I noticed an earlier post someone had problems with the Yokohama tires which came on his 09 forester, I think upper level, perhaps bean/premium or turbo??
today I was looking again and I noticed that a new base model, which hadn't been on the lot earlier had the Bridgestone tires on it. The rest of the 09s on the lot had the Yokohamas.
Has anyone noticed this? Is it a change? Of could it be that the base model comes with Bridgestone and the premium models come with Yokohama??? :confuse:
At 60mph, the RPM is about 2300-2400. I don't find it annoying at all. Even at 80-90mph, :surprise: , things are quite comfortable (I think it's around 3500 at 90mph if I'm not mistaken). Fwiw, my previous vehicle was a '95 BMW 540i which is a fantastic highway car. Relative to that, it's not annoying but it is a bit louder and "less comfortable" at 90mph. Would be true of almost any vehicle...
Wrt the tank, I've only had to fill it once and didn't check and it wasn't on empty. Btw, I've had a number of vehicles that when the dial was on empty there was still plenty of gas in the tank. Some the dial went well below the E. Unfortunately, the only way to know how low you can go is to run out of gas and then fill it up. Haven't done this (yet).
Pretty much nailed it... Engine characteristics match my experiences. The brakes can be mushy (sometimes pedal seems to have a mind of its own in that it can change position while you are applying brakes). But in general a good vehicle and much improved over earlier Foresters. One possible mistake, though. The climate controls and most of the instrument controls are illuminated with Red lights, at least on the XT Limited w/o Navigation which I have. Does anyone out there have an XT Limited with Nav that finds their climate controls are lit blue? Also, the Edmunds pricing compario is odd. A RAV4 with AWD and V6, equipped lime my XT Limited which was around $30K, is listed as $31,316 on the Toyota site. No way is the XT more expensive.
I asked for and got a Pearl White Turbo XT Limited
Exactly what I got--and there was also only one anywhere near me. Was found at a dealer over 90 miles away, and oddly enough was apparently driven to my dealer as the odometer had 106 miles on it at pickup (I thought they'd use a car hauler or flatbed).
I've never had a white car before--my policy has always been not to buy a car in a color major appliances come in--but I had to start from not wanting a black leather interior, which limits the choices a lot (I actually liked the red best, and not sure why it's not offered with the gray interior which would look fine, but it's not). This car will sit outside 24/7, so I don't want a dark color, and I think silver is a little dull. White was pretty much it as a result, and the pearlescent paint is nice and just enough to keep it away from the appliance curse. How was your deal? I got $500 off list and $690 in options thrown in, which I thought was ok considering the popularity and relative rarity of the XT Limited.
Redherring1, my pricing was similar to yours, and the vehicle was driven to my dealer as well - about 20 miles. I had no objection - if anything was going to go wrong in the first few miles, let it happen when driven there (I got a long test drive in it after delivery just to make sure everything was ok).
Marketing mentality seems to equate Red with Sporty, and that black interiors go with sporty. Only Audi seems to buck that trend.
One thing you may discover - the white exterior keeps the body cool, but not the interior, because the sun shines right through the sunroof and heats up its interior cover. However, I am trying the trick of putting a windshield protector __in the roof__ under the sunroof to bounce the light right back out. In the end I may get sunroof tinted.
The 2009 Subaru Forester has a low step-in height and capacious headroom (I'm 6-foot-1). The instrument gauges are among the most beautiful I've ever seen, with two shades of blue. Everything within the cabin is well-placed and clearly marked, and outward visibility is great. It's got plenty of cargo room as well. The Forester has real, usable power, and corners relatively flat in spite of its tall stature. Despite some complaints made by others, the four-speed automatic delivers the power just when you need it, and it's actually pretty smooth in the manual shift mode
Does anyone know (sorry if this has been answered, tried to search but didn't see anything) if the 2009 Forester (normal, N/A) is available with leather in a 5 spd/manual tranny? thanks
You have to drive them both. We purchased an '09 Forester X Premium in late March for my wife and she thinks it's great. On the other hand, late yesterday I dropped it off at the dealer to take care of the infamous "golf club rattle" and they gave me an '08 Outback as a loaner. Just got back from a "long lunch" to pick up a preliminary load from our youngest son's dorm room. It was a 90 mile round trip in the Outback and I found both vehicles quite different. The Outback was more quiet, with nicer interior materials than the Forester. The steering felt much heavier and less precise. The Forester seems more "tossible" and fun. It also soaks up bumps a bit better. In the end, some are going to like the Forester better and vice versa.
