Long known for nerdy but reliable all - wheel - drive wagons built for New England winters and Rocky Mountain highways, the car division of Fuji Heavy Industries stole the heart of
exurbia with the tricked - up Legacy Outback.And this summer Subaru managed another miraculous makeover, creating the Forester minisport - utility from the chassis and engine of the solid if nondescript Impreza compact.Success has only emboldened the marketing alchemists at Subaru, who also yearn to be known
as makers of high - performance vehicles that are anything but boring.