The Subaru Forester is a popular crossover vehicle that has been in production since 1998. Over the years, it has undergone several redesigns and updates, with new engines, safety features, and styling tweaks.

In 2004, the Forester XT was introduced, which featured a turbocharged 2.5-liter EJ255 Boxer-4 engine, producing 210 horsepower. This engine was also used in the Subaru WRX, but in a more understated package. The Forester XT was a great option for drivers who wanted the performance of the WRX without the sporty looks.

For those who lived in Japan in 2004, there was an even more exciting option - the Forester STI. This model featured a turbocharged engine producing 265 horsepower, with six-speed manual transmission and MOMO-designed accessories. The Forester STI was a true performance vehicle that could handle rough roads and slippery conditions.

The third generation of the Forester arrived in 2009, designed by Mamoru Ishii. It had a more mainstream look, but still maintained its reputation for safety and reliability. The same engines were carried forward with the XT model, producing 225 horsepower.

In 2014, the fourth generation of the Forester was introduced, with a facelift and increased interior space. The 2.5 XT became the 2.0 XT, with a two-liter engine producing 250 horsepower. This was also the first time that Subaru's X mode feature was added to the Forester.

The latest generation of the Forester arrived in 2019, with a focus on safety, comfort, and practicality. The new sport trim featured orange and black accents, but there wasn't much else sporty about it. However, this didn't stop Subaru from unveiling a brand-new Forester STI concept, featuring a hybrid E boxer engine, STI suspension, and big 19-inch aluminum wheels.

We would like to give a shoutout to our friends at Evett's Model Shop, who have been a part of the car community for many years. As small businesses struggle to survive in tough times, we encourage you to support them by donating or buying their model kits, RC cars, and other products. Evett's has been around since 1948 and is a place where kids can dream big.

