This looks like a refresh, not a new model...the interior looks exactly the same and it looks very OUTDATED.
I predict Subaru will have a hard time selling these given the new and current competition.
Literally everything you said above is incorrect.
I think the Forester got rid of the "quirky" image a decade ago (MY2008)
Also disagree. Perhaps in the 2014 redesign, but the 2009-2013 was still pretty faking quirky.
I think those previously willing to put up with Subaru's quirkiness because it's mechanically awesome weren't necessarily strictly thinking turbo and MT and if they were, they were in insignificant numbers in the grand scheme of things.
I reluctantly agree with you here. I'm just livid that I have no new replacement/upgrade option for my wife's car. Hell, I wrote an article about wanting to upgrade with the 2017. It may be smart to pick up a leftover 2018 XT now if I can get a good deal on it.
Canadian Black Book suggests ours is worth $13-15k on trade-in, and $16,400 for private sale. Paid ~$39k taxes in, driven for 7 full years at this point...$3,400/year, compared to $6,500/year based on the lease payments when new. Pretty decent, I'd say. Might be a good time to sell despite having just bought new tires.