The Subaru Forester is known as an excellent SUV. It's comfortable, very roomy, has excellent all-wheel drive and is relatively reliable. So why is it still behind the Honda CR-V in sales?
Simply because the 2022 Honda CR-V does better when you consider its overall performance. It may leave the Forester ahead in one or two areas, but when all is considered, it is still a superior product. And that's why consumers are flocking to it.
Let's look at what makes the 2022 CR-V so successful.
Value
With any vehicle, there's one thing that often makes all the difference behind the scenes: resale value. Resale value affects the lease price because you pay the difference between the new price and what the vehicle will be worth at the end of your lease term. Then, at the resale, the day we decide to move on.
It's not that the Subaru Forester doesn't hold its value well, but rather that the Honda CR-V is one of the best-valued models in the industry in this regard. So, after three years, its value is down by about 18%. That's 10% less than the Forester, which is down 28% after 36 months.
More reliable
One of the elements that contributes to this great value is the Honda CR-V's great reliability. With it, you know that problems will be very rare, if not non-existent. The Subaru Forester's record isn't bad, but how does it compare to the benchmark in the class?
Interior space
There's one area where the Forester could stand out from the Honda CR-V and that's in the amount of interior space. Subaru's model offers what is very rare in the class, a volume of over 2,000 liters of cargo space. It's 2155 liters without the sunroof, 2008 liters with.
The problem is that the 2022 Honda CR-V offers a volume of 2146 liters. We agree that it's a draw.
Behind the wheel
Then, behind the wheel, there are important differences. In fact, both models offer a lot of comfort and a nice smooth ride. The difference is that everything is softer in the Forester, whereas the 2022 Honda CR-V offers a more solid ride. Above all, it's more reassuring. You really feel in control behind the wheel of this vehicle.
As you can see, the Honda CR-V is where it counts with buyers, which explains its success. Come and see it in person to get the full measure of it.
