2021 Subaru Forester vs. 2021 Ford Bronco Sport

The 2021 Subaru Forester is a rugged five-person crossover. Its durable interior and off-road capability are designed for those who enjoy an active lifestyle. Standard all-wheel drive makes it a great choice for those who enjoy off-roading or live in regions where winter means snow.

The 2021 Ford Bronco Sport is an all-new crossover that marks the return of the Bronco badge to the Ford lineup. The larger Ford Bronco arrives later this year. The Bronco Sport is ready for off-roading with standard four-wheel drive and a wide range of features for tackling everything from snow to sand to rocks. Let’s take a closer look at these two crossovers to see which is the better choice.

The 2021 Subaru Forester is priced from $25,845 to $35,945 with a single powertrain across five trims. Its standard features include a 6.5-inch infotainment touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, pre-collision braking, lane departure and sway warning, and adaptive cruise control. Available options include an 8.0-inch infotainment touchscreen, leather seating surfaces, and a 10-way power driver’s seat.

The 2021 Ford Bronco Sport is also available in five trims with two powertrains priced from $26,820 to $38,500. Standard features include forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, 8.0-inch infotainment touchscreen, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. Availability of two powertrains and the larger standard infotainment screen give Bronco Sport the win despite its slightly higher price.

Winner: Ford Bronco Sport

The Subaru Forester is powered by a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine with 182 horsepower and 176 lb-ft of torque paired to a continuously variable automatic transmission. There’s more than enough power to get the Forester up to highway speeds without complaint or excessive noise.

The Ford Bronco Sport has a base 1.5-liter turbocharged 3-cylinder with 181 horsepower and 190 lb-ft of torque paired to an 8-speed automatic transmission. It’s responsive with ample power to get the Bronco Sport moving. There’s also a 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder with 250 horsepower and 277 lb-ft of torque that’s ideal for those who crave more performance and more power for off-roading.

Winner: Ford Bronco Sport

Fuel economy for the 2021 Subaru Forester is an EPA-estimated 26 mpg in the city, 33 mpg on the highway, and 29 mpg combined. The Ford Bronco Sport gets an EPA-estimated 25 mpg in the city, 28 mpg on the highway, and 26 mpg combined with the 1.3-liter 3-cylinder engine. The more powerful 2.0-liter 4-cylinder delivers 21 mpg in the city, 26 mpg on the highway, and 23 mpg combined.

There’s a fuel economy price to be paid for the more powerful Bronco Sport engine, as expected. However, compare the base Bronco Sport engine to the Subaru Forester and it still lags. If there’s a lot of highway driving in your future, the Forester is the clear choice.

Winner: Subaru Forester

The Subaru Forester has standard all-wheel drive with all but the base trim and includes X-Mode, which offers selectable drive modes tailored to the terrain. The Premium offers a single-mode while the Sport, Limited, and Touring offer dual-mode with Snow/Dirt or Deep Snow/Mud. It also has 8.7-inches of ground clearance.

The Ford Bronco Sport has standard G.O.A.T. (Goes Over Any Type of Terrain) drive modes of Normal, Eco, Sport, Slippery, and Sand. The Badlands and First Edition add Mud/Ruts and Rock Crawl modes. Depending on the trim, ground clearance ranges from 7.8 inches up to 8.8 inches. While ground clearance is better overall in the Forester, the Bronco Sport has the capability to tackle more challenging terrain thanks to its drive modes.

Winner: Ford Bronco Sport

One of the tradeoffs with a capable off-roader is that it’s often not so comfortable on-road. It can be a challenge for a suspension system that makes short work of uneven, rocky terrain to maintain its composure when the road is paved. The Subaru Forester strikes a good balance here with an on-road drive that is smooth, quiet, and well-mannered. It never feels unwieldy; it manages to avoid having too much bounce over rough pavement or during quick lane changes.

The Ford Bronco Sport also delivers a smooth, quiet ride, but it’s not as composed as the Forester. Passengers won’t be jarred or uncomfortable, but there’s more bounce and sway that hints at its better off-road capability.

Winner: Subaru Forester

Both crossovers have comfortable and attractive interiors, but with varying amounts of room for passengers. The Forester has up to 41.2 inches of front headroom, which is slightly less than the Ford Bronco Sport’s 41.5 inches. Rear passengers also get slightly more headroom in the Bronco Sport with 41.7 inches versus 39.6 inches. Comparing legroom is another story.

The Forester has 43.3 inches of front legroom and 39.4 inches of rear legroom while the Bronco Sport comes in with 42.4 inches and 36.9 inches. The extra headroom in the Bronco Sport is a plus, but where most taller passengers run into trouble is legroom and, on that count, the Forester comes out ahead.

Winner: Subaru Forester

The Subaru Forester has up to 31.1 cubic inches behind the rear seats or 76.1 cubic feet behind the front seats. The Ford Bronco Sport has up to 32.5 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 65.2 cubic feet behind the front seats. While the Bronco Sport has slightly more room behind the rear seats, overall cargo capacity is higher in the Forester.

Max towing for the Forester is 1,500 pounds while the Bronco Sport can handle 2,000 to 2,200 pounds depending on the trim. This puts the Bronco Sport ahead if towing is your priority. But if interior cargo room is more important, the Forester wins. 

Winner: Subaru Forester

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration awarded the 2021 Subaru Forester its highest crash test rating of five stars but has not yet tested the 2021 Ford Bronco Sport. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has tested both vehicles. Both received a top rating of Good in all crash tests and were named a 2021 Top Safety Pick+.

Comparing standard safety, both are well-equipped with automatic emergency braking, and lane departure prevention. The Bronco Sport also includes standard blind-spot warning with rear cross-traffic alert, something not included on base trims of the Forester.

Winner: Ford Bronco Sport

Standard infotainment in the 2021 Subaru Forester includes a 6.5-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and four speakers. Available upgrades include an 8.0-inch touchscreen, navigation, and a 9-speaker Harman Kardon premium audio system.

The Ford Bronco Sport counters with a standard 8.0-inch infotainment touchscreen and navigation along with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and 6-speaker audio. A larger screen, navigation, and more speakers as standard features give the Bronco Sport the win.

Winner: Ford Bronco Sport

It’s a close one, but the 2021 Ford Bronco Sport comes out ahead of the 2021 Subaru Forester. The Forester wins on fuel economy, a smoother ride, and a roomier interior for people and cargo.

That’s a strong showing, but the Bronco Sport leads for its range of trims and engines, its superior off-road capability, and its standard safety and infotainment features. Both crossovers are solid choices, but our pick is the Bronco Sport.

Winner: Ford Bronco Sport