Budget Buy $12,000: Honda CR-V vs Subaru Forester

Practical and affordable, the Honda CR-V and Subaru Forester are among the best used crossovers out there, but which is the better buy?

Emphasis on Utility

Small SUVs have largely supplanted the sedan as the family vehicle of choice. Two of the segment’s stronger options have long been the Subaru Forester and Honda CR-V. With roomy, comfortable cabins and plenty of cargo space, these crossovers put their emphasis on daily livability. The Subaru augments this with standard all-wheel drive and an available turbocharged engine while the Honda gets high marks for refined interior quality and sterling reliability.

At a budget of $12,000, we’ll be looking at roughly 10-to-12-year-old models. We find a natural cut-off point for the Honda CR-V with the 2011 model year as this was the final year of its third generation., and prices tend to jump with the generational changeover. A positive note, later models tend to be mechanically well sorted, making an already solid Honda even more reliable. The Forester has similarly aged well, and a $12,000 top end puts us around the 2012 model year.

Specs

The 2012 Subaru Forester offers two engine options starting with 2.5L flat-four making 170 horsepower and 174 lb-ft of torque. A five-speed manual comes as the default transmission while a four-speed automatic can also be optioned. For more power, the Forester can be had with a turbocharged version of the 2.5L flat-four good for 224 horsepower and 226 lb-ft of torque. Since this is a Subaru, it comes standard with symmetrical all-wheel drive. Fuel economy comes in at 21 city and 27 MPG for the base engine and 19/24 MPG for the more powerful turbo version.

The 2011 Honda CR-V keeps things simple with a single engine, a 2.4L inline-four making 180 horsepower and 161 lb-ft of torque. This comes paired with a five-speed manual, and, while front-wheel drive comes standard, four-wheel drive can be optioned. The two-wheel drive configuration comes in at 21 city and 28 highway MPG while the four-wheel drive version dips ever so slightly to 21/27 MPG.

Driving & Performance

The 2012 used Subaru Forester comes with several advantages. Foremost is the standard symmetrical all-wheel drive, a Subaru mainstay, which adds surefootedness on snowy days and tackling dirt roads a breeze. The peppy 2.5L turbocharged engine is a nice alternative to the somewhat poky base engine, though it does eat into the fuel economy as a result. The tall greenhouse in the Forester makes for great outward visibility. With a comfortable ride and good maneuverability, the Forester makes for a crossover with few compromises.

The 2011 used Honda CR-V, while lack a turbocharged option, performs the tasks of getting from A to B with little fuss. The 2.4L engine and five-speed automatic pair well and accelerate smoothly and unobtrusively. Steering feel is surprisingly communicative, and the CR-V is composed in cornering, with minimal body lean. Though not as quick as the turbocharged Forster, the CR-V’s easy-going nature is hard to complain out, especially when equipped with the optional four-wheel drive.

Comfort & Interior

The Forester gets good marks for its roomy, airy cabin. Head and legroom are generous, and the back seat has no trouble accommodating full-size adults on longer rides. The dash layout is logical and built for ease of use. And yet, this is where the Forester’s chief deficiency is more apparent. Material quality is middling at best. Large swaths of hard plastic predominate, and the overall design feels dated, even for a ten-year-old vehicle. Still storage is plentiful, with large door bins and center console. Cargo runs 30.8-33.5 cu-ft in the back and 63-68.3 cu-ft, the lesser numbers owning the moonroof.

The Honda CR-V also sports a function first interior. As roomy as the Forester is, the CR-V is ever so slightly more so, with 38.5 inches of rear seat legroom to the Forester’s 38 inches. Material quality is incrementally superior to the Forester, though Honda makes good use of hard plastics as well. The user-friendly dash layout, complete with actual buttons, dials, and knobs, forces one to wonder why today’s designers have chosen to eliminate buttons and hide functions deep in touchscreen infotainment systems. Cargo in the CR-V measures 35.7 cu-ft in the rear and 72.9 cu-ft with the rear seats folded down, making it one of the most capacious options in the segment.

Trims & Interior

2012 Subaru Forester 2.5X Premium - carsforsale.com

The 2012 Subaru Forester has four basic trims: the 2.5X, 2.5X Premium, 2.5X Limited, and 2.5X Touring. The Premium and Touring trims can be had with the more powerful turbocharged engine and are denoted as 2.5XT Premium and 2.5XT Touring respectively.

The Forester comes standard with a CD player, auxiliary jack, three 12-volt outlets, 16-inch wheels, keyless entry, and automatic headlights. Additional options include Bluetooth and navigation (bundled together), moonroof, heated front seats, heated side mirrors, satellite radio, dual-zone climate control, and a seven-speaker stereo.

The 2011 Honda CR-V also comes in four trims: LX, SE, SX, and EX-L. Standard features include 17-inch wheels, CD player, auxiliary jack, four-speaker stereo, speed-sensitive volume control, keyless entry, and cruise control. Options include a moonroof, USB port, Bluetooth, navigation, and leather upholstery.

By a Nose

Both the 2012 Subaru Forester and 2011 Honda CR-V make for good, affordable crossovers. If you’re adamant about avoiding the sluggishness of typical light SUVs, the turbocharged Forester can be a good antidote. Its standard all-wheel drive is likewise a nice bonus, especially if you live above the snowline in the US. And yet, the Honda CR-V’s clearly superior interior quality, stress-free driving experience, and additional cargo space help it edge out the Forester in this comparison.