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Subaru’s tall and boxy Forester is one of the latest in the parade of car-based sport-utility-vehicles (SUVs) streaming out of automakers’ factories.

This upright, square-jawed four-door has all the charm and character of a small sport-ute, yet it rides and handles like a tall station wagon. It compares with Toyota’s RAV4 and Honda’s CR-V, yet it sits close to the ground for easy step-in and better cornering. In fact, one of the things I like most about the Forester, aside from its chunky, earth-shoe styling, is the way it hunkers down when you hustle it through a freeway ramp. It’s as though you can feel its low center of gravity, like a heavy keel on a sailboat, keeping the lean from getting too severe, despite the fact that it has a high ceiling and lots of headroom.

The growth of SUVs, as well as SUV lookalikes, continues apace, and for good reason. People want their vehicles to be versatile and flexible, capable of hauling lawn implements or camping gear or recreational stuff as conveniently as it carries them to work or on trips. They like the upright seating position and commanding view of the road. The rise of SUVS with carlike roots seems to be the next big thing. Although Subaru started the trend with its Outback, others have been quick to follow: In addition to the RAV4 and CR-V, Lexus has its RX 300, Audi is toying with an allroad Quattro and Volvo has cross-country version of its four-wheel-drive station wagon.

Back to the Forester. Based on the Impreza platform with a 99.4-inch wheelbase, it has a 2.5-liter, four-cylinder engine mounted over the front wheels. This short and low engine has its cylinders arrayed horizontally, two on one side and two on the other. Called a “boxer,” its configuration resembles that of an original Volkswagen or a Porsche 911, although it is cooled with water and not air. Power output is 165 horses, certainly adequate in light of the Forester’s 3,120-pound curb weight.

In the past, some Subaru engines sounded a bit noisy, but the Forester’s was

well muted and mounted in such a way as to keep vibration out of the cabin.

All-wheel-drive is standard, as it is on all Subarus sold in this country, and it works invisibly. It comes with both a five-speed manual and an automatic transmission. With the automatic, which I drove, Subaru’s system sends about 90 percent of the power to the front wheels in normal driving conditions. As traction deteriorates and wheel slippage occurs, such as it would in snow or rain, the system adjusts by directing more power to the rear wheels.

Inside, our Forester S gave a nod toward its outdoor/active roots with an electronic compass, barometer and thermometer mounted in a small pod atop the center of the dashboard. The heating/cooling controls are nice and simple, but no so the stereo, whose tiny buttons were obscurely marked and difficult ot use.

Curiously, only one cupholder was built into the instrument panel. Another is located in the small console between the front seats.

Speaking of the front bucket seats, they were generally comfortable and upholstered in light tan cloth. The seats in back were quite firm, and there was adequate, but not generous, legroom for adults.

The appeal of vehicles like this is hauling stuff. When I folded the rear seat forward to create a flat load floor I found I could just barely get my bike inside, even without the front wheel. A 99.4-inch wheel base just doesn’t allow a large cargo space. A washable rubber cargo mat, on the other hand, was quite handy for protecting the carpet from dirt.

With all seats in place and the cargo security shade in place I noticed quite a bit of noise from the back of the vehicle over bumpy roads. For some reason, there was less noise with the seats folded down.

The Forester slots nicely in among its peers from Toyota and Honda. It has the rugged good looks of an SUV, yet it is civilized enough to conduct your aily chores without making you feel like you are in a truck. It sits low to the ground, is easy to step in to, yet has plenty of headroom and a roof tall enough to accommodate lots of gear.

Price

Foresters come in three trim levels, and ours was the fanciest S model. Its base price of $22,195 included anti-lock disc brakes, air conditioning, AM/FM stereo cassette, power windows, power mirrors, cruise control, tilt wheel, roof rack, fog lights and reclining seats.

Options included the automatic transmission, heated front seats and heated mirrors.

The sticker price was $23,790.

Warranty

The standard warranty is for three years or 36,000 miles.

Vehicles for The Star’s week-long test drives are supplied by the auto manufacturers.

Point:The Forester is as charming as a Labrador puppy. It offers all-wheel drive, SUV styling and the handling of a sedan.

Counterpoint: The cargo space lacks depth, the stereo is frustrating and a fair amount of road noise was transmitted through the back end.

SPECIFICATIONS:

ENGINE: 2.5-liter, 4-cyl.

TRANSMISSION: automatic

WHEELBASE: 99.4 inches

CURB WEIGHT: 3,120 lbs.

BASE PRICE: $22,195

PRICE AS DRIVEN: $23,790

MPG RATING: 21 city, 26 hwy.