5 Great Subaru Forester Alternatives for Less Than $30,000 It is difficult to consider it a large SUV or a long wagon. It has plenty of room, the standard all-wheel drive, several great features, and a classic Subaru look. The Subaru Forester gets a new face in 2022, as well as some new options and trim levels. But the sub-$30,000 SUV segment may be the most competitive in the auto industry right now. Can the Subaru Forester compete with recently updated variants of Hyundai, Ford and Mazda, and sales successes such as the Volkswagen Tiguan?
5 Great Subaru Forester Alternatives for Less Than $30,000
Forrester checks a lot of squares suitable for an SUV
It has a ground clearance of 8.7 inches, which, while not huge, can get you past an amazing amount of boulders on a trail. It also has 74.2 cubic feet of cargo space with the seats folded, making it well ahead of the CR-V or RAV4. The Forester comes standard with a Subaru 182-horsepower 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine mated to a CVT transmission, as well as all-wheel drive. It is also one of the cheapest prices.
An all-new design gives this SUV a much-deserved opportunity. Escape has always had a nameless look, but not anymore, with a Mach-E-inspired design. Pricing for the new Escape starts at $27,500, and for that, you’ll get one of Ford’s newest interiors, as well as a 180-horsepower three-cylinder turbocharged engine. Holds 65.4 cubic feet of luggage.
Fun fact: The Maverick truck is built on the same platform as the Escape.
Volkswagen Tiguan is a 3-row Subaru Forester alternative
5 Great Subaru Forester Alternatives for Less Than $30,000
The Forester is a five-seater, so if you need a room for seven for less than $30,000, you’ll need to go with the Volkswagen Tiguan. The base S version has manual air conditioning, while the more expensive Tiguan rims offer more goodies, like heated steering wheels and leather trim. However, even the base Tiguan has a 6.5-inch touchscreen with smartphone integration, and several driver assists like forward collision alert and even VW’s 8-inch digital cockpit.
The Tiguan comes with a 184-horsepower, 2.0-liter VW four-cylinder engine, giving it nearly the same power as a Subaru. It starts at $27,885 and comes standard with seven seats, and as a bonus the second row slides and reclines. The third row is split 50/50. Sure, the interior is a bit simple, but the fabric seats have a high-quality feel and the front seats are heated. However, it does not rank as high as the others in.
We should put Toyota RAV4 on the list as a replacement for the Subaru Forester
Toyota RAV4 is the sales homerun for Toyota. It is currently the best-selling SUV on the planet. It’s hard to fault the RAV4 with its spacious cabin, good looks and Toyota name to back its reliability. Also, at a base price of $27,575 (or just $30,225 for the hybrid), the upgraded XLE comes in at just under $30,000, and it holds a lot of value.
It also delivers more power than the Forester, at 203 horsepower, from its turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine. But it doesn’t take in nearly as much, with just 69.8 cubic feet of space in the back with the seats folded.
The Mazda CX-50 and CX-5 are great sporty alternatives to the Subaru Forester
SUVs are similar and related. The CX-5 is the sporty version on the road, while the CX-50 is the version most people looking for a Forester are looking for. It also comes with all-wheel drive and has an off-road mode, as well as a 3,500-pound towing mode. The base 2.5 S starts at $27.550, but the 2.5 S Select for $28,950 adds a 10.25-inch screen, 17-inch wheels, leather-trimmed seats, dual-zone climate control, and a six-speed automatic instead of a boring variable transmission. Unfortunately, in this trim level, it does not offer heated seats (like Subaru).
The CX-50 was all-new for 2022. Although it looks sharp, it only carries 56.3 cubic feet of stuff in the back, so unlike a Subaru, you can’t sleep comfortably in the back.
