Model Year | 2013 | 2009 | |
Model | Subaru Forester | Ford Explorer Sport Trac | |
Engine | turbocharged 2.5L H4 DOHC-4v 224 hp@5600 226 lb-ft@3600 |
4.6L V8 OHC-3v 292 hp@5750 300 lb-ft@3950 |
|
Transmission | 4-speed shiftable automatic | 6-speed automatic | |
Drivetrain | AWD | AWD | |
Body | 4dr SUV | 4dr SUT | |
Difference | |||
Wheelbase | 103.0 in | 130.5 in | -27.5 in |
Length | 169.5 in | 210.2 in | -40.7 in |
Width | 70.1 in | 73.7 in | -3.6 in |
Height | 65.9 in | 72.5 in | -6.6 in |
Curb Weight | 3440 lb. | 4793 lb. | -1353 lb. |
Fuel Capacity | 16.9 gal. | 22.5 gal. | -5.6 gal. |
Headroom, Row 1 | 41.6 in | 39.8 in | 1.8 in |
Shoulder Room, Row 1 | 56.1 in | 59.0 in | -2.9 in |
Hip Room, Row 1 | 0.0 in | 55.4 in | -55.4 in |
Legroom, Row 1 | 43.1 in | 42.4 in | 0.7 in |
Headroom, Row 2 | 40.0 in | 38.5 in | 1.5 in |
Shoulder Room, Row 2 | 55.6 in | 58.9 in | -3.3 in |
Hip Room, Row 2 | 0.0 in | 55.5 in | -55.5 in |
Legroom, Row 2 | 38.0 in | 36.9 in | 1.1 in |
Total Legroom | 81.1 in (over 2 rows) | 79.3 in (over 2 rows) | 1.8 in |
Cargo Volume, Minimum | 33.5 ft3 | 0.0 | 33.5 ft3 |
Cargo Volume, Maximum | 68.3 ft3 | 0.0 | 68.3 ft3 |
2013 Subaru Forester Seat Room and Comfort: Pros | ||
Year | Comment | |
2014 | Beyond visibility, people buy crossovers to get more space for people and cargo. As in previous Subaru Foresters, the 2014's ceiling is cathedral-high. I could have worn a top hat inside. If you're very tall, and have been seeking a compact vehicle in which you'll easily fit, you've found one. If, on the other hand, you've been seeking expansive elbow room, the Honda CR-V has more of it. And legroom? A combined (first and second row) figure of 81 inches tops every other compact SUV, including the otherwise segment-leading Honda (79.6 inches) and Toyota RAV-4 (79.8 inches). The Chevrolet Equinox offers another tenth of an inch, but with a 188-inch length (vs. the Forester's 181) and 4,083-pound curb weight (vs. the Forester 2.5i's 3,366) it's not truly compact. Subaru has worked no such miracles with shoulder room. At 56.5 inches, the Forester's is typical of the compact crossover class. Add in a small driveline hump (absent in the Honda) and three adults won't happily share the rear seat for long. But how many car owners put three adult-sized people in the second row for long, anyway? Measurements don't tell the entire story. The Honda's rear seat cushion is too low to the floor to provide adults with thigh support, and its rear seatback can be reclined to only two nearly identical positions. In constrast, the Forester's passengers enjoy a comfortably high rear seat that reclines through a broader range. One negative for rear seat comfort: unlike the Ford Escape (but like nearly all other compact crossovers, including the CR-V), the Forester has no rear air vents. Thanks to the tall, square rear body, cargo space is also the best in the segment, though not by as large a margin as the rear seat. Up front, there are plenty of bins in which to stash your stuff. see full Subaru Forester review |
2013 Subaru Forester Seat Room and Comfort: Pros | ||
Year | Body/Powertrain | Comment |
2014 | 4dr SUV 170-horsepower 2.5L H4 CVT AWD |
Huge rear seat for the car's size see full Subaru Forester review |
2014 | 4dr SUV 170-horsepower 2.5L H4 CVT AWD |
Excellent rear seat comfort and rear seats are 60/ 40 and easy to fold flat. rear seats also have recline function which is nice ... excellent leg room see full Subaru Forester review |
2009 Ford Explorer Sport Trac Seat Room and Comfort: Cons | ||
Year | Body/Powertrain | Comment |
2008 | 4dr SUT 210-horsepower 4.0L V6 5-speed automatic 4WD w/low range |
So bad I can't drive it much more than the 4 miles to and from work. The front seats are so hard that the first couple times I drove it I couldn't figure out why my feet were so cold. Because the circulation below my knees was being cutoff. I have tried extra cushions for the seat bottom and I have found something that really helps, but on longer drives, combined with the firm ride - bring your Advil. see full Ford Explorer Sport Trac review |