Compare the2026 Lexus NXVS 2026 Subaru Forester

The NX 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. A system to reveal vehicles in the Forester’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the NX has standard Rear Cross-Traffic Alert and Parking Support Brake automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. Subaru charges extra for Rear Cross Traffic Alert on the Forester and it’s not available on the Base and the Forester’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert does not include automatic braking.

Compared to metal, the NX’s plastic fuel tank can withstand harder, more intrusive impacts without leaking; this decreases the possibility of fire. The Subaru Forester has a metal gas tank.

Both the NX and the Forester 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 and available around view monitors.

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 Lexus NX is safer than the Subaru Forester:

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

The NX 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.

Lexus’ powertrain warranty covers the NX 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Subaru covers the Forester. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 6 years or 70,000 miles. Coverage on the Forester ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The NX’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the Forester’s (6 vs. 5 years).

J.D. Power and Associates rated the NX second among compact premium suvs in their 2025 Initial Quality Study. The Forester isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Lexus vehicles are better in initial quality than Subaru vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lexus first in initial quality, above the industry average. With 21 more problems per 100 vehicles, Subaru is ranked 11th.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Lexus vehicles are more reliable than Subaru vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lexus first in reliability, above the industry average. With 72 more problems per 100 vehicles, Subaru is ranked 21st.

The NX has more powerful engines than the Forester:

As tested in Consumer Reports the Lexus NX is faster than the Subaru Forester:

On the EPA test cycle the NX running on electricity gets better mileage than the Forester:

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

The NX 450h can travel with zero emissions for 37 miles. The Forester can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

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

The NX stops much shorter than the Forester:

For better traction, the NX has larger tires than the Forester (235/60R18 vs. 225/60R17).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the NX has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Forester. The NX’s optional 20-inch wheels are larger than the 19-inch wheels on the Forester Sport/Touring.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires standard on the NX can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The Forester doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

The NX 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.

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the NX is 1.5 inches wider in the front and 2.2 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Forester.

The NX 350 AWD handles at .81 G’s, while the Forester Sport pulls only .80 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The NX 350 AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Forester Sport (27.2 seconds @ .62 average G’s vs. 27.6 seconds @ .61 average G’s).

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the NX. The Forester doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

The NX 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 Lexus service is better than Subaru. J.D. Power ranks Lexus second in service department satisfaction. With a 4% lower rating, Subaru is ranked third.

The NX’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The Forester does not have an oil pressure gauge.

The NX offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed, tachometer, warning, navigation instruction and driver assistance information 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 NX’s front and rear power windows all 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. With the Forester Premium/Wilderness/Sport/Limited/Touring’s power windows, only the front windows open or close automatically.

On a hot day the NX’s driver can lower all the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. (This window function must be activated by your Lexus service department.) The driver of the Forester can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The NX’s standard Smart Access allow you to unlock the doors from any outside door handle, open the cargo door, and start the vehicle, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Keyless Access and Start is only offered on the Forester Premium/Sport/Limited/Wilderness/Touring, and doesn’t offer a sensor on the rear doors, so you’ll have to reach a front handle to unlock the rear door.

The NX’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.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The NX Luxury/450+ F Sport has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The Forester doesn’t offer headlight washers.

The NX’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/Limited/Touring.

Both the Lexus NX and Subaru Forester offer exterior mirrors that can be folded to provide convenience. The NX features standard power folding mirrors, which allow for easy, one-touch folding or unfolding at the driver’s discretion. This provides added convenience when maneuvering or parking, as well as when walking past the parked vehicle. In comparison, the Forester’s foldable mirrors are manual, requiring the driver to get out and physically fold them once parked and unfold them before getting in.

The NX Luxury/F Sport’s optional Advanced Park can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Park 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.

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