The 2.5 XT sports a few external enhancements that leave little doubt at what's beneath the skin. First and foremost is its functional hood scoop. Body-color door handles and side cladding improve the look too, while body-color and aluminum roof rail mounts give the SUV an upscale demeanor, the latter finish tying in the distinctive 6-spoke alloy wheels. A chrome tailpipe caps everything off.

The 2.5 XT sports a few external enhancements that leave little doubt as to what's beneath the skin, first and foremost being its functional hood scoop. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press)

While style might get potential customers to the dealership, the Forester's safety benefits could be the deciding factor in signing on the dotted line. Like the first generation Forester, the recently redesigned model gets the highest rating possible for crashworthiness in 40 mph (60 km/h) frontal offset crash tests by the U.S. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). For this reason the IIHS designated the Forester a "best pick."

The Forester 2.5 XT, with its sporty driving dynamics, stunning good looks and well equipped standard list of features, is a major winner in my books. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press)

Some of the reasons it fares so well are standard dual-stage front airbags and front seat head/chest side impact airbags. What's more, the Forester 2.5 XT includes front seatbelt pretensioners with force limiters and upper-trim head impact protection. Subaru even includes front-seat active head restraints to reduce the possibility of whiplash injury in a rear-ender.

In the end I only have one complaint, the price. It's the only complaint I hear from anyone considering the brand. At $35,995 base, the 2.5 XT gets close to the much larger Toyota Highlander. I'm not saying that the Toyota is necessarily better, but in today's market bigger and more powerful means additional value, and it's hard to argue with that. An upgrade is available offering leather seats and trim for $37,595, with only one option left, the $1,100 automatic transmission boosting the price up to a total of $38,695.