Compare the2022 Subaru ForesterVS 2022 Lexus UX

Safety
Warranty
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Forester are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The UX doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Forester. But it costs extra on the UX.

Both the Forester and the UX have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.

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

	Forester	UX
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	23%	33%
Neck Stress	326 lbs.	371 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	248/368 lbs.	376/433 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
Chest Compression	.7 inches	.7 inches
Neck Injury Risk	31%	36%
Leg Forces (l/r)	105/93 lbs.	345/566 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 Subaru Forester is safer than the Lexus UX:

	Forester	UX
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Movement	.6 inches	.8 inches
Abdominal Force	122 G’s	149 G’s
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	121	292
Spine Acceleration	40 G’s	44 G’s
Hip Force	673 lbs.	919 lbs.

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

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Forester its highest rating: “Top Pick Plus” for 2021, a rating granted to only 73 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The UX is only a standard “Top Pick” for 2021.

Warranty

There are almost 3 times as many Subaru dealers as there are Lexus dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Forester’s warranty.

Engine

The Forester’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 13 more horsepower (182 vs. 169) and 25 lbs.-ft. more torque (176 vs. 151) than the UX 200’s standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder. The Forester’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 1 more horsepower (182 vs. 181) than the UX 250h’s standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Car and Driver the Subaru Forester is faster than the UX 200 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder:

	Forester	UX
Zero to 60 MPH	8.3 sec	8.5 sec
Passing 30 to 50 MPH	4.3 sec	4.4 sec
Quarter Mile	16.5 sec	16.6 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	87 MPH	86 MPH
Top Speed	127 MPH	118 MPH

The flat cylinder configuration of the boxer engine in the Forester lowers its center of gravity, enhancing handling stability without compromising ground clearance. The UX doesn’t offer a boxer engine configuration.

Fuel Economy and Range

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Subaru Forester uses regular unleaded gasoline. The UX requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The Forester has 6 gallons more fuel capacity than the UX Hybrid’s standard fuel tank (16.6 vs. 10.6 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Forester has 4.2 gallons more fuel capacity than the UX’s standard fuel tank (16.6 vs. 12.4 gallons).

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Forester Premium/Sport/Wilderness/Limited/Touring’s brake rotors are larger than those on the UX:

	Forester Premium/Sport/Wilderness/Limited/Touring	UX
Front Rotors	12.4 inches	12 inches
Rear Rotors	11.2 inches	11.1 inches

The Forester stops much shorter than the UX:

	Forester	UX
70 to 0 MPH	167 feet	171 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	117 feet	129 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	138 feet	143 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

The Forester Wilderness has a standard full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the UX; it requires you to depend on its run-flat tires, which limits mileage and speed before they are repaired. If a run-flat is damaged beyond repair by a road hazard your vehicle will have to be towed.

Suspension and Handling

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Forester’s wheelbase is 1.2 inches longer than on the UX (105.1 inches vs. 103.9 inches).

The Forester Touring handles at .83 G’s, while the UX 200 Luxury pulls only .80 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Forester Limited executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the UX 200 (27.3 seconds @ .63 average G’s vs. 28.2 seconds @ .62 average G’s).

Chassis

To almost totally eliminate engine vibration in the passenger area, the Forester has liquid-filled engine mounts. The liquid helps further dampen engine harshness. The UX uses conventional solid rubber engine mounts.

The front grille of the Forester uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The UX doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

Passenger Space

The Forester has 21.5 cubic feet more passenger volume than the UX (111.9 vs. 90.4).

The Forester has 4 inches more front headroom, 1.3 inches more front legroom, .3 inches more front hip room, 3.2 inches more front shoulder room, 3.3 inches more rear headroom, 6.3 inches more rear legroom, 1.3 inches more rear hip room and 4.3 inches more rear shoulder room than the UX.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Forester Premium/Sport/Wilderness/Limited/Touring’s rear seats recline. The UX’s rear seats don’t recline.

Cargo Capacity

The Forester has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the UX (28.9 vs. 17.1 cubic feet).

A control in the cargo area automatically lowers the Forester Touring’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The UX doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

Towing

The Forester has a 1500 lbs. towing capacity. The UX has no towing capacity.

Standard Trailer Stability Assist on the Forester uses the Vehicle Dynamics Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The UX doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Servicing Ease

The engine in the Forester is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the UX. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

Ergonomics

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Forester Premium/Sport/Wilderness/Limited/Touring’s exterior PIN entry system. The UX doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system.

Both the Forester and the UX offer available heated front seats. The Forester Touring also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the UX.

Recommendations

Both are recommended, but Consumer Reports® chose the Subaru Forester as its “Top Pick,” the highest scoring vehicle in its category, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Subaru Forester outsold the Lexus UX by over 9 to one during the 2021 model year.