The latest Subaru Forester and Nissan Rogue are examples of new styling and additional tech to stay relevant. The compact crossover class remains hot and automakers are constantly updating their models to stay fresh. If you have these two crossovers on your shopping list, keep reading for some buying considerations and comparisons.
Price vs. Features
The Nissan Rogue has a lower starting price of around $28,000, but it only comes with FWD in this form. The Subaru Forester is roughly $1,000 more, but it comes with standard AWD. The Rogue starts at around $30,000 to get AWD. The Subaru offers adaptive cruise control at a lower price point, but you can get the Rogue with leatherette upholstery, GPS, and a surround-view parking camera for less than the Forester. Between the two, only the Forester has ventilated front seats, while only the Rogue has rear climate controls.
Exterior vs. Interior Design
Despite its recent redesign, the Subaru Forester has never been a stylish attention-grabber. In a parking lot full of crossovers, you might have trouble picking it out. On the other hand, the Rogue does offer an eye-catching style with unique elements like vertical split headlights and chunky sides to give it a nice profile. At the same time, the Rogue’s style isn’t in your face, just noticeable. The comparison continues in the cabin with the Rogue adding more quality materials versus the rugged, simple style of the Forester’s cabin.
Passenger Comfort vs. Cargo Capacity
Even if the Forester isn’t fancy inside, it’s plenty comfortable with large windows and slim roof pillars for a wide view. The seats are also comfortable and it has plenty of headroom. The Nissan Rogue is also roomy inside and its seats are well padded. You might expect the Forester’s utilitarian design to have more cargo space, but it’s actually the Rogue that wins out here. The Nissan offers 36 cubic feet behind the rear seat and 74 cubic feet with the rear seat folded. The Forester has a higher cargo floor, reducing its capacity to 27.5 cubic feet and 69.1 cubic feet with the rear seats folded.
Fuel Economy vs. Driving Experience
The Nissan Rogue has some of the best fuel economy in its class with 30 MPG in the city, 37 MPG on the highway, and 33 MPG combined. It does this with a 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder featuring variable compression rates. The Subaru Forester is less efficient than the Rogue, but it still manages 29 MPG combined with its 2.5-liter four-cylinder. However, the Forester’s naturally-aspirated engine is rather pokey at only 180 horsepower. The Nissan Rogue makes 201 horsepower and 225 pound-feet of torque. It’s also more sharply tuned for handling than the Forester.
Wildcard and Final Thoughts
The wildcard with both SUVs is that the Forester is easily the more off-road-ready vehicle with standard AWD and 8.7 inches of ground clearance. The Rogue is more geared toward driving on-road and it does that quite well. In the end, both crossovers are very different. The Forester has a lot of practicality, but the Rogue wins in key areas like fuel economy, cargo volume, and comfortable style.
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