Introduced in the United States for the 1998 model year, the Subaru Forester has spent more than two decades as the segment’s leading CUV for families with an active lifestyle. With standard all-wheel drive, impressive off-roading capabilities, and a quiet and comfortable cabin, the Forester can handle the daily commute during the workweek and overlanding on the weekends.
The off-road CUV segment has been expanding rapidly in recent years, and that’s largely a result of the legacy and popularity of the Subaru Forester. Redesigned from the ground up, the 2020 Subaru Forester Sport is one of the freshest models in the Subaru lineup. As the segment continues to increase in popularity, the field of competition has never been more crowded. In this comparison we will look at two of the Forester Sport’s closest competitors and analyze how they stack up against the segment leader.
2020 Subaru Forester Sport vs. 2020 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk
As the most rugged model in the 2020 Jeep Cherokee lineup, the Trailhawk features a taller ride height, off-road tuned suspension and larger all-terrain tires for increased ground clearance. Despite these changes, the Trailhawk only manages to match the Forester Sport’s identical 8.7 inches of ground clearance.
Both vehicles feature specialized traction management systems that optimize the Trailhawk and Forester Sport’s handling in extreme driving conditions. Known as Jeep Select-Terrain on the Trailhawk, this technology allows the driver to toggle between different driving modes such as Sport, Snow, Sand/Mud, and Rock.
The Forester Sport’s X-Mode takes it a step even further. When the button is depressed, X-Mode will smooth engine throttle response, deactivate the CVT transmission’s lock-up clutch and employ Hill Descent Control when driving down steep slopes. It also controls the all-wheel drive torque split and braking system to better direct power to the wheels that need the most traction and apply the brakes only to the wheels that are slipping.
The new 2020 Subaru Forester Sport is more fuel efficient than ever thanks to direct injection technology. Introduced last year for the model’s redesign, the Forester’s 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine is rated at 26 mpg city and 33 mpg highway. That’s a stark contrast to the less efficient 3.2L V6 in the Trailhawk rated at only 18 mpg city and 24 mpg highway or even the optional 2.0L turbo four-cylinder rated at 20 mpg city and 26 mpg highway.
The 2020 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk starts at $36,250 after destination charges, while the 2020 Subaru Forester Sport comes in well below that mark with a starting MSRP of $30,005 after delivery.
2020 Subaru Forester Sport vs. 2021 Ford Bronco Sport BadlandsThe “baby Bronco” will be the latest to join the off-road CUV class in December, and it certainly looks the part of the Badlands trim. Despite sharing the same name, the 2021 Bronco Sport shares very little in common with its big brother. While the Bronco utilizes the Ford Ranger’s body-on-frame build, the Sport shares its underpinnings with the unibody-derived Ford Escape.
On the Badlands trim, the Bronco Sport is fitted with seven driver-selectable G.O.A.T. modes (Goes Over Any Terrain). This system is similar to the Cherokee Trailhawk’s Select-Terrain and Forester Sport’s X-Mode designed to make sure the vehicle’s traction management is optimized for peak efficiency, safety, and control in any driving condition.
While the 2020 Forester Sport is well suited for off-road adventures, Subaru’s SI-DRIVE is also fitted to allow winding canyon roads to be equally as entertaining. The ability to deliver confident handling and inspired performance both on and off-road truly sets the Forester Sport apart from the competition. With its exclusive Sport Sharp mode, the Forester Sport extracts maximum performance from its 2.5L Boxer engine by adjusting throttle mapping and delivering a torque-rich response at any rpm.
Featuring an incredible 70.9 cubic feet of maximum cargo room, the Forester Sport also dwarfs the Badlands’ 60.1 cubic feet of space with rear seats folded down. The Bronco Sport’s smaller cabin becomes even more apparent from the second row, where rear passengers have 2.5 inches of less legroom than the Forester Sport.
The 2021 Ford Bronco Badlands has a MSRP of $34,155, making the 2020 Subaru Forester Sport the best overall value in the segment starting at $30,005 after destination and delivery.
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