2025 Honda CR-V vs 2025 Subaru Forester near Fairfax, VA

2025 Honda CR-V EX with available AWD shown (left) in Urban Gray Pearl with HPD™ Package and Honda Genuine Accessories. 18-inch HPD™ bronze alloy wheels available as a separate accessory. 2025 Subaru Forester shown (right) with available features.

While many brands might claim to have formidable compact SUVs in their lineup, there are few that can successfully rival the 2025 Honda CR-V. One contender that surely earns its own merits is the 2025 Subaru Forester, yet it is still dominated by the former model! Let the Honda of Chantilly team tell you why the CR-V is the right option for all of your Fairfax drives.

Performance

One perk to owning a compact SUV is being able to gain a happy medium between formidable power and efficiency. This is demonstrated through the 2025 CR-V's performance abilities, which start with the standard 1.5L turbocharged 4-cylinder engine. As your foot presses down on the accelerator, you'll feel the rush of 190 horsepower¹ and 179 lb.-ft. of torque². As for the 2025 Forester and its standard 2.5L 4-cylinder motor, you'll have 180 horsepower and 178 lb.-ft. of torque. While Subaru models are known for having standard AWD, you'll be delighted to know that the CR-V comes available with this drivetrain. To seal the deal, we'd like to highlight the CR-V's standard 3-mode drive system and 28/34 MPG city/hwy³ fuel rating. The Forester remains in second place with two drive modes and a 26/33 MPG city/hwy⁴ rating.

Exterior

Many consider a car's outer design to be just as important as the mechanics, which is why we'd like to next touch on the useful exterior features of the 2025 Honda CR-V. While this model and the 2025 Subaru Forester have a standard intermittent rear wiper to assist when you're driving down Main Street during rainy conditions, the Honda model takes it a step further to deliver a standard heating function to expedite the process of clearing the glass for clarity. A hood damper is standard on the CR-V, which isn't offered on the Forester. This feature will assist with insulated heat, reducing noise, and various other ways to protect the integrity of the engine. While both models come optional with a moonroof, the CR-V hits the nail on the head with standard rear-row privacy glass that the Subaru model doesn't have.

Safety

Although Subaru cars boast reliable safety features, the Forester still falls behind in comparison to the technologies incorporated into the Honda CR-V. These two SUVs come with a Driver Attention Monitor, but it's only standard on the CR-V while it comes as an optional feature on the Forester. Along with that, the Honda's Multi-Angle Rearview Camera⁵ has dynamic guidelines for an easier time reversing. Once again, Subaru's traditional Rear Vision Camera might prove to be less useful. Traffic Jam Assist⁶ and Traffic Sign Recognition⁷ are both standard on each trim of the Honda CR-V, but aren't offered at all on the Subaru Forester. The former feature lends a hand with light steering for an easier time staying centered in your respective lane, while the latter informs you of different street posts for a more confident drive to the Fairfax City Dog Park. The CR-V clearly wins this competition, but we recommend visiting our location for a test drive to get the full effect.