Best car I've ever owned

This is the best car I've ever owned.

I've owned compacts and pickups by Nissan and Honda, and driven a slew of other cars. I knew I wanted something that handled like a car but let me carry all my toys (bikes, skis, canoe, etc.) and had stable all-wheel drive for getting through the ice and snow in Wisconsin. I'd driven full-size SUVs as well as mini-vans, as rentals, loaners, etc. and was very unhappy with the truck-like handling of both full-size SUVs and mini-vans, and the tippiness and horrible traction of mini-vans.

I looked at the Toyota RAV4 and the Honda CRV and settled on the Forester.

I couldn't be happier.

First of all, it was the cheapest of the three. The Toyota was just too small and too expensive, although some people like its higher profile. The CRV didn't handle as well, and only had ABS (brakes) on the higher end model. I'm a big Civic fan, but the Honda's dashboard controls really turned me off -- small and hard to read. The Subaru's standard roof rack, heavy duty tires and standard cargo shelf also appealed to me.

This car has surpassed my expectations, in almost all areas. I can fit lots of stuff inside. It handles like a car; it feels like it has a tighter turning radius than my old Honda Civic. And I don't even notice ice and snow on the road. I'll never go back to 2 wheel drive after this.

A few complaints:
- mileage isn't great: about 21 mpg city if I'm lucky
- the cup holder is poorly placed -- it's right in front of the vents, so if you have the AC on in the summer and put a cup of hot coffee in the holder, a few miles down the road you've got iced coffee
- the optional cargo cover is difficult to remove. I like to have it on sometimes and remove it sometimes, but the transaction involves forcibly yanking on the cover, leaving nicks in its plastic.
- when the gas gauge is on "E", the Subaru means it! Fill up ASAP.
- the clock is positioned on the inside roof above the windshield and is hard to see if you're short and have the seat pulled up.

A few suggestions:
- I got the optional cargo cover, which, although hard to remove (see above), provides nice protection to the cargo from sun and thieves.
- I also got the optional cargo net, which I highly recommend. Another reviewer said that things slid around on the plastic cargo mat. The cargo net keeps everything in place.