2020 Subaru Outback vs 2021 Subaru Forester
Overview | |
MSRP$26,645 | MSRP$24,795 |
Average price$24,930 | Average price$25,903 |
Listings1305 | Listings2748 |
Ratings & Reviews | |
User Reviews | User Reviews |
Expert reviews7.7 out of 10 | Expert reviews7.5 out of 10 |
Pros
| Pros
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2020 Subaru Outback Reviews SummarySubaru kept the wagon vibes rolling while the rest of the world fell in love with SUVs and crossovers. And, although the 2020 Outback is technically a midsize crossover, one look will have you remembering summer drives in an overstuffed station wagon down a busy highway, whether you actually took those trips or not. And that’s not a bad thing. The Outback has always provided utility, performance, and looks, and those things have made it Subaru’s top-selling model. With the updates for this sixth generation, I wouldn’t be surprised to see America falling in love with the station wagon again. | |
2021 Subaru Forester Reviews SummaryThe 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. | |
Popular Features & Specs | |
Engine2.5L 182 hp H4 | Engine2.5L 182 hp H4 |
Drive TrainAWD | Drive TrainAWD |
Seating Capacity5 | Seating Capacity5 |
Horsepower182 hp @ 5800 rpm | Horsepower182 hp @ 5800 rpm |
MPG City26 | MPG City26 |
MPG Highway33 | MPG Highway33 |
Engine | |
Engine Name2.5L 182 hp H4 | Engine Name2.5L 182 hp H4 |
Torque178 lb-ft @ 4400 rpm | Torque178 lb-ft @ 4400 rpm |
Horsepower182 hp @ 5800 rpm | Horsepower182 hp @ 5800 rpm |
DrivetrainAWD | DrivetrainAWD |
Fuel Economy | |
MPG City26 | MPG City26 |
MPG Highway33 | MPG Highway33 |
Interior | |
Seating Capacity5 | Seating Capacity5 |
Safety | |
Front Crash Overall5 | Front Crash Overall5 |
Side Crash Overall5 | Side Crash Overall5 |
Dimensions & Capacity | |
Cargo Space32.5 cu ft | Cargo Space31.1 cu ft |
Curb Weight3634 lbs | Curb Weight3453 lbs |
Height66.1 in | Height67.5 in |
Length191.3 in | Length182.1 in |
Width82.0 in | Width80.9 in |
Wheelbase108.1 in | Wheelbase105.1 in |
Maximum Payload1071 lbs | Maximum Payload1438 lbs |
Number of doors4 | Number of doors4 |
Maximum Towing Capacity2700 lbs | Maximum Towing Capacity1500 lbs |
Overview | ||
MSRP | $26,645 | $24,795 |
Average price | $24,930 | $25,903 |
Listings | ||
Ratings & Reviews | ||
User reviews | 4.5 | 4.5 |
Expert reviews | 7.7 out of 10Read full review | 7.5 out of 10Read full review |
Pros & cons | Pros
| Pros
|
Summary | Subaru kept the wagon vibes rolling while the rest of the world fell in love with SUVs and crossovers. And, although the 2020 Outback is technically a midsize crossover, one look will have you remembering summer drives in an overstuffed station wagon down a busy highway, whether you actually took those trips or not. And that’s not a bad thing. The Outback has always provided utility, performance, and looks, and those things have made it Subaru’s top-selling model. With the updates for this sixth generation, I wouldn’t be surprised to see America falling in love with the station wagon again. | 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. |
Video | ||
Popular Features & Specs | ||
Engine | 2.5L 182 hp H4 | 2.5L 182 hp H4 |
Drive Train | AWD | AWD |
Seating Capacity | 5 | 5 |
Horsepower | 182 hp @ 5800 rpm | 182 hp @ 5800 rpm |
MPG City | 26 | 26 |
MPG Highway | 33 | 33 |
Engine | ||
Engine Name | 2.5L 182 hp H4 | 2.5L 182 hp H4 |
Torque | 178 lb-ft @ 4400 rpm | 178 lb-ft @ 4400 rpm |
Horsepower | 182 hp @ 5800 rpm | 182 hp @ 5800 rpm |
Drivetrain | AWD | AWD |
Fuel Economy | ||
MPG City | 26 | 26 |
MPG Highway | 33 | 33 |
Interior | ||
Seating Capacity | 5 | 5 |
Safety | ||
Front Crash Overall | 5 | 5 |
Side Crash Overall | 5 | 5 |
Dimensions & Capacity | ||
Cargo Space | 32.5 cu ft | 31.1 cu ft |
Curb Weight | 3634 lbs | 3453 lbs |
Height | 66.1 in | 67.5 in |
Length | 191.3 in | 182.1 in |
Width | 82.0 in | 80.9 in |
Wheelbase | 108.1 in | 105.1 in |
Maximum Payload | 1071 lbs | 1438 lbs |
Number of doors | 4 | 4 |
Maximum Towing Capacity | 2700 lbs | 1500 lbs |
By: CarGurus + AI
This car comparison has been created with using generative AI. It is based entirely on CarGurus expert review content, ratings and data, and leverages our extensive library of hands-on product tests to create thousands of unique comparisons to help shoppers choose the right car.