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Recent Used CRV or Forester ?

5K views 35 replies 23 participants last post by  FlintCa 
#1 ·
Greetings all,

Although we currently own a 2102 Forester Touring, my wife wants a CRV and since it will soon be her vehicle the option is real.

Leaving aside the fact that we would lose out by selling an existing vehicle to buy a CRV, what are the various pros and cons of a CRV versus Forester ?

Model years 2012 - 2014 in both cases.
 
#5 ·
My wife drove a CRV (wasn't buying one; she was buying a different Honda) and liked the comfort a lot. If she did not need a minivan for the long monthly trips she makes, she likely would buy one.

She hates my Forester. Not comfortable for her.

But that's one person's view. If your wife likes the CRV, then it's the right car for her. Assuming the same tires, is there anyone stuck in the snow with a CRV that would have made it out with a Forester . . . ?
 
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#9 ·
Hi everyone,

I appreciate all of the discussion points, some I have considered and some is new info for me. I am very serious about safety so those ratings and the external vision are good points. But of course they are still both very good and safe vehicles.

Does anyone have comment on longevity and long term costs such as engine life and rust.
Of course considering that which ever we have will get the same oil changes and gently to medium driving use (not hard) for highway 70% and city 30%.

Any off road will be very very minimal and gentle so no real impact there.
Snow is an annual event in Ontario but the roads are well ploughed around us so swnow driving will never be more that 6" (if that) and not off road.
We always switch to suitable tyres too.

Thanks
Flint
 
#15 ·
We've had our 13 Honda CRV EX-L for almost three years. The CRV has been a fantastic car, it gets well over 30mpg on the highway, has a creamy smooth ride, and is very comfortable to drive. Yes, the visibility is a little restricted in the rear quarters, but adjusting the side mirrors and the backup cam takes care of that issue for the most part. I've done all the maintenance which has included oil changes, filters,a rear diff oil change, and tire rotations. While the CRV isn't as good in the snow as my 15 XT, it still is a snow beast with snow tires. Off road, well I wouldn't do much of that in the CRV, but on gravel roads it soaks up bumps just fine. Most important, the wife has been very pleased driving it over the past 22k miles.
 
#16 ·
We went from a 2003 XS Forester into a 2013 Honda CRV VTi 4WD (base model) and have just updated it to the 2016 Honda CRV VTi - S 4WD (gone up 1 model).

Pro's

We found the Honda to be very roomy and comfortable, able to put 2 car seats on the rear seat and still have room for an adult in between or beside the car seats, depending on your arrangement.
The rear doors of the CRV open wider and allow better access for getting in and out of the car.
The interior plastic material does not scratch as easily as Subaru.
No tailshaft tunnel makes a lot easier for rear seat passengers & kids.


Cons:

No AWD. :crying: :crying:
Rearward visibility is not a patch on the Forester.
No options ref seating materials e.g. leather is only available on the top of the range model or you get the seats covered with aftermarket leather.
The above also pertains to the Sunroof - Moonroof, although I never ever want one anyway.
Colors are nothing to write home about either.
17" tyre brands and range of different tires are limited on this side of the pond.
Hate the EPS (steer by wire) there is no feedback from the front wheels. and it also doesn't seem to as responsive as Hydraulic Power Steering (HPS).
Still only 5spd Auto, no 6spd. I think the 2017 model is about to go CVT.

Even with all the cons I have listed above, it is still a good family car and side by side the CRV exterior seems to be bigger and the seat looks a little higher (not the ground clearance).

I hope that helps you out a little bit.
 
#18 ·
It depends how recent.

Based on my experience with the following which includes many long drives.

2012 CRV LX

Pros:
- Good gas mileage
- The 5 speed will probably last longer than any CVT (speculation)
- Very roomy
- Dedicated armrest is nice
Cons:
- LX model seats are terribly uncomfortable on long drives. Obviously this is very dependent on the person. As an example of other vehicles' seats I find uncomfortable/comfortable based on long drives. 2014 Forester with leather seats (comfortable), 2016 Outback with cloth seats (uncomfortable), 2016 Outback with leather seats (better than the cloth but I would have to take out the overly aggressive lumbar even at its minimum setting), 2008 Versa SL (very comfortable).
- Brakes are annoyingly oversensitive.
- Road noise is ghastly on the OEM tires. I'm pretty sure it's the worst vehicle I've been in as far as road noise (no, the Versa I mentioned above isn't anywhere near this bad).
- No passenger armrest on the LX model. I HIGHLY recommend getting EX or above.
- I see a 2012 CRV parked next to a 2014 Forester every day and the CRV looks positively wimpy compared to the Forester.

2014 Forester 2.5 Limited:
Pros:
- Good gas mileage
- Great visibility
- Very roomy
- Better brake modulation for smoother stops.
Cons:
- The CVT can get annoyingly loud if you put your foot into it and keep it there. I'm used to it with my Versa but apparently many find it annoying.
- Very utilitarian looking interior (this could be a pro depending on your taste)
- Crazy sensitive throttle tip in. I thought my Versa was bad in this regard but the Forester takes the cake.


I don't know how new you are looking for, but the 2015 CRV did move away from separate armrests and added in a rear A/C vent so that's nice and apparently they have reduced NVH but I have not test driven one yet.

The pre 2014 Forester seemed quite loud to me based on my limited experience with one so I can't say whether it was worse, on par, or ever so slightly better than the pre 2015 CRV.

- If you are comparing pre 2014 Forester to any recent CRV I would take the CRV.
- If you are comparing 2014+ Forester to a pre 2015 CRV I would take the Forester.
- If you are comparing 2014+ Forester with 2015+ CRV, I don't know.
 
