Compare the2025 Subaru ForesterVS 2024 Cadillac XT4

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Subaru Forester have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Cadillac XT4 doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

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 XT4 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 XT4.

The Forester Touring’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The XT4 doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Forester and the XT4 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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, around view monitors and rear cross-path warning.

There are over 12 percent more Subaru dealers than there are Cadillac dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Forester’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Subaru vehicles are better in initial quality than Cadillac vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Subaru above average in initial quality. With 31 more problems per 100 vehicles, Cadillac is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Subaru vehicles are more reliable than Cadillac vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Subaru 10 places higher in reliability than Cadillac.

The flat cylinder configuration of the boxer engine in the Forester lowers its center of gravity, enhancing handling stability without compromising ground clearance. The XT4 doesn’t offer a boxer engine configuration.

On the EPA test cycle the Forester gets better mileage than the XT4:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Subaru Forester uses regular unleaded gasoline. The XT4 requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

The Forester has a standard locking fuel door which locks and unlocks with the power locks. The fuel filler door is not lockable on the XT4. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank.

The Forester has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The XT4 doesn’t offer a CVT.

For better maneuverability, the Forester’s turning circle is 2.6 feet tighter than the XT4’s (35.4 feet vs. 38 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Forester has a 2 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the XT4 (8.7 vs. 6.7 inches), allowing the Forester to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Forester has 9.5 cubic feet more passenger volume than the XT4 (110.8 vs. 101.3).

The Forester has 1.8 inches more front headroom, .2 inches more front hip room, .7 inches more front shoulder room, 1.3 inches more rear headroom, 3.9 inches more rear hip room and 1.6 inches more rear shoulder room than the XT4.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Forester Premium/Sport/Limited/Touring’s rear seats recline. The XT4’s rear seats don’t recline.

The front step up height for the Forester is 1.5 inches lower than the XT4 (15.5” vs. 17”). The Forester’s rear step up height is .3 inches lower than the XT4’s (17.25” vs. 17.5”).

The Forester has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the XT4 with its rear seat up (29.6 vs. 22.5 cubic feet). The Forester has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the XT4 with its rear seat folded (74.4 vs. 48.9 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 28.9 inches, while the XT4’s liftover is 30.5 inches.

The Forester’s cargo area is larger than the XT4’s in almost every dimension:

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the Forester Limited/Touring’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The XT4 doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

The engine in the Forester is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the XT4. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

The XT4 (except Luxury)’s optional cornering lamps activate a lamp on the front corner when the turn signal is activated. The Forester’s standard adaptive cornering lights turn the actual headlight unit up to several degrees, depending on steering wheel angle and vehicle speed. This lights a significant distance into corners at any speed.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the Forester to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The XT4 doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

The Subaru Forester outsold the Cadillac XT4 by almost seven to one during 2023.