Subaru Outback vs. Subaru Forester Hybrid: Is Bigger Better?

• The Subaru Forester is compact, while the Outback is midsize.
• You can get a hybrid powertrain in the Forester, giving it the leg up on fuel economy.
• But the Outback features Subaru’s latest infotainment system, which is much better than the one in the Forester.

2nd place: 2026 Subaru Forester

• Edmunds Rating: 5.8/10
• The good: Lots of standard driving aids; hybrid available; starting price of just over $31,000
• The bad: Poor ride quality; small cargo space compared to rivals

Our biggest problem with the Forester is the driving experience. We gave it a 4.5 out of 10 for its sluggish acceleration and firm ride. The car feels significantly underpowered when merging onto the highway or coming out of turns. If you have the extra $3,200 or so, we recommend going with the hybrid engine. The ride quality is better, and it's a bit quicker to boot. However, the Forester does a good job on unpaved or snowy roads, especially if you spring for the Wilderness trim.

We gave the Forester a 6.5 out of 10 for comfort thanks to its well-padded front seats, wide door openings, and reasonably muted cabin. The engine is usually quiet, but it can get a little snarky when you ask for full power. It's pretty easy to load in a car seat, but the front seats are a little bulky, and it eats into the second-row space. If front seat passengers are taller, you'll probably need to sacrifice a bit of legroom up front to make space for your precious cargo.

What about storing all your things? The center console has big ol’ cupholders, space for smaller items and a large storage space between the seats. Cargo space seems low on paper, but the Forester can hold more than a hybrid Honda CR-V. However, it can't match the space in the Hyundai Tucson. If you need to tow, we recommend stepping up to the Wilderness model, which has an excellent tow rating of 3,500 pounds. Otherwise, you can only drag a middling 1,500 pounds behind the Forester. In all, the Forester earned 6.7 out 10 for storage & cargo.

Although we scored the Forester a 7.8 out of 10 for in-cabin tech, we think the touchscreen is the worst you can get in any SUV currently on sale. The 11.6-inch portrait-oriented screen is big enough and easy to use, but the graphics are fuzzy and dated, and response times are slow. Some climate controls are on the screen as well, which can be frustrating when you're sweating bullets and just want to speed up the fan, but you have to dig through menus to do so. The Forester does have USB-A and C ports scattered about the cabin, and wireless charging is available.

We have driven our One-Year Road Test Forester Hybrid over 6,000 miles and so far have netted just over 30 mpg. And while that is quite a bit worse than its 35 mpg estimate from the EPA, any SUV that can manage over 30 combined is nice to have.

Sure, there is standard all-wheel drive, and the seats are pretty comfortable, but that's not much for a starting price of $31,445. The performance, ride quality and efficiency are all low for the class. Spending the extra money for the hybrid is recommended, but our Limited trim, which lives at the top of the trim walk, is $42,430. There are better ways to spend your money, and that notion is reflected in our value score of 5 out of 10 points.

1st place: 2026 Subaru Outback

• Edmunds Rating 7.6/10
• The good: Roomy interior; capable off-road; confident driver aids 
• The bad: No hybrid available; base engine feels underpowered

The Outback got a big tech upgrade for 2026 with crisp, high-resolution graphics and a screen that responds quickly to taps and swipes. The interface grows just a bit, but the layout remains simple and well organized. Most importantly, Subaru moved the climate controls off the screen and now employs physical buttons that are easy to manipulate. In all, we give the in-cabin tech a 9 out of 10.

Comfort is almost as good as tech, coming in at 8.7 out of 10. There is a ton of space for passengers, and it's very easy to get in and out of the Outback. Legroom in the second row isn't anything special, but there is plenty of shoulder and headroom to ease the confined feelings rear passengers can have in smaller SUVs. The front seats are very supportive while remaining soft, and the heating and cooling elements are very effective.

Speaking of space, the Outback runs a little small when it comes to cargo, with just 34.6 cubic feet of space with the seats folded down. However, the load height is pretty low, so it's easy to get heavier items into the rear hatch, and every Outback can tow 3,500 pounds — you don't need to trade up to the Wilderness spec to get that tow rating. We also really like all the small-item storage. Door pockets can fit a big water bottle; there are small cubbies scattered about for smaller items; and the center console, though small, is pretty deep. We gave the Outback a 7.2 out of 10 for storage & cargo.

We recommend spending the extra money and getting the turbocharged engine in the Outback. It's a more satisfying drive and much quicker for merging and passing. The suspension soaked up the bumps of the rough city streets while still feeling confident around turns, and the steering responded accurately to our inputs. We gave the midsize Subie a 7.4 out of 10 for its driving experience but only a 5 out of 10 for efficiency. The turbocharged engine should return an EPA-estimated 24 mpg combined, while the base engine fares slightly better at 27 mpg combined. A hybrid powertrain is not available for the Outback.

Earning a 7.5 out of 10 for value, the Outback starts at $36,445 for a Premium with heated seats, a digital gauge cluster, and a large screen. However, if you want the turbocharged engine, you'll have to tack on $9,370 for the Limited XT trim. That seems like a lot, but a loaded Outback with the turbo approaches the $50,000 mark. Keep it to the Limited XT with heated rear seats and steering wheel, a better stereo system and wireless charging.

At the end of the day, the Forester just feels like it's a generation behind. While we like the all-wheel-drive system and its go-most-anywhere attitude, the technology is lacking, and other competitors offer better ride quality and fuel economy. However, if price is your main sticking point, the Forester can be pretty enticing.

Meanwhile, the Outback does most things really well. We love the new infotainment system, and the car is easy to live with, whether you're commuting to work or heading out into the wilds. We recommend spending the extra money for the turbocharged engine, but even in its base form, the Outback gives you more of everything. You'll just need to dig a bit deeper into your pockets.