2014 Subaru Forester keeps the winning streak alive

In a year that features a lot of insecure hand wringing and "please like us" attitude from manufacturers, Subaru entered the L.A. Auto Show with the strut of a team that's clinched its division with weeks to spare. There was no "up 21 percent from previous third quarter sales in 2010" nonsense. This company is setting sales records, with hard numbers -- and the 2014 Subaru Forester doesn't seem like it's going to break the streak.

Not only does it look great—and a turbo model, with a much more streamlined front end, looks really great—but it also gets 24 miles per gallon in city and 32 mpg highway, damn solid numbers for an all-wheel drive monster with 75 cubic feet of trunk space. Also, the turbo features a "sweet spot where all-wheel drive capability meets WRX know-how," whatever that means. It also has "anti-whiplash front seats" and an "anti-impact fuel-sensing cutoff," features that sound made up but aren't.

"These are good times at Subaru," they said in the press conference. "We will end the year with another sales record." Now they're just running up the score.