There's good low-rpm torque available for passing. With horizontally opposed pistons, Subaru's 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine is much shorter than a traditional inline-4. That left more room for people and cargo. It also allowed Subaru's engineers to mount the engine farther forward in the car and use equal-length driveshafts aligned directly with the front wheels, which eliminates torque steer and reduces driveline friction. It also permitted a low hood design for excellent visibility out front and a low center of gravity for improved handling balance in corners.

The 4-speed automatic is responsive and a good match for the engine. The automatic was extensively modified for 1999 for improved efficiency. The 5-speed manual makes it more fun to drive and provides more precise control. It offers smooth shifting and easy engagement into reverse. It shifts like a compact sedan and the clutch is light and easy to use. The pedal arrangement allows the Forester to be driven like a sports sedan and this makes it more enjoyable on mountain roads and dirt trails.

On the road, the Forester drives like a car. In dry and in slippery conditions, the Forester offers substantially better braking and cornering performance than a truck, making it easier to handle on winding roads or in emergency situations during the stop-and-go of the daily commute. It also holds its own against most sedans. It provides superb traction and balance on slippery pavement. This is among the best cars on the road in a real downpour as I learned on some rural roads in Maryland.

Winding gravel roads are the perfect environment for the Forester as I discovered while driving one along the western slopes of Washington's Cascade Mountains. The all-wheel-drive system offers predictable handling when sliding around corners yet the suspension offers sufficient damping to soften bumps. Hitting big bumps in the middle of a turn won't upset the handling. The Forester provides better steering response in transient maneuvers than what's available in the RAV4 and CR-V.

Subaru makes one of the best all-wheel-drive systems in the world, rivaled only by Porsche and Audi. The Forester offers sure-footed traction in slippery conditions in ways that traditional truck-based sport-utilities can never hope to do. Subaru designed the Forester using technology gained by racing rally cars over treacherous roads in Africa, Asia and Europe. Subaru learned to cope with adverse conditions, winning the highly competitive World Rally Championship three years in a row. This shows in its production cars.

The beauty of Subaru's system is that it works full time and operates seamlessly, redirecting power to whichever tire offers the best grip. About the size of a grapefruit, the transfer system adds little weight. Designed for blasting through snow and mud, the system does not have a low-range set of gears, so it is not suitable for creeping up steep rocky faces. The RAV4 and Jeep Wrangler are much better suited for rock climbing. The Forester, however, is quite capable of carrying a trout fisherman to a remote stream and it's perfect for heading to the ski slopes.

Its long, soft springs and stiff shocks allow lots of controlled wheel travel, so bumpy corners don't upset the handling balance. A generous 7.5-inch ground clearance allows it to tread places a sedan cannot go. Its light weight allows it to brake, accelerate and corner more quickly than a big, heavy truck.