Recall Alert: 2014 Subaru Forester

Well that didn't take very long. The redesigned-for-2014 Forester has been on sale for only a few weeks, but it's already being recalled. Subaru is recalling 10,137 units of the compact crossover due to problems with the floormats, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The affected vehicles were manufactured from January through March 2013 (check your vehicle's build date on a sticker on the driver-side doorjamb) and use floormats that weren't properly manufactured. According to NHTSA, they could curl if exposed to heat and could interfere with brake and accelerator pedal operation, increasing the risk of a crash.

Subaru will notify affected owners before the month's end, and dealers will replace all four floormats for free. Owners can call Subaru at 800-782-2783 or NHTSA's vehicle safety hotline at 888-327-4236 for more info.

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2014 Subaru Forester Video

In terms of power, fuel economy, comfort and practicality, the completely redesigned 2014 Subaru Forester can compete with the best in its class. Where the compact SUV plays its trump card, says Cars.com reviewer and two-time Subaru owner David Thomas, is offering standard all-wheel drive at a starting price less than $24,000 for the 170-horsepower four-cylinder version. If you like those numbers, avoid test driving — or falling in love with — the 250-horsepower, turbocharged 2.0-liter XT model. While it is a blast to drive, Thomas says, it'll also set you back an extra $5,000.

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2014 Subaru Forester Starts at $22,820

Although it may not look like it, Subaru's compact crossover is redesigned; subtly updated exterior styling joins a new turbocharged engine and a slightly higher starting price for 2014. When the new Forester goes on sale later this year, it'll start at $22,820, including an $825 destination charge, making it one of the most affordable compact crossovers on the market.

Standard all-wheel drive returns for 2014. Powering the base Forester is last year's 170-horsepower, 2.5-liter four-cylinder teamed to a six-speed manual or continuously variable automatic transmission. Subaru estimates the 2.5-liter should see 24/32 mpg city/ highway, up from the 2013 model's EPA rating of 21/27 mpg. The automaker says the new compact leads the segment in all-wheel-drive fuel economy.

2014 Subaru Forester Video

While video might not do this car justice, seeing the redesigned 2014 Subaru Forester in person tips the scales in its favor. Cars.com reviewer Joe Wiesenfelder says the small SUV has aggressive exterior styling with a roomy interior and modern features. A direct-injected 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine on the 2.0 XT model boosts horsepower and torque considerably, though fuel efficiency is diminished.

More 2012 L.A. Auto Show Coverage

All that, in addition to the Forester's first-ever power liftgate, makes the SUV one Wiesenfelder looks forward to driving. Check out the video below.

Year-End Deal Reality Check: Subaru

Many major retailers are parading their best deals to boost year-end sales, and automakers are no exception. This means the year’s end can be one of the best times to buy a new car, and if it’s a Subaru, donate to charity as well.

Subaru’s offer includes a good deal for buyers and a chance to do a little good for others. Its "Share the Love" event means qualified buyers can get zero-percent financing, pay no money down on most 2012 Subaru vehicles and the automaker will make a charitable donation in the buyer’s name.

After making your new-car purchase, Subaru will donate $250 to your choice of four charities. The organizations include American Forests, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Meals on Wheels and the Special Olympics. So far, Subaru has given almost $15 million to the charities during the last three years.

The zero-percent offer is good on all Subaru vehicles except the redesigned Impreza, though WRX models qualify for zero-percent financing. Instead, qualified Impreza shoppers can take advantage of a 1.9% financing deal. The 2012 Impreza starts at $17,495, excluding a $750 destination charge. Share the Love cannot be combined with any other offers and ends Jan. 3, 2012.

Subaru Adds Charity to Latest Incentives

It’s probably safe to assume that charitable donations decrease in tough economic times. But the end of the year is coming, and people still searching for a way to give back this holiday season now have an option they might not have previously considered: Have Subaru do your giving for you.

