Subaru Outback vs. Forester

The biggest differences between the Subaru Outback and Subaru Forester are their shapes, sizes, and classifications. The Forester is a compact crossover, which gives it a small SUV silhouette with up to 72.4 inches of width and up to 183.3 of length – more than 8 inches fewer than the Outback. However, the Forester has a more compact shape and is slightly taller than the Outback, with a height of up to 69.3 inches. The Outback, with its longer body shape and wheelbase, is a midsize crossover designed for smooth, controlled handling. This gives it a longer, more drawn-out shape, with up to 191.7 inches of length, up to 68.3 inches of height (including roof rails), and 74 inches of width – 2 inches more than the standard Forester.

Due to its longer wheelbase and more substantial weight, driving the Outback could feel smoother over rough roads and trails compared to the Forester. Conversely, the Forester, with its taller, slightly more nimble body style, may make parallel parking in crowded city streets easier, and retailers report that some buyers appreciate the higher driver position of a more standard compact SUV.

Both the Subaru Outback and the Subaru Forester use the time- and trail-tested SUBARU BOXER^® engine to power their standard all-wheel drive systems. Every SUBARU BOXER engine is built with a unique horizontal layout, giving both vehicles a lower center of gravity and a finely tuned balance between power and fuel efficiency. In fact, their estimated fuel economy is almost the same, with Forester reaching up to 33 MPG** highway and 26 MPG city and the Outback getting up to 31 MPG highway and 25 MPG city with the standard engine. 

The differences come in with the direct-injection turbocharged engine available only on Outback's Limited XT, Touring XT, and Wilderness trims. This engine delivers 260 horsepower – more than the 180-horsepower Forester and the 180-horsepower standard Outback engine – and 277 pound-feet of torque compared to the 178 pound-feet of torque for Forester and the 178 pound-feet of torque for Outback Premium, Limited, and Touring models. This extra power gives the Outback more maximum towing capacity at up to 3,500 pounds, more than the Forester’s standard towing capacity of 1,500 pounds and equal to the Forester Wilderness towing capacity of 3,500 pounds. If you regularly pull large trailers for boats and other heavy cargo, this may give the Outback – or the Forester Wilderness – an edge as you make your decision.

When looking at the base models of the Subaru Outback and Subaru Forester, or even higher trims like the Limited or Touring, you’ll see the exact same ground clearance height of 8.7 inches. While they both share the ability to ride above large rocks or deep snow, many of their competitors can’t say the same. This lets both Outback and Forester take on the trails and weather conditions where other brands just can’t go.

It’s only when comparing the Outback Wilderness and Forester Wilderness that the differences become apparent. While both Wilderness models feature boosted clearance and standard front skid plates for truly rugged off-road adventures, the Outback Wilderness offers a higher 9.5 inches of ground clearance compared to the Forester Wilderness at 9.3 inches.

Outback offers ample passenger room with up to 112.3 cubic feet but features a larger maximum cargo area at up to 80.5 cubic feet with the rear seats lowered. The Forester gives you slightly less interior space with up to 110.8 cubic feet of passenger room and up to 74.4 cubic feet of cargo room with the standard 60/40-split flat-folding rear seatbacks folded down.

But when it comes to cargo and passenger volume, you can’t choose solely based on numbers. It’s how that space is configured that truly sets the Outback and Forester apart from one another. Due to its taller height, the Forester provides about an inch more front passenger headspace than the Outback, and when it comes to cargo, the longer total cargo layout of the Outback can be better suited to oversized objects like bikes, which can even be hauled with both wheels left on if laid on their side.

Now you’ve explored some of the major differences in specs and features between the Subaru Outback and Forester, but online research can only take you so far. Each vehicle has its own unique personality, driving feel, and customization options. You can start by building your own Outback and Forester with our online tools and try each vehicle out in a test drive at your local retailer to find the Subaru SUV that’s perfect for you.