The  Boston Sunday Globe  on January 30, 2011 had a great write up by Bill Griffith  on the new Subaru Forester. Here are a few excerpts from the article:

?Subaru launched the Forester in the late 1990?s. That vehicle had the look of a station wagon with an oversized and out-of-proportion ?greenhouse? that is, the roof and windows.

As out of kilter as that original Forester looked, its performance made me a believer in Subaru?s all-wheel-drive system. That was a summer-without-rain that finally broke early on a Friday night. Violent thunderstorms hit the area, creating what one friend calls ?Southern ice? ? roads turned into a skid pad by accumulated grease, oil, and dirt.

We saw vehicles off the road, in accidents, and skids. That Forester, meanwhile, passed through it all as though it were on rails. 

Fast forward a decade to the 2011 Forester that we drove through recent heavy snows with the same feeling of security.?

?Handling was secure and predictable when trying to break the car loose in that lot, but more importantly, it was even more stable on an ice- and snow-covered dirt road with gullies beckoning on either side.

On paved road, the ride was refined and relatively quite. ?

?We found lots of nice touches. The rear seats were raised, affording rear-seat passengers a good view and easing conversation between rows. There also was plenty of legroom for two couples to ride in comfort on a Saturday night date. Headroom, both front and rear, was amazing even for taller folks. Several times, we checked that the rear doors actually had closed tightly because they felt so light and latched quietly without the expected ?thunk?.

Standard on our Touring model was a rear-view camera with a 4.3-inch display screen, a wonderful addition that isn?t part of an additional navigation package.

Also standard were the bi-xenon headlights, dual-zone climate system, one-touch folding releases on the 60/40 rear seats, electro-luminescent gauges, and a welcome all-weather rear mat that covered the cargo area when the seats were raised.

Inside the Forester, front or rear, is the ideal place to be during a New England winter.?