Which compact SUV is better—the city-savvy Acura RDX or the rugged Subaru Forester? The match-up isn't as one-sided as you might think. The RDX might carry a premium price tag, but does it do enough to earn it?

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2022 Acura RDX vs. 2022 Subaru Forester

The 2022 Acura RDX and Subaru Forester are both compact crossovers, but while the RDX competes with luxury rivals, the Forester is a practical, midsize champion. Despite being affordable and well-equipped, Car & Driver gave the RDX a 6.5/10 for its shaky driving dynamics. In contrast, the Forester received an 8/10 for its cargo space and comfortable ride.

Pricing

The 2022 Acura RDX retails for $40,000 to $55,000, while the Subaru Forester sells for around $27,000 to $36,000.

From cheapest to most expensive, here are the available trims:

RDX	Starting MSRP	Forester	Starting MSRP
Base	$40,345	Base	$27,070
Technology	$42,995	Premium	$29,320
A-Spec	$45,995	Sport	$30,890
Advance	$50,345	Limited	$33,000
PMC Edition	$55,345	Wilderness	$33,945
N/A	N/A	Touring	$36,420

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The RDX covers a $15,000 gap in five trims, while the Forester covers $9,000 in six. If budget and variety are your main concerns, skip the hare (RDX) and look at the tortoise-like Forester.

Ownership costs and warranty

According to Edmunds, buying the Acura RDX will cost you $20,000 more over five years. But it’s more reliable and comes with a longer warranty.

Buying a car is only the first step in paying for it. Over its lifespan, you'll have to deal with its cost of ownership, including maintenance, repairs, fuel, insurance, and more. Let's suppose you're a Jerry employee in

Palo Alto

who drives 75,000 miles over five years. How much would it cost to own the Acura RDX vs. the Subaru Forester?

In total, the luxury RDX costs $61,600 to own, including premium gas and

Acura insurance costs

. You can lower this estimate based on your driving habits, your location, and how often you maintain your car, but you can’t control expensive

Acura tune-up costs

Driving a Forester Base for the same distance and time results in a true cost of ownership of $43,500. There is an average $50 difference between Acura and

Subaru tune-up costs

, not to mention you'll pay less on

Subaru insurance costs

So what do you get for an RDX’s high ownership cost? According to RepairPal, it’s rated 4.5/5 for reliability and first among 11 luxury compact SUVs. You also get Acura's limited (four years/50,000 miles) and powertrain warranties (six years/70,000 miles). As for the Forester, you might wish its three-year/36,000-mile limited warranty and five-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty could be extended since it has a 3.5/5 for reliability.

You get what you pay for with the RDX: sterling quality and along-lasting guarantee.

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Engine and performance

The RDX and Forester each have a single powertrain: one that's powerful but glitchy in the former and lukewarm but predictable in the latter.

Instead of trim levels, the

2022 RDX offers four packages

at different price points. This means you can purchase an

RDX A-Spec

Technology, but the engine will be the same. All 2022 RDXs use the same powertrain, but only the and PMC Edition packages come with standard SH-AWD. Here are the RDX specs:

Engine: 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four

Horsepower: 270 hp

Torque: 280 lb-ft at 1,600 rpm

Transmission: 10-speed automatic

0-60 mph time: 6.2 seconds (A-Spec)

What’s SH-AWD? It's Acura's Super Handling All-Wheel Drive, which replaces the standard FWD for $2,200 more. Even with SH-AWD and the optional Trailer Hitch ($416), the RDX's 1,500-lb towing capacity makes it unsuitable for anything more than commuting or pulling a canoe, kayak, or bike.

Forester doesn't offer any additional engine options, but Subaru's symettrical Subaru's symettrical all-wheel-drive. For the price, you get the following performance specs:

Engine: 2.5-liter flat four-cylinder

Horsepower: 182 hp

Torque: 176 lb-ft at 4,400 rpm

Transmission: CVT

0-60 mph time: 8.0 seconds (Wilderness)

Considering the Forester's rugged image and 8.7 inches of ground clearance, it's a bit disappointing. Again, it’s best suited for an urban lifestyle with occasional tripsto the woods. At least you can double the Subaru Forester Sport towing capacity of 1,500 lbs to 3,000 lbs with the Wilderness trim.

As a result, we’re calling this round a tie. Although the RDX has more power, its ride quality can be inconsistent due to a laggy transmission and mixed brake feel. The Forester offers a balanced and competent driving experience for what it is.

MORE:

Should you take the Acura RDX off road?

Fuel economy

The Subaru Forester improves on the RDX’s mileage by up to six mpg combined.

