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In May 2008, the last time we compared the crop of naturally aspirated four-cylinder compact crossovers, the all-new third-generation Subaru Forester handily conquered the likes of Honda CR-V, Nissan Rogue, Saturn VUE, and Toyota RAV4. Fluke? Hardly. The small-but-stout Subaru exclusive went on to snatch our desirable 2009 Sport/Utility of the Year award. Since those victories, however, the Forester has happily basked in its laurels and evolved, um, not at all. Under the sheetmetal shack the same 2.5-liter, 170-horse flat-four, the same four-speed automatic, and the same AWD system. Conversely, the elector field has since been remake with newborn and updated players. The RAV4, for instance, received a power bump from 166 horses to 179, and the CR-V's pony count rose from 166 to 180. Then there are the newborn kids on the block: GM's fraternal twins, Chevy Equinox and GMC Terrain, and Hyundai's second-gen Tucson. The General's offspring intend 182 direct-injected horses ...

In May 2008, the last time we compared the crop of naturally aspirated four-cylinder compact crossovers, the all-new third-generation Subaru Forester handily conquered the likes of Honda CR-V, Nissan Rogue, Saturn VUE, and Toyota RAV4. Fluke? Hardly. The small-but-stout Subaru exclusive went on to snatch our desirable 2009 Sport/Utility of the Year award. Since those victories, however, the Forester has happily basked in its laurels and evolved, um, not at all. Under the sheetmetal shack the same 2.5-liter, 170-horse flat-four, the same four-speed automatic, and the same AWD system. Conversely, the elector field has since been remake with newborn and updated players. The RAV4, for instance, received a power bump from 166 horses to 179, and the CR-V's pony count rose from 166 to 180. Then there are the newborn kids on the block: GM's fraternal twins, Chevy Equinox and GMC Terrain, and Hyundai's second-gen Tucson. The General's offspring intend 182 direct-injected horses ...