2021 Audi Q3 vs 2021 Subaru Forester

The 2021 Audi Q3 featured a massive corporate grille that paired well with its stout, chunky styling, presenting an idea of utility and dynamic handling. The cabin echoed a mechanical, modern aesthetic with a dash design that framed the center touchscreen, making it a standout feature. Despite the Q3's modern and refined feel, it was noted that Volkswagen's interiors were catching up, making the Q3's interior feel less special over time.

The 2021 Subaru Forester, redesigned for the 2019 model year, retained a boxy, upright shape that appealed to many SUV shoppers. The Forester Sport models added orange striping, a rear spoiler, and black 18-inch alloy wheels, which made a significant visual impact. The Forester's interior was a no-nonsense mix of materials designed to withstand years of use, with the Sport trim adding orange accents. The Forester's design was clean and unpretentious, offering a practical and rugged look.

The 2021 Audi Q3 came equipped with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, producing 184 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and Quattro all-wheel drive. The S-Line trim offered a more potent version of the same engine, delivering 228 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque. The Q3's handling was nimble and engaging, with a comfortable ride quality. The Drive Select system offered various modes, including Auto, Comfort, Dynamic, and Off-Road, though the latter was best suited for light dirt trails.

The 2021 Subaru Forester featured a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with 182 horsepower and 176 pound-feet of torque, connected to a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). The Forester's engine had a boxer configuration, providing a lower center of gravity. The Forester's power felt adequate but lacked the thrust needed for highway merging and overtaking. The suspension tuning was soft, resulting in poor body control and a bouncy ride on uneven pavement. The Forester's AWD system included X-Mode for different surfaces, with Sport models offering Dual X-Mode. The Forester had 8.7 inches of ground clearance and standard hill-descent control on Premium and higher trims.

The 2021 Audi Q3 provided 48 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded and 23.7 cubic feet behind the rear seats. While the space behind the seats was decent for a subcompact luxury SUV, the overall cargo space was subpar for the class. However, the Q3 made up for it with comfortable front seats and impressive rear seat headroom and legroom, making it suitable for four passengers on a road trip.

The 2021 Subaru Forester offered above-average headroom and legroom in both rows, thanks to its tall, flat roof. The Forester provided 35.4 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats in place and 76.1 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. While it had more cargo space than some competitors, it lacked a sliding second-row bench. The Forester's interior featured large knobs for audio and climate control, but the phone-storage cubby was too small, and wireless charging was not available. A power-adjustable driver's seat was only available on the Premium trim and higher.

The 2021 Audi Q3 came standard with an 8.8-inch touchscreen infotainment system running Audi's MMI system, featuring Android Auto and wireless Apple CarPlay. The upgraded system included a 10.1-inch touchscreen with navigation. Other available features were wireless device charging, satellite radio, and a Bang & Olufsen 15-speaker premium audio system. The Audi Virtual Cockpit was also available, replacing the conventional instrument cluster with a customizable digital display.

The 2021 Subaru Forester's standard Starlink infotainment system included a 6.5-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth, SiriusXM satellite radio, and front-row USB ports. Sport models added an 8-inch touchscreen and Harman Kardon audio system, while Limited and Touring models included navigation and rear USB ports. The Forester's infotainment system was user-friendly, but the screen was slow to boot up. Additional displays in the dashboard and instrument cluster provided secondary information, though the setup seemed overly complex.

The 2021 Audi Q3 came standard with Audi Pre Sense and Pre Sense Front, which included forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and pedestrian detection. Lane-departure warning was also standard. Optional features included blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, traffic-sign recognition, a 360-degree camera system, front-and-rear parking sensors, and self-parking assist.

The 2021 Subaru Forester received the highest "Top Safety Pick+" award from the IIHS and a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA. The Forester came standard with EyeSight, which included adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and lead-vehicle start alert. Optional features were blind-spot monitoring, rear-cross traffic alert, lane-keep assist, and reverse automatic braking. The Forester also offered a driver-monitoring system called DriverFocus, which checked for signs of distraction.