Compare the2024 Subaru ForesterVS 2024 Lexus NX

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 NX 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 NX.

Both the Forester and the NX 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.

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.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Forester third among compact suvs in their 2023 Initial Quality Study. The NX isn’t in the top three in its category.

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 doesn’t offer a boxer engine configuration.

On the EPA test cycle the Forester gets better mileage than the NX running its gasoline engine:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Subaru Forester uses regular unleaded gasoline. The NX 350 requires premium, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

The Forester has 2.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the NX (16.6 vs. 14.5 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Subaru Forester higher (7 out of 10) than the Lexus NX (6 to 7). This means the Forester produces up to 1.1 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the NX every 15,000 miles.

The Forester stops much shorter than the NX:

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; it requires you to depend on its run-flat tires, which limits mileage and speed before they are repaired. If a run-flat is damaged beyond repair by a road hazard your vehicle will have to be towed.

The Forester Touring handles at .83 G’s, while the NX 350 AWD pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Forester Limited executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.1 seconds quicker than the NX 450h AWD (27.3 seconds @ .63 average G’s vs. 28.4 seconds @ .57 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Forester’s turning circle is 2.6 feet tighter than the NX’s (35.4 feet vs. 38 feet).

The Subaru Forester may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 200 to 850 pounds less than the Lexus NX.

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 doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Forester has 2.9 inches more front headroom, 2.3 inches more front legroom, 1.8 inches more front shoulder room, 1.1 inches more rear headroom, 3.3 inches more rear legroom, 1.1 inches more rear hip room and 3.2 inches more rear shoulder room than the NX.

The front step up height for the Forester is 2.3 inches lower than the NX (15.5” vs. 17.8”). The Forester’s rear step up height is .9 inches lower than the NX’s (17.25” vs. 18.2”).

The Forester has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the NX with its rear seat up (28.9 vs. 22.7 cubic feet). The Forester has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the NX with its rear seat folded (74.2 vs. 46.9 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 28.5 inches, while the NX’s liftover is 30.8 inches.

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

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

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 doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system.

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

The Subaru Forester outsold the Lexus NX by over two to one during 2022.