Consumer Reports announces the 2015 People's Pick
Subaru dominates this year's Facebook face-off
Winner: Subaru Outback (25 percent)
The redesigned Subaru Outback hits a sweet spot, with refined manners, benchmark safety scores, available advanced safety equipment, easy-to-use infotainment system, and ample passenger and cargo space. Factor in standard all-wheel drive and respectable fuel economy, and you have an SUV alternative that the people feel is a true winner. Several commenters wrote that they love theirs, and Robin Siegel explained that "It's practical, goes through most anything, and can haul as much as I've ever wanted while keeping it out of the weather." The Outback won last year with our inaugural People's Pick contest, and this repeat performance shows that its standing was no fluke.
Second place: Subaru Forester (24 percent)
In the crowded, and popular, small SUV segment, the Subaru Forester stands tall. Literally. Its positives include large windows, big doors, an excellent driving position, and unusually spacious rear seating. In our tests, the 2.5-liter four-cylinder and continuously variable transmission averaged an impressive 26 mpg overall. Plus, the Forester has an excellent rating for predicted reliability, owner satisfaction, owner costs, and accident avoidance. And it gets top marks from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) across its suite of crash tests. Commenter Celinda Woodworth Figgins captured the essence, writing, "I just bought a Forrester this past fall. I am extremely happy with it!"