#23 ·
I bought 2016 Forester, so obviously I prefer Forester. I test drove 2016 CR-V. Bottom line is whatever your wife and you feels best during test drive.

But here is my take:
  • Forester drives better (engine rev sound, ride, handling); sight and visibility is better; better moon roof.
  • Forester is slightly cheaper, comparing new car price from dealer.
  • Forester AWD is suppose to be better, if AWD matters. I cannot compare this myself; only what I read online.
  • CRV has equal or better reliability. Again, this is hard to gauge. I had Honda Civic; 16 years and 2 minor issues; never worry about oil consumption. By the way, for some reason Consumer Reports is really biased against Honda. See images attached. CRV for 2015 has all categories except 1 rated 5, and 1 category rated 4. But then overall rating is 3 (average) for both 2015 used car rating and new car prediction. Huh? Seems BS. In any case, I believe (hope) that Subaru reliability is good enough.
  • Contrary to other post, I think CRV is cheaper to maintain. Again, I don't have actual data on CRV, just from my experience with Civic. CRV is cheaper on oil change for sure. CRV oil change recommended interval is around 12k-15k miles (it's not documented as car will tell you when to change oil) vs 6,000 miles for Forester, for 2016 model. And CRV use less oil per change: 4.2 vs 5.1 qt.
  • CRV has advantage in rear seat design, on how folds down and lies flat. This is 1 feature that I'm really impressed with CRV.



 
#27 ·
Please elaborate on this? I don't understand why recommended interval for Forester is so different than other car. And your comment on oil?

My Mercedez Benz use synthetic (either 0W-40, 0W-30, 5W-30). Recommended interval is 13k miles/1 year. It oil capacity is much larger (8.5 quart). And it's oil filter is larger. OK, so one can argue that interval can be longer due to having more oil capacity.

Forester uses synthetic (0W-20). Oil capacity is 5.1 quart. Filter is typical size. Recommended interval is 6k miles/6 months.

CRV uses synthetic (0W-20), which is identical to Forester. Oil capacity is smaller than Forester (4.2 quart). Filer looks similar in size to Forester, but I didn't check details. Recommended interval is approximately 12-15k miles/1 year. Note that CRV does not have recommended interval stated in user manual. The car has service indicator; so the computer will calculate oil life based on driving conditions.

It seems Forester 6k miles/6 months is way toward conservative end. Even though I question this, I'm going to follow it anyways. I rather have my car last 200k miles/20 years and not skimp on the oil change.
 
#26 ·
Honda CR-V is rated highly enough that there shouldn't be anything to worry about. Like someone else mentioned, if it had been some other sketchy brand you might have an argument. Just do the research on the quirks of the particular year you're looking at.
 
#28 ·
Also, another factor is insurance. You can check with your insurance company and see what is cheaper. I use Geico, which allows me to check quotes online prior to purchase. Forester 2.5i is $40 cheaper (per 6 month) than CRV 2.5 SE, for new 2016 model.

And this is just blows my mind. I'm paying less ($10 less per 6 months) for brand new 2016 Forester than 2000 Civic (blue book value is <$2000). I don't get it. Most of the cost of insurance is liability. The only thing I can think of is that they have data that Civic drivers have higher chance of causing accident than Forester drivers. Another factor might be that Civic is more prong to be broken-in or stolen, but their coverage is capped by blue book value. In any case, I'm not complaining. And I don't plan on bring this to Geico's attention. I'll take the savings.
 
#29 ·
CRV is more of a road crossover. It has less cheap materials used in the interior like the Forester in my opinion. Honestly though, having nicer material in the inside on surfaces you don't really touch has no meaning unless it creaks/rattles. You can easily negotiate on a CR-V while, I don't find as much heavy discounts on Forester.

Go with what wife wants.
 
#30 ·
One thing people seem to be forgetting is that the OP is looking at USED CR-V's, not new (nor new Forester). So pulling up comparisons of 2015/2016 models is not relevant.

My wife did not like my '09, (but is fine with the redesigned XT). Her mom had a CR-V in the age range the OP is looking at and she much preferred it over the older Forester. She also likes her 2012 RAV better.

I would say for what the OP's wife will be using it for, a good used CR-V would be a better fit. But as with all used cars, will it be "better" than the devil you already know? You may be inheriting someone else's problems. Do your research and make sure the used CR-V you get has a good service record and gets a clean bill of health from a good mechanic.

Can't go wrong then, and a happy wife is a happy life :tongue:

Greetings all,

Although we currently own a 2102 Forester Touring, my wife wants a CRV and since it will soon be her vehicle the option is real.

Leaving aside the fact that we would lose out by selling an existing vehicle to buy a CRV, what are the various pros and cons of a CRV versus Forester ?

Model years 2012 - 2014 in both cases.
 
#31 ·
I recently traded a 2010 CR-V for a Forester. It was my car so my decision. I planned on getting a 2016 CR-V but cross-shopped the Forester and loved the visibility. I'm comparing the non-leather option vehicles BTW. I found:
- Visibility as mentioned is better on the Forester
- Controls are much easier to use without taking your eyes off the road on the Forester - I hated the CR-V digital controls
- Much tighter turning circle on the Forester - have her compare in a parking lot. It makes a difference.
- Steering wheel is much grippier on the Forester. The CR-V is a harder plastic
- Dash and doors are better feeling material on the Forester
- Better AWD and better ground clearance on the Forester

On the CR-V's side:
- Oil change interval is longer, typically 8,000 miles. The Forester because of the horizontally opposed design limits you to 6K miles or 6 months.
- Slightly better folding rear seats on the CR-V

On a related note, my wife had been driving a Prius V for 3 years and really wanted AWD. She got a 2016 Crosstrek in December and loves it. She had not desire to get a CR-V and was not impressed by the current design.
 
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