2027 Honda CR-V vs Subaru Forester: We Compared the Data
By the CarWhere Vehicle Data Team · Updated November 8, 2026 · how we score
Our pick: the CR-V — it leads our weighted scorecard 5–4 across 10 categories, winning on better 5-year value retention (66.3% vs 55.6%) and better fuel economy (40 mpg vs 35 mpg best EPA combined). Choose the Forester if the lower sticker matters most ($29,995 vs $31,520 to start).
Scorecard: CR-V 5 pts · Forester 4 pts across 10 scored categories.
The scorecard
| Category (weight) | 2027 CR-V | 2027 Forester | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting MSRP (2) | $31,520 | $29,995 | Forester |
| NHTSA complaints per 1,000 sold (2) | 0.50 | 0.53 | Tie |
| 5-year value retained (1.5) | 66.3% | 55.6% | CR-V |
| Best EPA combined (1.5) | 40 mpg | 35 mpg | CR-V |
| Most horsepower available (1) | 204 hp | 194 hp | CR-V |
| Max towing (1) | 1,500 lb | 3,500 lb | Forester |
| Cargo behind rear seats (1) | 39.3 cu ft | 35.4 cu ft | CR-V |
| Standard seats (1) | 5 | 5 | Tie |
| Median discount verified buyers got (1) | 5.7% off MSRP | 7.3% off MSRP | Forester |
| Recalls, 2023–2025 model years (0.5) | 4 | 5 | Tie |
| Weighted points | 5 | 4 | CR-V |
Which one we'd buy, and for whom
- Commuter. Commuters: the CR-V — 40 mpg vs 35 mpg (best EPA combined).
- Family. Families: the CR-V — 39.3 cu ft vs 35.4 cu ft (cargo behind rear seats).
- Budget. Tight budgets: the Forester — $29,995 vs $31,520 (starting MSRP). Used, the median asking price is $24,633 for the CR-V vs $23,085 for the Forester.
- Resale. Resale-minded buyers: the CR-V — 66.3% vs 55.6% (5-year value retained).
- Towing. Towing: the Forester — 3,500 lb vs 1,500 lb (max towing).
Price: sticker and what buyers paid
The CR-V starts at $31,520 and tops out at $42,950; the Forester runs $29,995 to $41,545 (manufacturer MSRP, before destination). Verified CR-V buyers paid a median 5.7% off MSRP across 49 deals; the CarWhere Index target is 6.7% off. Verified Forester buyers paid a median 7.3% off MSRP across 5 deals; the CarWhere Index target is 9% off. Used, the median asking price is $24,633 for the CR-V and $23,085 for the Forester (all model years, US dealer listings).
Reliability: NHTSA complaints and recalls
- CR-V: 0.50 NHTSA owner complaints per 1,000 sold (2015–2022 sales years; 63th percentile among the SUVs we track).
- Forester: 0.53 NHTSA owner complaints per 1,000 sold (2015–2022 sales years; 52th percentile among the SUVs we track).
- Recall campaigns touching the 2023–2025 model years: CR-V 4, Forester 5.
Latest rated model years on our years-to-avoid pages: CR-V 2016 (solid) · Forester 2016 (avoid).
Complaint rates are owner complaints filed with NHTSA divided by vehicles sold — a federal-data signal, not a survey score.
Specs side by side
| 2027 CR-V | 2027 Forester | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting MSRP (base trim) | $31,520 | $29,995 |
| Top-trim MSRP | $42,950 | $41,545 |
| Horsepower | 190–204 hp | 180–194 hp |
| Max torque | 179 lb-ft | 178 lb-ft |
| EPA combined | 29–40 mpg (hybrid avail.) | 26–35 mpg (hybrid avail.) |
| Max towing | 1,500 lb | 3,500 lb |
| Seats (standard / max) | 5 / 5 | 5 / 5 |
| Cargo behind rear seats | 39.3 cu ft | 35.4 cu ft |
Automaker-published figures; EPA ratings from fueleconomy.gov. "—" = not published.
Size
| CR-V | Forester | |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 184.8 in | 183.3 in |
| Width | 73.5 in | 72 in |
| Height | 66.2 in | 68.1 in |
| Wheelbase | 106.3 in | 105.1 in |
| Ground clearance | 7.8 in | 8.7 in |
Resale: 5-year value retained
A 5-year-old (2021) CR-V lists for a median $24,626 — 66.3% of today's median new price of $37,127. A 5-year-old (2021) Forester lists for a median $22,000 — 55.6% of today's median new price of $39,595.
Shop both
- See 47,358 new 2027 Honda CR-Vs for sale →Median listed price $39,237 · updated Nov 7, 2026
- See new 2027 Subaru Foresters for sale →
Negotiating either one?
CarWhere PRO ($12.99/mo) shows the 75th-percentile target price for your exact trim and zip, comparable nearby deals, and an AI quote analyzer. See PRO → · Checking a specific used one? The $9.99 Full VIN Report covers the federal record + original window sticker.
More on the Honda CR-V
More on the Subaru Forester
Related head-to-heads
FAQ
Is the CR-V better than the Forester?
On our data, yes. Our pick: the CR-V — it leads our weighted scorecard 5–4 across 10 categories, winning on better 5-year value retention (66.3% vs 55.6%) and better fuel economy (40 mpg vs 35 mpg best EPA combined). Choose the Forester if the lower sticker matters most ($29,995 vs $31,520 to start).
Which is more reliable, the CR-V or the Forester?
They're even: 0.50 vs 0.53 NHTSA complaints per 1,000 sold — inside our 15% tie band. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns touching the 2023–2025 CR-V and 5 for the Forester.
Which holds its value better, the CR-V or the Forester?
The CR-V: a 5-year-old example lists for 66.3% of the new price, versus 55.6% for the Forester, based on median used asking prices against today's median new price.
Which is cheaper, the CR-V or the Forester?
The Forester starts lower: $29,995 vs $31,520 starting MSRP (before destination). Verified buyers paid a median 5.7% off MSRP on the CR-V (49 deals) and 7.3% on the Forester (5 deals).
Which has better gas mileage, the CR-V or the Forester?
The CR-V: up to 40 mpg combined vs 35 mpg for the Forester (best EPA rating across each lineup).
How we score
Each category compares one published number per model and counts only when both models have it. The winner earns the category weight; results inside the tie band earn nothing. Our pick has more weighted points; level points fall back to more category wins, then the reliability winner, then the price winner.
- Starting MSRP: lower wins; tie within 3%.
- NHTSA complaints per 1,000 sold: lower wins; tie within 15%.
- 5-year value retained: higher wins; tie within 2 points.
- Best EPA combined: higher wins; tie within 1 mpg (3 MPGe).
- Most horsepower available: higher wins; tie within 5%.
- Max towing: higher wins; tie within 5%.
- Cargo behind rear seats: higher wins; tie within 5%.
- Standard seats: higher wins; tie same count.
- Median discount verified buyers got: higher wins; tie within 0.5 points.
- Recalls, 2023–2025 model years: lower wins; tie within 1.
Towing weighs 2 for pickups and 1 otherwise; seating is only scored between SUVs and minivans, using standard (never optional) seats. Sources: automaker spec pages and order guides; EPA ratings (fueleconomy.gov); NHTSA owner complaints and recall campaigns against published US sales; median used asking prices across active US dealer listings from licensed vehicle-data providers; verified buyer-submitted deal sheets for discounts.
Cite this page: CarWhere, "2027 Honda CR-V vs Subaru Forester: We Compared the Data," carwhere.com/compare-cars/honda-cr-v-vs-subaru-forester, updated November 8, 2026.