Compare the2024 Toyota Corolla CrossVS 2024 Subaru Forester

The Corolla Cross has a standard Secondary Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Forester doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Both the Corolla Cross and Forester offer rear cross-traffic warning, but the Corolla Cross XLE has Parking Support Brake (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The Forester’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert doesn’t automatically brake.

Both the Corolla Cross and the Forester have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive, blind spot warning systems and rear parking sensors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Toyota Corolla Cross is safer than the Subaru Forester:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Toyota Corolla Cross is safer than the Forester:

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the Corolla Cross for 2 years and 25000 miles. Toyota will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Subaru doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Forester.

There are almost 2 times as many Toyota dealers as there are Subaru dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Corolla Cross’ warranty.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Corolla Cross’ reliability 21 points higher than the Forester.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Subaru vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota above average in long-term dependability. With 34 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Subaru is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Subaru vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota first in overall reliability. Subaru is ranked 7th.

As tested in Motor Trend the Toyota Corolla Cross is faster than the Subaru Forester:

On the EPA test cycle the Corolla Cross gets better mileage than the Forester:

For better stopping power the Corolla Cross’ standard front brake rotors are larger than those on the Forester:

The Corolla Cross stops shorter than the Forester:

The Corolla Cross XLE AWD handles at .80 G’s, while the Forester Wilderness pulls only .77 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Toyota Corolla Cross may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 300 to 350 pounds less than the Subaru Forester.

The Corolla Cross is 7.1 inches shorter than the Forester, making the Corolla Cross easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The power windows standard on both the Corolla Cross and the Forester have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Corolla Cross is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Forester prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The Corolla Cross’ front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Forester’s standard passenger windows don’t open or close automatically. With the Forester Premium/Sport/Wilderness/Limited/Touring’s power windows, only the front windows open or close automatically.

If the windows are left open on the Corolla Cross the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. (This window function must be activated by your Toyota service department.) The driver of the Forester can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Corolla Cross’ standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Subaru only offers heated mirrors on the Forester Premium/Sport/Wilderness/Limited/Touring.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Toyota Corolla LE/XLE has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Forester doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

The Toyota Corolla comes in sedan, four door hatchback and four door bodystyles; the Subaru Forester isn’t available as a sedan or four door hatchback.

The Corolla Cross is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Forester doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

The Toyota Corolla outsold the Subaru Forester by over two to one during 2022.