During December, every Subaru purchase will come with a $250 donation to the customer’s charity of choice. That extra little bonus comes on top of regular incentives, like 3.9% financing on a 2009 Subaru Impreza for 36 months, or between $1,500 and $2,000 cash back on a 2009 Outback. It’s called the “Share The Love Event,” and we’ll give credit where it’s due: That’s a way better name than “Shop Till You Drive.” It’s not such a bad idea for a sale, either, even if we’re sure some customers will name their own wallets as their “charity of choice.”

Be sure to check Subaru’s zip-code-based site for deals in your region. Offers expire Jan. 2.

End-of-the-Model-Year Deals: Subaru

Our review of model-year-end deals continues with Subaru. The company has made some changes to the Impreza lineup for 2009, which you can read about here, but that might not stop you from picking up a 2008 model. The 2009 Forester is all-new as well, and you can check out coverage — including video and reviews — here. Deals as found on Subaru's zip-code-based incentives site are listed below and are good through Sept. 2.

• 2008 Impreza: 0.0% financing
• 2008 Outback: $1,500 cash back
• 2008 Tribeca: $2,500 cash back (in limited regions)
• 2008 Forester: $740-$2,000 cash back plus 0.0% financing
• 2008 Legacy: $1,000 plus 0.0% financing

Again, the deals are based on zip codes, so check your area for specific deals.

Subaru Special Offers

GM's Car-Based Future

GM is slashing production of pickups and SUVs, but its showrooms will be far from empty.

The company has approved plans to add more cars and crossovers over the next 18 to 24 months to lure customers back into the GM fold.

GM chairman Rick Wagoner told employees during a special closed-circuit televised meeting Tuesday that, while truck output is being cut by 300,000 units by the end of 2009 in response to high gas prices and reduced consumer interest, several new cars and crossovers are being added to make up for the losses.

He said 18 of the next 19 product introductions at GM will be cars or crossovers.

2009 Subaru Forester Tops Consumer Reports List

Consumer Reports recently reviewed a number of small SUVS, and the overall winner was none other than the all-new Subaru Forester, which we recently reviewed here. The Forester impressed CR so much it unseated the Toyota RAV4 as the magazine’s top-rated compact SUV by earning a slightly higher road-test score.

CR also tested the Nissan Rogue and Mitsubishi Outlander this time out. The company had previously tested the RAV4 and Honda CR-V, which ranked sixth among compact SUVs. While the Rogue scored well, it wasn’t “recommended” by CR. To get the recommendation, a car must either score above-average in reliability or have predicted high reliability. The Rogue is an all-new model and thus has no reliability figure.

In the case of the Mitsubishi Outlander, CR says it has shown outstanding reliability in its first year since its redesign. Because of a long history of solid reliability, the new Forester is predicted to also have above-average reliability and thus earns the “recommended” nod.

We always thought the Outlander was a sporty and affordable compact SUV, but worried about issues like reliability. Hearing such positive findings by CR definitely boosts its standing in the field. 

Subaru Forester leaps ahead (ConsumerReports)

Subaru and L.L.Bean Part Company

After an eight-year relationship, Subaru and L.L.Bean, a retailer of high-end outdoor gear, have had an amicable split, Subaru spokesman Dominick Infante said.

"The decision to part was mutual. We both decided it was time and made sense to go our own way,” he said. “L.L.Bean is a great company, but we wanted to expand our own brand appeal."

The marriage of L.L.Bean's rugged-outdoors line of clothing and accessories and the equally strong rugged-outdoors image of an all-wheel-drive Subaru might have made sense in 2000, but it was time to attract a few more city slickers, Infante said.

"We have been doing very well on the East Coast and in ski states, but want to expand more into sunshine states like Texas, Florida and California," he said. We think Subaru has far outpaced L.L.Bean in terms of name identity among consumers.

So, starting in July, the L.L.Bean Outback and Forester will become Limited models instead. There will still be L.L.Bean editions of the Forester and Outback available at dealerships until all are sold. The redesigned 2009 Forester L.L.Bean went on sale just this past April.