Compare the2023 Subaru ForesterVS 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross

Safety
Reliability
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 Corolla Cross 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 Corolla Cross doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

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

Both the Forester and the Corolla Cross 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 Toyota Corolla Cross:

	Forester	Corolla Cross
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	186	187
Neck Injury Risk	23%	27%
Neck Compression	22 lbs.	50 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	248/368 lbs.	330/310 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	293	356
Leg Forces (l/r)	105/93 lbs.	301/156 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 Toyota Corolla Cross:

	Forester	Corolla Cross
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	66	92
Chest Movement	.6 inches	.9 inches
Abdominal Force	122 lbs.	129 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	121	239

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

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 30 points higher than the Corolla Cross.

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 Corolla Cross’ 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Subaru Forester is faster than the Toyota Corolla Cross:

	Forester	Corolla Cross
Zero to 30 MPH	3.2 sec	3.4 sec
Zero to 60 MPH	8.3 sec	9.3 sec
Zero to 80 MPH	14.1 sec	15.8 sec
Passing 45 to 65 MPH	4.1 sec	4.7 sec
Quarter Mile	16.5 sec	17.1 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	86.2 MPH	83.1 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 Corolla Cross doesn’t offer a boxer engine configuration.

Fuel Economy and Range

The Forester has 4.2 gallons more fuel capacity than the Corolla Cross FWD’s standard fuel tank (16.6 vs. 12.4 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Forester has 3.4 gallons more fuel capacity than the Corolla Cross AWD’s standard fuel tank (16.6 vs. 13.2 gallons).

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Forester	Corolla Cross
Front Rotors	12.4 inches	12 inches
Rear Rotors	11.2 inches	11.1 inches

The Forester stops shorter than the Corolla Cross:

	Forester	Corolla Cross
60 to 0 MPH	117 feet	120 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	138 feet	140 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Forester has larger tires than the Corolla Cross (225/60R17 vs. 215/65R17).

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 Corolla Cross’ 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 Corolla Cross; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which limits mileage and speed before replacement.

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 Corolla Cross 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 Corolla Cross 4x2 suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

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

The Forester Limited handles at .82 G’s, while the Corolla Cross XLE AWD pulls only .80 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Forester Limited executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Corolla Cross XLE AWD (27.3 seconds @ .63 average G’s vs. 28.2 seconds @ .57 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Forester has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Corolla Cross (8.7 vs. 8.1 inches), allowing the Forester to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Forester Wilderness’ minimum ground clearance is 1.1 inches higher than on the Corolla Cross (9.2 vs. 8.1 inches).

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 Corolla Cross 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 Corolla Cross doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

Passenger Space

The Forester has 16.7 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Corolla Cross (111.6 vs. 94.9).

The Forester has 2.6 inches more front headroom, .4 inches more front legroom, 1.5 inches more front hip room, 5.4 inches more front shoulder room, .6 inches more rear headroom, 7.4 inches more rear legroom, 9.8 inches more rear hip room and 4.8 inches more rear shoulder room than the Corolla Cross.

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

Cargo Capacity

The Forester has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Corolla Cross (28.9 vs. 26.5 cubic feet).

A control in the cargo area automatically lowers the Forester Wilderness/Limited/Touring’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Corolla Cross 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 Corolla Cross doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

Towing

Maximum trailer towing in the Toyota Corolla Cross is limited to 1500 pounds. The Forester offers up to a 3000 lbs. 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 Corolla Cross 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 Corolla Cross. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

Ergonomics

The Forester Premium/Sport/Limited/Touring has a standard remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The Corolla Cross doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

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 Corolla Cross 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 Corolla Cross doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

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 Corolla Cross doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system.

The Forester’s variable intermittent wipers have an adjustable delay to allow the driver to choose a setting that best clears the windshield during light rain or mist. The Corolla Cross L’s standard fixed intermittent wipers only have one fixed delay setting, so the driver will have to manually switch them between slow and intermittent.

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

The Forester has a standard automatic headlight on/off feature. When the ignition is on, the headlights automatically turn on at dusk and off after dawn. When the ignition turns off, the headlights turn off after a delay timed to allow you to securely get to your front door. The Corolla Cross has an automatic headlight on/off feature standard only on the LE/XLE.

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 Corolla Cross’ 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 Corolla Cross offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

Both the Forester and the Corolla Cross 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 Corolla Cross.

On extremely cold winter days, the Forester’s optional (except Base/Premium/Sport/Wilderness) heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the vehicle heater warms up. The Corolla Cross doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

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.