2009 Subaru Forester

mikelevine64

Even though we do not know what it looks like, It's comming !

Here are the OFFICAL Dates:

2009 Initial Order Acceptance Date: 1/28/08

2009 Production Start Up Date: 2/11/08

2009 Initial Delivery Date: 3/17/08

orangelebaron

just wanted to be number 2.

nippononly

One of the managers in my office is thinking of buying a Forester, and is wondering if he should just go ahead or wait for the new model. Since he mainly shops on price, I am urging him to go ahead this winter.

I guess the '09 will grow quite a bit, eh? And the bargain-priced 'X' trim will probably go away?

dstew1

Why do you think the bargain priced X trim would go away for the new Forester? There is a bargain priced, bare bones '08 Impreza, and SOA even went back to offering a basic Outback...

nippononly

No, I thought I read that someplace here at Edmunds. Hopefully, they can keep a bare-bones trim on the books for the next gen.

aatherton

"One of the managers in my office is thinking of buying a Forester, and is wondering if he should just go ahead or wait for the new model. Since he mainly shops on price, I am urging him to go ahead this winter. "

I bought now, will pick up after Thanksgiving.

First, from reading a couple of Forester boards, it sounded like the '09 was coming in just 3 months and the '08s would son be in short supply. The '09s would be longer, wider, and lower, with a raked windshield that was harder to enter, with a smooth swept exterior and flowing dashboard like a Tribecca. I hated all that, not to mention the higher MSRP and lower MPG.

Next I found a dealer in another city who had the LL Bean color I wanted, right up front accepted $100 over invoice, and also had a mere $99 documentation fee. I couldn't resist.

dintern

Does any one know the stat of the new Forester? I heard it's based on the Impreza 08 chassis.

paisan

At this point the only thing we officially know is that it's based off the 08 Impreza platform. I'm sure the final specs will be out shortly though. I believe Detroit is when it gets announced.

-mike

jacksan1

The JDM Forester release is scheduled for the Christmas Eve. Subaru (Japan) has set up a "Forester Teaser Site," on which they promise to gradually release details. Right now not much has been posted. Stay tuned.

paisan

Christmas is not a holiday in Japan, FYI.

-mike

jacksan1

Yup, and on Christmas Day the catalog for the JDM Forester will be available at Subaru dealers throughout Japan. Those of you who plan to be in Japan then should go and pick one up. I won't be, unfortunately.

Christmas is not a calendar holiday in Japan, but is a big party day, an excuse for people over there to get drunk.

paisan

Dang, when I was working Tokyo trading hrs, Christmas didn't effect them at all. Our only saving grace was that one year the Emporer's B-day fell on the same day so we got off work here in NY.

-mike

jacksan1

Haha. Were you Japanese counterparts perhaps more efficient on the Christmas Day, Japan Time, and not so the day after? The former would be because they were looking to get the work done to go to parties, and the latter would be because they had just come into work from the same parties!

December 23 is the current Emp's B-day, so that being a Sunday this year, Monday the 24th is also a holiday. That's the day Subaru will use to reveal the all-new Forester. Banzai! :P

paisan

Hmm since we never really spoke to em on the phone, mostly via electronic fashon we wouldn't know if they were hung over or not! Interesting that his B-day is celebrated on Monday which means the place where I used to work will be quiet on Sunday night the 23rd here in NY.

I'll be up looking for that new info on the 23rd, although most of it is already out.

-mike

jacksan1

Here are a couple of leaked catalog (actually, sales manual for dealers) pages for the upcoming Forester (JDM) release:

http://file.freebsd.blog.shinobi.jp/subaru-fs-01.jpg

http://file.freebsd.blog.shinobi.jp/subaru-fs-02.jpg

au1994

Looks like a Highlander to me. Can't get a good feeling for the size from these pics.

jacksan1

Using the comparision of the JDM-spec models, the new one is longer by 80mm, and wider by 45mm.

It's also taller. As much as 100mm taller, depending upon the trim level.

rsholland

http://blogs.edmunds.com/Straightline/3888

Plus more here. These are all the Subaru Straightline blogs, and there are a bunch moe photos if you scroll down a little.

http://blogs.edmunds.com/Straightline/category/cat.Subaru

Bob

au1994

That's better. I could learn to like that.

jacksan1

I know where those images came from. They are actually Paintshopped images that were posted on a Japanese website called Corism.

Of course, whoever authored these pics clearly had access to real photos, so these are a very good representation of the real thing.

w8ifi

Yesterday the Sydney Morning Herald had a nice write up on the 09 Forester and boxer diesel. Europe gets it first so I suppose it will be here for the 2010 models.
From what I read Graham might get a chance to peek at it in person before most of us.
The pictures look like it will be a pretty good seller. I'm disappointed that the grill looks so much like chrysler. I would have liked something in the style of Jaguars with a more oval smaller style. In real life it might actually look more muscular which I would suppose fits in with the forester theme. I don't know when but I sure would like to get one before too long. I don't know how well the diesel will perform in cold Yooper land though.
Jim

jacksan1

A few more pics of the new Forester....

http://home.arcor.de/goep3/indexSubaruGeruchte.htm

The first few appear to have come off the line and are now in the staging area before being sent to motor pools. The red Forester appears to be in the PDI before being shipped off to a dealership.

w8ifi

Thanks for the pics! I think this style will have broad appeal. Much more so than the response the first Tribeca's had. It's hard to be unique and at the same time not be too far outside of the mainstream. Way back I thought the Studebaker Hawks were the ultimate but apparently they were too unique and the market wasn't very excited about the looks.

Jim