Next, I descended to the tarmac at the base of this famous raceway and navigated through a braking and lane-change exercise, a course set up to simulate emergency stopping and lane-change maneuvers.
The tires screeched as I slammed on the brakes and slid around sharp corners. The Forester maintained good directional stability, with little body roll (again a result of the placement of the engine) as I drove crisply through the snaking course. Four-channel, four-sensor anti-lock brakes with disc brakes in front and drum brakes in the rear are one of the Forester's primary safety features. Larger front brake rotors have been added to reduce stopping distances.
Here, I also found quick throttle response, as well as quick and easy gear shifts. Subaru's 2.5-liter four-cylinder boxer engine delivers 165 horsepower at its peak, with an admirable 166 pounds-feet of torque at 4000 rpm. Underneath the skin, Forester has a stronger, yet lighter, body structure, which helps reduce the weight of this year's model by almost 100 pounds. In theory, lighter is better because it results in better handling and shorter stopping distances. A rigid chassis is a key element to responsive handling and a quiet ride. Subaru also revised the suspension tuning for 2003.
Finally, I entered an area of the track where an obstacle course was set up with cement blocks to drive over. The Forester boasts an impressive 7.5-inches of ground clearance. Blocks of wood and other rough materials had been thrown down for us to drive on. The ride was surprisingly comfortable, a benefit of the Forester's upgraded suspension.
Following the track time, we took a 100-mile-long drive through the Talladega National Forest and the motorways surrounding the Birmingham area. Here, I found this crossover vehicle conjured up its passenger car roots and, thanks to its four-wheel independent suspension, gave a pleasant and responsive ride. Pluses were the all-new struts that help reduce noise, vibration, harshness, or NVH. Equal-length axle shafts help eliminate torque steer (when the steering pulls slightly to one side under power). Variable Gear Ratio rack-and-pinion steering means increased responsiveness, and a turning circle of 34.8 feet.
While offering sophisticated AWD and a bigger four-cylinder than most in the segment, the Forester also offers decent fuel economy; it gets 21 mpg in city driving, 27 mpg on the highway with the manual transmission, and the automatic transmission's economy is as good in both categories, at 21/26 city/highway.
As mentioned, manual transmissions come with Subaru's Continuous All-Wheel Drive, which employs a viscous coupling center differential that divides engine power 50/50 between the front and rear tires. That balance of power shifts to the front or rear tires when the system detects wheel slip, usually in wet or icy conditions.
Automatic transmissions come with Subaru's Active All-Wheel Drive, which employs a variable transfer clutch that is controlled electronically to deliver power where it is needed under slippage. The Active system also uses sensors to determine where the vehicle weight is transferred, delivering more power to the rear wheels under hard acceleration, for example, to eliminate front wheelspin.
Subaru has revived its Hill Holder clutch for easier starting on an incline for all manual transmission models. This unique and nifty feature is engaged when applying the brake and depressing the clutch on a hill. Release the brake while keeping the clutch fully depressed and it holds the car in place while you move your foot from the brake to the throttle. Next Page