Crossover cars are a blend of car comfort and SUV utility. For this reason, many buyers opt for a crossover rather than an SUV or Sedan these days as they offer the handling and fuel economy of a family sedan and SUV like comfort and practicality.
In this article, we will compare two great CUVs the Subaru Forester vs the Honda CR-V by looking at the interior, exterior, practicality, and engine in trying to shade some light and simplify your decision-making when it comes to these two.
Subaru Forester vs Honda CR-V Side-By-Side Comparison
(*Prices are reflective of average BE FORWARD pricing as of May 2021)
Subaru Forester Honda CR-V
Generations 5 (SF, SG, SH, SJ, SK) 5 (RD 1-3, RD 4-9, RE, RM, RW)
Production Year 1997 - Present 1995 - Present
Performance 147 HP - 268 HP 126 HP - 220 HP
Fuel Consumption 7 KM/L - 19 KM/L 9.8 KM/L - 20 KM/L
Drivetrain 2WD and AWD
2WD and AWD
Key Features Rear Spoiler, Power Steering, Power Windows, Airbag,
A/C, ABS, ESC, Fog Lights, Radio, Keyless Entry Push Start, Rear Spoiler, ESC, Power Steering, A/C,
Airbag, Back Camera, Alloy Wheels, Power
Window, ABS
Seating Capacity 5 Passengers 5 Passengers
BE FORWARD price US$ 880 - US$ 55,150 US$ 700 - US$ 32,070
Interior/Exterior Comparison
Subaru Forester
BROWSE LOW COST SUBARU FORESTER MODELS
Interior
The Forester’s cabin is straightforward, simple with a high driving position and great outward visibility. The interior is pleasantly finished, and the cabin looks elegant. The front seats are comfortable and supportive, while the rear seats are spacious and comfortable enough to even accommodate adults comfortably for road trips.
As standard, Forester’s come with a 6.5-inch (8.0-inch for high-end models) touchscreen infotainment system with Subaru’s state-of-the-art Starlink interface. Other features include a four-speaker stereo, HD Radio, satellite radio, two USB ports at the front seat; two more (optional) on the back of the center console for rear passengers, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto capability, Bluetooth, and onboard Wi-Fi.
Storage facilities include a glovebox, front seat jacket pockets, door pockets, a tray in front of the gear shift, and cup holders. The Forester’s boot is 977-liters with rear seats intact, and 2155-liters with rear seats folded using Forester’s easy 60/40 electronic back seat split-folding mechanism.
BROWSE LOW COST SUBARU FORESTER MODELS
Exterior
The Forester is boxy and angular, with a vertical grille and LED headlights that run into its fenders. From the side, there are tall windows for great outward visibility and an airy and bright interior. At the rear, the Forester has an extra-wide tailgate with nicely designed taillights.
Safety
The Forester received a five-star rating from the NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick from the IIHS. Standard safety features include Subaru’s EyeSight suite of camera-based driver-assistance features, automated emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning with lane-keeping assist, forward collision warning, ABS, Airbags, and ISOFIX child seat mounts.
Honda CR-V
BROWSE LOW COST HONDA CR-V MODELS
Interior
The CR-V has five-door and seats five people in two rows. It has a spacious interior that provides enough head and legroom across the board. The CR-V’s physical controls are in close proximity and are easy to use. The CR-V has 5-inch standard touchscreen infotainment with a USB port, Bluetooth connectivity, and a four-speaker stereo. The high-end model’s infotainment feature a 7-inch touchscreen, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, extra USB charging ports, HD Radio, satellite radio, and a six (eight or nine) speaker stereo and a navigation system.
Available storage facilities on the CR-V include a glovebox, door pockets with bottle holders, cup holders, and front-seat jacket pockets. The CR-V has an 1110-liter boot with rear seats in place which extends to 2146-liters with the rear seats folded. The 2019 CR-V has an enormous cargo hold in contrast to compact SUV standards.
BROWSE LOW COST HONDA CR-V MODELS
Exterior
At the front, the CR-V has a nice chrome grille that sits high above with neatly designed LED headlights on its sides. Standing from the side, the CR-V features a nice chrome character line that runs to the rearmost roof pillar. The taillights barge with a chrome strip on the tailgate. The CR-V comes fitted with its standard 17-inch alloy wheels. Higher trims come fitted with 18-inch and privacy glass for a more upmarket look.
