Decent fuel mileage, sportier looks distinguish 2009 edition of Subaru's compact sport utility

The biggest assignment for Subaru dealers in the Southeast is getting word out to car buyers. The brand is well-known on the West Coast and the North for its standard all-wheel-drive and innovative safety features. But the carmaker has faced more of an uphill climb in areas where it rarely snows and there are few big hills to negotiate.

Publicity helps, however. And when it comes from an independent respected national source, that's really good news. Subaru managers were quick to note that Consumer Reports last month named the 2009 Forester sport utility vehicle as its top-rated small SUV.

"It's a whole new body style for '09," said Thomas "Coach" Blanco, general manager of Johnny's Subaru Isuzu of Charleston. The Forester has a more contemporarily styled interior, he said. The five-seater model gets a respectable 26 miles per gallon on the highway and 20 mpg in the city. Smaller sport utility vehicles as a group are grabbing market share that once belonged to the big SUV's. "You see them (small SUV's) more and more," he said.

Read more in tomorrow's editions of The Post and Courier.