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Head To Head 2024 Subaru Forester Vs. 2024 Honda CR-V, And The Winner Is..

The 2024 Subaru Forester vs. the 2024 Honda CR-V. Which is the better compact SUV? There is a clear winner.
2024 Subaru Forester vs 2024 Honda CR-V

I have covered the 2024 Subaru Forester extensively, but what does U.S. News Autos say about the Forester compared with the 2024 Honda CR-V? Both are good choices for new compact SUV shoppers, but which model is the best? 

Here is the U.S. News breakdown, category-by-category, of which of these two compact SUVs is the best pick now. I will explain why the Forester is the best now and what's coming this spring. 

2024 Subaru Forester ahead of the Honda CR-V on a dirt road

2024 CR-V vs. 2024 Forester: Which Compact SUV Should You Choose?

U.S. News says, "The Honda CR-V and Subaru Forester are compelling compact SUVs. The Subaru provides rugged capability and styling, while the Honda is smoother and more refined on the road." 

Price: The winner: Subaru Forester

"The base Subaru Forester ($27,095) undercuts the Honda CR-V ($29,500) by a couple of thousand dollars, but the Subaru is more expensive at the top end of the trim ladder. Both SUVs provide solid value and plenty of technology. Subaru ups the ante further with standard all-wheel drive, which is a costly upgrade for CR-V buyers."

2024 Subaru Forester driving on a scenic highway

Reliability: The winner: Subaru Forester

"The Subaru Forester earned a solid 84/100 from J.D. Power, while the Honda CR-V managed an 80/100. That score represents a slight drop for the Honda, which earned an 82 in 2023. It's worth noting that the CR-V has no recalls, while the Forester has two open recalls relating to its driveshaft assembly and engine water pipe."

Seat Comfort: The winner: Subaru Forester

"Both SUVs have ample room and comfortable accommodations in the front seats, and both provide decent arrangements for backseat passengers, but the Forester's rear bench is slightly more supportive and comfortable. That said, neither is as accommodating for people in the back seat as for front passengers."

2024 Honda CR-V in the showroom

Cargo Space: The winner: Honda CR-V

"The Honda CR-V has 39.3 cubic feet with the second-row seats upright and 76.5 cubic feet with the bench folded flat. The SUV comes standard with a manual liftgate, and higher trims add a powered rear door."

Interior Quality: The winner: Honda CR-V

"Honda redesigned the CR-V in 2023 with a more upscale interior. It shares some styling elements with the new Honda Civic, including a metal grate that spans the dash, hiding the air vents and directional controls. The updated design brought higher-quality materials too, making the CR-V feel more upscale than previous generations."

Interior Features: The winner: Honda CR-V

"If we were conducting this assessment last year, the playing field would be much more level, but the new CR-V has better standard and available features. It has a 7-inch display running Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and higher trims come with a 9-inch display and wireless connectivity. Other standard tech includes a 7-inch digital gauge cluster, four speakers, and Amazon Alexa functionality."

Acceleration: The winner: Honda CR-V

"The CR-V delivers slightly better acceleration than the Forester, but it's worth noting that neither SUV is a performance powerhouse. Both feel sluggish on the highway, and their continuously variable transmissions allow their engines to wail under heavy throttle."

Fuel Economy: The winner: Honda CR-V

"With front-wheel drive, the Honda CR-V is rated at 28 mpg in the city and 34 mpg on the highway. Those numbers fall slightly with all-wheel drive, to 27/32 city/highway mpg."

My Take

To compare apples with apples, the Forester should win this category. The Forester with all-wheel-drive gets an EPA estimated 26/33 city/highway mpg and 29 combined mpg. 

Ride and Handling: The winner: Subaru Forester

"The Forester may not be the most athletic SUV in the world, but it compensates for that with a smooth ride and confident handling. Its ground clearance, all-wheel drive, and solid brakes make driving a pleasure, even when the going gets bumpy."

Safety: winner: TBD

"The Subaru Forester earned a fantastic 9.3/10 for safety in our rankings, but the CR-V still needs to accumulate enough data for a score. Because of that, we're scoring this as a TBD."

My Take

The 2024 Subaru Forester achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Top Safety Pick+—the highest safety score. Advantage Forester.

Off-Roading: The winner: Subaru Forester

"The Forester has grown from its beginnings as a humble all-wheel-drive family hauler into a capable light off-roader. The Forester Wilderness has a surprising 9.2 inches of ground clearance and has upgraded all-terrain tires."

Summary:

"The Forester wins seat comfort, off-roading, price, reliability, and ride and handling. The Honda wins cargo space, acceleration, interior quality, interior features, and fuel economy."

2024 Subaru Forester sits ahead of the Honda CR-V

The Winner Is…the 2024 Subaru Forester

"Despite being tied with the Honda for the number of category wins in this showdown, we're giving the victory to the 2024 Subaru Forester because of its higher overall U.S. News rating of 8.2, compared to the CR-V's 8.0."

My Take

The choice between the two compact SUVs comes down to brand preference and whether you want improved all-weather, all-terrain performance or interior features and comfort. The Honda CR-V can't compare with Subaru Forester Wilderness trim level on the trail.

Active customers who want the best compact SUV should look at the 2024 Subaru Forester. It comes standard with Subaru's Symmetrical all-wheel-drive, has 8.7 inches of ground clearance, and has X-Mode for severe weather capability. The Forester Sport trim has dual function X-Mode for all-terrain ability, and the Forester Wilderness is for active customers who want to get further away from civilization and off the grid for extreme adventures. 

Customers may want to wait until this spring when the remodeled sixth-generation 2025 Subaru Forester makes its dealer launch. I have covered the model extensively. Check out the links below for additional information. 

Thanks for reading, everyone. I hope you enjoyed the Subaru Forester vs. Honda CR-V comparison. See you tomorrow for my latest Subaru Report.

For additional articles related to new Subaru models, here are a few of my top stories you may enjoy. 

My Must-Read Top Picks

Watch Our Top 5 compact SUVs for 2024 // Which would you choose and why?

I am Denis Flierl, a 12-year Torque News senior writer with 20+ years of Subaru and automotive journalism experience. I enjoy bringing you, the Subaru fans and customers, the most up-to-date Subaru news, reviews, and new model information. You'll find the latest Subaru stories on the Subaru page. Follow me on my The Dirty Subaru website, Dirty Subaru blog, SubaruReport, All Subaru, WRXSTI, @DenisFlierl, Facebook, and Instagram.

I’ve got you covered! - I cover all Subaru all the time - It’s called the “Subaru Report.” Check back daily for my expert Subaru analysis!

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photo credit: Subaru USA, Honda

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