What Is the Best Subaru SUV?

The best SUV by Subaru may be the Forester—but there’s plenty of love to go around for the rest of the lineup.
Written by Maxine Boyko
Reviewed by Jessica Barrett
With a boxer engine, high towing capacity, and all-wheel-drive, the popular
Subaru Forester
is renowned for being a smooth and reliable vehicle, and may just be the best Subaru SUV out there! 
Okay, the Subaru Forester isn’t a fancy-schmancy SUV, but does it even need to be? In terms of reliability, dependability, and simply getting the job done, the Forester dominates—and has done so for a long time with few hiccups along the way. 
Even though the Forester takes first place overall, there are other fantastic offerings from Subaru. Whether you want the best fuel-efficient choice or to safely tote around your many family members and friends, Subaru truly delivers on its Love Promise. Here to give you the full scoop on Subaru SUVs and
car insurance
is
Jerry
, the app that can help lower your
Subaru car insurance costs
.
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The best Subaru SUV overall: Forester

Starting price: $27,070 (2022)
Number of seats: 5
J.D. Power rating: 82
Let’s not beat around the bush: everyone knows the Forester is Subaru’s best SUV. 
For the 2021 fiscal year, Subaru sold 257.5 thousand Foresters worldwide, with more than 176,000 models sold in the states alone. The Forester’s popularity is nearly unmatched, easily becoming one of the most trusted models in America
But what makes it the best-selling model in the Subaru lineup? Let’s dig into some of the many reasons why the Forester has met such unbridled success across the country—and the world.
Perhaps one of the most obvious explanations for the SUV’s success is its 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine. The boxer engine design Subaru uses is used in several Porsche models! The sturdy 182-horsepower engine can
tow up to 1,500 pounds
, and the continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) powering the AWD makes for an incredibly smooth and safe ride. 
We’ve established that the Forester is built well, but how does it hold up when it comes to safety? The IIHS gave the 2022 model the highest rating of “Good” in five crash tests and just one “Acceptable” rating. The
NHTSA
also gave this model an overall safety rating of five out of five stars, making it an obvious choice for a safe compact SUV
The Forester also possesses one of the roomiest cabins in the compact SUV class with the latest model year introducing a host of great standard features, including:
  • Automatic emergency steering system
  • Torque-vectoring system
  • Electronic parking brake with auto-hold
  • Auto start-stop feature
At a starting price of $27,070, you’ll find affordability, safety, and reliability in the Forester. After its
2022 model year refreshments
, the SUV now comes with blockier front headlamps, a redesigned grille, and newly-styled wheels. 
The base trim already sports excellent amenities, but you can always upgrade to higher trim levels for luxury features like a panoramic sunroof, reclining rear seatbacks, and a six-speaker sound system. The all-new 2022 Wilderness trim will set you back $33,945 but features additional ground clearance and a rugged appearance package. 

The best Subaru SUV to buy used: 2019 Subaru Forester

Price range: $26,929 to $35,109
Number of seats:
J.D. Power rating: 79
While the Subaru Forester isn’t necessarily a luxury vehicle, sometimes buying a brand-new car just isn’t in the cards. Nevertheless,
buying used
is a great way to reduce, reuse, and recycle all while paying less
The 2019 Subaru Forester stands out because its exterior styling and tech features were entirely redesigned and upgraded this model year. Additionally, this was the first year for the
Sport
trim, in addition to the
Base
,
Premium
,
Limited
and
Touring
trims.
The entire lineup shares the same 182-horsepower FB25 DI engine. It’s not the sportiest ride, but what it lacks in spirit, it makes up for in safety—the 2019 Forester received a five-star rating from the NHTSA and was designated as a top safety pick by the IIHS.
Additionally, the 2019 Forester was named the Best Compact SUV for Families by U.S. News for a host of reasons, including: 
  • Generous cargo and passenger space
  • Excellent safety and reliability ratings
  • Great feedback from automotive journalists
  • Family-friendly features
Not only is the 2019 Subaru Forester a great vehicle all-around, but it also makes a great used SUV. You can rest easy knowing there are virtually no alarming complaints for this model year—the top being that the windshield tends to chip easily. While we’re on the topic, make sure you don’t miss your window of opportunity to buy one of these great SUVs!
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The best Subaru SUV for families: Ascent

