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 $3,850 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, while the Suzuki S-Cross gets a 9-inch display. 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.

The Subaru Forester lines up producing 136kW and 226Nm 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 lines up making 95kW 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 95kW. 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, 355mm longer than the Suzuki S-Cross at 4,300mm (2,600mm wheelbase). The longer wheelbase on the Subaru Forester generally means more rear legroom.

Boot space is 520L in the Subaru Forester and 430L in the Suzuki S-Cross, giving the Subaru Forester a 90L advantage.

For towing, the Suzuki S-Cross leads with a 1,500kg braked capacity vs 1,500kg. That 0kg difference matters if you regularly hitch up.

Based on 15,000km of annual driving, fuel costs roughly $2,309/year for the Subaru Forester and $1,539/year for the Suzuki S-Cross. That is a $770 annual difference in favour of the Suzuki S-Cross.

Estimated annual total: $2,309 (Subaru Forester) vs $1,539 (Suzuki S-Cross). The Suzuki S-Cross saves you roughly $770 per year in total ownership costs. Use our Fuel Cost Calculator to estimate based on your driving.

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