Top 12 Compact SUVs- New Subaru Forester Has The Lowest Destination Fees

Every automaker adds destination charges to a new vehicle's sticker price, but which car brands have the highest costs? We checked the top 12 compact SUVs to find out. A recent Consumer Reports study found Stellantis, the company formerly known as Fiat Chrysler has the highest fees of any brand in America.

The new CR report says that destination fees are on the rise and how automakers get extra profit. Torque News looked at the fastest-growing compact SUV class and checked the top 12 models. We found the 2021 Jeep Cherokee is the highest, and the 2021 Subaru Forester is the lowest in its category.

The top 12 compact SUV destination fees

Jeep Cherokee $1495
Ford Explorer $1245
GMC Terrain $1195
Volkswagen Tiguan $1195
Hyundai Santa Fe $1185
Kia Sorento $1175
Toyota RAV4 $1175
Honda CR-V $1175
Mazda CX-5 $1100
Nissan Rogue $1095
Mitsubishi Outlander $1095
Subaru Forester $1050

We checked the Subaru website and found Subaru SUVs are consistently the lowest in their categories. The 2021 Subaru Outback wagon/SUV ($1050), 2021 Subaru Crosstrek subcompact SUV ($1050), and 2021 Subaru Ascent 3-Row SUV ($1050) have the lowest destination fee.

The 2021 Subaru WRX and WRX STI ($925), 2021 Impreza ($925), 2021 Legacy ($925), and BRZ ($900) are also the lowest in their categories.

While other automakers raise their destination and delivery fees as much as 90 percent (Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep) since 2021, Subaru has kept its costs the lowest of any car brand.

Consumer Reports says, "Many consumer advocates conclude that inflating destination fees is just a way for automakers to boost the bottom line without officially raising prices. "There is no reason why destination charges are not incorporated into the cost of the vehicle," says Jack Gillis, executive director of the Consumer Federation of America. "Except that it enables the manufacturer to charge more."

What is the price of the 2021 Subaru Forester?

The 2021 Forester comes in five trim levels, and the base trim has an MSRP of $25,845, Premium ($28,845), Sport ($30,445), Limited ($32,445), and Touring ($35,945). Pricing includes the $1,050 destination fee.

When Torque News gives pricing on any Subaru model, we always include destination fees, so customers know the actual price. The 2021 Subaru Forester is manufactured in Japan and shipped to U.S. customers, but Subaru has kept its destination fees the lowest of all compact SUVs.

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Denis Flierl has invested over 30 years in the automotive industry in a consulting role working with every major car brand. He is an accredited member of the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press. Check out Subaru Report where he covers all of the Japanese automaker's models. More stories can be found on the Torque News Subaru page. Follow Denis on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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Photo credit: Competition Subaru