Front-wheel drive RDX models start with 24/22/28 mpg (combined/city/highway), dropping by one mpg if you opt for SH-AWD. The Forester achieves 29/26/33 mpg (combined/city/highway) with a slightly less powerful engine. And the best part is that it runs on regular gas!

When it comes to fuel economy, the Forester wins by a green mile!

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How to track gas mileage

Tech

There is no denying that the RDX is more impressive, but the Forester has its basic priorities in order.

Acura is known for its technology, and the RDX is no exception. The base model starts with:

Keyless entry and push-button ignition

7.0-inch information display

10.2-inch infotainment touchscreen display with a touchpad controller, satellite radio, a Wi-Fi hotspot, and wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth, Siri Eyes Free, and Alexa Built-In

Nine-speaker audio system

AcuraLink connected services app

AcuraWatch driver assistance technology, featuring adaptive cruise control, forward-collision mitigation, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alerts, lane-keeping assistance, and traffic sign recognition

The higher trims come with a 16-speaker audio system, a surround-view camera system, and automatic emergency braking at low speeds. A top-of-the-line heads-up display (which projects important information directly onto the windshield) gives the RDX a futuristic edge. As a whole, it's a well-equipped SUV that emphasizes driver convenience and safety.

With a price difference of over $10,000, how competitive can the Forester be? You might be surprised. The Base Forester includes:

LED headlights

6.5-inch infotainment touchscreen with satellite radio, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth, dual USB ports, and an auxiliary audio jack

Four-speaker sound system

Rearview camera

Subaru EyeSight driver assistance technology, featuring adaptive cruise control, forward-collision mitigation, lane-keeping assistance, and lane-departure warnings

Higher trims lack a HUD, but they do come with an 8.0-inch touchscreen, blind-spot monitoring, and Harman Kardon audio system. Using the DriverFocus system, the Forester Touring will even suggest that you take a break if it detects your attention wandering.

Though it may not quite match the RDX’s premium tech, the Forester offers all the essentials at a significant discount. Subaru gets extra points for adding safety features like blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alerts for the Forester Premium and higher. There’s no such choice in the RDX unless you move up a trim level.

MORE:

Vehicle trim level, options, and packages explained

Interior and cargo

The Acura RDX is zen, but the Subaru Forester has more space.

A sporty, five-seat cabin awaits you in the

2022 RDX interior

. Curvy and confident, Acura's design creates a beautiful space where the driver and passengers can relax. Having heated 12-way power sport seats and simulated leather upholstery doesn't hurt either! A total of 29.5 cubic feet opens up behind the second row for luggage.

Although it has less technology than the RDX, the Forester's dashboard feels needlessly busy due to a central display with no clear direction. With its six-way manual front bucket seats, the driver plus four passengers will have plenty of room for legs and arms. In the rear, there are 28.9 cubic feet of storage.

The Acura RDX wins for its impeccable design, but only by a narrow margin. Despite its shorter wheelbase, the Forester offers riders ample space at the cost of only five cubic feet of storage.

Dimensions	2022 Acura RDX	2022 Subaru Forester
Wheelbase	108.3 inches	105.1 inches
Front-row headroom	40.0 inches	41.2 inches
Front-row legroom	42.0 inches	43.3 inches
Front-row shoulder room	60.0 inches	58.1 inches
Second-row headroom	38.0 inches	39.6 inches
Second-row legroom	38.0 inches	39.4 inches
Second-row shoulder room	57.0 inches	57.2 inches
Max. cargo capacity	79.8 cubic feet	74.2 cubic feet

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How to protect, clean, and organize your car trunk

Safety

Both compact SUVs earned perfect safety ratings from NHTSA and IIHS.

Acura prides itself on safety, so it’s no surprise the RDX received

five stars from the NHTSA

and

a Top Safety Pick+ from the IIHS

. The Forester also received an

NHTSA five-star crash test rating

and better scores (two perfect categories compared to the RDX's one).

Its IIHS report card isn't flawless

, but it was still enough to earn a Top Safety Pick+ title.

You guessed it: it’s a tie! No matter which car you choose, you'll reach your destination safely.

The bottom line

Time for the final category score tally:

Acura RDX: 2

Ties: 2

Subaru Forester: 3

The 2022 Subaru Forester wins the battle of the crossovers!

The Forester gets the gold because of its value. In terms of pricing, fuel economy, and smart tech, you won't feel like you're missing out on anything. The RDX may be more stylish and reliable, but its $13,000 price premium isn't quite justified. But let’s not forget: both vehicles offer decent performance and excellent safety.

How to save on Subaru insurance costs

Comparing SUVs may take some time, but it's fun. Car insurance shopping can take hours, and you might even fall asleep before finding any savings!

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