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When it comes to shopping for a compact SUV, you have a ton of options to choose from. These include the trusty Honda
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CR-V and the more rugged Subaru
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Forester, both excellent choices in this class. Let’s take a closer look at their strengths and find the right SUV for you.
2022 Honda CR-V
The Honda CR-V is a compact SUV that does nearly everything well. It’s safe, reliable, efficient, and spacious. It may not stand out from the crowd very much, but if you’re just looking for a practical SUV that you can trust, it’s hard to find fault in the CR-V. If you’d prefer an SUV with great fuel economy, consider the CR-V Hybrid. Pricing for the CR-V starts at $26,800.
Also see: The cars, trucks and SUVs with the best resale value
Honda CR-V highlights
Roomy interior: The Honda CR-V has one of the roomiest interiors in the compact SUV segment. It has two adult-friendly rows of seats with lots of legroom in the back. The CR-V also has a big cargo hold that can carry a lot of stuff while your passengers enjoy plenty of space. The CR-V boasts even more cargo room than the Forester, which is itself impressive in this respect.
Lively and efficient engine: The base turbocharged 4-cylinder engine under the hood of the Honda CR-V strikes an excellent balance of performance and efficiency. It produces 190 horsepower and has a combined fuel economy rating of up to 30 mpg. That makes it a little more powerful and efficient than the Forester.
Standard Honda Sensing: The Honda Sensing suite of driver assistance tech features comes standard on every CR-V. Honda Sensing bundles a collision mitigation braking system, a road departure mitigation system, adaptive cruise control with low-speed follow, and a lane-keeping assist system.
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2022 Subaru Forester
The Subaru Forester
Subaru
The Subaru Forester is a strong contender in the compact SUV segment. On the practical side, it’s spacious, good on gas, and earns the IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award. However, it also has the quirkiness that the Subaru brand is famous for, putting it a little outside of the mainstream. The starting price is at $25,895.
Subaru Forester highlights
Standard AWD: All-wheel drive (AWD) is a desirable feature for drivers in snowy climates and it comes standard on the Subaru Forester. This gives the Forester excellent all-season traction and respectable off-road capabilities. On most of the Forester’s rivals — including the CR-V — AWD is an option that costs extra.
Off-road-ready Wilderness trim: Every Subaru Forester is a decent off-roader, but the most rugged version is the Wilderness trim. The Forester Wilderness comes with many off-road features on top of the standard AWD system. It has 9.2 inches of ground clearance, all-terrain tires, dual-function X-MODE with hill descent control, water-repellent seats, and a rugged appearance package.
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Best-in-class resale value: The Subaru Forester has earned the 2022 KBB Best Resale Value Award for compact SUVs. We estimate that it holds 47.2% of its value after five years, which is the best of any SUV in its class. It also carries a low starting price that further adds to its value proposition.
Similarities
Similar sizing, similar starting price, good resale value, spacious interior, great safety scores, and continuously variable transmission.
Conclusion
The Honda CR-V and Subaru Forester are two great compact SUVs with different strengths. The CR-V is a well-rounded SUV that does nearly everything well, while the Subaru Forester is a more capable off-roader and more value-oriented with a lower starting price and better resale value.
Compare the specs:
2022 Honda CR-V
2022 Subaru Forester
Popular Powertrains
Engine
1.5-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder
2.5-liter 4-cylinder
Horsepower
190 hp @ 5,600 rpm
182 hp @ 5,800 rpm
Torque
179 lb-ft @ 2,000 rpm
176 lb-ft @ 4,400 rpm
Transmission
CVT
CVT
Fuel Economy
28 city/34 highway mpg
26 city/33 highway mpg
Also Available
AWD, hybrid
Specs
Basic Warranty
3 years/36,000 miles
3 years/36,000 miles
Powertrain Warranty
5 years/60,000 miles
5 years/60,000 miles
NHTSA Overall Safety
5 stars
5 stars
Max Seating Capacity
5
5
Wheelbase
104.8 inches
105.1 inches
Overall Length
182.1 inches
182.7 inches
Width
73.0 inches
71.5 inches
Height
66.1 inches
67.5 inches
Turning Diameter
37.4 feet
35.4 feet
Headroom, Front
40.1 inches
41.2 inches
Headroom, Rear
39.2 inches
39.6 inches
Legroom, Front
41.3 inches
43.3 inches
Legroom, Rear
40.4 inches
39.4 inches
Shoulder Room, Front
57.9 inches
58.1 inches
Shoulder Room, Rear
55.6 inches
57.2 inches
Passenger Volume
105.9 cubic feet
111.6 cubic feet
Cargo Volume
39.2 cubic feet
28.9 cubic feet
This story originally ran on KBB.com.
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