Rmanke, Please let us know what the dealer does / did to fix the "golf club rattle" ? I may have that as well, and suspect it's in the rear seat reclining mechanisms.
As for '08 Outback .vs. '09 Forester, my observations matched yours. Also, the Outback Turbo was far more surgy and less responsive than the Forester, despite Outback's SI Drive, 5-speed manu-matic, etc.
I'm new to this forum. I've been shopping the various '09 Forester models and definitely like the extra knee room I get with the tilt/telescoping steering wheel. The only issue is that I prefer not to get the turbo model and they do not have this available.
Has anyone heard of getting a tilt/telescoping steering wheel after-market? Otherwise, I may wait to 2010 to see if the option becomes available.
Times 2 on the "golf club rattle". I did screw down my rear license plate (2 bottom screws) and that seems to get rid of a little noise. Next I looked under the car. There is a plastic housing near the driver side rear wheel well that makes some interesting noises when you knock on it. I shoved a folded up credit card in one of the gaps which reduced the noise. Seems the dealer should be able to do something here, because there still is some noise when you knock on it.
Overall these two "fixes" have reduced what I've been hearing, but not eliminated it. The noises are most noticeable when cold first drive in the morning. When I get in the car at lunch after parking in the sun, there is almost no noise and the car seems to feel noticeably tighter and more upscale. Also, as I stated in an earlier post, these noises don't happen on the freeway - only in city traffic.
In any event, keep us updated. I'd be happier if the car sounded/behaved like it does after its been parked for a while in the sun.
I am trying the trick of putting a windshield protector __in the roof__ under the sunroof to bounce the light right back out
Good thinking--if there was a way to open the sunroof with the slider closed (not sure if there is) you could maybe put some sort of reflective contact material onto the back (up) side of the slider. In any event I'm sure you could do the sunroof tint job yourself--I did it in my '91 SAAB and it looked fine.
"The noises are most noticeable when cold first drive in the morning. When I get in the car at lunch after parking in the sun, there is almost no noise and the car seems to feel noticeably tighter and more upscale."
My experiences exactly with the XT Limited interior. A warm interior has made for many fewer rattles, clicks and pops.
I also added (and I'm gonna get razzed for this :P ) some foam separators under the rear license plate bottom to keep it from buzzing against the rear hatch.
Wrt roof reflectivity, I don't know if Subaru would take kindly to my adding any foil or white paint to their interior sunroof shade / cover. Wrt honoring warranty, They're not very happy about any sort of alterations, and expect strict adherence to their service schedules.
Manual transmission is only available in Base X and Base X premium, neither of which is available in leather.
However- you can get your dealer to install leather for you- typically they use a company called Classic Soft Trim (google for their homepage if you want to get more details). They have the pattern for the 09 Forester on their webpage. They have installers all over the US I am told.
I am getting mine in stick shift and getting leather installed by the dealer. You can finance it along with the rest of the car if you wish. Most dealers here quoted around $1295 for getting leather installed on the Forester. If you do it yourself from Classic Soft Trim after you take delivery, it runs around $1425. Options for 2 tone and perforated leather typically run an additional $25 to $50 each.
Both the standard interior colors can be matched by Classic, and they have a whole palette ot colors to choose from.
My guesstimate is that the dealer's cost from Classic runs around $700- $750-ish. You may be able to go under the $1295 depending on how eager the dealer is for your business.
