Compare the2022 Jeep WranglerVS 2022 Subaru Forester

Compared to metal, the Wrangler’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 Wrangler and the Forester have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, rearview cameras, available collision warning systems, daytime running lights, blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

Jeep pays for scheduled maintenance on the Wrangler for 3 years and unlimited miles. Jeep will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance (up to 3 oil changes). Subaru doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Forester.

There are almost 4 times as many Jeep dealers as there are Subaru dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Wrangler’s warranty.

The Wrangler has a solid front axle with a floating power axle for durability that the Forester’s independent front suspension and exposed front driveshafts don’t offer.

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Wrangler has a standard 650-amp battery (700 optional). The Forester’s 620-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Jeep vehicles are better in initial quality than Subaru vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Jeep 8th in initial quality, above the industry average. With 33 more problems per 100 vehicles, Subaru is ranked 24th, below the industry average.

The Wrangler’s optional 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 88 more horsepower (270 vs. 182) and 119 lbs.-ft. more torque (295 vs. 176) than the Forester’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder. The Wrangler’s standard 3.6 DOHC V6 produces 103 more horsepower (285 vs. 182) and 84 lbs.-ft. more torque (260 vs. 176) than the Forester’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder. The Wrangler 4Xe’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 193 more horsepower (375 vs. 182) and 294 lbs.-ft. more torque (470 vs. 176) than the Forester’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder. The Wrangler Rubicon 392’s optional 6.4 V8 produces 288 more horsepower (470 vs. 182) and 294 lbs.-ft. more torque (470 vs. 176) than the Forester’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder.

The Wrangler’s 3.0 turbo V6 diesel produces 78 more horsepower (260 vs. 182) and 266 lbs.-ft. more torque (442 vs. 176) than the Forester’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Car and Driver the Jeep Wrangler turbo 4 cyl. is faster than the Subaru Forester (automatics tested):

On the EPA test cycle the Wrangler 4-door running on electricity gets better mileage than the Forester:

The Wrangler 4Xe can drive on battery power alone for up to 21 miles. The Forester must run its internal combustion engine to move.

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the Wrangler Rubicon 392’s fuel efficiency. The Forester doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

Regenerative brakes improve the Wrangler 2.0 Turbo/3.6 eTorque/4Xe’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Forester doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

Both the Wrangler and the Forester have a standard automatic start/stop engine feature to stop unnecessary fuel waste and pollution at stop lights and heavy traffic. All Wranglers have a standard disable switch for the system, so a driver can keep the engine from shutting off when the vehicle stops temporarily.

The Wrangler 2-door’s standard fuel tank has almost a gallon more fuel capacity than the Forester (17.5 vs. 16.6 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Wrangler 4-door’s standard fuel tank has 4.9 gallons more fuel capacity than the Forester (21.5 vs. 16.6 gallons).

The Wrangler Rubicon 392’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The Forester doesn’t offer launch control.

For better stopping power the Wrangler’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Forester:

The Wrangler 4-door 4x4 Rubicon 4xe/Rubicon 392’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Forester are solid, not vented.

For better traction, the Wrangler has larger standard tires than the Forester (245/75R17 vs. 225/60R17). The Wrangler’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Forester (315/70R17 vs. 225/60R17).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Wrangler Sahara 4-door offers optional 20-inch wheels. The Forester’s largest wheels are only 18-inches.

The Wrangler Sport S/Sahara/Rubicon offers an optional easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Forester doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Wrangler Rubicon has an active front sway bar, which helps keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnects at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The Forester doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Wrangler 4-door’s wheelbase is 13.3 inches longer than on the Forester (118.4 inches vs. 105.1 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Wrangler is 3.2 inches wider in the front and 3.1 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Forester.

The Wrangler’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (50.7% to 49.3%) than the Forester’s (57.3% to 42.7%). This gives the Wrangler more stable handling and braking.

For better maneuverability, the Wrangler 2-door’s turning circle is .9 feet tighter than the Forester’s (34.5 feet vs. 35.4 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Wrangler Sport 2-door has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Forester (9.7 vs. 8.7 inches), allowing the Wrangler to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

As tested by Car and Driver while under full throttle, the interior of the Wrangler Sport 4-door is quieter than the Forester Limited (73 vs. 74 dB).

The Wrangler 4-door has a much larger cargo volume than the Forester with its rear seat up (31.7 vs. 28.9 cubic feet).

The Wrangler’s rear cargo window opens separately from the rest of the left swing out door to allow quicker loading of small packages. The Forester’s rear cargo window doesn’t open.

The Wrangler’s minimum standard towing capacity is much higher than the Forester’s (2000 vs. 1500 pounds).

The Wrangler can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Wrangler can be unhitched and driven around locally. The Forester can’t be towed flat on the ground.

The Wrangler’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The Forester does not have an oil pressure gauge.

The power windows standard on both the Wrangler and the Forester have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Wrangler is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Forester prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The Wrangler Sport S/Sahara/Rubicon’s available front power windows lower with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside of the car. The Forester’s standard power windows’ passenger windows don’t open automatically.

The Wrangler’s speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The Forester’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

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

The Wrangler (except Sport) offers an optional 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Forester doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The Jeep Wrangler JL comes in four door and soft top bodystyles; the Subaru Forester isn’t available as a soft top.

The Wrangler will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Wrangler will retain 73.16% to 86.03% of its original price after five years, while the Forester only retains 57.56% to 60.61%.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Wrangler is less expensive to operate than the Forester because it costs $627 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Wrangler than the Forester, including $78 less for a water pump, $19 less for a muffler, $374 less for a starter, $250 less for fuel injection, $202 less for front struts and $242 less for a power steering pump.

Motor Trend performed a comparison test in its January 2019 issue and the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 2-door won out over the Subaru Forester Touring.

Motor Trend selected the Wrangler as their 2019 Sport Utility of the Year. The Forester has never been chosen.

The Jeep Wrangler outsold the Subaru Forester by 23% during the 2021 model year.