My favorite Subaru is back, with a new set of clothes and fresh make-up for the 2009 model year. But are the changes enough to keep the Forester in the hunt for consumers' small SUV dollars?

Probably. The new Forester is a compelling vehicle that has a lot going for it, not that it didn't already. Its new body style is handsome, with a grille that reminds me of the Tribeca (which, on the other hand, reminded me of a Chrysler Pacifica, though the Forester's is less like that).

The '09 Forester looks quite a bit bigger than the retired lumberjack whose job has just been outsourced to it. Actually, it's only about three inches longer and less than two inches wider, which makes Forester Nouveau just a tad smaller than the Toyota Rav4 and a bit longer, but narrower, than the Honda CR-V. And... // The Conservative Voice