2019 Honda CR-V

2019 Honda CR-V videos

Honda CR-V vs. Subaru Forester ― Two Very Different Ways to Do a Crossover

ELANA SCHERR: Ooh, what have we got here? Looks like more small SUVs. Seriously, don't any of you guys want to buy a station wagon? No? You know what? I get it, because SUVs have that up high driving position, and they carry a lot of people and cargo. They're very useful. But with so many of them out there, how are you going to pick one? We recently did a three SUV comparison of the Honda CR-V, the Toyota RAV4, and the Mazda CX-5. In the comments on that video, everybody was like, oh hey, guys, what about the Subaru Forester? Where does it fit in? So we thought we're going to take the winner of that comparison-- oops,spoiler-- and match it up with the Forester. Before we do, though, visit us at Edmunds for all your car shopping needs. The CR-V and the Forester are almost identical if you just go by the numbers-- horsepower, seating, fuel economy, price. It's all almost the same. Those specs are useful, but they don't really tell you about the personality of a car. And that matters. I mean, you're going to be using this thing almost every day for years. Don't think of it like an appliance. Think of it like a partner in crime or like a buddy. So here we are-- Honda CR-V versus Subaru Forester. Who will win? And why? The CR-V is sleeker, with a streamlined front end and a higher door line. It looks sort of like a smaller Honda Pilot. So think minivan adjacent, but not fully committed to the minivan lifestyle. It works as a family car. But it would be just as happy taking a group of adults to a wine tasting. The Subaru Forester has a totally different personality than the Honda. It's nowhere near as ruggedly oddball as it was when it was introduced in the late '90s. But it still has a bit of that raised up station wagon feel, especially from the side with that squared off nose and those big windows. Like the CR-V, it's great for family duties. But in its non-working hours, the Forester would like you to take it camping. The interior of the Forester, like the rest of it, is very user friendly. All of the controls and all the information are neatly divided up and easy to find. So whether you're looking at the steering wheel, at the gauge package in front of you, or at either of these two screens, you always know what you're going to find and where you're going to find it. I particularly like the bright, big screen here in the center stack and this clever third screen which sort of recaps all the information for you but keeps it out of your way so you can focus on driving. I was really surprised by the materials in the Forester. They're all soft touch, and there's a lot of interesting textures and cool stitching. It reflects the fun quality of the car. Honda does a good job on interiors. There's always plenty of clever storage options, a lot of room for the driver and passenger, and nice materials, especially in the CR-V. Look at this wood trim-- classy. One of the ways that the CR-V made so much room for storage is by moving the shifter up to the center stack. That's not actually something that I love. First of all, I think it's ergonomically weird. Especially if you're doing a three-point turn where you're going drive, reverse, drive, it's kind of awkward. But even worse, it takes up a lot of space that could be infotainment screen. So this is already a strange shape. And then the actual usable part is really small. I mean, it's about half of the physical screen. I don't know why they did that. And I don't like it-- B-minus. The CR-V does get some points back, though, because it's so family friendly. Check this out. If you're trying to keep an eye on whoever's in the back, got a wide-angle mirror. I can see you. Another place where the CR-V has a distinct advantage over the Forester is in cargo space. With 39.2 cubic feet compared to the Forester's 33, the CR-V just has more room for everything, which is great if three of your coworkers just had new babies. Congrats, guys. [CHEERING] The only real bummer about the Subaru is the power plant. The naturally aspirated 2.5 liter four cylinder makes 182 horsepower, which is only eight less than the CR-V, but it feels like 80. It's loud, and it's slow. Look. That's floored. Sad, Subaru. Sad. The transmission always feels like you woke it up from a nap if you ask for passing power. Oh, there you are. Did you have a good sleep? That said, if you're not looking for top speed, just cruising around town, the Subaru's quiet and comfortable. This is nice. I like the Forester's big windows. Makes the car feel smaller than it is. And the boxy shape makes it really easy to park, even if you didn't have camera technology to help you. But you do. Subaru has rally in its blood. And while I would not choose the Forester as my race entry, it does have 8.7 inches of ground clearance, hill descent, and a train selector that gives you options for mud and sand. It's not a rock crawler. But it's definitely more off-road savvy than most small SUVs. And it can get you to places like this. The Forester's tech is surprisingly good. I guess I wasn't expecting it to be, because it looked so much more analog than the Honda. But it comes with a long list of standard safety features and optional ones. And everything is easy to use. Both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard. Subaru's EyeSight, which is its driving aid, is really good. I didn't really know what to expect from that, because I hadn't ever been in a car that had it before. But it watches your face. And it can tell if you're not paying attention, looking away. And it reminds you to keep your eyes on the road. Occasionally, I do feel a little bit scolded. But it's not aggressive about it. And you can always turn it off. Adaptive cruise control is awesome in the Forester. It feels very natural. It'll bring you to a complete stop and then all the way back up to freeway speed. It's not herky-jerky. I really like it. They did a good job. Small turbo-charged engines can really struggle in big, heavy vehicles, but not the 1.5 liter turbo-charged four cylinder in the CR-V. It's a real surprise in terms of passing power and off the line performance-- way faster than the Forester. Even with only 190 horsepower, it really delivers. And you're never in a situation where you're shaking the steering wheel and on the gas and going, come on, come on. No, you got it. It's pretty quick. One of the things that makes the CR-V such a pleasant drive experience is that even though it has a CVT transmission, it doesn't do that sad vacuum cleaner thing where it goes, [GROAN], like makes more noise and no more power. Seems like the engineers at Honda have really figured out CVTs. Everything in the CR-V is nicely balanced-- so steering, braking, throttle response, the handling. It's all predictable and enjoyable. The CR-V is not sold specifically as an off-road vehicle. But it is available with all-wheel drive, and it has enough ground clearance that you can go off pavement. There is a physical volume knob in the CR-V. And honestly, that's the best thing about the infotainment system. And really, I mean, you don't know that you would miss one of those until they take them away. So Honda did put it back. But the rest of the infotainment, the screen and everything, is pretty disappointing. It's small, and it's slow. And the native nav isn't great. Luckily Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, both standard in all but the base trim. So just plug your phone in and call it good. Adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, blind spot monitoring, forward collision warning, and automatic emergency braking are all standard on everything except for the LX trim. Don't you feel safe? Don't you feel cared for? The CR-V is our top-ranked small SUV on the Edmunds website, because it's just so good at so many things. If you want a car that has safety and convenience totally covered, the CR-V is your pick. The Forester has some flaws-- that loud, slow engine mostly. But it also has a sense of adventure that the CR-V is lacking. If you want a car with a little more personality, take a look at the Forester. Let me put it to you this way-- if I was hiring one of these cars for a job, I would call the CR-V. But if I wanted to invite one over for a barbecue, that would be the Forester. Visit us at Edmunds for all your car shopping needs. If you like this video, please subscribe, and make sure you follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Both the Subaru Forester and the Honda CR-V are competent family haulers with plenty of cargo space, high-tech safety features and available AWD for mild off-road driving. What makes them different, and which is the right one for you?

• Honda CR-V vs. Subaru Forester ― Two Very Different Ways to Do a Crossover
• Honda CR-V vs. Mazda CX-5 vs. Toyota RAV4: 2019 Compact-SUV Comparison Test
• 2019 Honda CR-V: The Best SUV | Edmunds Editors' Choice