Subaru's little Forester has always been a welcome guest at my home because of its practicality, bulldog-like performance on snowy, hilly streets and its maneuverable size.

This year, however, something extra was added as icing on the cake: luxury. We were given the L.L. Bean Edition that had a beautiful two-toned caramel and charcoal gray leather interior and many other amenities.

The folks at Subaru can follow demographics and sales trends as well as anyone. They know that consumers are switching to much smaller SUVs and crossovers. And except for Mercury's Mariner, Subie has the small, luxurious SUV field all to itself.

Subaru Subaru Forester L.L. Bean edition and interior. Click photo for larger image. By the numbers 2005 Subaru Forester 2.5 XS L.L. Bean Edition Base price: $26,295 As tested: $27,329 Mileage ratings: 22 city, 28 highway

Our Subaru Forester 2.5 XS L.L. Bean came with a long list of standard equipment, including a full lineup of power equipment starting with the windows, anti-lock brakes, all-wheel drive, rear self-leveling suspension, air conditioning and alloy wheels. The only options on my car were two equipment packages that included rubber floor mats, cargo bin, cargo tray, splash guards and a bumper cover.

The Forester is a pleasure to use in urban traffic, thanks to its peppy four-cylinder 2.5-liter engine and predictable, stable handling. You never get that "tippy" feeling that comes with some SUVs, and there's flat cornering to boot. Plus, the turning circle is modest, making parking in tight situations a snap.

Inside, the fit and finish are enviably tight and tidy. No gaps, strings or other signs of sloppy assembly could be seen. The leather is both substantial and durable in an elegant, understated fashion.

But not all was well with the interior. There was next to no room in the second-row seat for more than two people, even children. With my growing brood of three little ones, one in a baby seat, there were tight quarters and lots of complaints.

And while Subaru has provided that much-wanted armrest that was AWOL on prior models, the new one is too short to be of much use at all. The presence of an armrest makes a car much more livable during long trips, but it has to be one that's usable.

Other consumer complaints I've noticed in online automotive chat rooms were too much road noise, not enough room in the rear seat, the lack of a five-speed automatic, a desire for a better stereo system and, while I disagree, the need for a more powerful engine.

But consumers were equally generous with their applause. Everybody loved the fit and finish, the quality of the ride, the pretty exterior, plentiful electrical outlets, the practically peerless performance in snow and the overall terrific handling.

The breakdown

	Subaru Forester (test car)	Honda CR-V	Mitsubishi Outlander	Mazda Tribute	Toyota Rav4
Price	$21,770 to $28,670 base	$20,510 to $25,565	$18,394 to $25,774	$20,150 to $24,910	$19,115 to $21,565
Engine	2.5 liter, 4 cyl turbocharged 4 165 hp 4 cylinder or 2.5 liter 210 hp turbocharged 4	2.45 liter, 160 hp, 4 cyl	160 hp, 4 cyl	2.3 liter 153 hp 4 cyl or 3.0 liter 200 hp V-6	2.4 liter 160 hp
Mileage	23 city / 30 highway; 19/24 for turbo	21/25	20/26	19/22	22/27
Traction control	NA	standard	NA	NA	standard
Stability control	NA	standard	NA	NA	standard
Side air bags?	Yes	standard	NA	NA	standard
Basic warranty	3 yr/ 36,000 miles	3 yr/ 36,000	5 yr/ 60,000	4 yr/ 50,000	3 yr/ 36,000
Luggage capacity (in cubic feet)	32	33.5	24.4	29.7	29.2