2021 Chevrolet Suburban vs 2021 Subaru Forester

The 2021 Chevrolet Suburban had a polarizing front-end design, borrowing heavily from the Camaro's design language. This resulted in small headlights and large, busy grilles that didn't favor the Suburban's massive frame. Despite the aggressive exterior, the interior remained familiar with controls in their usual places, making it user-friendly. The Suburban offered various trim levels, with the High Country being the top-tier model, featuring luxurious yet somewhat hard-touch materials.

In contrast, the 2021 Subaru Forester, despite its 2019 redesign, retained a familiar look from previous generations. Its boxy, upright shape appealed to many SUV shoppers. The Forester Sport model added orange striping and black 18-inch alloy wheels, enhancing its appearance. The interior was practical, with a no-nonsense mix of materials designed to withstand years of use. The Sport trim added a splash of orange to the interior, making it visually appealing.

The 2021 Chevrolet Suburban offered three engine options: a standard 5.3-liter V8 with 355 horsepower, a 6.2-liter V8 with 420 horsepower, and a newly available 3.0-liter Duramax turbodiesel engine producing 277 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque. All engines were paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission, with rear-wheel drive as standard and four-wheel drive available. The diesel engine provided excellent pickup and V8-level torque, making it suitable for both city and highway driving. The Suburban's independent rear suspension improved ride quality, although it still exhibited some truck-like tendencies.

The 2021 Subaru Forester came with a single powertrain option: a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine producing 182 horsepower and 176 pound-feet of torque, paired with a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). The engine's boxer configuration provided a lower center of gravity. However, 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 noticeable body roll in corners. The Forester's all-wheel-drive system, standard across all trims, included X-Mode for different surfaces, enhancing its off-road capability.

The 2021 Chevrolet Suburban excelled in cargo space, offering 144.7 cubic feet with the rear seats folded, 93.8 cubic feet with the second-row seats in use, and 41.5 cubic feet behind the third row. Passengers enjoyed ample head- and legroom, with the second-row captains' chairs providing impressive space. The control layout was similar to GM's pickup trucks, but the button shifter design was less intuitive. The power-sliding center console was a complex feature that added little value.

The 2021 Subaru Forester provided above-average headroom and legroom in both rows, thanks to its tall, flat roof. The Forester offered 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 lacked a sliding second-row bench, a power liftgate was available on higher trims. The Forester's interior featured decently sized cupholders and a reasonably sized center console, but the phone-storage cubby was too small for an average-size phone. The infotainment system included large knobs for audio and climate control, but the steering wheel had too many buttons.

The 2021 Chevrolet Suburban came standard with a 10.2-inch touchscreen running GM's intuitive infotainment system, featuring wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. A navigation system and rear entertainment system with large touchscreens were available. The head-up display provided large, easy-to-read graphics.

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. Higher trims added an 8-inch touchscreen, Harman Kardon audio system, navigation, and rear USB ports. The system was user-friendly, but the screen was slow to boot up. Additional screens displayed secondary information, but the setup felt overly complex.

The 2021 Chevrolet Suburban came equipped with automatic emergency braking, forward-collision avoidance with pedestrian detection, automatic high beams, and rear parking sensors. Optional features included adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, blind-spot monitoring, and a surround-view monitor camera system. Unique options included a rear-view camera mirror and the Safety Alert Seat.

The 2021 Subaru Forester excelled in safety, receiving the highest "Top Safety Pick+" award from the IIHS and a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA. Standard safety features included EyeSight, adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and lead-vehicle start alert. Optional features included blind-spot monitoring, rear-cross traffic alert, lane-keep assist, and reverse automatic braking.