Mrs. Peet and I have a Forester (with an NRA sticker on it) and both of us are conservative.
Subaru is a good, CHEAP all-wheel drive car — ours is great (exclamation marks!) in the snow. In fact, both of our mail ladies have Subarus for the hilly and poorly plowed area we live in.
Couple things: DO NOT USE THE HANDBRAKE IN COLD WEATHER! Make sure regular maintenance includes lubricating the brake-caliper yokes (the part where the two parts slide against each other.
One last thing: If the Y-pipe ever breaks, throw the car away — it is REALLY expensive.
What is a “Y-pipe”?