The Forester sells on
simplicity. It offers plenty
of space and comfort but
little in the way of dynamic
verve or personality.55
Subaru Forester Plus Enough room for a family reunion, cushy
ride, well-appointed cabin. Minus Edgy power delivery in town,
driver engagement not on the menu. Equals A tasty dish for
those who don’t like their food or their cars spicy.around, though: Toggling the drive-
mode selector to Sport keeps the engine
above 2000 rpm or so, where it changes
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emits a rich V- 6 -like snort.
Unfortunately, the Escape does
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superior utility. Seating three across
in any of these vehicles is a squeeze, if
not downright uncomfortable. While
the Ford’s rear-seat kneeroom is decent
for a pair of six-footers, it holds the least
cargo of the group. Only eight of our
test boxes, which are the size of airline
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21 with them folded. A higher trim level
wouldn’t have changed this.
The Escape is home to one world-
class feature, though: its console-
mounted rotary shift knob. Its beauti-
ful appearance and expensively damped
action would be appropriate in a Mer-
cedes-Benz S-class. If only the rest of
the vehicle were that impressive.
5th Place: The Subaru
The Forester is nice. It is capable, comfortable, handsomely
appointed, easy to drive, well built, and very practical. That
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but it illustrates the strength at the bottom of the test.
This SUV is one to consider if roominess is a priority. It
leads the pack with 59 cubic feet of space for front passen-
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comfortably behind a six-foot driver. Plus, the Forester has
the most glass area in this group, which contributes to the
sense of roominess and makes maneuvering into and out of
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a panoramic view, and the low cowl and instrument panel
make it feel more like you’re driving a car than a tallish SUV.
The hatch opening is wide, too, and the cargo area holds
plenty of boxes: 11 with the rear seat up and 23 with it down.
This is a very practical family hauler, but the Subaru
is not the go-to if you’re hoping for a little driving spice
with your utility. Throttle response is jumpy in town
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steering is slow-witted, the handling relaxed, and the
ride cushy. “It’s very isolated,” assistant videographer
Brad Fick said. “Many people would be happy with that.”
“The Forester is almost completely devoid of char-
acter,” said Annie White, who likened driving it “to
eating a Saltine cracker.” A lot of people actually like
Saltine crackers, though. Which is why we think plenty
of shoppers in this segment would be happy to park this
compact crossover in their driveway.4th Place: The Toyota
The RAV 4 ’s $ 40 , 785 as-tested price, the highest here by
far, worked against it. So did its engine. Drop down to the
XLE Premium model and you’d save several thousand