Compare the2022 Subaru ForesterVS 2021 Ford EcoSport

Safety
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Subaru Forester have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Ford EcoSport doesn’t offer pretensioners for the rear seat belts.

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 EcoSport doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Forester has standard Whiplash-Reducing Front Seats, which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash-Reducing Front Seats system allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The EcoSport doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The Forester has standard Pre-Collision Braking, which use forward mounted sensors to warn the driver of a possible collision ahead. If the driver doesn’t react and the system determines a collision is imminent, it automatically applies the brakes at full-force in order to reduce the force of the crash or avoid it altogether. The EcoSport doesn't offer collision warning or crash mitigation brakes.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Forester (except Base/Premium) offers optional Reverse Automatic Braking that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The EcoSport doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

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

The Forester’s lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane and gently nudges the vehicle back towards its lane. The EcoSport doesn’t offer a lane departure warning system.

The Forester offers optional parking sensors to help warn the driver about vehicles, pedestrians or other obstacles behind or in front of their vehicle. The EcoSport doesn’t offer a front parking aid.

The Forester Touring’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The EcoSport doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Forester and the EcoSport have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available blind spot warning systems and rear cross-path warning.

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 Ford EcoSport:

	Forester	EcoSport
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	186	250
Neck Injury Risk	23%	36%
Neck Stress	326 lbs.	403 lbs.
Neck Compression	22 lbs.	60 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	248/368 lbs.	495/441 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	293	325
Neck Injury Risk	31%	38%
Leg Forces (l/r)	105/93 lbs.	329/236 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 Ford EcoSport:

	Forester	EcoSport
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	66	71
Chest Movement	.6 inches	.9 inches
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	670 lbs.	685 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	121	215

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

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the Forester is 2.2% to 3.5% less likely to roll over than the EcoSport.

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 EcoSport has not been fully tested, yet.

Reliability

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Forester’s reliability 49 points higher than the EcoSport.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Subaru vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Subaru 17th in reliability. With 5 more problems per 100 vehicles, Ford is ranked 22nd.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Subaru vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Subaru 14 places higher in reliability than Ford.

Engine

The Forester’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 59 more horsepower (182 vs. 123) and 51 lbs.-ft. more torque (176 vs. 125) than the EcoSport’s standard 1.0 turbo 3-cylinder. The Forester’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 16 more horsepower (182 vs. 166) and 27 lbs.-ft. more torque (176 vs. 149) than the EcoSport’s optional 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Subaru Forester is faster than the Ford EcoSport:

	Forester	EcoSport turbo 3 cyl.	EcoSport 4 cyl.
Zero to 60 MPH	8.3 sec	11.2 sec	9.9 sec
Quarter Mile	16.5 sec	18.2 sec	17.4 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	86.2 MPH	76.7 MPH	77 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 EcoSport doesn’t offer a boxer engine configuration.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Forester gets better mileage than the EcoSport:

			MPG
Forester
	AWD	2.5 DOHC flat-4	26 city/33 hwy
		Wilderness 2.5 DOHC flat-4	25 city/28 hwy
EcoSport
	FWD	1.0 turbo 3-cyl.	27 city/29 hwy
	AWD	2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	23 city/29 hwy

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Subaru Forester uses regular unleaded gasoline. The EcoSport with the 1.0 turbo 3-cylinder engine requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The Forester has 3 gallons more fuel capacity than the EcoSport (16.6 vs. 13.6 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Subaru Forester higher (6 to 7 out of 10) than the Ford EcoSport (5). This means the Forester produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the EcoSport every 15,000 miles.

Transmission

The Forester has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The EcoSport doesn’t offer a CVT.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Forester Premium/Sport/Wilderness/Limited/Touring	EcoSport
Front Rotors	12.4 inches	11.8 inches
Rear Rotors	11.2 inches	10.7 inches

The Forester stops much shorter than the EcoSport:

	Forester	EcoSport
70 to 0 MPH	167 feet	186 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	117 feet	132 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	138 feet	139 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Forester has larger tires than the EcoSport (225/60R17 vs. 205/60R16).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Forester has standard 17-inch wheels. Smaller 16-inch wheels are standard on the EcoSport. The Forester Sport/Limited/Touring’s 18-inch wheels are larger than the 17-inch wheels optional on the EcoSport.

