2009 Car of the Year: CUV/SUV under $35,000

BRIAN EARLY FOR THE TORONTO STAR

The 2009 Subaru Forester is the winner of the 2009 Car of the Year CUV/SUV Under $35,000 category.

Brian Early

SPECIAL TO THE STAR

All three of the entrants in this year's best new SUV/CUV under $35,000 category are true crossovers. That is, all three are based on and share components with existing cars in the various auto makers' portfolios. The Dodge Journey is based on the Avenger, the Subaru Forester on the Impreza, and the Tiguan on the Golf/Rabbit.

This lineage gives these vehicles good on-road manners, to the detriment of true off-road capability – there isn't a low-range transfer case in the bunch, and the Dodge doesn't even make off-road pretensions. Think tall seven-passenger wagon instead.

Much of the appeal of this segment lies in its boxier, more upright shapes; more rugged styling makes them more palatable for buyers who shun wagons, hatchbacks and vans.

Add available all-wheel drive, and you've got an appealing combination of sure-footedness, lifestyle image and practicality. The slightly muddy "cottage trail" off-road course used to evaluate this category didn't faze any of these AWD-equipped entrants; the car-like Journey was the only one to even bottom its undercarriage.

Dodge Journey

The Journey would seem to come into this competition at a distinct advantage, with the most power (235 hp from its 3.5 L V6), the most seats (seven), a comprehensive equipment list and an as-tested price just $899 higher than the least expensive Forester.

Clearly it wasn't performance that worked against it, as the Dodge handily bested the Forester's acceleration numbers. It sure wasn't the versatility of the Journey's interior, which boasts more cubby bins and hidden storage areas than the CIA mailroom.

Where the Journey likely suffered was in the subjective ratings. For example, the instrument panel is well put together and of better materials than many recent Chrysler products, but the style seems dated, certain pieces look cheap and there are ergonomic issues, such as a gauge cluster that is partially obscured by the steering wheel in any comfortable position. Outward visibility is easily the worst in this group as well.

Based purely on vehicle per dollar, the Journey would have been your winner.

In the dynamic arena of AJAC testing, the Forester ultimately scored higher.

Price as tested: $27,795

Winner: Subaru Forester

This is the third generation of the Forester, so the Japanese auto maker certainly has experience on its side.

The company also has decades of AWD system know-how, with AWD being standard on all Subies since 1993.

Working against the Forester was the least power (170 hp from a 2.5 L flat four) and fewest forward gears in this group (its automatic has just four; the others each had six).

Softly sprung, it trades an acceptable amount of handling prowess for ride comfort; this crossover is more "mild" than "wild."

None of the sumo wrestlers from Subaru's current ad campaign were on hand, but if they had been, I'd bet four would easily have fit inside the roomy but conservatively styled interior.

Width would have prohibited a fifth, though five normal-sized passengers should have no trouble.

Comfortable and competent: while there was no one area in which the Forester clearly excelled, its well-rounded design allowed it to earn the win in this class.

Price as tested: $26,896

Volkswagen Tiguan

Unless you count the early-'70s Thing, the Tiguan is Volkswagen's first compact crossover, and it's a great effort.

This was the road warrior of the group, with quick, precise steering and sharper handling than you'd expect from this genre.

The 200 hp 2.0 L turbocharged four-cylinder engine is the same one found in the related GTI, and it provides excellent power with decent refinement.

The flip side is a firm, busy ride that quickly gets tiring on broken surfaces, as well as some low-rpm turbo lag (boost delay) and reluctant downshifts at times from the six-speed automatic transmission.

Above reproach was the Tiguan's apparent quality and construction. The five-passenger interior is nicely made, and the robust structure feels like it's cast in a single piece.

The highest as-tested price and some polarizing design decisions (like the stiff suspension) likely affected the Tiguan's overall score; as much as I liked the Forester, this had been my guess for the class win.

Price as tested: $32,125

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