The vehicle I am planning to buy comes with an accessory called "Carrier Base". I have not been able to find a picture of this anywhere. Looks like it available only on the BaseX- is this the same thing as the pair of raised roof rack rails that is standard on all the other trims?
Just didn't know if i missed it but do the doors unlock automatically when you pull the door handle inside the front doors? I know this happens in other various cars but I didn't know if it had to be programed or Subaru doesn't do this. Also do the doors lock when you reach a certain speed or shift out of park? This is my first subie and didn't know if Subaru had these options.
Picked up our '09 from the dealer to fix the "golf club" rattle and DSMRNO seems to have closest solution. The service manager put down the rear seats and had the tech lay in the back while he drove. From there, they took out each piece of the back end and found the plastic pieces over the rear wheels were the culprit. They removed them and stuffed the area full of insulating material. The noise appears to be gone, but I only had the chance to drive it a short distance. If I get a chance over the weekend I'll give it a more thorough test. Our dealer is a combo Subaru/Acura dealer in the Twin Cities and I have to say they go the "extra mile" to keep their customers happy.
In the XT Limited I drive, The door locks do not appear to respond to door handle pulls. Nor do they lock automatically when the vehicle starts moving.
You have full control over locks via the driver side control buttons, though.
The Malibu Maxx I used to drive did all those automatic functions.
I also added (and I'm gonna get razzed for this ) some foam separators under the rear license plate bottom to keep it from buzzing against the rear hatch. Not at all - in fact this is a great idea.
I had 2 rattles in my van. One was the license plate, which was especially bad when you slammed the hatch shut.
Some foam fixed that.
The 2nd was a coin holder that I had in the cup holder up on the dash. that location was not secure enough for all the weight of the coins, so I moved it to a more secure location and it makes much less noise now.
Any how, look for things that are add-ons to the vehicle - that's often the source of the rattle. Both of mine, in fact.
Thanks for the reply, rmanke. Please keep us updated as to how it works out this weekend. Also, when you say "plastic pieces above the rear wheels" I'm not really sure what you mean. Did the dealer access this from inside the car, or up in the wheel wheel? What I was talking about in my earlier post (but confusingly) was a plastic cover on the floor pan under the car just in front of the rear driver's side wheel.
Anyway, again thanks for the reply. When I take the car in for its first service I want to be able to give them any help possible.
(By the way kurtamaxxxguy, my Forester is also an XT limited, and its curious that you have the same experience of a quieter/tighter car when its been sitting in the sun. Some tolerances must be shrinking with the heat. Oh, and I've also got some foam under my rear plate - seems to make sense to do the quick fixes we can at home, cheesy though they may be ...)
We are going to look at the forester this weekend and the deal is invoice on any car that you choose. I like that deal! Assuming all the numbers are correct we'll be coming home in a new forester and I'll be sure to let you all know about it.
The dealership is Matt Slap Subaru in Newark, Delaware. Not that far for people in PA or MD.
Yet another use for KMG Magic Foam (only on E-Bay) did you say patent pending?I can see it is time to get rid of the duct tape and switch to the 1001 uses of KMG..Kurt great news that there is no problem with your T-Bo...Have a great summer with that picture window M-roof...
So it's been raining a lot up here in CT and I've only had my car for 4 days. Just happened to open my moonroof cover and saw a little drip on the back seal of the moonroof. I called the service guy, i saw him earlier in the day cause they replaced a window cause I found a scratch, and he said there is a drain that goes around the moonroof and drains outside. Can anyone verify this? It's not heavy leaking just like a drop here and there.
I wouldn't open it right after a rain - if it's just a drop or two it may be residual on the seams. Give it time to evaporate, or let the wind blow it off, before you open it.
I have a convertible and my vinyl top takes a couple of hours to truly dry off after a rain fall.
If I fold it before then, it can trap the moisture.
I didn't open the moonroof, I moved the cover underneath so I could look outside. This is when I saw moisture on the seal of the CLOSED moonroof. It had not been opened since I bought the car.
