2003 Mitsubishi Outlander vs. 2003 Subaru Forester Chassis, Interior, Suspension

As a retreat from nature's wrath, the Forester's interior is warm and inviting, with dual front heated seats and a climate-control system that'll deep-fry chicken at the North Pole. The interior design is unremarkable but user-friendly. We're impressed with the quality of the materials, fit, and finish. Our only complaint: The cabin feels over-texturized with three different grain patterns crafted into the interior, some randomly placed.

While the Subaru's 2.5-liter F-4 provides sporty performance, we can't wait to sample the new 210-horsepower turbocharged version, due late this year.

The Mitsubishi's interior befits a $20K car--plastics are on the slick side, the seats are soft (What? You want lumbar support?), secondary switchgear doesn't operate as smoothly as we'd like (especially the climate controls), and a few annoying squeaks and rattles show up riding on rough pavement. There's nothing terrible about the cabin of the Outlander, but, for another few grand, the Forester is a substantial step up.

That same sense of "not quite there" also translates to the Outlander's handling. The chassis shows little flex during emergency lane-change maneuvers, but significant body roll leads us to believe the Outlander would benefit from beefier anti-roll bars. Stiffer springs and firmer struts would quell the wallowing over dips and uneven pavement. Steering is a tad slow on turn in, but highly responsive to input. Nearly all these nits disappear in the snow, as the Mitsu delivers a compliant ride over snow-packed roads and floats over the small berms left by the plows. Our biggest gripe is in the steering-isolation department: Road irregularities are transmitted directly through the wheel to the driver, on- or off-road.

As we crossed the 6700-foot-elevation level, Mother Nature teased us with rain and light sleet, which was forming a slick crust on the highway. Pulling into the Mammoth Mountain Chalets' parking lot, photographer Kiewicz surveyed the landscape: Three feet of packed snow covered the trails to the A-frame chalets, and more white stuff was starting to fall. Kiwi asked the manager if we could drive on the network of trails for photos, and he replied, "Sure, and I have a Snow Cat to pull you out when you get stuck!" Such comfort.

On packed powder, it's clear the Subaru engineers spent a lot of time tuning the Forester's suspension for weather-abused roads. It provides a pleasant ride, yet the suspension fully communicates to the driver what's happening underfoot. It glides over ruts and rough surfaces with no hint of bump steer; and the chassis has just the right amount of compliance to make driving in snow fun. Initial turn in is crisp, but there's a bit too much isolation between the rack and the road. There's a continuity with the Forester that's not often seen in this class of vehicle, a balance between chassis, suspension, and powertrain that feels right under most driving conditions.