The Subaru Forester, well known as a durable and eminently functional compact sport utility vehicle, adds more power, more room, more safety features and a retuned suspension for 2014.

The new, fourth-generation Forester also has higher fuel economy ratings than its predecessor – 24 miles per gallon in city driving and 32 mpg on the highway with base, 170-horsepower, four-cylinder engine and fuel-efficient continuously variable transmission (CVT).

As a result, the 2014 Forester ranks as fifth best SUV nameplate in fuel economy in the United States among gasoline-only-powered SUVs, according to the federal government.

Better yet, the new Forester is rated best small SUV by Consumer Reports, where predicted reliability is above average.

Styling is new, too, though casual observers may not notice the Forester’s freshened exterior and the fact the turbo scoop is gone from the hoods of turbocharged models that now have 250 horsepower, up from 224.

But they will notice the commodious 41.7 inches of legroom that’s now in the Forester’s back seat. This is more legroom than is found in the front seats of the big Cadillac Escalade SUV. Front seats in the new Forester aren’t short-changed. They provide a generous 43 inches of legroom plus at least 40 inches of headroom, even when there’s a sunroof overhead.

The space inside the Forester, including a 10 per cent boost in maximum cargo room for 2014, is surprising for a 15-foot-long vehicle that has grown lengthwise less than 1.5 inches from its predecessor.

Base retail price for the new Forester in the US is up slightly from the 2013 Forester’s $22,090 for a manual transmission model.

Specifically, a base, 2014 Forester with five-speed manual and basically the same 2.5-litre, horizontally opposed four-cylinder that was in last year’s model has a starting manufacturer’s suggested retail price, including destination charge, of US$22,820. The lowest starting retail price, including destination charge, for a 2014 Forester with CVT, which a driver operates like an automatic, is US$23,820.

All Foresters come standard with all-wheel drive. No automatic transmission is offered in 2014 models.

The Forester is a trailblazer in blending a car-like ride with sport utility looks.

But where other so-called crossover SUVs have become larger and added third-row seats, the 2014 Forester with new underlying platform keeps its not-too-big shape and seats for five.

Increased interior room, such as maximum cargo room that’s now 74.7 cubic feet with rear seats folded compared with 68.3 cubic feet in the 2013 Forester, comes from paying attention to the details.

As an example, a flatter cargo floor helped add cargo space, while revised hip points on the seats contribute to greater legroom, and the middle passenger in the rear has a more comfortable resting spot as the centre tunnel in the floor is now lower.

– AP