Apart from the ones mentioned by Revvmaster, I can think of some more reasons that could have caused the Forester's "failure".
1. The Forester dosen't look like a proper SUV. Indians have yet to accept the concept of crossovers. The Endeavour certianly has a more striking presence.
2. The Forester dosen't have a diesel option. For a car like this to be successful, a diesel option is a must. Look around and you'll hardly see any any stationwagons that run on petrol. Even the Adventure, Swing and Altura are pretty rare.
3. Most people who buy a car that costs as much as a Forester don't drive themselves. So they don't really know what handling is all about. The car's rear seat isn't that great either.
4. How many people who are rich enough to afford a Forester would really go offroading? Hardly any. So no one really cares about its offroad capabilities.
Addressing these points is vital if one wants to survive in a market as difficult as India. Like Revvmaster, I've always loved the Forester, but, just two admiring guys in a country of 1 billion are not gonna be enough.
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