Launched as a totally new model line for 1998, the Forester is based on the Impreza platform, which is a shortened version of the Legacy. That's good because the Impreza boasts a rigid chassis and is used as the foundation for Subaru's rally cars, which have won the punishing World Rally Championship two years in a row.
All Foresters are powered by the 2.5-liter 4-cylinder boxer engine found in the Legacy Outback. Dropping the bigger Legacy's engine in the smaller, lighter Impreza platform results in good acceleration performance. Forester's 2.5-liter engine produces outstanding power for its size--165 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque--and does a fine job of propelling this 3,020-pound wagon.
By comparison, the 2.0-liter engine in the 2,789-pound 4-door 4WD RAV4 produces 127 horsepower and it feels like a small truck engine. Honda's 2.0-liter engine is smooth and responsive, but its 126 horsepower doesn't get the 3,153-pound all-wheel-drive CR-V off the dime very quickly when equipped with an automatic transmission.
With horizontally opposed pistons, Subaru's 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine is just over half the length of a traditional inline-4. Because the engine is so much shorter, there's more room available for people and cargo. This boxer engine is also not nearly as tall, which permits a low hood line for excellent visibility out front and a low center of gravity for improved handling balance in corners.
All Subarus sold today are equipped with all-wheel drive and race and rally drivers say it's one of the best systems in the world, rivaled only by Porsche and Audi all-wheel-drive systems. The beauty of Subaru's all-wheel-drive system is that it works full time and operates seamlessly. It smoothly redirects power to whichever tire offers the best grip. About the size of a grapefruit, the transfer system takes up little space and adds little weight. It does not have a low-range set of gears, however, and is designed more for blasting through snow and mud than creeping up steep rocky faces. The RAV4 or the Jeep Wrangler are better suited for rock climbing, but the Forester is quite capable of carrying a trout fisherman to that remote stream or a backpacker to that distant trail head.
Because it isn't nearly as tall as a sport-utility, it's much easier to load a kayak, a set of skis and other car-top gear onto the roof of the Forester.
Forester is available with either a 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic. Automatic transmissions are often the best choice for V8- and V6-powered sport-utilites, but Subaru's manual gearbox shifts as easily as a 5-speed on a compact and it makes driving the Forester more fun and more efficient. Still, the $800 electronically controlled four-speed automatic matches well with the big 4-cylinder engine.
Three trim levels are available: Forester, L and S. All three are mechanically identical and the base Forester comes with a high level of standard equipment, including air conditioning, power windows, fog lights, roof rack, rear window defogger, trailer harness connector, reclining front bucket seats with adjustable lumbar support, tilt steering, and an AM/FM/cassette stereo.
The L model adds antilock brakes (ABS), power locks and a cargo tray. The S model adds rear disc brakes, a chrome grille, big power mirrors, deluxe cloth interior, cruise control and vanity mirrors. The S model also comes with lower profile 215/60 H-speed-rated Yokohama Geolander 035 all-season tires mounted on 16-inch alloy wheels, while the other two models come with 205/70SR15 Bridgestone Dueler 684 all-season tires on 15-inch steel wheels.
One of the first things we noticed about the Forester is that the seating height is comparable to that of a sedan. It doesn't offer that master-of-the-universe driving position that many sport-utility buyers prefer. We don't see this as a negative--expensive sports sedans do not have high seating positions, either, and we like them just fine.
The driver's seat is comfortable and offers a myriad of adjustments. Visibility out front is excellent, a benefit of a low hood and large windshield. All switchgear is easily operated and instruments are straightforward.
There's plenty of headroom front and rear with comfortable seating for four. When the split folding rear seats are down, the Forester offers 64.6 cubic feet of cargo space. That's slightly more than the RAV4, slightly less than the CR-V and nearly 80 percent of what a Ford Explorer offers. It's easy to load cargo into the back of the Forester; the rear gate lifts out of the way and a rubber cargo mat protects the interior.
Subaru's interior trim is as good or better than what's found in the Toyota RAV4 with softer, warmer interior fabrics, though it lacks the design elegance and refinement of the Honda CR-V. The radio controls are on the small side and the windshield wiper motor seems a bit noisy.
We drove the Subaru Forester up and down gravel roads on the western slopes of Washington state's Cascade Mountains, then we spent a week in one around Annapolis, Maryland.
Crisp throttle response and competent handling make the Forester fun to drive. There's more low-rpm torque available for passing and better steering response in transient maneuvers than what's available in the RAV4 and CR-V.
Our Forester S was equipped with the four-speed automatic, which we found to be responsive and a good match for the engine. We have also driven Foresters with the 5-speed manual gearbox, which shifts smoothly and makes the car more fun to drive. The pedal arrangement is such that the Forester can be driven like a sports sedan and this makes it more enjoyable on mountain roads and dirt trails.
Winding gravel roads are the perfect environment for the Forester. The all-wheel-drive system offers predictable handling when sliding around corners yet the suspension offers sufficient damping to soften harsh vibration and big bumps. Subaru's four-wheel MacPherson strut suspension uses soft springs, stiff shocks and relatively long suspension travel to achieve this balance.
The Forester also shines when the sun doesn't, with superb traction and balance on slippery pavement. This is among the best cars on the road in a real downpour.