Although blasphemy to off-road purists, it's indisputable that the sport/utility vehicle has become the station wagon of the '90s. Just look around your nearest mall parking lot: tall Ford Explorers and Chevrolet Tahoes stand above the automotive sea with startling frequency.
This mega-trend has spawned a new sub-genre we call sport/cutes, a growing legion of car-based SUVs designed to address more directly the needs of typical recreation-minded young buyers and what car company marketers refer to as "soccer moms." These hybrids owe a debt of gratitude to the Toyota RAV4, which jump-started this emerging craze by combining striking cartoony looks with car-based Celica and Camry mechanicals. The result was a fun-to-drive, compact SUV that straddled the line between car and truck in style, as well as purpose.
Fresh entries from Honda and Subaru have effectively distilled the last remaining vestiges of truck out of the mechanical equation, leaving only traces in their adventurous appearance. They represent the highest evolution of the not-well-received, tall all-wheel-drive wee wagons from the '80s, offering foul-weather security, user-friendly design, and civilized road manners in a decidedly carlike package, but with a bunch more attitude than that of their forbears.
Honda engineers borrowed liberally from various platforms to assemble the company's first self-designed sport/utility. The CR-V unibody is complemented by the four-wheel independent suspension from the Civic platform, the all-wheel-drive system adapted from the Japanese Odyssey, and a reworked Acura Integra powerplant. To this drivetrain, Honda packages a high-level of content in a one-size-fits-all strategy. At only $19,300, every CR-V features an automatic transmission, air conditioning, power windows/door locks/mirrors, Micron air filtration system, cruise control, and four-speaker AM/FM stereo. The only factory option is an anti-lock brake and aluminum wheel package for $1000, as seen on our test vehicle. However, dealers offer a full catalog of traditional SUV enhancements, including a hard spare tire cover, auxiliary lights, sport bars, brush guard, keyless-entry/security system, and various stereo upgrades. For '98, the limited CR-V model range may expand to include an even more affordable five-speed, two-wheel-drive version.
With a long history of producing all-wheel-drive cars, Subaru had a wealth of know-how and componentry available to dedicate to the Forester. This first new Subaru since '92 is the result of mating the race-proven Impreza platform with the Legacy's 2.5-liter four-cylinder boxer engine. Sizewise, the Forester slots between the two wildly popular Outbacks, falling 10.2 inches short of the Legacy Outback for improved approach angles for off-road encounters. Available this summer in three trim levels, Subaru expects pricing to begin under $20,000 for the base model. Like all Subarus sold in the United States, the Forester includes all-wheel drive among its standard equipment. Additional base model features include air conditioning, power windows, four-speaker AM/FM stereo, and intermittent wipers. From here, equipment seekers climb to the mid-level S model, like our tester, fitted with power door locks and mirrors, four-wheel disc brakes, 16-inch alloy wheels, cruise control, chrome grille, and roof rack.
Equipped comparably to a CR-V with the ABS package, the five-speed manual Forester S is expected to start near $23,000. Our test vehicle was draped in luxury trappings with a list of extras including automatic transmission, leather upholstery, CD player, brush guard, receiver hitch, gauge package, skid plates, air-filtration system, side guard bars, cargo net, security cover, keyless entry, and center console armrest raising the cost to an estimated $26,000.
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