The 2008 class of auto models are already being introduced and Subaru is one of the automakers to unveil their 2008 model year lineup. One of the auto models in the Japanese automaker’s lineup is the revised Subaru Forester which has been freshened for the 2008 model year.

The Forester was introduced in the United States auto market as a 1998 model year compact crossover SUV. It is introduced by the Japanese auto

firm in the country as the demand for crossovers increases. Subaru is well-known for their all-wheel drive vehicles and the Forester is one of them. It was actually introduced by the carmaker in the company to compete with other Japanese crossovers.

The Subaru Forester is basically a tall station wagon with an all-wheel drive configuration. It offers SUV and car-like characteristics. Its adequate cargo and cockpit space is one that it takes from a SUV. In terms of handling, on the other hand, it has a car-like steering responsiveness. Since it uses the platform used in the Subaru Impreza, it is not surprising that the handling of the Subaru Forester is better than some of its competitors.

Although billed as a tall station wagon, the Forester has a low center of gravity, thanks to the positioning of its wheels and its suspension setting. This low center of gravity means hat it can execute maneuvers which are commonly found on cars. The downside to this though is that it has limited off-road driving capability. The lowered floor would, of course, be a liability if the Forester is tasked to traverse extreme terrain.

The lack of off-road driving capability though is not a concern to many Forester owners. Majority of those who bought a Subaru Forester do not intend to take the crossover into off-road driving escapades. Its SUV-like flexibility and car-like handling makes it an ideal city car.

As the competition in the crossover segment heats up, the Subaru Forester has been revised by the Japanese automaker for the 2008 model year. The Forester has been designed to take on the challenge of its competitors by equipping it with numerous standard features aside from being offered in many variants. The number of variants offered by Subaru gives consumers a better field to choose a Forester which will complement their needs in a vehicle.

An example of the changes made by Subaru to the Forester is the introduction of a turbocharged engine. A turbocharged version of the Forester gives it the power attributed to upscale cars while having the flexibility of an SUV. Aside from this, Subaru also reengineered some Subaru Forester parts which rival other Japanese vehicles in terms of reliability and function.

The current version of the Forester is the second generation of the compact crossover SUV. It was last redesigned for the 2003 model year and since Subaru has not redesigned it for this year, it is expected that this will be the last model year for the current generation of the Forester. It can be expected that a better Forester is already in the works for the Japanese automak