Be sure to sit in a sample vehicle. One such aftermarket treatment I saw, done by (I think) Coachworks, resulted in seats with very stiff seams running right under the driver's rear. The XT-L leather seats don't have this problem.
So I wonder how an X Premium w/ aftermarket leather compares to an LLBean in price/value? Have to look at Edmunds.
I haven't compared them side by side - so can't comment from personal experience.
From the actual product standpoint, Classic Soft Trim lists Subaru as a manufacturer they supply to. One of the Subaru sales persons I was working with compared the Classic Soft Trim cut diagram on their webpage with the LL Bean leather and thought they looked identical (as far as he could tell). His theory was that Classic Soft trim was supplying to the Subaru factory for the LL Bean model.
I am very interested in your comparison - we own a 2005 Outback - 6 cylinder and are thinking of replacing it with an 09 Turbo Forester. What do you mean by "tossible"?Will it tip over?! Do you think we are downgrading by getting a Forester? I realize we would be giving us a nicer interior, climate control, tilt sunroof. Would appreciate any firther comments. Thanks!
Our 98 Forester was more tossable than our 02 Legacy. It has a shorter wheelbase and is a little lighter, with a tighter turning cycle. It just changes directions more easily, seems to fit in to smaller spots, and was easier to park because it's shorter.
No, the Forester doesn't feel like it will tip, just the opposite. What I meant by "tossible" is that the steering, suspension set-up and size allows the Forester to respond very quickly to small steering inputs which, to me, makes it more fun to drive. On the other hand, the '08 Outback I drove (it was a 2.5L) felt heavier, with more of a family sedan feel. Neither one was bad, just different and you need to give each one a thorough try to see what you like.
For perspective, I also have an '09 Camry V6. It's an effortless drive and I like it lot. On the other hand, it's a bit boring and the Forester gives a more connected and athletic feel to the drive. I enjoy both.
Adding to rmanke's descriptions (which mirrored my multiple test drive experiences ):
The '09 Forester XT feels "on top of" the road while the '08 Outback XT or H6 feels "on" the road. The Forester responds with less lean and is far more responsive, either to steering or to throttle input. Forester XT rides more firmly but not harshly, has far more footroom in back seats. Outback is quieter, has plusher trim, more cargo space, and is more "RWD" biased.
Other differences: '09 Foresters have clicks and pops in dashboard and headliner. Several '08 Outbacks I drove had rattles in the dash and considerable drive line slop.
If you like tweaking with engine responsiveness and shifting, the Outback gives you SI drive and the manumatic. The Forester gives you sport shift and manumatic.
Reviewers keep bashing Forester for having only 4-speed Auto, but with turbo the transmission seems well matched to engine and there are few rough shifts and glitches. The cruise control in '09 Forester works well, letting the transmission adjust torque converter ratio as well as shifting to match speed requirements.
Given the H6's changed little over the years, I'd strongly suggest you drive both '08 Outback XT and '09 Forester XT to better understand their differences, and then decide what suits you best.
Given the H6's changed little over the years, I'd strongly suggest you drive both '08 Outback XT and '09 Forester XT to better understand their differences, and then decide what suits you best.
But remember the H6 has smoother accelleration than the turbos. If you drive in a lot of heavy traffic the H6 is a more relaxing drive. I chose it over a Legacy GT for that reason.
The H6 is smooth but it didn't seem very responsive unless the engine was singing along in its upper RPM range. Give it the current Tribeca motor and it would be a whole lot more fun.
Took the 07 CR V back to the dealer. Still some kind of rattle underneath. Took this service mgr. for a ride down a bumpy gravel road and he also heard the rattle. Let's see New Struts/links/bushings Replaced the power steering rack. What next? Do I have any other options?Have taken vehicle took a bigger Honda dealer and he pronounced the vehicle OK .I don't think he was able to test drive it down a gravel bumpy road where the noise is easily recognized. Service mgr. thinks they will take off the underneath shield and take a look. He has no idea! Might have to get hold of the GMaxGuy...
