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Not even a competition in my case at all. Honda CRV is useless for my purposes. I go off the beaten path in remote locations for outdoors adventures so the lack of a spare tire and raised roof rails on the Honda disqualifies it immediately.
Last week I purchased a 2024 Subaru Forester Touring. Prior to my decision I drove a 2024 Honda Crv Touring Hybrid. While the Honda drove very smooth has decent power and ultra quiet it was pricer than the Forester Touring. I would have to pay in excess of $4k to receive a Heated Steering in the Crv Touring Hybrid over the Forester Touring. The Crv Touring Hybrid didn't offer driving lights, nor was it capable of Towing anything. Plus the Navigation screen sat up on top of the dashboard. The final straw was learning of a recent Recall on Honda Hybrids concerning Battery Fires. With all things considered choosing the 2024 Subaru Forester Touring was my best choice.😊
Can't believe you awarded points for the number of exhaust outlets, and only 1/2 point for having a spare tire. Visibility is a huge factor, with the Forester being one of the best I have ever driven. The CRV is OK, but not in the same league. I owned CRV's in the past, but went with the Forester this time.
Just bought a Forester Premium. No Honda inventory near me, and Honda and Toyota are both over MSRP for what they do have. Not many Subarus, either. But at least they start at MSRP. Negotiated about $1K below MSRP and also got $1000 more for my trade. Subaru was offering 3.9% financing vs. 7.9% at Honda. I like the CRV, but considering the $5K -$7K gap in prices between comparable models, I like having that extra money in my pocket more. Plus the Forester is exactly what I wanted.
Almost the exact same situation here. I got my Forester $1k below msrp last year when Toyota and Honda were asking 5-10k above msrp, and you know what, I love my Forester.
How is it driving so far? Comfort, cabin noise, ride quality, mpg etc? I'm planning to buy one as well, also I'm in confusion between Forester and Outback. Looks like the outback has more legroom and trunk space.
I just bought a 2023 Forester Limited last week. I love it. I traded in a 2016 Honda CRV EX with 40,000 miles. I love the visibility in the Forester ,And all of the safety features I was ready to upgrade and as far as Subaru issues regarding head gaskets those have all been resolved a long time ago.
Very good comparison. You guys hit all the key differences between the 2 cars. Both cars are very similar. I did this comparison on my own earlier this year, before this video came out. In the end, I went with the 2023 Forester. One key feature for my spouse with the Forester was the built in navigation. CR-V did not offer this, and was therefore excluded. Some people still prefer built in navigation, without having to connect your phone. Anyway, we're very happy with the Forester. It's a great car.
I have a 24' touring...Nice car...Built for comfort and go anywhere...Haul everything........As far as the built in Nav....Any do-it-Yourself ad on navs are better because they are touch screen and the Forester requires an address.........Your smart phone nav is also better.........Navs NEED to be touch screen. Subie is NOT.............Paul
Gbrushtwood, We also were looking CR-V or Forester. My wife decided on the Forester for the built-in navigation also and familiarity with Subaru. It's her car. Plus Honda dealers have no inventory. Hopefully we get our car as promised with no dealer shenanigans.
@@paulholterhaus7084 Federal regulations do not allow for entering data into the onboard nav system during driving due to safety issues. Even if it were touch screen, it is still a distraction.
I went with a Forester over Honda, Toyota, Hyundai, and Kia. Why? Proven off-road superiority, outstanding safety, excellent reliability, and has more of its own identity over the other compact SUVs that increasingly look and are equipped like each other. Although, the forthcoming 2025 Forester is beginning to lose some of that unique Subie-ness unfortunately.
Forester all the way. The AWD and handling is far superior. Honda AWD is typical, front wheel til slipping is detected, Subaru AWD blows it out of the water.
While each vehicle may have strong and weak points, there are three that I'd point out in a Forester 1) great visibility from the interior, 2) extra comfortable suspension as it's a car thought for light trail as well, and 3) the awd system (available from the base trim as well). These three features make the Forester different.