Starting price: $33,970 (2022)
Number of seats: 7 to 8
J.D. Power rating: 82
If we’ve learned anything so far, it’s that the Forester is an amazing SUV. There may be situations, however, where you’ll need more than five seats, like if you’re looking for a big family hauler
If bigger is better for your situation, then the best SUV for you might just be the
Subaru Ascent
. The three-row SUV has one of the largest cargo capacities in the class, with an available 86.5 cubic feet when the second and third rows are folded down. With the standard setup, you can seat up to eight people—but even if you choose the available bucket seats, you’ll still have seven seats with plenty of wiggle room. 
The NHTSA gave the 2022 Ascent a five out of five-star safety rating and the IIHS awarded it a Top Safety Pick+ designation. Plus, if you have small children, don’t worry about subpar child car seats—there are three sets of user-friendly and customizable LATCH connectors.
While the excellent suspension and 8.7 inches of ground clearance make for a smooth and comfortable ride, the
Ascent's third row
may not be the most comfortable seating for adults over long distances. That said, there’s still plenty of room, a power liftgate comes standard, and there’s additional storage underneath the cargo floor.
In short? The Ascent is big on safety and space.

The best Subaru SUV for off-roading: Outback Wilderness

Price range: $38,120
Number of seats: 5
J.D. Power rating: 77
Subaru’s Forester, Ascent, and
Crosstrek
are all off-road capable, but there’s one SUV we haven’t yet mentioned that’s perfect for the job: the
Subaru Outback
—particularly, the all-new
Wilderness
trim. The station wagon-like SUV is equipped to get the job done, with its
high ground clearance
, all-wheel drive, and transmission management system
The Wilderness range is specially designed to go off-road, with X-Mode transmission, a ground clearance boost, body armor, and all-terrain tires. Subie drivers have been modifying their SUVs all along to make them off-road capable—so while the Outback had the potential all along, Subaru made things easier by introducing the Wilderness line.
The Wilderness package comes with a washable rear seatback, a hatch-mounted cargo light, and a roof rack capable of carrying 220 pounds so you’ll never have to part with your bike, kayak, or even rooftop tent. Plus, you’ll have comfy, water-resistant seats so you don’t even have to towel off!
The Outback Wilderness boasts a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine with a heart-pumping 260 horsepower and 277 lb-ft of torque. You can add on a sunroof and reverse automatic braking, but it’s already pretty luxurious as is. While it may be a boon to practical adventurists, the 3,500-lb towing capacity is borderline modest for more demanding hauls. 
Nonetheless, the Outback Wilderness stays true to its name by keeping things unfussy and pared down—perfect for a driver who wants to get up and go without any second thoughts.

The best Subaru SUV for fuel economy: Crosstrek Hybrid

Starting price: $38,070
Number of seats: 5
J.D. Power rating: N/A
Okay, so you want a big and powerful SUV—but what if you also want great fuel efficiency? Cue the
Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid
. The all-new 2023 model is expected to get an EPA-estimated 35 mpg combined under gas power and can drive 17 miles on electric power alone. 
Sure, these fuel economy specs aren’t the best in class for a hybrid SUV, but switch on hybrid mode and you’ll boost your combined rating to 90 MPGe. And when it comes down to it, it has noticeably better fuel economy than the base engine configurations:
  • 2022 Subaru Crosstrek: 28 city/33 highway/30 combined mpg
  • 2022 Subaru Outback: 26 city/33 highway/29 combined mpg
  • 2022 Subaru Forester: 26 city/33 highway/29 combined
The Crosstrek Hybrid also has fantastic crash safety test scores, earning the highest rating of “Superior” for its standard front-crash prevention systems. All in all, with a starting price of $38,070, the hybrid Crosstrek is not the cheapest option—but it will keep both you and your wallet safely tucked away when out on the road.

The best way to shop for Subaru insurance

If you’re shopping for an SUV, you’ll likely find all you want and more in a Subaru vehicle. No matter what your preferences are, you’re going to need to carry insurance to
legally drive your new vehicle
. You can turn a complicated search for coverage into a pleasant and rewarding experience with the
#1-rated insurance comparison app
.
How do you do that? You can start by downloading the
Jerry
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Don’t let bad coverage hold you back from enjoying your Subaru to the fullest. Download Jerry today and start saving—the average user finds an average annual savings of $800+.
“After signing up with
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, I went from $199/month to $97/month for my car insurance. My 2019 Subaru Forester now has full coverage for a great price!” —Rhonda H.
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