Compare the2022 Honda CR-V HybridVS 2021 Subaru Forester

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the CR-V Hybrid deploy with different levels of force or don’t deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The CR-V Hybrid’s side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The Forester’s airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

The CR-V Hybrid has a standard blind spot warning system which uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. A system to reveal vehicles in the Forester’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the CR-V Hybrid has a standard cross-path warning system, which uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. Cross-path warning costs extra on the Forester and isn't available on the not available.

Compared to metal, the CR-V Hybrid’s plastic fuel tank can withstand harder, more intrusive impacts without leaking; this decreases the possibility of fire. The Subaru Forester has a metal gas tank.

Both the CR-V Hybrid and the Forester have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras and available rear parking sensors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Honda CR-V Hybrid is safer than the Subaru Forester:

	CR-V Hybrid	Forester
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	141	186
Neck Stress	175 lbs.	326 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	65/19 lbs.	248/368 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Honda CR-V Hybrid is safer than the Subaru Forester:

	CR-V Hybrid	Forester
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Movement	.6 inches	.6 inches
Hip Force	310 lbs.	389 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	143	246
Spine Acceleration	50 G’s	56 G’s
Hip Force	567 lbs.	670 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	13 inches	16 inches
Spine Acceleration	35 G’s	40 G’s
Hip Force	543 lbs.	673 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Warranty

There are over 68 percent more Honda dealers than there are Subaru dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the CR-V Hybrid’s warranty.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Honda vehicles are better in initial quality than Subaru vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Honda 17th in initial quality. With 18 more problems per 100 vehicles, Subaru is ranked 24th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Subaru vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Honda 3 places higher in reliability than Subaru.

Engine

The CR-V Hybrid’s 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 30 more horsepower (212 vs. 182) and 56 lbs.-ft. more torque (232 vs. 176) than the Forester’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Honda CR-V Hybrid is faster than the Subaru Forester:

	CR-V Hybrid	Forester
Zero to 30 MPH	2.9 sec	3.7 sec
Zero to 60 MPH	7.5 sec	9.6 sec
Zero to 80 MPH	13.4 sec	15.5 sec
Passing 45 to 65 MPH	3.9 sec	4.4 sec
Quarter Mile	16 sec	17.3 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	86.3 MPH	82.3 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the CR-V Hybrid gets better fuel mileage than the Forester (40 city/35 hwy vs. 26 city/33 hwy).

Regenerative brakes improve the CR-V Hybrid’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Forester doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

The CR-V Hybrid has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Forester doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Honda CR-V Hybrid higher (7 out of 10) than the Subaru Forester (6 to 7). This means the CR-V Hybrid produces up to 1.1 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Forester every 15,000 miles.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the CR-V Hybrid’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Forester:

	CR-V Hybrid	Forester Base/Premium	Forester Sport/Limited/Touring
Front Rotors	12.6 inches	11.6 inches	12.4 inches
Rear Rotors	12.2 inches	11.2 inches	11.2 inches

The CR-V Hybrid stops much shorter than the Forester:

	CR-V Hybrid	Forester
60 to 0 MPH	115 feet	129 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the CR-V Hybrid has larger tires than the Forester (235/60R18 vs. 225/60R17).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the CR-V Hybrid EX/EX-L has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Forester. The CR-V Hybrid Touring’s 19-inch wheels are larger than the 18-inch wheels on the Forester Sport/Limited/Touring.

Suspension and Handling

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the CR-V Hybrid is 1.3 inches wider in the front and 1.7 inches wider in the rear than on the Forester.

The CR-V Hybrid Touring handles at .80 G’s, while the Forester Limited pulls only .78 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

Chassis

The CR-V Hybrid uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Forester doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

Passenger Space

The CR-V Hybrid has 1 inch more front hip room and 1 inch more rear legroom than the Forester.

Cargo Capacity

The CR-V Hybrid has a much larger cargo volume than the Forester with its rear seat up (33.2 vs. 31.1 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the CR-V Hybrid easier. The CR-V Hybrid’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 26 inches, while the Forester’s liftover is 28.4 inches.

The CR-V Hybrid’s cargo area is larger than the Forester’s in almost every dimension:

	CR-V Hybrid	Forester
Length to seat (2nd/1st)	37.5”/71”	35.7”/73.1”
Max Width	54”	51.5”
Min Width	41.5”	43.3”
Height	41”	34.8”

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the CR-V Hybrid Touring’s liftgate can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Forester doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

Ergonomics

The CR-V Hybrid’s front power windows open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Forester’s standard passenger windows don’t open or close automatically. The Forester Premium/Sport/Limited/Touring’s rear windows don’t close automatically.

If the windows are left open on the CR-V Hybrid the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Forester can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The CR-V Hybrid Touring’s standard wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield. The Forester’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Consumer Reports rated the CR-V Hybrid’s headlight performance “Very Good,” a higher rating than the Forester’s headlights, which were rated “Good.”

The CR-V Hybrid’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Subaru only offers heated mirrors on the Forester Premium/Sport/Limited/Touring.

The CR-V Hybrid has a standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. Dual zone air conditioning is only available on the Forester Limited/Touring.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Honda CR-V Hybrid Touring has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Forester doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

Recommendations

The CR-V was chosen as one of Car and Driver’s “Top Five/10Best Trucks” for 3 of the last 20 years. The Forester has never been a Car and Driver “Top Five/10Best Truck” pick.

Motor Trend selected the CR-V as their 2018 Sport Utility of the Year. The Forester has never been chosen.