I've never driven a forester. But the c r v has good visibility, A very comfortable ride (on road), And I have derived it in deep snow and found the AWD to be surprisingly excellent.
For me, when buying a car, it came down to the CRV vs. the Forester. In the end, I bought a CRV. The Forester, while a great car and probably the "rough and tumble" of the two, Made my lower back feel stiff for some reason during long drives, which the CRV did not. I'm also a tech-minded kind of guy and much enjoy Honda's larger 9-inch screen (I bought the Sport L) than the Forester's smaller screen, and when it came down to it, the Honda was available in a hybrid trim while the Forester still only offers a gas-only version. The smoothness of the drive in the Honda is top-notch, and when it came down to the reality of what I would use the car for 90% of the time, which is standard city/highway driving, I don't regret going with the CRV at all.
Subaru is pretty much the "official car" of my region. When the weather gets bad, if you are out on the roads of go into town, for the first day or two, Subarus are going to be the only cars on the road. People will stay home but keep an eye on the roads outside their homes to figure out whether the roads are passible. And I have been at homes where this is going on. It is fact that a Subaru driving past is not regarded as an indication that the roads are usable. They are rightly regarded as being in a class of their own. Two of the things that make them so great are never considered in any testing I've ever seen are that they all have symmetrical drive trains. - equal axle lengths mens their is no creeping or torque steer when driving up a slippery hill. And the other huge advantage is the boxer engine. With the weight of the engine largely sitting within the diameter of the wheels, you never get the feeing that a the engine is trying to break away on corners. I've driven just about every four by four there is, nothing is as sure footed as a Subaru. I'm in the PNW and in a region where visitors are often scared by the narrow, windy and steep roads, especially the drop offs beside the roads.
In terms of performance in bad weather, no not really. Outbacks might not have quite the same approach and departure angles?But generally, either is remarkable on bad roads The outbacks tend to be a little fancier and are more aimed ay car lovers, while Foresters are a bit more aimed at SUV customers. That division most likely came about because the Forester is on the same frame as the Impreza, while the Outback is on the same chassis as the Legacy. - The longer wheelbase gives a smoother ride, while the shorter wheelbase on the Forester has advantages for some - better breaker angles and tighter turns on small tracks. I the run up to the winter Olympics in Whistler, Subaru gave out a bunch of Justys to people involved in the planning etc. - I was working up there back then and knew a few people who had been loaned one. Despite them all being people who lived and worked in the area and had cars suitable for winter, I know there was some friction between couples, because whoever left the house first in the morning would grab the Justy. Very compact little cars, but sharing design features like the four wheel system and the same engine, everyone just loved driving them @@dhrtiwalter8670
Not to knock US worker but the Forester is 100% made in Japan. While the outback is assemble in US with import of transmission and engine from Japan. Due to this reason, I bought the Forester over, the Accent.
Six month ago I bought my first Forester the sport level and I felt in love with it before buying , I did a road test with the crv also with seat ateca and nissan xtrail , but only when I set down on the forester I got asmile that I am on a real jeep and not just a car and in my country (Israel) the sport edition is the Higher level of the forester, the seat is so comfortable the most comfortable I have ever had and I drove alot of cars , you seat high it run smoothly , the down side is the fuel and the multimedia could be more rich but beside that its the perfect car for me :-)
You need to mention that most of the local dealership is asking for $2K mark up for Honda CRV. Both has AWD but Subaru AWD is all the time and it is one of the best AWD in the industry with a ground clearance of 8.7", class leading. The extra spare tire is the deal braker. Love the better mileage for and extra 247 lbs of torque in the CRV but once the battery needs to be replace, in 7-10 years, that another $4-$5K cost. Given all these factors, I got myself the Subaru Sport edition and save $500 off the MSRP. I am happy with my choice.
