DARE TO COMPARE
Subaru Forester vs. Honda CR-V
At a Glance: Forester vs. CR-V
It’s Friday afternoon. The kids will be home from school any minute, and you’re squeezing in a few last-minute errands around Parsippany, Dover, and Mountain Lakes, NJ before packing up for a weekend family getaway. You need an SUV that’s just as comfortable navigating tight city streets as it is cruising the open highway, one with room for your crew, their gear, and a little delightful family chaos, too.
Two likely candidates for your next on-road companion are the Subaru Forester and the Honda CR-V. Both are well-known compact crossovers, but which one has the flexibility, space, and features to keep up with your active lifestyle? The Paul Miller Subaru team has put them head-to-head, so you can decide which SUV is ready for the way your family moves. Read on, then see for yourself—because your next adventure is just around the corner.
ALL-WHEEL DRIVE
Standard | Available
Forester vs. CR-V
PASSENGER VOLUME
110.8 cu. ft. | 106 cu. ft.
Forester vs. CR-V
MAX TOWING CAPACITY
3,500 lbs. | 1,500 lbs.
Forester vs. CR-V
The Right Ride for Real Life
Select a category below to learn more about how the Subaru Forester compares to the Honda CR-V.
MOMENTUM
Within your dynamic life, you need a reliable ride that can keep up. The Subaru Forester and the Honda CR-V are built to match your pace, ready to go wherever the day takes you.
Built to Keep Up—and Keep Going
You’re the engine that keeps your family running—known (or at least should be) for your resilience, strength, and ability to power through even the busiest days. The Subaru Forester and the Honda CR-V follow your lead, each equipped with a standard engine delivering at least 180 horsepower.
And just like you, they’re built to go the distance efficiently. Both models are designed to sip fuel. For even greater efficiency, the Forester and the CR-V offer hybrid options that not only stretch your mileage but also reduce emissions, helping make the world a little cleaner for the next generation of riders in the back seat.
Planning a weekend escape? With standard 1,500-pound towing capacities, the Subaru Forester and the Honda CR-V can haul a teardrop camper, ATV, or small fishing boat. Need more muscle? The Forester Wilderness trim more than doubles the towing capacity to 3,500 pounds, giving you even more freedom to bring what you need, wherever life takes you.
Ready for Whatever Rolls In
The Subaru Forester rises to the challenge of consistent forward motion with standard Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive (AWD), giving you confidence and control in nearly any road or weather condition. Its low center of gravity and smooth-shifting Lineartronic® CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) deliver added stability and steady handling from Point A to Point B. While the CR-V also features a CVT, its AWD is only optional, not standard.
And when your route leads off the beaten path—or when there is no path—the Forester lives up to its name, ready to venture into terrain where the CR-V might hesitate:
- Subaru Forester Ground Clearance (Standard/Max): 8.7 / 9.3 inches
- Honda CR-V Standard Ground Clearance (Standard/Max): 7.8 / 8.2 inches
From backcountry getaways to unpredictable commutes, only the Subaru Forester proves itself a truly go-anywhere, do-anything companion.
EASE
Between people and all their stuff, you need a vehicle spacious enough to fit it all yet compact enough to squeeze into tight parking spots. The Subaru Forester and the Honda CR-V both aim to offer the best of both worlds, but only one truly nails that sweet spot.
Sized to Stretch Out
You’re rarely flying solo. On most days, you’ve got passengers filling the seats—and sometimes every one. Will the Subaru Forester or the Honda CR-V deliver the room needed to stretch out?
Passenger Volume | Headroom (front/rear) | Legroom (front/rear) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subaru Forester | 110.8 cu. ft. | 41.2 / 39.6 in. | 43.3 / 39.4 in. |
| Honda CR-V | 106 cu. ft. | 40 / 38.2 in. | 41.3 / 41 in. |
Almost across the board, the Forester offers more space, so wherever they’re seated, your passengers will ride more comfortably. You might assume all that extra room means a larger vehicle overall. Surprisingly, the opposite is true. In fact, the Forester measures one-and-a-half inches shorter and narrower than the CR-V.
The Subaru Forester makes smarter use of its footprint, offering a roomier interior in a smaller, more maneuverable package—perfect for navigating tight city streets and packed parking lots.
Crafted for Comfort and Convenience
From jam-packed days to those rare quiet moments, the Subaru Forester and the Honda CR-V are built to make your time behind the wheel more comfortable. Settle in and you’ll find a space designed to help you relax and recharge, with thoughtful touches like available 10-way heated front seats, automatic climate control, and leather-trimmed seating.
But only the Subaru Forester adds an extra layer of luxury and all-weather readiness with optional features designed to keep everyone cozy, no matter the season:
- Heated rear seats
- Ventilated front seats
- Heated steering wheel
And because life can be unpredictable, the Forester also offers durable, easy-to-clean StarTex® upholstery on select trim levels. Whether it’s sandy feet, muddy paws, or melting ice cream cones, it’s ready for whatever your crew might drag in, drip, or drop.
SUPPORT
Let’s face it: Everyone needs a little help now and then in the juggling act of work-life balance. Technology can be that support, keeping you in the loop when you're on the go. And when it comes to safety, it can even serve as a literal lifeline.
Tuned in to Life and the Drive
Your vehicle needs to keep up with your on-the-go life. When you spend more time in your car than on your couch, staying connected isn’t a luxury. it’s a must. The Subaru Forester and the Honda CR-V let you easily pair your phone via Apple CarPlay® or Android Auto™ to access your contacts, apps, maps, music and more through a touchscreen that mirrors your smartphone’s display.
But Subaru packs in more infotainment features across more trims:
Subaru Forester | Honda CR-V | |
|---|---|---|
| SiriusXM® | Standard | Not offered |
| HD Radio® | Standard | Not offered |
| Wi-Fi® Hotspot | All trims except Base | Hybrid trims only |
And while the CR-V’s touchscreen maxes out at nine inches, the Forester goes even bigger with an intuitive 11.6-inch display. That extra screen real estate makes it easier to follow directions or manage apps, all while keeping your focus where it belongs: on the road ahead.
Watching Out for You and Yours
No in-vehicle technologies are more critical than those that help protect you and your most precious cargo. With their comprehensive safety suites—EyeSight® Driver Assist Technology in the Subaru Forester and Honda Sensing® in the CR-V—these two compact SUVs offer every driver’s non-negotiable: peace of mind.
Both models come standard with brand-specific versions of these advanced features:
- Advanced Adaptive Cruise Control with Lane Centering
- Pre-collision Braking
- Lane Departure/Lane Keep Assist
- Automatic Emergency Steering
- And more
In addition to its standard safety suite, the Forester adds premium upgrades, including Reverse Automatic Braking and a 360-Degree Surround View Monitor. These features provide total visibility when navigating a crowded parking lot. While available on the Forester, they are features the CR-V skips.
Subaru Forester: The SUV That Gets You
Real life demands the right fit. While the Honda CR-V has plenty to offer, it’s the Subaru Forester that puts family first. If you agree that the Forester is built for the way you move around Parsippany, Dover, and Mountain Lakes, NJ, then it’s time to get better acquainted.
Contact Paul Miller Subaru to schedule your test drive today.
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