Subaru Crosstrek vs. Subaru Forester: What’s The Difference?
Crosstrek by EurovisionNim — CC-BY-SA-4.0
The Subaru Crosstrek and Subaru Forester are two highly-ranked SUVs in their market segment. The former is a smaller vehicle that offers great features for those working with a tighter budget. The latter, on the other hand, is a popular SUV that offers its own personality and style.
Both are ideal for anyone looking for a practical and adventurous car. However, each deviates slightly to meet different needs. In this post, we’ll compare the Subaru Crosstrek vs. Subaru Forester and tell you what to pick depending on what suits you best.
Subaru Crosstrek vs. Subaru Forester Differences
Pricing and Options
The Subaru Crosstrek is available in five trims – the base model, Premium, Limited, Sport, and Hybrid. The base and Premium models are equipped with a manual transmission and start at $22,245 and $23,295, respectively.
The Sport, Limited, and Hybrid all feature an automatic transmission and start at $26,495, $27,995, and $35, 345 respectively. There is no manual transmission nor a hybrid option in the Subaru Forester. However, it features more standard options that raise its price by $2,000.
You can pick any of the five trims available for the Forester. They include the base Forester at $24,795, the Forester Premium at $27,795, the Forester Sport at $29,395, the Forester Limited at $31,395, and the Forester Touring at $34,895.
It’s important to note that the Crosstrek Hybrid costs more than any of the Forester models available. This is thanks to its plug-in hybrid feature that allows the owner to use pure battery power. The vehicle is, however, offered as a fully loaded option with fewer goodies to pick from.
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Interior and Cargo Space
The Forester is the larger SUV here. As such, it offers more interior and cargo space when compared to the Subaru Crosstrek. The total interior volume inside the Forester totals 111.9 cubic feet. This reduces to 107.8 cubic feet if you pick the optional moonroof feature.
The Crosstrek offers 100.9 cubic feet and 97.5 cubic feet, respectively. This changes to 110.7 cubic feet and 97.4 cubic feet in the Hybrid option. As a result, you have more leg, shoulder, hip, and headroom both at the front and back inside the Forester. This makes the Forester a better option for taller occupants.
Additionally, you get more cargo volume inside. The normal volume stands at 35.4 cubic feet and 33.0 cubic feet with the moonroof. The Crosstrek only offers 20.8 cubic feet. When the back seats are folded, space increases to 76.1 cubic feet and 70.9 with the moonroof in the Forester. This is way more compared to the Crosstrek’s 55.3 cubic feet.
The engineers at Subaru placed the battery pack under the cargo floor in the Crosstrek Hybrid. This cuts the cargo space to just 15.9 cubic feet when the back seats are up and 43.1 cubic feet when they are folded.
Fuel Economy
Both Subaru vehicles showcase great fuel economy despite their difference in size. In fact, the base automatic transmission options on both sides share the same EPA estimates. For the 2.0-liter Crosstrek, you get 28/33/30 mpg city/highway/combined compared to the Forester’s 26/33/29 mpg.
Things only change if you pick the manual transmission offered in the base Crosstrek. It’s rated at 22/29/25 mpg, making it less efficient. Subaru also offers a larger 2.5-liter engine linked to an automatic transmission. This particular model consumes less than the Forester and is rated at 27/34/29 mpg.
It wouldn’t be fair if we didn’t mention how the Crosstrek Hybrid performs. When running on gas, it is rated at 35 mpg combined. It can be charged either in public or at home and can run on battery power for 17 miles before the engine kicks in.
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Safety Rating
Over the years, Subaru has ensured that its lineup comprises the safest cars on the market. When it comes to Subaru Crosstrek vs. Subaru Forester, both perform really well, with the latter gaining the upper hand.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) have put both cars through crash tests to see how they’d perform. Both scored well with just a few flaws.
The Forester garnered five stars in both side and front impact tests and four stars in the rollover test. The Crosstrek got five stars in the side impact test and four in both the front crash and rollover tests.
Both struggled when it came to headlights. The Forester was rated as “Acceptable,” while the Crosstrek was rated “Poor.” Both vehicles received a “Good” rating in almost all other categories. Due to the headlights, however, the Forester received a Top Safety Pick+ award while the Crosstrek took home a Top Safety Pick. All in all, both cars will protect you in a crash.
Performance
The two Subaru models have quite a lot going on for them when it comes to performance. The larger Forester is smooth, stable, and efficient. It is also larger and more powerful. The Crosstrek, on the other hand, rides smoothly and comfortably gets its occupants wherever they need to be. However, critics claim that it is underpowered.
They say it requires more effort to come up to speed and can be noisy. Others say that based on its size, the engine and performance features are well-matched. The Crosstrek will get you from 0-60 mph in 8.8 seconds. The slowest time recorded in some of the models is 9.8 seconds.
The Forester takes 8.3 seconds to achieve the same feat. The slowest time recorded in the Forester is 9.6 seconds, making it faster than the Crosstrek. It’s good to note that while riding on a hybrid system, the Crosstrek is quicker at 8.3 seconds.
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Subaru Crosstrek vs. Subaru Forester: Which One Should You Pick?
The Crosstrek and Forester don’t differ much when it comes to safety, fuel economy, and overall ride quality. The Crosstrek is a great option if you don’t mind something smaller, slightly less powerful, and fuel-efficient. If you’re looking for a larger SUV that is safer, provides more space for occupants, and comes with more standard equipment, the Forester is definitely for you.
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