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| - The Forester was introduced at the Tokyo Motor Show November 1995 as the "Sutoriga" (Stalker) concept, and made available for sale February 1997 in Japan, and to the US market in 1998 using the Impreza platform but with the larger 2.5 liter DOHC EJ25D four-cylinder boxer engine from the Outback, making hp (kW) at 5600 rpm and lb·ft ( N·m) of torque at 4000 rpm. In Japan, the Forester replaced the Subaru Impreza Gravel Express, known in the USA as the Subaru Outback Sport. The Forester appeared after the introduction of the Nissan Rasheen in Japan with a similar appearance, and the Forester's Japanese competitors include the Toyota RAV4, the Honda CR-V, and the Suzuki Grand Vitara. The name "forester" is meant to imply the vehicle is "of the forest". Due to the Forester's low center of gravity, it meets the United States federal safety standards for Passenger Vehicles, and does not require a risk of rollover warning label on the driver's visor. Size and price wise it fits between the shared Impreza platform, and the larger Legacy. As with all Subaru models marketed in the United States and other international markets since the early 1990s, the Forester is equipped with an all-wheel drive drivetrain. Subaru advertising employed the slogan "SUV tough, Car Easy" to appeal to the SUV-oriented market; and to this end, the Forester from its inception had features associated with SUVs such as a large, space-efficient cargo area, higher h-point seating and more ground clearance while based on unibody rather than body-on-frame construction. In some sense, the Forester met the criteria of the term crossover before the term appeared. However, the Forester is still referred to as a station wagon. The Forester, up until the end of the GM partnership, was sold in India as a Chevrolet alongside other unique Chevrolet models sold there. However since General Motors no longer holds an ownership stake in Subaru's parent company, Fuji Heavy Industries, sales in India of the Chevrolet-badged Forester have ended. The Forester is produced at the Gunma Yajima Factory in Japan. The automatic transmissions used on AWD equipped vehicles will normally send 90% of the engines torque to the front wheels and 10% to the rear wheels, using a computer controlled, continuously variable, multi-plate transfer clutch. When the transmission detects a speed difference of greater than 20% between the front and rear axle sets, the transmission progressively sends power to the rear wheels. Under slip conditions it can achieve an equal split in front and rear axle speeds. When accelerating or driving uphill, the vehicles weight shifts rearward, reducing front wheel traction, causing the transmission to automatically send torque to the rear wheels to compensate. When braking or driving downhill, the vehicle's weight shifts towards the front, reducing rear wheel traction. The transmission again compensates by sending torque to the front wheels for better steering control and braking performance. If the automatic is placed in reverse or first gear, the transmission divides the torque 50-50 to both front and rear wheels., and it constantly varying the ratio depending on driving and road conditions. The manual transmission cars are setup with a near 50/50 torque split as a base setting, and it varied from there. Essentially, the manual cars are set up with more bias towards the rear than the automatic cars. The trim levels were the basic model, followed by the "L" and the fully equipped "S" for the USA versions. Forester L comes with a high level of standard equipment, including ABS, air conditioning, power windows, power locks, cruise control, digital temp gauge, multi-reflector halogen headlights, fog lights, roof rack, rear window defogger, trailer harness connector, reclining front bucket seats with adjustable lumbar support, tilt steering, tinted glass, AM/FM/cassette stereo with its antenna laminated in the left-rear quarter window, and last but not least, 24-hour roadside assistance. Notably new in 2001 are the three-point seatbelts for all five seating positions, including force limiters in front and height-adjustable shoulder belt anchors for front and rear outboard positions, plus rear seat headrests for all three seating positions. Forester S adds a viscous limited-slip differential, rear disc brakes, 16 x 6.5-inch alloy wheels with 215/60R16 tires (the L uses 15 x 6-inch steel wheels), upgraded moquette upholstery, heated front seats with net storage pockets in back, dual vanity mirrors, heated sideview mirrors and keyless entry. New equipment for 2001 includes Titanium pearl paint for the bumpers and cladding; 6-disc in-dash CD sound system; leather-wrapped steering wheel, shift knob and handbrake handle; variable intermittent wipers with de-icers and driver’s side fin; and the five-spoke alloy wheels. Some models were equipped with the $1000 optional premium package on the Forester S, including monotone paint (Sedona Red Pearl), power moonroof, front side-impact airbags, and gold accent wheels. Other options were the $800 automatic transmission, $39 chrome tailpipe cover and $183 auto dimming rearview mirror with compass, bringing the sticker price to $25,412 including $495 delivery (USA dollars quoted).
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