Should I buy a new or used Subaru Forester?

We just finished testing the redesigned 2014 Subaru Forester 2.5i Premium, and the overall test score for the popular small SUV shows it did not disappoint. In fact, it outscored the previous Forester 2.5X Premium by eight points. But, is buying used the smarter move?

Subaru focused on the fundamentals for 2014, with a space-efficient design, large windows, and big square doors. The Forester has the easiest access among its peers, along with the best view out of almost any vehicle, and one of the roomiest rear seats in the class, with copious head and leg room. Plus, the 2014 Subaru Forester is the first small SUV to ace the tough new Insurance Institute for Highway Safety crash test.

By adapting various fuel-efficient technologies, like replacing the antiquated four-speed automatic for a continuously-variable-transmission (CVT), the new Forester now delivers 26 mpg overall and 35 mpg on the highway. That's a big jump over the previous generation's 22 mpg overall rating, giving it exceptional efficiency for a non-hybrid SUV. We also like that our mid-trim Forester 2.5i Premium has a power seat and a backup camera--handy features that some similarly priced competitors lack.

Not all changes were improvements. The ride used to be calm and cushy, but it is now rather firm and jittery. Handling is responsive and secure but it is not as agile as the Ford Escape, Mazda CX-5, or Toyota RAV4. (Read: "Should I buy a new or used Toyota RAV4?")

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Regardless how the brochure may read, this Subaru remains behind the curve for infotainment, especially in areas of wireless Bluetooth phone pairing and audio streaming. Voice commands with Bluetooth are cumbersome and unintuitive, and the optional navigation system's touch-screen controls are small, fussy, and downright cryptic.