The Subaru Forester has proven itself many times over, with its stable and secure handling, unsurpassed all-wheel-drive capabilities, and good price with good fuel mileage. There's excellent room and convenience inside, especially for a compact SUV, so passengers, families and cargo are all happy. Forester XT models use a familiar turbocharged engine with potent power, while the X models use a new 2.5-liter DOHC engine that has yet to prove its reliability.

For 2011, the Subaru Forester Touring marks the top-of-the-line. Premium and Limited trims upgrade equipment such as sound systems and get all the right electronic stuff.

Every model but the base Subaru Forester 2.5X now comes with Bluetooth.