(XT Limited) That's almost all city, short distance, a lot of stop signs and lights--so I don't think that's too bad, also considering it's very early in the break-in process. One thing about having the mpg number right in front of your face is it tends to make you fairly judicious about driving "under the turbo"--the numbers stay high and steady with sedate driving, but when the boost comes in they drop like a piano out a tenth story window.
Love it so far--great ride, comfortable seats, no rattles, great utility, cool giant sunroof--remarkably windfree for the size. The pearl white is really easy to keep clean (at least compared to my black TL). Parked it behind an X3 this morning and looked at both from several angles--no visual clue why the one in front would cost a good $10 G more.
A couple of annoyances: 1) would it be too much to ask for the driver's window to be one touch auto up also? 2) why do the all-weather floor mats only come in black? 3) no temp gauge is really stupid; 4) HID headlights (even as an option) would have been nice, particularly since they're apparently available in Japan. Otherwise, it's exactly what I wanted.
you'll probably do better soon, Redherring1. At 1300 miles, My XT-L got just over 20 mpg for its highway-city mix, and the mileage indicator is now showing 22 or higher on some trips.
Comments
today I was looking again and I noticed that a new base model, which hadn't been on the lot earlier had the Bridgestone tires on it. The rest of the 09s on the lot had the Yokohamas.
Has anyone noticed this? Is it a change? Of could it be that the base model comes with Bridgestone and the premium models come with Yokohama??? :confuse:
Wrt the tank, I've only had to fill it once and didn't check and it wasn't on empty. Btw, I've had a number of vehicles that when the dial was on empty there was still plenty of gas in the tank. Some the dial went well below the E. Unfortunately, the only way to know how low you can go is to run out of gas and then fill it up. Haven't done this (yet).
One possible mistake, though. The climate controls and most of the instrument controls are illuminated with Red lights, at least on the XT Limited w/o Navigation which I have.
Does anyone out there have an XT Limited with Nav that finds their climate controls are lit blue?
Also, the Edmunds pricing compario is odd.
A RAV4 with AWD and V6, equipped lime my XT Limited which was around $30K, is listed as $31,316 on the Toyota site. No way is the XT more expensive.
Exactly what I got--and there was also only one anywhere near me. Was found at a dealer over 90 miles away, and oddly enough was apparently driven to my dealer as the odometer had 106 miles on it at pickup (I thought they'd use a car hauler or flatbed).
I've never had a white car before--my policy has always been not to buy a car in a color major appliances come in--but I had to start from not wanting a black leather interior, which limits the choices a lot (I actually liked the red best, and not sure why it's not offered with the gray interior which would look fine, but it's not). This car will sit outside 24/7, so I don't want a dark color, and I think silver is a little dull. White was pretty much it as a result, and the pearlescent paint is nice and just enough to keep it away from the appliance curse. How was your deal? I got $500 off list and $690 in options thrown in, which I thought was ok considering the popularity and relative rarity of the XT Limited.
Marketing mentality seems to equate Red with Sporty, and that black interiors go with sporty. Only Audi seems to buck that trend.
One thing you may discover - the white exterior keeps the body cool, but not the interior, because the sun shines right through the sunroof and heats up its interior cover. However, I am trying the trick of putting a windshield protector __in the roof__ under the sunroof to bounce the light right back out. In the end I may get sunroof tinted.
Don't miss the 2nd opinion, it's a good summary:
The 2009 Subaru Forester has a low step-in height and capacious headroom (I'm 6-foot-1). The instrument gauges are among the most beautiful I've ever seen, with two shades of blue. Everything within the cabin is well-placed and clearly marked, and outward visibility is great. It's got plenty of cargo room as well. The Forester has real, usable power, and corners relatively flat in spite of its tall stature. Despite some complaints made by others, the four-speed automatic delivers the power just when you need it, and it's actually pretty smooth in the manual shift mode
thanks
You would have to get an X Base or X Premium and have leather dealer installed (probably around $1k).
