Yahoo Autos Which Subaru for you? Comparing the 2020 Subaru Outback and Forester
The Subaru Forester and Outback have served similar purposes for years now — hauling families and their gear somewhat off the beaten path to indulge in their favorite outdoor activities — but each goes about it a little differently. Broadly speaking, one is more of a wagon (Outback) and the other an SUV (Forester), but it's certainly more than that. They're also pretty similar in plenty of ways, too. So, while comparisons between cars of different brands are more commonplace, we know there are plenty of shoppers who are in fact comparing this pair of Subaru crossovers. This one's for them.
Subaru updated its Forester crossover for the 2019 model year, and the Outback was renewed a year later for 2020. They don’t look a lot different than their previous generations, but both are far superior to their predecessors in a number of ways. Both the Forester and Outback benefit from the same new Subaru global platform, which has meant a big step up in ride refinement, noise and handling, and there have been improvements in technology and materials as well.
We’ve put many miles on both vehicles, and have opined about them in digital ink and podcast formats multiple times. We’ve gotten to know our 2019 Forester long-term loaner quite well (there were only minor feature availability changes for 2020), and we had the opportunity to compare it to the 2020 Outback when we had them both in our fleet at the same time.
Powertrain
The Forester has only one powertrain option: a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter flat-four engine connected to a continuously variable transmission (CVT). It produces 182 horsepower and 176 pound-feet of torque, which feels adequate for the Forester, but there are still some times when we wish the Forester offered a turbocharged engine as it did in the past for better passing power. It returns 26 mpg in the city, 33 mpg on the highway and 29 combined.
The Outback comes standard with the same 2.5-liter engine, even down to its output and fuel economy. However, in the slightly larger and heavier Outback, this powertrain feels more sluggish — especially after you try the other available Outback powertrain.
The XT versions of the Outback use a turbocharged flat-four displacing 2.4 liters, good for a much meatier 260 hp and 277 lb-ft of torque. The tradeoff is a fuel economy sacrifice of 3 mpg, which is not a lot, considering what you get in return. In the course of a year, the EPA estimates you'd only spend an extra $100 in gas.
Towing
The Forester is rated to tow up to 1,500 pounds. The Outback with the same engine can tow up to 2,700 pounds. Equipped with the 2.5T in the XT models, that tow rating increases to more than double that of the Forester, at 3,500 pounds. Just food for thought if you’ve got toys or a small camper to haul around.
Size
This is the most obvious and probably the most important difference between the two vehicles, on par with price. The Outback is the bigger vehicle of the two, but interestingly enough, they have similar amounts of cargo space on paper, with the Forester at 31.1 cubic feet, and the Outback at 32.5 behind the rear seats. (Max cargo area is a similar story, with the Forester seeing a 0.4 cubic-foot advantage at 76.1).
However, the spec sheet doesn't tell the whole story. It’s the shape of that rear cargo area that really makes the difference. Some rough measurements in my driveway were illuminating. Both are the same width between the wheel wells, at about 43 inches. However, the Outback's cargo floor is 7.5 inches longer than the Forester's, while its height is 2.7 inches shorter. It's also compromised by the shape of its tailgate, which tapers inward at the glass. The Forester is more of a box, with its full cargo height extending nearly all the way to the rear.
This means that the Forester is better at carrying tall, boxy objects. However, longer flatter items will fit better in the Outback, and for typical usage — groceries, sporting equipment, a road trip's worth of gear — the Outback wins for its larger cargo footprint behind the rear seats.
As for passenger volume, there’s very little difference to speak of in terms of what matters, particularly legroom. The Forester offers more headroom, but unless you’ve got a family full of basketball players, you probably won’t notice much of a difference, as the Outback’s headroom is ample.
The Outback is longer than the Forester by a whole 9.2 inches, with a 3-inch longer wheelbase. As such, the Outback definitely feels like the bigger car going down the road. That’s great on the highway, where the Outback’s stability makes for a smoother, more relaxing drive than the Forester. The Forester is much easier to park, though, as it’s not only shorter and easier to maneuver, it’s also 1.5 inches narrower than the Outback.
