Compare the2023 Chevrolet EquinoxVS 2023 Subaru Forester

The Equinox LT/RS/Premier offers an optional Surround Vision to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Forester only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

Compared to metal, the Equinox’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 Equinox and the Forester have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive, daytime running lights, 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 Chevrolet Equinox is safer than the Subaru Forester:

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 Chevrolet Equinox is safer than the Subaru Forester:

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

The Equinox’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the Forester’s (6 vs. 5 years).

There are almost 5 times as many Chevrolet dealers as there are Subaru dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Equinox’s warranty.

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

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Equinox first among compact suvs in their 2022 Initial Quality Study. The Forester isn’t in the top three.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are better in initial quality than Subaru vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet third in initial quality, above the industry average. With 44 more problems per 100 vehicles, Subaru is ranked 20th, below the industry average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are more reliable than Subaru vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet above average in long-term dependability. With 21 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Subaru is rated below average.

The Equinox’s 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 27 lbs.-ft. more torque (203 vs. 176) than the Forester’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Chevrolet Equinox is faster than the Subaru Forester:

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

The Equinox has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Forester doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

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

The Equinox stops much shorter than the Forester:

For better traction, the Equinox’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Forester (235/50R19 vs. 225/60R17).

The Equinox’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Forester Sport/Limited/Touring’s 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Equinox offers optional 19-inch wheels. The Forester’s largest wheels are only 18-inches.

The Equinox has a standard 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.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Equinox’s wheelbase is 2.2 inches longer than on the Forester (107.3 inches vs. 105.1 inches).

The Equinox’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (56% to 44%) than the Forester’s (57.3% to 42.7%). This gives the Equinox more stable handling and braking.

The Equinox Premier AWD handles at .86 G’s, while the Forester Wilderness pulls only .77 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Equinox Premier executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Forester Touring (27.7 seconds @ .61 average G’s vs. 28.1 seconds @ .6 average G’s).

The Equinox uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Forester doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The Equinox has .1 inches more front hip room and .5 inches more rear legroom than the Forester.

The Equinox has a larger cargo volume than the Forester with its rear seat up (29.9 vs. 28.9 cubic feet).

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Equinox Premier’s liftgate can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Forester doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

The Equinox 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 Equinox can be unhitched and driven around locally. The Forester can’t be towed flat on the ground.

The Equinox’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 Equinox and the Forester have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Equinox 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 Equinox’s front and rear power windows all 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 Forester Premium/Sport/Wilderness/Limited/Touring’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to lower them fully.

On a hot day the Equinox’s driver can lower all the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Forester can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Equinox’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Subaru only offers heated mirrors on the Forester Premium/Sport/Wilderness/Limited/Touring.

Optional air-conditioned seats in the Equinox Premier keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Forester doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Chevrolet Equinox Premier has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Forester doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

The Equinox (except LS) 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 Equinox Premier’s optional Automatic Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The Forester doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

The Equinox is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Forester doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Equinox is less expensive to operate than the Forester because typical repairs cost less on the Equinox than the Forester, including $150 less for a starter, $73 less for fuel injection and $179 less for front struts.

The Chevrolet Equinox outsold the Subaru Forester by 86% during 2022.