Love the comparison. The CRV has the better powertrain, but the Forester is a better all-terrain vehicle. The seats in the Forester are also noticeably more comfortable. However, when it comes down to dishing out the cash, I'm going with the more modern CRV.
Thanks guys. You just saved me time looking at the CR-V as an potential alternative to the Forester. I'll be sticking with the Forester for me. I've had 3 so far plus one Outback Sport. I love both. Both are very good at towing the boat, and the Forester has better ground clearance. I've had many Subarus over the years and the quality of all has been amazing, from the early little Brumby station wagon log ago, through to my supercharged BRZ that I'll never ever sell! 😀
I live in the northeast where it snows and gets cold in the winter. Nothing beats a subaru in snow. And good luck getting juice from the hybrid battery when it's 20F outside all day.
I live in Alberta, Canada where it snows atleast 4-5 months in a year. Also, the savings on gas on the CR-V is much lesser when compared to the price gap between both. The only cons of Forester are its lower powered engine and its old school looking model. I am fine with both as it is a lot cheaper and provides comparably good mileage in the category. There is atleast 10-15K price difference between the hybrid CR-V and the Forester trim just above base which is a huge deal breaker for me. CR-V is good allround vehicle, but definitely doesnt justify such a huge gap in price.
Which is the main reason I bought a 2024 Subaru crosstrek being as a forester was unavailable at the time I needed a vehicle and I've been very pleased with my decision to buy
As a mechanical engineer myself, most mechanical engineer's opinion about cars are worth zilch. I'd trust a mechanic's opinion over the majority of engineer's any day. Even the engineers that work in the auto industry.
CR-V! The technology in the Subaru, along with the reliability issues make it a dealbreaker for me. Not only that, you’ll receive much better gas mileage and space!
Difficult choice: exterior design better in Honda but interior layout is much better in Subaru. Both are reliable japan brands. So the desive point is power and litre volume. Me verdict: brand vew 2024 Honda CR-V is the winner but second hand Subaru Forester is prefarable because of the engine.
Excellent comparison guys. You have a great review channel. I elected to go with the Forester Touring 2024 a couple of months ago. You really get a lot of value for the money and I appreciate the perfect blend of tech and physical controls for the environmental system. Great visibility with the Forester, more comfortable and easy entry/exit. I do wish they made this in a Hybrid (Our second car is a Camry Hybrid) but this is worth the trade off. I looked at the RAV4 hybrid also and just felt the quality feel and ride of the Subaru was better overall. I'm happy with my selection and wanted this generation vehicle as opposed to the newly redesign Forester with the larger touch screen. I look forward to more of your reviews
Can’t go wrong with a Subaru. Awesome awd system, best in snow of them all. Roomy, safe, good features. Easy to work on. I like Honda, but the Crv is overpriced & the awd system is not as good.
I traded a Subaru Forster Limited in on a Cr-V Touring. After owning both cars I have to say the the mileage, driving experience, and quality of the CRV is noticeably better then the Forester. When you shut the door on a Subaru it sounds tinny, the CRV is solid when you close the door.
MSRP prices before taxes: 2024 CR-V AWD Sport Touring Hybrid $41,550 2024 Forester Touring $38,740 Difference is $2,810 CR-V (Hwy/City) - 33/26 Forester (Hwy/City) - 36/43 Price for gallon around $3 Hwy: CR-V - 10 000 miles - 278 gallons of gas Forester- 10 000 miles - 303 gallons of gas Only 25 gallons more - 25*$3 = $75 City: CR-V - 10 000 miles - 232 gallons of gas Forester- 10 000 miles - 384 gallons of gas Difference is 153 gallons or $458 Only after 60,000 miles (city) you will start saving money
I have owned both Honda and Subaru vehicles and both are reliable. I Always take into consideration where I live and winter climate which in my case is lots of snow. Subaru wrote the book on all wheel drive systems so without a doubt I would be looking at buying one of their models.. Honda's are great and definitely more refined but I would defer to getting/returning from my destination.
