The 1998 Subaru Forester was one of the first sport utility vehicle crossovers, its boxy body atop a compact Impreza platform.

Compared to the truck-based SUVs of the time, it offered compact size, gas mileage and ride. Matched against the compact Toyota RAV4 or Honda CR-V crossovers, it had all-wheel drive plus more ground clearance.

Now comes the third-generation Forester for 2010, with 3.6 inches more wheelbase and a slew of family comfort options. Does this move Forester up into the crossover world now occupied by standbys including the Ford Escape, Toyota Highlander, Nissan Rogue and Chevy Equinox?

The Forester has always been a good seller for Subaru, and its new design has lost the boxy shape and grown into a cleaner SUV-like crossover with handsome generic looks, a mix of Nissan Rogue and Mitsubushi Outlander.

The rounded nose gets a chrome grille with gray slats over an SUV-like lower fascia with bulging fog lights. Gentle flares frame five-spoke alloys wearing 17-inch Yokohama rubber that looks small. The rising beltline shadows a gentle shoulder line that melds into big taillights.

It's a clean break from generations one and two, with good body panel fit and finish. It doesn't stand out as a Subaru, though, and no one noticed it.

It is based in part on the compact Impreza, so the Impreza dash is inside, right down to the silver accent. The three-spoke steering wheel tilts and has stereo and cruise control buttons on its upper spokes, with the "mute" button doing double duty as the Bluetooth cell phone "answer" and "hang-up" button.

A slim digital display high on the dash offers outdoor temperature, clock and average mileage.

The optional touch-screen navigation system was easy to use and home to the good-sounding AM-FM-CD-Sirius Satellite Radio sound system that plays videos when parked via audio/video jacks in the center console. The rubber-padded storage nook under big a/c knobs has a 12-volt outlet.

The center armrest has a sliding cushion and storage room inside, but felt flimsy. The plastic trim on the driver's side A-pillar was loose, while the rest of the interior fit and finish was fine.

To dial out via Bluetooth, you have to tap "menu" on the sat-nav system, then "telephone" on the touch screen, then access a keyboard to dial. In motion, you can only access redial, then it still takes two taps to dial. It needs to be simpler.

The front leather seats were heated, the driver getting 10-way power with lumbar for a comfortable, supportive place to sit. Overhead, there is a long power moonroof.

In back, extra wheelbase means superb head and leg room with a nifty dual cup holder that folds out of the center seat bottom and one in the center armrest. T

he cargo area behind is big, with a plastic shield for wet dogs and dirty logs, with tie-down hooks and under-floor storage. The rear seats split 60/40 to expand cargo space. But the dash's hatch release needs to be easier to get to.

The Forester has familiar 2.5-liter flat four engines -- a turbocharged 225-horsepower or our naturally aspirated 170 horse. It's hooked into a four-speed automatic with a continuously variable transfer clutch that manages the all-wheel-drive's power split front and rear.

Our 600-mile-old model's engine worked hard to hit 60 mph in a slow 11 seconds accompanied by busy underhood sounds, and passing power is adequate. A fill-up on regular averaged 17 mpg.

MacPherson-type struts are up front, and a double-wishbone rear suspension replaces the previous model's strut-based configuration. The result is a compliant ride with lots of comfort.

There is some body roll in turns and some understeer, although the all-wheel-drive helps.

We took the Forester into the forest, tackling rutted muddy trails, sand and grass just fine, the softer ride comfortable over ruts. The power steering was accurate and well-weighted, the all-wheel disc brakes offering decent control and good stopping with minimal fade after hard use.

The base 2.5X starts at $20,295; our 2.5X Limited started at $25,995 with everything above (including windshield wiper de-icer and heated exterior mirrors) standard except the $1,800 touch-screen navigation system with upgraded audio and Bluetooth.

For comparison, a 173-horsepower Dodge Journey or 170-horse Nissan Rogue cost less, a 244-horsepower Mazda CX-7 about the same, and a 200-horsepower Volkswagen Tiguan a bit more comparably equipped.