The Subaru Forester’s wheels have 5 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Ford EcoSport only has 4 wheel lugs per wheel.

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 EcoSport; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which has mileage and speed limitations, or roadside assistance and a tow-truck.

Suspension and Handling

For superior ride and handling, the Subaru Forester has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The EcoSport 4x2 has a rear torsion beam axle, with a semi-independent rear suspension.

The Forester has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Forester flat and controlled during cornering. The EcoSport 4x2 suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Forester’s wheelbase is 5.9 inches longer than on the EcoSport (105.1 inches vs. 99.2 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Forester is 1.7 inches wider in the front and 2 inches wider in the rear than the track on the EcoSport.

The Forester’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (57.3% to 42.7%) than the EcoSport’s (62% to 38%). This gives the Forester more stable handling and braking.

The Forester Touring handles at .83 G’s, while the EcoSport Titanium 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 2 seconds quicker than the EcoSport SE (27.3 seconds @ .63 average G’s vs. 29.3 seconds @ .54 average G’s).

Passenger Space

The Forester has 20.8 cubic feet more passenger volume than the EcoSport (111.9 vs. 91.1).

The Forester has 1.6 inches more front headroom, .4 inches more front legroom, 2.5 inches more front hip room, 4.9 inches more front shoulder room, 2.1 inches more rear headroom, 2.7 inches more rear legroom, 2.7 inches more rear hip room and 5.9 inches more rear shoulder room than the EcoSport.

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

Cargo Capacity

The Forester has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the EcoSport with its rear seat up (28.9 vs. 20.9 cubic feet). The Forester has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the EcoSport with its rear seat folded (74.2 vs. 50 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 EcoSport doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the Forester. The EcoSport doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

The Forester’s liftgate lifts up in one piece, completely out of the way of loading and unloading, while sheltering the cargo loading area. The EcoSport’s swing out door blocks loading from the driver’s side.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the Forester (except Base) offers an optional power liftgate, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button. The EcoSport doesn’t offer a power cargo door.

Towing

The Forester’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the EcoSport’s (1500 vs. 1400 pounds).

Servicing Ease

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

Ergonomics

When five different drivers share the Forester Touring, the memory system makes it convenient for each of them. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position, outside mirror angle and climate settings. The EcoSport doesn’t offer a memory system.

The Forester Touring’s standard easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The EcoSport doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Forester’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The EcoSport has a lever-type parking brake that has to be strenuously raised to engage properly. It has to be lifted up more and a button depressed to release it.

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

The Forester has a standard locking fuel door with a remote release located convenient to the driver. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank. The EcoSport doesn’t offer a locking fuel door.

While driving with high beams on, sensitive light sensors standard on the Forester detect other vehicles which could be blinded and automatically switch to low beams. The EcoSport doesn’t offer automatic dimming high beams.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the Forester has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The EcoSport doesn’t offer cornering lights.

When the Forester Touring is put in reverse, the passenger rearview mirror tilts from its original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirror into its original position. The EcoSport’s mirror doesn’t automatically adjust for backing.

The Forester’s optional rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The EcoSport offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

Both the Forester and the EcoSport 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 EcoSport.

The Forester Wilderness/Limited/Touring’s 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. The EcoSport doesn’t offer dual zone air conditioning.

Both the Forester and the EcoSport offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Forester has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The EcoSport doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

To keep a safe, consistent following distance, the Forester has a standard Adaptive Cruise Control, which alters the speed of the vehicle without driver intervention. This allows the driver to use cruise control more safely without constantly having to disengage it when approaching slower traffic. The EcoSport doesn’t offer an adaptive cruise control.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Forester owner. The Car Book by Jack Gillis rates the Forester with a number “1” insurance rate while the EcoSport is rated higher at a number “8” rate.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Forester is less expensive to operate than the EcoSport because typical repairs cost much less on the Forester than the EcoSport, including $89 less for a muffler, $9 less for front brake pads, $364 less for a timing belt/chain and $557 less for a power steering pump.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® chose the Subaru Forester as its “Top Pick,” the highest scoring vehicle in its category, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Ford EcoSport isn't recommended.

Motor Trend performed a comparison test in its January 2019 issue and they ranked the Subaru Forester Touring higher than the Ford EcoSport SE.

The Subaru Forester outsold the Ford EcoSport by almost four to one during the 2021 model year.