Compare the2024 Hyundai TucsonVS 2024 Subaru Forester

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Model Availability
Recommendations

Safety

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The Tucson Limited has a standard Around View Monitor 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.

The Tucson has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them and moves the vehicle back into its lane. A system to reveal vehicles in the Forester’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Tucson has standard Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning and Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. Subaru charges extra for Rear Cross Traffic Alert on the Forester and its not available on the Base and the Forester’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert does not include automatic braking.

Both the Tucson and the Forester have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact 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 and available all wheel drive.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Hyundai Tucson is safer than the Subaru Forester:

	Tucson	Forester
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.7 inches
Neck Stress	125 lbs.	213 lbs.
Neck Compression	59 lbs.	103 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	51/13 lbs.	105/93 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 Hyundai Tucson is safer than the Subaru Forester:

	Tucson	Forester
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	37	246
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	14 inches	16 inches
Hip Force	614 lbs.	673 lbs.

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

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Hyundai Tucson is safer than the Forester:

	Tucson	Forester
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Structure	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Neck Compression	-45 lbs.	67 lbs.
Torso	ACCEPTABLE	ACCEPTABLE
Torso Max Deflection	1.34 in	1.5 in
Pelvis	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Pelvis Force	759 lbs.	1071 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head Injury Criterion	116	544
Head Peak Forces	no contact	81 G’s
Neck Compression	-134 lbs.	290 lbs.
Shoulder Deflection	1.1 in	2.2 in
Shoulder Force	245 lbs.	469 lbs.
Torso Deflection Rate	5 MPH	8 MPH
Pelvis	GOOD	GOOD
Head Protection	GOOD	MARGINAL

The Hyundai Tucson achieved a “Top Safety Pick” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for the 2024 model year. This recognition was based on its impressive performance in the small overlap frontal crash test, updated side impact crash test, headlight evaluations, and pedestrian crash prevention testing. The Forester last would have qualified as a “Top Safety Pick” in 2023.

Warranty

The Tucson comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Forester’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 2 years or 24,000 miles sooner.

Hyundai’s powertrain warranty covers the Tucson 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Subaru covers the Forester. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Forester ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The Tucson’s corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the Forester’s (7 vs. 5 years).

Hyundai pays for scheduled maintenance on the Tucson for 3 years and 36,000 miles. Hyundai will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Subaru doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Forester.

There are over 31 percent more Hyundai dealers than there are Subaru dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Tucson’s warranty.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Subaru vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai third in reliability, above the industry average. With 78 more problems per 100 vehicles, Subaru is ranked 22nd.

Engine

The Tucson’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 5 more horsepower (187 vs. 182) and 2 lbs.-ft. more torque (178 vs. 176) than the Forester’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Hyundai Tucson is faster than the Subaru Forester:

	Tucson	Forester
Zero to 30 MPH	3.1 sec	3.7 sec
Zero to 60 MPH	9.3 sec	9.6 sec
Quarter Mile	17 sec	17.3 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	83.6 MPH	82.3 MPH

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Tucson	Forester Base	Forester
Front Rotors	12.8 inches	11.6 inches	12.4 inches
Rear Rotors	12 inches	11.2 inches	11.2 inches

The Tucson stops much shorter than the Forester:

	Tucson	Forester
60 to 0 MPH	118 feet	129 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	131 feet	138 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Tucson has larger tires than the Forester (235/65R17 vs. 225/60R17).

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

Suspension and Handling

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Tucson’s wheelbase is 3.4 inches longer than on the Forester (108.5 inches vs. 105.1 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Tucson is 2.2 inches wider in the front and 2.3 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Forester.

The Tucson Limited AWD handles at .82 G’s, while the Forester Touring pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Tucson Limited AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Forester Touring (27.4 seconds @ .61 average G’s vs. 28.1 seconds @ .6 average G’s).

Passenger Space

The Tucson has .4 inches more front hip room, 1.9 inches more rear legroom and .3 inches more rear hip room than the Forester.

Cargo Capacity

The Tucson has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Forester with its rear seat up (38.7 vs. 28.9 cubic feet). The Tucson has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Forester with its rear seat folded (74.8 vs. 74.2 cubic feet).

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Tucson’s liftgate can be opened just by waiting momentarily behind 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.

Towing

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

Ergonomics

The power windows standard on both the Tucson and the Forester have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Tucson 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.

On a hot day the Tucson’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 Tucson Limited’s standard wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield. The Forester’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Tucson Limited 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 Hyundai Tucson SEL/XRT/Limited has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Forester doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

The Tucson Limited’s Remote Smart Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Smart Park Assist will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The Forester doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Model Availability

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

Recommendations

The Hyundai Tucson outsold the Subaru Forester by 37% during 2023.

See Available Inventory