Suzuki S-Cross vs Subaru Forester

The Suzuki S-Cross starts from $43,490 before on-road costs, while the Subaru Forester 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 Suzuki S-Cross and Subaru Forester 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 6 in the Suzuki S-Cross and 9 in the Subaru Forester.

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

The Suzuki S-Cross stands out with wireless charging and power tailgate that you will not find on the Subaru Forester. Which feature set matters more depends on your daily routine and priorities.

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

The Suzuki S-Cross uses a Petrol producing 103kW and 220Nm of torque, sent through a automatic to a AWD layout. It covers the 0-100km/h sprint in 10.5 seconds.

The Subaru Forester responds with a Petrol making 136kW and 247Nm, paired to a cvt driving all four wheels. It gets to 100km/h in 11.2 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 Suzuki S-Cross measures 4,305mm long on a 2,600mm wheelbase, 350mm shorter than the Subaru Forester at 4,655mm (2,670mm wheelbase). The longer wheelbase on the Subaru Forester generally means more rear legroom.

Boot space is 430L in the Suzuki S-Cross and 496L in the Subaru Forester, 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 $1,767/year for the Suzuki S-Cross and $2,252/year for the Subaru Forester. That is a $485 annual difference in favour of the Suzuki S-Cross.

Estimated annual total: $1,767 (Suzuki S-Cross) vs $2,252 (Subaru Forester). 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: 3 years / 100,000km (Suzuki S-Cross) vs 5 years / 999,999km (Subaru Forester). The Subaru Forester has longer coverage.