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.
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