The Japanese crossover isn’t just the Toyota RAV4 or Nissan Qashqai. There are at least CR-V from Honda and Forester from Subaru. Which are noticeably inferior to the bestsellers in mass production, but not in consumer qualities. Quite often, the opposite is true.
What is Better for Passengers: “Subaru Forester” or “Honda SRV.”
In some ways, the rivals are undoubtedly similar. For example, being cars of the early “tenths”, they completely ignore all the ” tenths ” achievements and acquisitions. The motors are atmospheric, the boxes are old-school (a typical automatic or variator), the interiors are rag or leather (without this newfangled Alcantara), the plastic is hard and echoing.
In general, not a Tiguan, not a Peugeot 3008, or even a KIA Sportage. Very old-fashioned “wardrobes”, but with their own charisma and meaning.
For example, they are useful as family travel cars. Of course, there are only five places for a brother; the point being, they will not fit large families. But in the five available places, everyone will have enough: both legroom and air supply overhead. CR-V is perfect in this sense: the sofa there is just wide.
Trunks are of geometrically-correct rectangular shape for any belongings. Especially in the Honda CR-V: 589 liters versus the “Subar” 488 liters! But 488 liters with a length of 4.5 meters is also a good result: the car is still relatively compact, and there was a place for half a thousand liters of volume.
But in Subaru, there was no place for either design or performance of the interior. It looks like it’s still the late 80s in the yard: plastic is like cheap vinyl, leather on chairs is like a soldier’s tarpaulin from boots.
Honda CR-V is also not so handsome, but with contrasting colors, various textures make the interior visually more affluent. A decent media system monitor and spectacular dashboard illumination make you want to sit here longer, unlike the Subaru Forester.
It’s a matter of taste, of course, but the Forester looks like its audience is people who don’t care what to drive at all:
- There is a steering wheel.
- There are seats, four-wheel drive.
- The ground clearance is two decimeters.
- The salon will do just fine, tea, not for a beauty contest with him to go.
Which is Better for the Driver: Honda CRV or Subaru Forester
As for the ride, you shouldn’t expect pleasant surprises. The most famous “Foresters”, for example, are atmospheric two-liter. And their 11.8 seconds up to the first hundred looks and feels frankly pitiful. But exactly until you look and ride on the two-liter CR-V, which is an infinite second slower.
And this gap persists with older engines: the Forester with 2.5 liters still somehow goes from 10 seconds to the first hundred, and the 2.4-litre CR-V is beyond its power – its “record” is 10.7 sec.
If someone claims that this is strictly a family car with no endurance for the thrill – there is someone to return to the discussion after 9.9-10.7 seconds of protracted toad overtaking.
In terms of behavior on the road, cars differ in the same way as in dynamics: the unhurried and loose CR-V is for those who like not to feel any bumps. As, however, and to steer: Honda does not encourage active driving at all.
Forester IV generation, too: it moved far away from its more glorious ancestors. If on the first and second “Foriks”, I still wanted to pile up faster in turn, then on the fourth, I didn’t want to. But against the background of “Honda”, it is just exemplary: it drives more precisely and listens sharper than this steering wheel. And it does not roll as profoundly as the CR-V, which, coupled with more agile acceleration dynamics, makes it preferable for those who are still (relatively) young at heart.
Which is More Expensive to Maintain: “Forester” or “CRV”.
Contrary to the legends about “real Japanese quality”, Subaru owners are frequent guests in services. And oil is added almost more often than VAGs. It is also necessary to carry fuel and lubricants with you in reserve in the case of the fourth “Forik”: two-liter engines have a small crankcase, oil starvation is not uncommon, so the level must be monitored and monitored. You need to add until the fourth cylinder knocks, or even the entire engine has not asked for capital in case of a fall.
The aspirated 2.5 has another problem: a small gap between the cylinders is fraught with overheating. Hence, you also need to monitor the engine temperature and do not forget about the coolant level.
The Foresters’ suspension is quite durable, from regular replacements:
- stabilizer struts (~ $12 apiece);
- and wheel bearings (assembled with a hub – ~ $80 apiece).
In some reviews, complaints about the steering rack are heard, but this sore either manifests itself or not, depending on the operating conditions. The rake knocks for those who regularly make excursions to nature on primers. It is possible to drive 150-200 thousand km without extraneous sounds and knocks in other situations.
Subaru has a surprisingly good CVT. You don’t hear such complaints about the Renault-Nissan unit: up to 150 thousand km you should walk without any questions at all. The main thing is to observe the oil change interval of 40-50 thousand km.
But against the background of “Honda”, Subaru will be more expensive in service – at least because of the specifics of the boxer engines. There, just to replace the spark plugs, you need to disassemble half of the car, remove the intake manifold, washer reservoir, battery, etc.
Which is Better to Buy: Honda CRV or Subaru Forester?
The Honda CR-V is more straightforward, more maintainable, and ultimately cheaper to maintain. There is no need to expect surprises from ordinary, careful handling:
Just remember the Honda CRV SUV requires the following:
- Clean the throttle valve.
- Adjust the valves every 40-50 thousand km.
- Change the timing chain when characteristic vibrations appear.
Generally speaking, these cars were not taught to break.
One can only find complaints about sagging rear springs and knocking off the same steering rack as the owners’ complaints. But it is impossible to say that this is some kind of universal story: everything, as always, rests on operating modes and accuracy of maintenance.
Therefore, for a leisurely but equally unproblematic life, it is definitely worth buying the CR-V. Yes, it is slow and, in general, has already succeeded everywhere, but he has a more spacious rear sofa, a larger trunk, and it will require much less attention to maintain it. Looks and convenience in one, what more could one ask for!
