaru Forester is an excellent choice for those who value a smooth ride, useful cargo area and comfortable passenger accommodations in an out-of-the-ordinary all-weather package.

The Subaru Forester is a compact SUV with stable and secure handling, and unsurpassed all-wheel drive. There’s excellent room and convenience inside, so passengers, families and cargo are all happy.

The Forester left a good impression with its spry handling, ample cargo space and utility being top-notch compared to other cars in its class. Good fuel economy, decent driving dynamics, and generous interior space put the Forester above par.

The 2011 Forester isn’t the most stylish or feature-filled car on the road, but interior and exterior panache aren’t the Forester’s thing. People who drive and want a Subaru don’t seem to care about panache, they care about practicality.

We’ve liked the Forester since it’s 1998 debut, and while we would have liked the third-generation boxer engine bring to bring a little more to the table, the quieter, smoother mill makes for a more pleasant driving experience altogether.

It’s never been the sharpest-looking crossover, inside or out, but the Subaru Forester strikes the sort of balance between driving fun, ride comfort and outright practicality that make some of its competitors seem downright frustrating in comparison.

The 2011 Subaru Forester remains a compelling choice among compact crossovers because it is sensibly sized, very roomy, easy to drive, and well priced.

Thanks to plenty of interior room and available turbocharged power, the 2012 Subaru Forester is a top pick in the highly competitive small-crossover-SUV segment.

While we may not adore the new heart matched to its old-school four-speed, the 2011 Subaru Forester continues to be one of the most useful entry-level ’utes around.