Compare the2024 BMW X1VS 2024 Subaru Forester

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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The BMW X1 has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Forester doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

The X1 has a standard PostCrash iBrake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Forester doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

The X1 offers an optional Surround View 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 X1 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 X1 has standard Cross Traffic Warning with braking function and automatically engage the brakes. 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 X1 and the Forester have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems and rearview cameras.

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 BMW X1 is safer than the Forester:

	X1	Forester
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Structure	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Neck Tension	201 lbs.	223 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Torso Max Deflection	1.1 in	1.5 in
Torso Deflection Rate	7 MPH	8 MPH
Pelvis	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Pelvis Force	692 lbs.	1071 lbs.
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	173	544
Head Peak Forces	no contact	81 G’s
Neck Compression	201 lbs.	290 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	GOOD
Shoulder Deflection	.59 in	2.2 in
Shoulder Force	245 lbs.	469 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	1.14 in	1.26 in
Torso Deflection Rate	5 MPH	8 MPH
Head Protection	GOOD	MARGINAL

The BMW X1 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 X1 comes with a full 4-year/50,000-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 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

The X1’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the Forester’s (12 vs. 5 years).

BMW pays for scheduled maintenance on the X1 for 3 years and 36,000 miles. BMW 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.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that BMW vehicles are more reliable than Subaru vehicles. J.D. Power ranks BMW above average in long-term dependability. With 5 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Subaru is rated below average.

Engine

The X1 xDrive28i’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 59 more horsepower (241 vs. 182) and 119 lbs.-ft. more torque (295 vs. 176) than the Forester’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder. The X1 M35i xDrive’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 131 more horsepower (313 vs. 182) and 119 lbs.-ft. more torque (295 vs. 176) than the Forester’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the X1 xDrive28i is faster than the Subaru Forester:

	X1	Forester
Zero to 60 MPH	5.6 sec	9.6 sec
Quarter Mile	14.3 sec	17.3 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	97.8 MPH	82.3 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the X1 gets better mileage than the Forester:

			MPG
X1
	AWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	25 city/34 hwy
		2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	23 city/31 hwy
Forester
	AWD	Wilderness 2.5 DOHC flat-4	25 city/28 hwy

Regenerative brakes improve the X1’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Forester doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

Transmission

The X1’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.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the X1’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Forester:

	X1	X1 M35i xDrive	Forester Base	Forester
Front Rotors	13.2 inches	15.2 inches	11.6 inches	12.4 inches
Rear Rotors	11.8 inches	13 inches	11.2 inches	11.2 inches

The X1’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.

The X1 stops much shorter than the Forester:

	X1	Forester
70 to 0 MPH	167 feet	181 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	115 feet	129 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	136 feet	138 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the X1’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Forester (245/45R19 vs. 225/60R17).

The X1’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Forester’s standard 60 series tires. The X1’s optional tires have a lower 40 series profile than the Forester Sport/Limited/Touring’s 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the X1 has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Forester. The X1’s optional 20-inch wheels are larger than the 18-inch wheels on the Forester Sport/Limited/Touring.

Suspension and Handling

The X1 offers an available driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads or off-road. The Forester’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The X1 xDrive28i 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 X1 xDrive28i executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.8 seconds quicker than the Forester Touring (26.3 seconds @ .67 average G’s vs. 28.1 seconds @ .6 average G’s).

Chassis

The X1 xDrive28i is 5.5 inches shorter than the Forester, making the X1 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Cargo Capacity

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the X1’s available 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.

Towing

The X1’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Forester’s (3500 vs. 1500 pounds).

Servicing Ease

The X1 uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Forester uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that BMW service is better than Subaru. J.D. Power ranks BMW 7th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 14% lower rating, Subaru is ranked 16th.

Ergonomics

The X1 offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed, tachometer, warning and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Forester doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The power windows standard on both the X1 and the Forester have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the X1 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 X1’s front power windows open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Forester’s standard passenger windows don’t open or close automatically. The Forester Premium/Sport/Wilderness/Limited/Touring’s rear windows don’t close automatically.

If the windows are left open on the X1 the driver can close them all at the outside door handle or from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can lower 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 X1 has standard Comfort Go that allows you to start the engine without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Only the Forester Premium/Sport/Wilderness/Limited/Touring offers a Keyless Access and Start.

The X1’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Forester’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the X1 to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Forester doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

The X1’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.

The X1 has a standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. Dual zone air conditioning is only available on the Forester Wilderness/Limited/Touring.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the BMW X1 offers an optional wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Forester doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

The X1’s Parking Assistant can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling the transmission and speed with the brake pedal. With its available fully controlled system, the driver just activates it and it parks autonomously, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Forester doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Recommendations

J.D. Power and Associates rated the X1 third among small premium suvs in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The Forester isn’t in the top three in its category.

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