Subaru didn't sell enough of them.
If you want manual tranny with Turbo in Forester, '08's the only option at moment.
Legacy a little nicer, but Forester more tossable and fun.
This time we're getting the Forester. :shades:
I may have that as well, and suspect it's in the rear seat reclining mechanisms.
As for '08 Outback .vs. '09 Forester, my observations matched yours. Also, the Outback Turbo was far more surgy and less responsive than the Forester, despite Outback's SI Drive, 5-speed manu-matic, etc.
I'm new to this forum. I've been shopping the various '09 Forester models and definitely like the extra knee room I get with the tilt/telescoping steering wheel. The only issue is that I prefer not to get the turbo model and they do not have this available.
Has anyone heard of getting a tilt/telescoping steering wheel after-market? Otherwise, I may wait to 2010 to see if the option becomes available.
Maybe a crazy idea, but thought I'd ask.
Best regards,
BDW
Overall these two "fixes" have reduced what I've been hearing, but not eliminated it. The noises are most noticeable when cold first drive in the morning. When I get in the car at lunch after parking in the sun, there is almost no noise and the car seems to feel noticeably tighter and more upscale. Also, as I stated in an earlier post, these noises don't happen on the freeway - only in city traffic.
In any event, keep us updated. I'd be happier if the car sounded/behaved like it does after its been parked for a while in the sun.
Good thinking--if there was a way to open the sunroof with the slider closed (not sure if there is) you could maybe put some sort of reflective contact material onto the back (up) side of the slider. In any event I'm sure you could do the sunroof tint job yourself--I did it in my '91 SAAB and it looked fine.
My experiences exactly with the XT Limited interior. A warm interior has made for many fewer rattles, clicks and pops.
I also added (and I'm gonna get razzed for this :P ) some foam separators under the rear license plate bottom to keep it from buzzing against the rear hatch.
Wrt honoring warranty, They're not very happy about any sort of alterations, and expect strict adherence to their service schedules.
Kurt
However- you can get your dealer to install leather for you- typically they use a company called Classic Soft Trim (google for their homepage if you want to get more details). They have the pattern for the 09 Forester on their webpage. They have installers all over the US I am told.
I am getting mine in stick shift and getting leather installed by the dealer. You can finance it along with the rest of the car if you wish. Most dealers here quoted around $1295 for getting leather installed on the Forester. If you do it yourself from Classic Soft Trim after you take delivery, it runs around $1425. Options for 2 tone and perforated leather typically run an additional $25 to $50 each.
Both the standard interior colors can be matched by Classic, and they have a whole palette ot colors to choose from.
My guesstimate is that the dealer's cost from Classic runs around $700- $750-ish. You may be able to go under the $1295 depending on how eager the dealer is for your business.
Thanks for your help!
Thanks
I have 09 Forester Premium AT PZEV
Thanks.
You have full control over locks via the driver side control buttons, though.
The Malibu Maxx I used to drive did all those automatic functions.
Not at all - in fact this is a great idea.
I had 2 rattles in my van. One was the license plate, which was especially bad when you slammed the hatch shut.
Some foam fixed that.
The 2nd was a coin holder that I had in the cup holder up on the dash. that location was not secure enough for all the weight of the coins, so I moved it to a more secure location and it makes much less noise now.
Any how, look for things that are add-ons to the vehicle - that's often the source of the rattle. Both of mine, in fact.
Anyway, again thanks for the reply. When I take the car in for its first service I want to be able to give them any help possible.
(By the way kurtamaxxxguy, my Forester is also an XT limited, and its curious that you have the same experience of a quieter/tighter car when its been sitting in the sun. Some tolerances must be shrinking with the heat. Oh, and I've also got some foam under my rear plate - seems to make sense to do the quick fixes we can at home, cheesy though they may be ...)