Forester should have a stripe to adjust rear seat back, it was pretty comfortable while we were tested. Another thing is Forester is gonna to have a refresh next year, may worth wait a bit more
Both seem like nice cars and my wife and I have been looking at both. I'm not a hybrid fan because maintenance and insurance is a bit higher for them. I a firm believer in looking at total cost of driving something down the road on a monthly basis. With that in mind I think the hybrid fuel saving is in large part lost in extra insurance and maintenance cost. On a last note, at about 15:05 in the video, I can see what looks to be a rubber door molding issue on the Subaru on the passenger side. I have to add that you guys did a great job reviewing both! Well done!
Interesting that you chose the hybrid CRV to test against the Forester. If you get the 1.5L turbo CRV, you pick up that 500 lbs more of towing capacity (to 1500 lbs) and you actually get a spare tire. No spare tire is a tough one for me to get behind, especially for a SUV. I know some cars have done that, but most went with run flats (which have their own issues). But Honda gives you a "repair kit", which will be useless for anything other than a small puncture. Pricewise, on the Forester, if you want to spend less, you can drop down to the Limited, and add back a few options. You can get all the functional stuff, minus the rear heated seats and the vision assist thing (a camera identifies the driver, sets the seats to that driver's presets, and warns you if you aren't paying attention. It also lets you "hand gesture" your HVAC, to raise or lower temperature in (I think) 1.5 degree increments.) You lose the "Napa Leather" with two tone, and just get a lower tier of leather. It is unfortunate that it does not appear that you can even order fog lights as an accessory on the CRV. I don't agree with giving half a point to the CRV for LED turn signals that the Forester doesn't have. Fog lights vs no fog lights are a bigger deal than LED vs non-LED turn signals IMO. I live where there is plenty of dark rainy weather and fog. Unfortunate that here are no drivetrain upgrades for the Forester. I just test drove one. If you put it into "Sport" (via a button on the steering wheel), throttle mapping becomes a bit more aggressive. It feels like you could adequately slice and dice urban traffic. Where it starts to feel a strain is on an on-ramp pull trying to get up to interstate speed. It is "adequate". I also drove the Outback with the same drivetrain, and you could feel the extra weight (400-ish lbs) and it felt less than adequate. I have a '14 Forester XT that I am thinking about replacing this year, and it is an "interesting" market with a lot of trade-offs. The Forester, RAV-4, and CX-5 are all slated for new generation models in '25. Keep up the good work! Allegedly, Subaru is working on a hybrid, and it sounds like it might be sandwiched into the driveline so they can keep the Symmetrical AWD. Toyota doesn't even have a mechanical drive line to the rear wheels on the RAV-4, and just uses an electric motor in the rear to make "AWD". Would like to see some tests comparing the functionality of the various AWD systems.
Ordered the 2024 Subaru Forester Touring with about $1,700 in options. I've driven the CRV (ex-girlfriend's car), but to me that is just a road car where the Forester has been a proven off-road performer for decades. Have driven my 2008 Outback in 6 inches of fresh snow extremely well (like it was dry ground). Other vehicles there were completely stuck. I live on a 2,200 foot mountain. If I can't get up the hills in the snow, I can't go home. Subaru's will always win. Update: Have had the Forester w/touring trim for 6 weeks. It is an amazing car and saved me from having an accident within the first week. Backed out of a parking space at night and unknown to me, there was a pickup truck behind me. I would have easily run into it at about 10 mph, but the Subaru’s auto braking system stopped my car 2 feet from the truck’s bumper. Thank you Subaru! This week it snowed 4.5 inches. My driveway is on a hill. Didn’t bother plowing the driveway and the Subaru went up and down easily. A couple days later the snow on my driveway is packed down and slippery. Drove the Forester halfway up the hill, stopped and the pushed the gas pedal down halfway to the floor. The Forester quickly went to the top of the driveway like it was summertime. X-Mode was not on. I will keep this Forester for three years and trade it in for a 2028 Forester with Touring. They will have hybrids starting in 2026.
