Compare the2025 Subaru ForesterVS 2025 BMW X1

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 BMW X1 doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Subaru Forester are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The BMW X1 doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Forester are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The X1 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

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 X1 doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Both the Forester and the X1 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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, rearview cameras, available blind spot warning systems, around view monitors, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.

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 Subaru Forester is safer than the X1:

The Subaru Forester has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2024 model year. This distinction is based on its exceptional performance in IIHS’ rigorous battery of safety tests. Specifically, it earned an “Acceptable” rating in the latest, more stringent moderate overlap front crash test, a “Good” result in the updated side impact test, and a “Good” score in the revised pedestrian crash prevention test. The X1 is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2024, though it hasn’t yet been rated in the updated moderate overlap frontal test, a requirement for the “Top Safety Pick Plus” award.

Subaru’s powertrain warranty covers the Forester 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than BMW covers the X1. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the X1 ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are over 83 percent more Subaru dealers than there are BMW dealers, which makes it much 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 BMW vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Subaru above average in initial quality. With 23 more problems per 100 vehicles, BMW is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Subaru vehicles are more reliable than BMW vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Subaru 3 places higher in reliability than BMW.

The flat cylinder configuration of the boxer engine in the Forester lowers its center of gravity, enhancing handling stability without compromising ground clearance. The X1 doesn’t offer a boxer engine configuration.

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

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Subaru Forester uses regular unleaded gasoline. The X1 M35i xDrive requires premium, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

The Forester has 2.3 gallons more fuel capacity than the X1 (16.6 vs. 14.3 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 BMW X1 (5 to 7). This means the Forester produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the X1 every 15,000 miles.

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 X1 doesn’t offer a CVT.

For better maneuverability, the Forester’s turning circle is 3 feet tighter than the X1’s (35.4 feet vs. 38.4 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Forester has a greater minimum ground clearance than the X1 (8.7 vs. 8.1 inches), allowing the Forester to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Subaru Forester may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 100 to 250 pounds less than the BMW X1.

The Forester has 2.9 inches more front legroom, 1.6 inches more front shoulder room, .3 inches more rear headroom, 2.4 inches more rear legroom and 1.6 inches more rear shoulder room than the X1.

The Forester has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the X1 with its rear seat up (29.6 vs. 25.7 cubic feet). The Forester has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the X1 with its rear seat folded (74.4 vs. 57.2 cubic feet).

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the Forester Limited/Touring’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The X1 doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

The engine in the Forester is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the X1. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Subaru service is better than BMW. J.D. Power ranks Subaru 7th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 15% lower rating, BMW is ranked 13th.

The Forester Touring’s standard easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The X1 doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Forester has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the X1 only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

The X1’s 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.

The Forester’s standard side window demisters help clear frost or condensation from the side windows in the winter. The X1 doesn’t even offer side window demisters, so the driver may have to wipe the windows from the outside to gain side vision.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the Forester to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The X1 doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

Both the Forester and the X1 offer available heated front seats. The Forester Touring also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the X1.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Forester Touring keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The X1 doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The Subaru Forester outsold the BMW X1 by over seven to one during 2023.