Sensible enthusiasm
Having said that, typical Forester buyers are not interested in straight-line performance. Rather, they seek a comfortable environment offering many different configurations. Oh yeah, I almost forgot Subaru's symmetrical full-time all-wheel drive system!

The Forester is quite pleasant to drive in any circumstances, even with the manual gearbox.

These drivers also appreciate the generous low- and mid-range torque delivered by the naturally-aspirated mill. It makes the Forester quite pleasant to drive in dense traffic, even with the manual gearbox.

And let's not forget the muted growl under acceleration, courtesy of all horizontally-opposed, multi-cylinder engines made by Subaru. This distinctive sound is actually the auditory trademark of any six-star, blue-oval Japanese vehicle.

Not enough gears?
Subaru chose to offer a 5-speed manual and a 4-speed automatic with the 2009 Forester, a decision fans quickly criticized as being backward-looking. After all, the current trend in the auto industry involves more forward gears. Personally, if fuel economy had been affected as a result, I would have said the criticism is justified. However, the combined rating of 9L/100km for the manually-equipped 2009 model is the same as last year's. During my recent road test, I came within a single liter of matching that result!

Of course, the manual transmission requires a smooth hand. Most Subaru owners will tell you it hates to be manhandled. When manipulated gently, though, this unit proves friendly thanks to well-calibrated gear ratios. Furthermore, the Hill Holder system comes in handy when you want to take off on sloped ground.

The power steering remains light and not quite firm enough, especially when cruising on the highway for a long period of time. However, the Forester turns out to be pretty maneuverable with a 10.5-meter turning circle. By the way, the Escape's is 11.2 meters.

The brakes are easy to modulate and relatively fade-free. Meanwhile, the smoother suspension delivers a more comfortable ride, although body roll has increased in the process.

The smoother suspension delivers a more comfortable ride.