We are going to look at the forester this weekend and the deal is invoice on any car that you choose. I like that deal! Assuming all the numbers are correct we'll be coming home in a new forester and I'll be sure to let you all know about it.
The dealership is Matt Slap Subaru in Newark, Delaware. Not that far for people in PA or MD.
So far loving the car.
Interesting, this is helpful. So I wonder how an X Premium w/ aftermarket leather compares to an LLBean in price/value? Have to look at Edmunds.
I have a convertible and my vinyl top takes a couple of hours to truly dry off after a rain fall.
If I fold it before then, it can trap the moisture.
I haven't compared them side by side - so can't comment from personal experience.
From the actual product standpoint, Classic Soft Trim lists Subaru as a manufacturer they supply to. One of the Subaru sales persons I was working with compared the Classic Soft Trim cut diagram on their webpage with the LL Bean leather and thought they looked identical (as far as he could tell). His theory was that Classic Soft trim was supplying to the Subaru factory for the LL Bean model.
What do you mean by "tossible"?Will it tip over?!
Do you think we are downgrading by getting a Forester? I realize we would be giving us a nicer interior, climate control, tilt sunroof. Would appreciate any firther comments.
Thanks!
Our 98 Forester was more tossable than our 02 Legacy. It has a shorter wheelbase and is a little lighter, with a tighter turning cycle. It just changes directions more easily, seems to fit in to smaller spots, and was easier to park because it's shorter.
For perspective, I also have an '09 Camry V6. It's an effortless drive and I like it lot. On the other hand, it's a bit boring and the Forester gives a more connected and athletic feel to the drive. I enjoy both.
The '09 Forester XT feels "on top of" the road while the '08 Outback XT or H6 feels "on" the road. The Forester responds with less lean and is far more responsive, either to steering or to throttle input. Forester XT rides more firmly but not harshly, has far more footroom in back seats. Outback is quieter, has plusher trim, more cargo space, and is more "RWD" biased.
Other differences:
'09 Foresters have clicks and pops in dashboard and headliner. Several '08 Outbacks I drove had rattles in the dash and considerable drive line slop.
If you like tweaking with engine responsiveness and shifting, the Outback gives you SI drive and the manumatic. The Forester gives you sport shift and manumatic.
Reviewers keep bashing Forester for having only 4-speed Auto, but with turbo the transmission seems well matched to engine and there are few rough shifts and glitches.
The cruise control in '09 Forester works well, letting the transmission adjust torque converter ratio as well as shifting to match speed requirements.
Given the H6's changed little over the years, I'd strongly suggest you drive both '08 Outback XT and '09 Forester XT to better understand their differences, and then decide what suits you best.
But remember the H6 has smoother accelleration than the turbos. If you drive in a lot of heavy traffic the H6 is a more relaxing drive. I chose it over a Legacy GT for that reason.
One aspect of this is where the torque peaks:
Forester: 226 ft-lbs @ 2800 RPM
Outback XT: 241 ft-lbs @ 3600 RPM
H6: 215 ft-lbs @ 4200 RPM
The best part is that you will be using that torque in everyday driving.
The EPA has not yet put up scores for the 2009 Forester on its web site. They still show the 2008 as the latest model year:
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/findacar.htm
Love it so far--great ride, comfortable seats, no rattles, great utility, cool giant sunroof--remarkably windfree for the size. The pearl white is really easy to keep clean (at least compared to my black TL). Parked it behind an X3 this morning and looked at both from several angles--no visual clue why the one in front would cost a good $10 G more.
A couple of annoyances: 1) would it be too much to ask for the driver's window to be one touch auto up also? 2) why do the all-weather floor mats only come in black? 3) no temp gauge is really stupid; 4) HID headlights (even as an option) would have been nice, particularly since they're apparently available in Japan. Otherwise, it's exactly what I wanted.
Auto up windows would be nice - my van has them.
Though my Miata's power windows don't even have an auto down!
The new ones do.
http://www.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/displayPage.action?pageParameter=modelsSpecs&veh- icleCode=MX5
Bob