2023 Subaru Forester vs 2023 Honda CR-V

If you're in the market for a crossover SUV, you're not alone. It's one of the fastest-growing vehicle classes in the United States, and with its outstanding combination of size, price, and fuel efficiency, it's not hard to see why.

But if you are looking to get into the crossover SUV market, two of the best options out there are the Forester and the CR-V. But which one makes more sense for you and how do they stack up against each other? We'll break down everything you need to know here.

The 2023 Subaru Forester

Subaru has a huge following, and of its top-selling vehicles is the Forester. And when you dive into everything the Forester gives you, it's not hard to see why.

Engine Options & Performance Specs

If you're looking at a 2023 Subaru Forester there's one engine under the hood of every trim level and model. It's a 2.5L engine that pushes 182 horsepower and can tow up to 1,500 pounds. That translates to a respectable 8.0 second 0 to 60 mile per hour time.

It's not the fastest car on the road, but it's certainly not going to leave you wanting for more either. More importantly, to most drivers, the Forester is responsive and simply fun to drive.

Cargo Space and Ground Clearance

If you're looking at a Forester every trim except the Wilderness trim level sits 8.7" off the ground. The Wilderness trim level comes with a few more off-road features, and to help with this Subaru raises it a little more off the ground taking it up to 9.2".

Meanwhile, the available cargo space in the 2023 Forester changes a bit too depending on the trim level and package you go with. The Base level Forester comes with 28.9 cubic feet of storage behind the second-row seats, and if you fold them down you get 74.2 cubic feet of storage.

All other trim levels lose a bit of storage space, but there's still plenty to go around. Behind the second-row seats there's 26.9 cubic feet of storage, and after you fold the seats down there's 69.1 cubic feet of storage.

No matter what trim level you go with, that's more than enough space for groceries, sporting supplies, or just about anything else you want to take from point A to point B.

Standard Features

If you're purchasing a Subaru Forester, you will get a ton of standard features no matter what trim level you go with. Subaru doesn't believe in compromising safety, which is why every Forester comes with emergency braking, a lane departure warning system with lane-keeping assistance, adaptive cruise control, and a rearview camera.

There are many technological features in every Forester too, including Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, dual front USB ports, and auto on/off headlights. And of course it's a Subaru, so every trim level comes standard with all-wheel drive.

The 2023 Honda CR-V

Does any vehicle brand have a larger following than Honda? They make some of the most reliable vehicles in the world, and the 2023 CR-V is certainly no exception.

Engine Options & Performance Specs

Unlike the Forester which uses one engine option for every trim level, there are two different engines to consider with the Honda CRV.

The CR-V comes standard with a 1.5L turbocharged engine that pushes 190 horsepower, but the Sport and Touring trims only come with a 2.0L hybrid engine that pushes 204 horsepower. Both engines slightly outperform the Forester, but not by enough to make a noticeable difference when you're behind the wheel.

Cargo Space and Ground Clearance

If you're trying to figure out how high your 2023 CR-V sits off the ground you need to ask yourself whether it's front-wheel or all-wheel drive. All front-wheel drive models sit 7.8" off the ground, but all all-wheel drive models sit 8.2" off the ground.

This gives you about another half an inch of clearance, which makes sense with an all-wheel drive vehicle that you're more likely to take off the pavement. But both models sit lower than the Forester by 0.5" and 0.9" respectively. And compared to the Forester Wilderness it's even more noticeable with a 1" or a 1.4" difference.

The CR-V sits a little lower than the Forester, but it comes with more cargo space. Every trim level comes with a whopping 39.3 cubic feet of storage behind the second-row seats, and when you fold them down you get up to 76.5 cubic feet of storage space

Standard Features

One thing Honda does really well is pack all of its vehicles with tons of standard features. No matter what trim level you go with each Honda CR-V comes with a forward collision warning system with emergency braking, a lane departure warning system with lane-keeping assistance, adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, a rearview camera, and even a traffic sign recognition system.

Honda doesn't skimp on comfort technologies either. Every Honda CR-V comes with heated front seats, a one-touch moonroof, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and front USB ports.

However, while the Subaru Forester comes standard with all-wheel drive, that's an optional upgrade for the 2023 CR-V.

Picking Either the 2023 Forester or CR-V

There's really no wrong choice between the Forester or the CR-V, but there might be a wrong choice for you.

With every model coming with all-wheel drive and slightly higher ground clearance we recommend the Forester if you want to get off the open road a bit more, while the CR-V is a great choice if you want a more family-oriented vehicle. But the truth is that with how versatile each vehicle is, they really both thrive in either setting!

Final Thoughts

If you want to get behind the wheel of a 2023 Forester or if you have questions about either vehicle, the team at Granite Subaru would love to help you out and get you behind the wheel of your dream vehicle.

We're confident that whether you go with the Forester or the CR-V, you'll love getting behind the wheel of your new crossover SUV.