The basic concept is quite straightforward. Take the Subaru Forester - mechanically an Impreza but with a higher-set body and a smidgeon of all-terrain potential - and fit the turbocharged version of its two-litre 16-valve flat-four engine to produce a high-performance model.But while you're at it, shade the power down to a relatively modest 166bhp, since the 200-plus of the Impreza Turbo might be considered over the top for this kind of car.Voilà! You now have the Forester S-Turbo, which at first glance is one of the quicker "lifestyle" off-roaders currently fashionable among people who do not go off-road but like to pretend that they do.So far so simple. What distinguishes the Forester from anything that might feature on the same shopping list is what an extraordinary car it is to drive.A colleague and I spent a high-spirited hour or so tackling a series of deserted roads in scenic hill country, and as a result of that I reckon that the S-Turbo is not only the best-handling lifestyle car on the market by the length of the home straight - it is also one of the best-handling cars you can buy.The reason is that Subaru is hugely skilled in a number of important areas, namely soft but well-controlled suspension, bodyshell rigidity, low centre of gravity (thanks to the horizontal engine) and lots of power in the middle of the rev range.These advantages combine to make the Forester an absolute delight to drive. One of the most difficult situations for a performance-oriented car to deal with is a fast corner with a bumpy road surface. Our route was full of these, and every time we tackled one we were conscious of all four wheels doing their best to keep in contact with the ground and provide as much traction and lateral grip as possible.I can't think of any hot hatchback that does this as effectively. In fact the only car of any sort that does it better is the Impreza, which has the twin advantages of an even stiffer shell (in saloon form at least - the estate is markedly inferior) and a lower ride height.And to be honest, I preferred the Forester. It may lose out slightly in these areas, but I thought 166bhp was more appropriate to the car than 218bhp is to the Impreza. In fact, right now I reckon my favourite car would be an Impreza with the S-Turbo engine. It would be extremely easy to do but it's not going to happen, because not enough people would realise that less power can make for a better car. Subaru no doubt feels that very little of this is an issue to potential S-Turbo owners, since it has loaded the Forester with a tremendous amount of equipment as standard. So much so, in fact, that the base price is well over £20,000.If you want to spend a more modest amount you have to make do with the non-Turbo version. In its own right this is a very fine machine, but a less expensive S-Turbo would be an extremely tempting prospect.Second opinion: This is certainly the best-driving 4x4 on the market in terms of cornering, ride quality and precision control. People who buy jerkier, less well balanced and harsher-riding types don't know what they're missing. These other cars don't beat the Subaru in any single element of driving that a normal family-owned 4x4 is ever likely to tackle. Bear in mind the fact that, when the original Forester went on sale in the States in 1997, it was the only sports utility on the US market not required by law to show a warning label about its potential for rolling over. Ross Finlay.
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