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WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: en- When you wanna hit the dirt roads,but you wanna be a littledifferent, what do you get?(engine revving)When you wanna blow the doors off a Camaroin your turbo chargedall wheel drive sleeper,what do you get?(engines revving)They made one fore'erybody, from Vermont momsto so Cal surfer dudesto liberal arts professorsand Overlanders.This is everything you needto know to get up to speedon the Subaru (vocalizing) Forester.You're the man now, dog.(electronic music)It's the mid '90s,people were wearing Fubuand Levi's Silvertab jeans.Dear Mama by Tupac Shakur was blastingout of my dad's car as hepulled away from me and my mom.Ironic, don't you think?It's like rain...SUVslike the Jeep Cherokeeand the Ford Explorer werealready hugely popular.And Subaru didn't make anything like that.They made weird looking, totally rad stufflike the SVX.It's got a freaking race car window in it.But smaller, car based crossover SUVswere starting to take off.Subaru's Legacy Outbackwas beginning to selland Honda CRVs and ToyotaRAV4s were taking oversmall parking lots.And it's no wonder, theyboth came with picnic tablesin the back.I love picnics, I hate ants.You wanna go to a picnic?Hello?The RAV4 might not havecome with a picnic table.Portable furniture aside, peoplepreferred the car like fueleconomy and the car like handlingover the truckiness ofthe body on frame SUVsof the time.Subaru product planners took notice.Hey Mitch, what if we put the boxy wagononto a small car platformand jack the ride heightup a little bit?Dude, I freakin' love how you think.Dude, we can make an STI version.We should.Yeah, but let's not send it to America.Yeah dude, (beeping) them.So like Steph Curry, they took this shot.Subaru debuted a forestcolored Impreza based conceptcalled the Streega at the1995 Tokyo Motor Show.When it finally launched as a '98 model,they had changed the nameto the appropriatelyoutdoorsy sounding Forester.The new crossover had a tall greenhousewith huge windows alongwith a high seating positionthat gave people the visibility they likedabout SUVs without all the bulk.And because it had a lowcar like center of gravity,also due to the nice low boxer engine,it was way less likely to roll overespecially compared to thenotoriously tippy flippyFord Explorers of the day.(tires screeching)It did so well in safetytests that it was the onlycrossover not required tohave a rollover warningon the sun visor.Under the hood the firstgeneration Forestergot the sweet (beeping)turbo charged two liter EJ20Gboxer engine, making 250HRSPRS, hallelujah, yeah.Sike, we didn't get that,only Japan got that.Every time I believesomebody, they break my heart.American Foresters got theOutback's 2.5 liter EJ25boxer four with 165 naturally aspiratedforest dwelling, oat eating horse puppies.And every car camestandard with a five speedmanual transmission,hallelujah, save the manual.Subaru also doubled down onpeople's love of traction.So unlike the Impreza at the time,every Forester came with all wheel drive.(engine revving)The S trims got a sportierfiscus limited slip dipand 16 inch alloy wheelsbecause S always standsfor sport, you silly goose.- Gimme some of this.- There were dealer option packagesthat added even more rugged stuff,like a brush guard and arear differential skid plateto protect your rear dipfrom rocks and stumps,and for you geeks outthere, there was a dash topgauge pack with an altimeter, a barometer,and a digital compass.How sick is that?Back in the wagon booty therewas almost 65 cubic feetof cargo space.This thing could haul stuff.It didn't haul much (beeping) yet.(engines revving)In the year 2000 Japan startedto get sportier Forestervariance with suspensionmods, bigger brakes,and a body kit.Subaru made 800 of thesuper limited STI2 type Mswith gold BBS wheels and an ECU too goodfor a 5.8 zero to 60.Meanwhile the U.S. SubaruForester was affordable,practical, safe, and capable.The automotive press lovedit with heavy hitterslike Consumer Reports and Car and Drivercalling it the best small SUV.But the new millenniumdawned, grunge music was outand Subaru still wasn'tselling a whole heck of a lotof cars in America.Subaru was competing against giantslike Honda, Toyota, and Ford.And they were losing.They desperately needed more buyers.They hired an ad company, Wieden+Kennedyto make them look cool.Those are the guys who cameup with just do it for Nike.But after a year ofpaying out mucho dineroto those mad men, Subaruactually saw a decrease in sales.So they hired a smallerfirm, Mulryan Nash,who said they could figureout how to sell the Foresterto a new niche market.The new guys startedby looking into who was buying their cars.As one would assume, theirall wheel drive vehicleswere selling well in placeslike the Pacific north westand up in New England.That makes sense,it's snowy and rainy inthose places, what else?But what was less expected than thatwas that around 80% ofthe buyers in those placeswere women, and after acouple focus group Q and As,they confirmed that most of the peoplebuying Foresters were lesbians.I know nowadays it's something of a clichebut it's true, LGBT womenwere four times more likelyto own a Subaru than any othersegment of the population.Now Mulryan Nash specializedin niche advertising,and here's what they came up with.Their first print ad featured a Subaruclimbing over a rock andproclaimed it loves camping,dogs and long term commitment.Too bad it's only a car.And their sales took off.They featured slogansthat still sounded goodif you didn't know, butthey gave a subtle winkto the underserved, extremelyloyal consumer base.In 2000 Subaru hired MartinaNavratilova to appearwith Foresters onbillboards, in magazines,and in commercials.This wasn't a subtle nodin print with Xena loveron the license plate,which they did before.This was network TV.Some buyers and dealers pushed back,but money talks and losers walk.This ad campaign which nowadays is taughtin marketing classes,skyrocketed Forester's salesand effectively saved Subaru.(tires screeching)The second generation2003 Forester came outlooking almost exactlythe same as the first,only now it had a new rear endwith triangle-y headlights.It was nailing every crash testand earning top safety ratings.You know the kind of thingspeople are concerned about,but more importantly the Forester XTfinally hauled (beeping) intoAmerican dealerships in 2004.Under the newly scoopedhood was a turbo charged2.5 liter EJ255 Boxer-4making 210 buff horseswith a ton of turbo capability.(engine revving)Now drivers who wanted allthe performance of the WRXin a more business likeunderstated packagecould walk into a dealershipand buy a Forester XT.If you were lucky enoughto live in Japan in 2004,you could get this awesome Forester STI.Subaru was dead set on making the fastestmean looking Forester ever.(engine revving)Little powerhouse cranked out 265 hrsprs,let you shift through six gears.It comes with MOMO stuff.Smash that like buttonso I know how many of youlike MOMO stuff.And while we're over here lamentingabout how we never getanything good from Japanin the states, if yougot a U.S. Forester XTSTI parts bolt right on.And there was an added bonus,it was much easier to slip past the copsin the boxy Fosy, than itwas to rumble by in a Rexwith a big wave.(siren blaring)The totally new third genForester came out in 2009designed by Mamoru Ishii.It started to look like the crossoverit always was deep down inside.The same engines carriedforward with the XTnow pouring out 225 back country horses.The Forester's new mainstream looksand a rap sheet for being super safepushed sales higher than they'd ever been.(tires screeching)2014 saw the debut ofthe fourth gen Foresterwith a pretty mild face liftand even more interior space.The 2.5 XT became the 2.0 XTwith a two liter, fourbanger making 250 hrs prs.The five speed manual wasreplaced with a new six speedunit, but you couldn't get it with a turbofor some reason.On the plus side this wasthe Forester's first timegetting Subaru's X mode,which works with the all wheel driveand stability control tohandle the trickiest off roadand slippery situation.(engine revving)The brand new fifth gen Forestercame out this year, 2019.And of course it's bigger, more comfy,and safe as can be.There's a new sport trim sporting orangeand black accents, butthere's not much else sportyabout that one.The days of boosted ForesterXTs are dead and gone for now.And if you're lamenting theloss of a hatchback STI,Subarbu unveiled a brandnew Forester STI concept.It features a new E boxer hybrid engine,all the STI suspensiongoodies you'd expect.Big old 19 inch aluminum wheelsand six piston Brembos in the front.It's a bad ass lookingbeast that will remind youof the no nonsense rootsthat helped the Forestersave your favorite car company.(engine revving)Guys, I wanna give a big shoutout to some of our favoritedudes around, Evett's Model Shop.Times are tough for smallbusinesses right nowand Evett's is trying hard to survive.But rent is getting out of control.They may have to shut downif they don't get help,and you may have seen these guysin our video where we madea 124 scale drift missileor more recently theyhelped us put togetherour Bugatti drone that went41 miles per (screeching).If you have a second, pleasego donate to their Indiegogoin the link below or gobuy a cool ass model kit,an RC car or a helicopter at their storeif you live near Santa Monica.They've been around since 1948.Every time I walk inthere I feel like a kidand now I'm an adult with a jobso I can finally get all the stuffthat my dad said I couldn'tbuy when I was a little kid.Places like this don't existand we need to keep them around.So anything you can do to help them,they're really great friends of ours.I love you.Thanks for watching Up to Speed.We make one of these every week.Hit that subscribe buttonso you don't miss any.Smash that like button 'causeI wanna be on the trendingpage and I don't know how to do it.You wanna buy a Donut shirt?Go to DonutMedia.com.Let us know what cars youwanna see down in the comments,follow me on Instagram at James Pumphrey,follow Donut at Donut Media.Check out these episodes.