Do have the 2025 CR-V Sport L Hybrid AWD Urban Gray the same one as shown in this video. Honestly, it is a great vehicle. The comfort, space, handling, great gas mileage, and power. I love my CR-V.
In Canada the CRV is the highest solen Vehicle and Insurance Companies are making people put remote GPS immobilizers on the CRV or face 500$extra in premiums on the CRV. So there goes your .5 point difference. As our Forester sales person said like who is going to steal a Subaru (which already comes with a MySubaru immobilizer?) Also the pricing is very different here in Canada and depending on the model there is no difference in price. Most people here go for the buzzy 1.5 GDI turbo in the Honda vs the Hybrid and Subaru provides a NA2.5 GDI engine...so years will tell if 1.5 turbo running 0w-20 oil will hold up as well as other Honda engines, given that people don't understand the carbon issues associated with the GDI engines and the necessity to change the oil at 4-5000miles or 6,000-8,000kms
I am a 4 x Subaru owner, 2 x Honda owner. Both companies make great, affordable and reliable cars, but IMO, Honda paint and overall exterior does not hold up nearly as well as Subaru does in the coastal Southern California sun. *Used 1984 Subaru GL HB, my first car, purchased in NYS in 1985, owned for 8 yrs - loved it, but the car had no a/c, which was brutal after I moved south to NC *New 1992 Honda Civic HB, owned 14 years in NC and So SoCal until it was rear ended & the insurance company totaled it. Replaced it Dec 2006 with a hard-to-find *New 2007 Honda Fit Base. The only car for which I’ve ever paid MSRP due to the shortage bc inventory was low bc it was the first year the Fit was avail in the US and gas prices were so high at the time. The red paint faded rather quickly to pink due to south-facing home driveway (though often parked in covered parking garage during daytime work hours for the first 4-5 years). Repainted shiny red in 2022, currently still driving quite well at about 125K miles. Survived several years being driven by a teenage boy who later admitted he drove it like he stole it! I can laugh about it now. I still love to drive the FIT locally because it’s nimble and so easy to park (not as great she Asked with people or for long drives bc of accelerator pedal position and no Cruise Control). *New 1995 Subaru Legacy LS wagon, owned 18 years (rebuilt transmission at 12 years), super family car for long road trips, camping, and light So Cal desert off-pavement driving before trading in for *CPO 2013 Subaru Outback Base purchased at a Subaru dealership in 2014. Still driving quite well at 105K miles, but wanted to go into retirement with a better equipped car for relocation from So Cal to the Northeast. Soon to be sold. *New 2024 Subaru Forester Touring, just purchased in April 2024. OMG I love this car. I only shopped for a Forester. Two quick test drives at the nearest Subaru dealer, once on my own and once with husband, who no longer drives. I would have been fine with a Premium, Sport, or Limited, but we decided on a Touring because we wanted a great passenger experience for my husband and my elderly parents (in the back seat) when we relocate to the Northeast. Black and dark gray exterior paint seem to outnumber all the other colors, and I didn’t want either other those colors. I was also preferred a car that wasn’t a red exterior after three red cars in a row. Most Touring models in stock had been on the lot at least 60-100 days, and as much as 285+ days! Using Car Edge.com RU-vid videos, and $10 paid for one month of their subscription for marketing reports, I went into the final dealership visit knowing the Touring model VIN I wanted in my preferred color (Bronze) was only one of only two in a 100 mile radius. The bronze Forester I bought at the 2nd nearest dealership in my county had been available for sale 92 days and had to be brought over from a storage lot (# of days on lot thanks to CarEdge.com - totally surprised the salesman that I knew the Lot Age and that I wanted to look under the hood for evidence of mice activity, “lot rot” etc). Sales manager approved $4K discount off MSRP immediately. I held out and got another $500 more off - a better price than the “best” email offer for an Autumn Green Touring at another dealer 56 mi. away in the neighboring county, and that car did not even have the accessory $695 auto dimming int/ext mirrors & other a couple other accessories accessories I wanted and two I didn’t want. Maybe I could have held out for a lower price there or elsewhere, but I was busy with with out of town guests and a big event the next week and more than satisfied with the OTD price. I don’t fall for sales pitches for all the extra “protection” packages offered in the F & I office, so I after I drive to my son’s apt to pick him up to eat and drive the car I drove to the dealership, I was on the road home in my new Forester relatively quickly. It was the satisfying auto purchase I’ve ever made. My new Forester Touring has all the safety features and more than enough comfort bells & whistles that we were always too frugal to pay for in earlier vehicles. Almost 1K miles after driving around San Diego, to the desert, to drop off friends in LA gridlock back to San Diego, I am totally in love with it. Will be perfect when we relocate from So Cal to the Northeast in late 2024.
@@ik410 something about the combination of aesthetics, design, comfort and ruggedness. I personally were appalled by CR-V back in 2012 due to how slow, cramped and overall "lazy" it felt while driving. But then again, some people might call it comfortable. (Most of CR-V owners I know are men, but I don't thing they chose that car with heart...)
@@mlee9049 it can, but did it? I guess Forester got a bit more "middle class" and less "let's go ride in the streets at night or make doughnuts in the snow in the mountains", but did CR-V really change?
I just ordered a 2024 Forester last week. 8-10 week time for arrival. The dealership did have Foresters arriving soon, but not the color I wanted. Looked at the CRV but did not work for me,as the Forester was a better choice for me.
@@jeffnaval4894 If I did choose to so I would wait until the 2026 model year. Ocassionally with any updated model one might find a glitch or two. I purchase all my vehicles based on reviews by Consumer Reports. So I would wait until Consumer Reports did testing and issues their analysis.
Bought the Forester Wilderness as it can tow 3000#, while none of the CRV’s can. If CRV offered a towing package, I would have likely bought it. Reasons, Honda has an edge on reliability, more powerful engine with better mpg, nicer interior more modern looks and features. Wish Subaru offered a hybrid and had space in the front console for a cell phone to lay flat. Not disappointed with my choice, just hope long term reliability with towing a touring motorcycle on a trailer and off road adventures doesn’t beat this thing up fast.
We just purchased a forester limited, we have 2 dogs and outdoor activities, so the premium cloth seats were a no. The Hondas we saw were a much smaller engine, we take our daughter to the ski area, 35 miles from us and having the bigger engine is a need, plus once a year driving 6 hour south for skiing practices. Our neighbor has a crosstec, with a smaller engine and said driving up the hill to our neighborhood, he stays in the right lane. We have a 10% grade for 1.5 miles to get to the neighborhood. We got the 2.9% rate they were offering in our area, which Honda was not offering.
Admittedly, the 2024 Forester is subjectively fuglier on the outside, but it's beautiful on the inside. Consumer Reports predicted reliability rating of a 2024 CRV Hybrid: 54/100. Woof!
BEWARE if you go for a Subaru CRV without the hybird.....Honda has had MAJOR problems with the 1.5L turbo motors. Honda 1.5L turbo engine oil dilution is a problem that occurs when fuel mixes with the engine oil and reduces its viscosity. Sad because the Honda Accord is one of the best looking vehicles on the road!
I went with the CR-V but you can't go wrong with the Forester. I like the Subaru interior more but went with the hybrid and hoping for the Honda reliability.
Side profile and rear profile, Honda wins. It's just purely better looking. Subaru looks dinky from the side, and looks wonky at the rear as if they just gave up. Honda looks very sure of itself.
