Subaru Forester vs Suzuki S-Cross

The Subaru Forester starts from $43,490 before on-road costs, while the Suzuki S-Cross opens at $43,490. Both land at the same RRP, so on-road costs and dealer deals become the real differentiator.

Once you factor in stamp duty, registration, CTP insurance, and dealer delivery, expect to add roughly 8-12% on top of the RRP depending on your state. That puts estimated driveaway prices in the ballpark of $47,839 and $47,839 respectively.

Over 5 years, the running costs favour the Suzuki S-Cross by roughly $2,425 in fuel alone.

Both the Subaru Forester and Suzuki S-Cross hold a 5-star ANCAP safety rating.

Where the two diverge is in active safety technology. The Suzuki S-Cross packs more ADAS features with 6 out of 10 key systems fitted, compared to 4 in the Subaru Forester.

Both include the essentials: autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, a reversing camera. Airbag count is 9 in the Subaru Forester and 6 in the Suzuki S-Cross.

The Subaru Forester features a 11.6-inch touchscreen paired with a 4.2-inch digital dash, while the Suzuki S-Cross gets a 9-inch display and 4.2-inch instruments. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across both.

The Suzuki S-Cross counters with wireless charging and power tailgate that the Subaru Forester does not offer. Which feature set matters more depends on your daily routine and priorities.

Interior trim differs: the Subaru Forester gets cloth upholstery while the Suzuki S-Cross offers synthetic leather.

The Subaru Forester uses a Petrol producing 136kW and 247Nm of torque, sent through a cvt to a AWD layout. It covers the 0-100km/h sprint in 11.2 seconds.

The Suzuki S-Cross responds with a Petrol making 103kW and 220Nm, paired to a automatic driving all four wheels. It gets to 100km/h in 10.5 seconds.

The Subaru Forester has the clear power advantage at 136kW vs 103kW. In the real-world sprint, the Suzuki S-Cross is 0.7s quicker. For most buyers, the way each car feels day-to-day matters more than outright acceleration.

The Subaru Forester measures 4,655mm long on a 2,670mm wheelbase, 350mm longer than the Suzuki S-Cross at 4,305mm (2,600mm wheelbase). The longer wheelbase on the Subaru Forester generally means more rear legroom.

Boot space is 496L in the Subaru Forester and 430L in the Suzuki S-Cross, giving the Subaru Forester a 66L advantage.

For towing, the Subaru Forester leads with a 1,800kg braked capacity vs 1,500kg. That 300kg difference matters if you regularly hitch up.

Based on 15,000km of annual driving, fuel costs roughly $2,252/year for the Subaru Forester and $1,767/year for the Suzuki S-Cross. That is a $485 annual difference in favour of the Suzuki S-Cross.

Estimated annual total: $2,252 (Subaru Forester) vs $1,767 (Suzuki S-Cross). The Suzuki S-Cross saves you roughly $485 per year in total ownership costs. Use our Fuel Cost Calculator to estimate based on your driving.

Warranty: 5 years / 999,999km (Subaru Forester) vs 3 years / 100,000km (Suzuki S-Cross). The Subaru Forester has longer coverage.