Compare the2022 Subaru ForesterVS 2021 Lexus NX Series

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
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 Lexus NX Series 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 NX Series 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 NX Series.

Both the Forester and the NX Series 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, 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 NX Series:

	Forester	NX Series
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	186	209
Neck Injury Risk	23%	46%
Neck Stress	326 lbs.	509 lbs.
Neck Compression	22 lbs.	24 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	248/368 lbs.	480/609 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	293	355
Neck Injury Risk	31%	42%
Neck Stress	213 lbs.	295 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	105/93 lbs.	442/307 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 NX Series:

	Forester	NX Series
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	66	192
Chest Movement	.6 inches	.6 inches
Abdominal Force	122 G’s	148 G’s
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	246	317
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	121	542
Hip Force	673 lbs.	828 lbs.

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

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.

Reliability

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Forester has a standard 620-amp battery. The NX Series’ 580-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

Engine

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

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Forester gets better mileage than the NX Series:

			MPG
Forester
	AWD	2.5 DOHC flat-4	26 city/33 hwy
		Wilderness 2.5 DOHC flat-4	25 city/28 hwy
NX Series
	FWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	22 city/28 hwy
	AWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	22 city/28 hwy
		F Sport 2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	22 city/27 hwy

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Subaru Forester uses regular unleaded gasoline. The NX 300 requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The Forester has 1.8 gallons more fuel capacity than the NX Series Hybrid’s standard fuel tank (16.6 vs. 14.8 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 Lexus NX Series (3 to 7). This means the Forester produces up to 24.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the NX Series every 15,000 miles.

Brakes and Stopping

The Forester stops much shorter than the NX Series:

	Forester	NX Series
70 to 0 MPH	167 feet	183 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	117 feet	127 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	138 feet	142 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

The Forester’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the NX Series’ standard 65 series tires.

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 NX Series; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which limits mileage and speed before replacement.

Suspension and Handling

The Forester Touring handles at .83 G’s, while the NX 300 F Sport AWD pulls only .76 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 NX 300h AWD (27.3 seconds @ .63 average G’s vs. 27.8 seconds @ .63 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Forester’s turning circle is 2 feet tighter than the NX Series’ (35.4 feet vs. 37.4 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Forester has a 2 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the NX 300h (8.7 vs. 6.7 inches), allowing the Forester to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Forester Wilderness’ minimum ground clearance is 2.3 inches higher than on the NX 300 (9.2 vs. 6.9 inches).

Chassis

The Subaru Forester may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 500 to 550 pounds less than the Lexus NX Series.

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 NX Series doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

Passenger Space

The Forester has 40.3 cubic feet more passenger volume than the NX Series (111.9 vs. 71.6).

The Forester has 3 inches more front headroom, .5 inches more front legroom, .9 inches more front shoulder room, 1.5 inches more rear headroom, 3.3 inches more rear legroom and 1.9 inches more rear shoulder room than the NX Series.

The front step up height for the Forester is 2.6 inches lower than the NX Series (15.5” vs. 18.1”). The Forester’s rear step up height is .8 inches lower than the NX Series’ (17.25” vs. 18”).

Cargo Capacity

The Forester has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the NX Series with its rear seat up (28.9 vs. 17.7 cubic feet). The Forester has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the NX Series with its rear seat folded (74.2 vs. 54.6 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Forester easier. The Forester’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 28.4 inches, while the NX Series’ liftover is 31.2 inches.

Towing

The Forester’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the NX Series’ (1500 vs. 0 pounds).

Servicing Ease

The engine in the Forester is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the NX Series. 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 NX Series doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system.

The Forester’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The NX Series’ power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

Both the Forester and the NX Series 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 NX Series.

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 NX Series is rated higher at a number “5” rate.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Forester is less expensive to operate than the NX Series because it costs $409 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Forester than the NX Series, including $72 less for a water pump, $446 less for a muffler, $50 less for fuel injection, $46 less for a fuel pump, $704 less for a timing belt/chain and $163 less for a power steering pump.

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 NX Series by over two to one during the 2021 model year.