My 2015 CR-V w/ 95k miles has CVT issues like many 2015's. Honda is aware of the faulty transmission and issued a TSB but won't fix it if it's out of warranty. I'll trade it in for a Forester. Fool me once.....
I'm driving a Honda Odyssey right now, never owned Subaru cars before but after did some research online and watched your video, I will pick Subaru Forester Touring overs Honda CRV (BTW, I like the brown leather color that you have!). Forester is more reliable and it's "Made in Japan", it's more ground clearance, nicer interior, the insurance is also cheaper. I don't need Hybrid system since most my daily driving are Hwy. Beside, Hybrid system required more maintenances schedule and will be expensive should it has to replaced or repaired (i.e. Car involved in collision).
Very similar cars when driving and features. A bonus of true AWD with the Subaru. Currently, Subaru has a very attractive interest rate that gives it a leg up on the CRV
I’m trading in my 2023 crv sport touring for a base forester, my biggest complaint about my crv is how many creaks and rattles are in the cabin, my battery has lost 1.7 mpg since I’ve owned it, battery degradation 😢😢
Would love to know what 10 years of maintenance between the two might be? I have a 13 year old and an 8 year old Subaru Outback, and have spent next to nothing on either to this point. Not sure how the dual engines work out long term for maintenance?
I would still take the Mazda CX5, or the Mazda CX50 with its 3500 pound towing abilities, nicer interior, better driving dynamics, far more powerful engine (turbo), and thus far, very reliable. Next year should feature Toyotas hybrid system which will close the gap in fuel economy. Still has a standard automatic transmission too! Excellent reviews on this Chanel! If I had to choose, I’d take the the CRV. Subarus interiors are NOT my cup of coffee, and I can’t stand driving a vehicle that has so little power it feels like it’s always struggling.
@@mshai 1) “usually” isn’t true. 2) there haven’t been any issues. 3) Turbo’s output is low; it’s not being strained. 4) note that I stated “THUS FAR, VERY RELIABLE”
I'm wondering if the 2025 Forester will increase the back cargo space? We are looking for something similar or larger than our 2011 Sorento. We went to look at the Forester because the sizes are similar in inches but the Forester looks smaller in the cargo. Is the Honda deeper in the cargo or where is the difference coming from to give it 30%?
How are the adaptive cruise controls between the two? Have you noticed any difference in terms of response or any stuttering at low speeds and high speeds?
Typically, y'all's reviews are highly detailed and comprehensive, and you lived up to that here except for one thing; is that a CD player in the Forester? Some songs/albums are not available on Pandora or Spotify so a CD player is a big plus for me. Also, I have a friend with a Subaru and the ride feels "cheap" and rough, like an old Ford Escort, etc. My CRV rides more smoothly and doesn't have that cheap, rough, unrefined fee; to it. It's hard to describe so maybe that's why you didn't mention it, although you did mention the Forester is quieter. Overall, a great review, as usual.
You guys dealt alot about the asterisk approach to these vehicles but mentioned very little about the quility and longevity of the engines and transmissions. So to (lease) either vehicle would be OK but to (buy) would be a different matter.
If not for the anemic powertrains in almost all Subarus, this would be a no brainier as I test drove the CRV and the interior is rather cheap feeling. But where I live the on ramps are so short you really need the extra power that most competitors have over the Subaru.
This review is only for the top of the line, fully loaded trims. But if you compare the lower, least expensive trimps, CRV has way more features as standard versus the Subaru Forrester especially safety features.
Easy decision. Which one does it cost more. I choose Subaru because of the NO dealership markup and purchase it $500 below MSRP. That is well over a year of gas money. Just a side note, the new CRV does not have a spare tire underneath the truck. For me as someone who always change a flat, it's a no brainer. I am not going to pull over and wait for service to come to risk the wheel while driving flat.
