2020 Honda CR-V vs 2021 Subaru Forester

Honda’s compact SUV has been satisfying buyers for more than two decades, with more than five million CR-V’s sold. Such a legacy means the CR-V has long had its wrinkles smoothed out into a comfortable and capable crossover package that’s only downside may be its sheer inoffensiveness. This year’s model gets engine and safety upgrades, which improve fuel economy and help to make Honda’s bestseller an even better value.

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The Subaru Forester was one of the original compact crossover SUVs. Along with the Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, and Toyota RAV4, it helped introduce a vehicular genre that is now displacing traditional sedans from American driveways. That means the Forester has more competition than ever.

What was once a small market segment has swelled with the addition of compact SUVs like the Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage, Mazda CX-5, Nissan Rogue, Volkswagen Tiguan, and the modern version of the Jeep Cherokee.

To keep pace with the competition, the Forester has packed on technology—and pounds. While the first-generation Forester (affectionately nicknamed “toaster” by fans because of its boxy shape) was genuinely compact, the current version has the footprint of a midsize SUV from two decades ago. This version was introduced for the 2019 model year, so it doesn’t change much for 2021. The only news is the addition of three standard safety features—steering-responsive LED headlights, automatic high beams, and a rear seatbelt reminder—standard fog lights and keyless access with push-button start for the Premium trim level, and additional equipment reshuffling on other trim levels.

The 2021 Subaru Forester is available in five trim levels—Base, Premium, Sport, Limited, and Touring—all with standard all-wheel drive (AWD). Our test car was the mid-range Sport model.