Exterior
The CR-V was rated a Top Safety Pick for 2019 by the IIHS and an overall safety rating of five out of five stars by the NHTSA. Along with that, it also features the most up-to-date driver-assistance technology as standard. Key safety features include, lane-departure warning and lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitor and rear cross-traffic alert, and automated emergency braking.
Engine and Fuel Efficiency Comparison
Subaru Forester
The Subaru Forester has utilized several flat-four (boxer) engines since its inception as seen below.
- The 1st generation Forester came fitted with either the turbocharged or non-turbo 2.0-liter 255 HP EJ20 or the 2.5-liter 165 HP EJ25 petrol engine. These engines have an average fuel consumption of 8 KM/L and 9 KM/L respectively.
- The 2nd generation Forester came fitted with either the naturally aspirated 2.5-liter 173 HP EJ254 or the turbocharged 2.5-liter 210 HP EJ255 petrol engine. These engines have an average fuel consumption of 9 KM/L and 7 KM/L respectively.
- The 3rd generation Forester came fitted with either the 2.0-liter 147 HP FB20 petrol engine or the 2.0-liter 148 HP EE20 diesel engine. These engines have an average fuel consumption of 12 KM/L and 19 KM/L respectively.
- The 4th generation Forester came fitted with the 2.0-liter 268 HP FA20 petrol engine. This engine has an average fuel consumption of 13 KM/L. The EE20 diesel continued being used as well, with the option for turbo and naturally aspirated.
- The 5th generation Forester came fitted with either the 2.5-liter 170 HP FB25 petrol engine or the turbocharged 2.0-liter 147 HP FB20-T petrol engine. These engines have an average fuel consumption of 12 KM/L and 12.5 KM/L respectively.
These engines were mated to a 4-speed automatic, a 5-speed manual, a six-speed manual, or a CVT transmission.
BROWSE LOW COST SUBARU FORESTER MODELS
Honda CR-V
The Honda CR-V has utilized several engines in its entirety, below we take a look at some of the engines.
- The 1st engine to be used on CR-V’s is the 2.0-liter 126 HP B20B petrol engine. This engine has an average fuel consumption of 9.8 KM/L.
- The 2nd engine to be used on the CR-V is the 2.0-liter 147 HP B20Z petrol engine. This engine has an average fuel consumption of 10KM/L.
- The 3rd engine to be used on the CR-V is the 2.0-liter 220 HP K20A petrol engine. This engine has an average fuel consumption of 11 KM/L.
- The 4th engine to be used on the CR-V is the 2.4-liter 166 HP K24A petrol engine. This engine has an average fuel consumption of 16 KM/L.
- Some models of the CR-V came fitted with a 2.2-liter 138 HP N22A2 diesel engine. This engine has an average fuel consumption of 20 KM/L.
- The 5th generation CR-V came fitted with a 1.5-liter 205 HP L15B7 petrol engine (there was also a 1.6-liter N16A turbocharged diesel engine). This engine has an average fuel consumption of 18 KM/L.
These engines were mated to a 4-speed automatic, 5-speed manual, 9-speed automatic, CVT, and E-CVT (hybrid) transmissions.
BROWSE LOW COST HONDA CR-V MODELS
The Verdict
There is a very thin line that separates these two great crossovers. You can never go wrong with either the Subaru Forester or the Honda CR-V. These two models are great examples of how modern and practical compact SUVs are. These two cars offer great engines with enough power and efficiency. These two cars are well-rounded with lots of good attributes, enough to make a purchase of any of the two a great buy. Please visit BE FORWARD and choose from our large list your next car.
I am a Telecom & ICT specialist with a career spanning over 15 years in the demanding Tanzanian telecom industry.
I am also an avid DIYer with a good knack for everything technical and a wealth of vocational skills, with automotive being the top, and here I am writing about cars.
In 2017 a guy created a WhatsApp group called MyCar for the sole purpose of members helping each other with all matters regarding cars. I joined this group in 2018, and with my enormous wealth of knowledge regarding cars, and my readiness to share the knowledge with others, I became a top contributor, and that didn’t go unnoticed, as one member thought I was a potential writer and had contacts with Be Forward Japan who were looking for writers then. Fast forward to January 2020, I began writing for the Be Forward blog with 2024 being my fourth year.
As far as I can remember, I love cars, and growing up in the farming and tourist city of Arusha Tanzania in the ’80s and ’90s, I ended up being drawn to the Ranger Rover Classic for leisure and Land Cruiser 70 pickup as a workhorse. These were tough cars then, cars that could take you anywhere any time no matter the weather.
thank you so much,,,i think Honda crv is awesome