There’s a reason the 2022 versions of the Subaru Forester and Hyundai Tucson are such close rivals. They cost about the same and are neck and neck for most of their interior dimensions. The Tucson, however, has more trunk space and greater towing capacity.

The 2022 Subaru Forester and the 2022 Hyundai Tucson make for an intriguing comparison. They both offer decent value for their class, and if you’re looking to buy a new compact SUV and have narrowed the choice down to these two models, you’ll have a tough decision to make.

Let’s try to figure out which is the right car for you.

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After picking the one that’s right with you, Jerry will even show you how to lower your

Subaru Forester insurance costs

Hyundai Tucson car insurance costs

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Subaru Forester vs. Hyundai Tucson: which is more expensive?

The first point of comparison should always be price.The 2022 Subaru Forester has a starting price of $25,195 and the 2022 Hyundai Tucson costs $24,950.Ultimately, the difference in price is minimal and shouldn’t be a deciding factor.

Remember, this is only the sticker price—you still need to factor in fees, taxes, package options and trim upgrades.

Let’s look at the costs of the trim levels for each:

Subaru Forester Trim level	Starting MSRP	Hyundai Tucson Trim level	Starting MSRP
Base	$25,195	SE	$24,950
Forester Premium	$30,070	SEL	$26,500
Forester Sport	$31,640	N	$31,200
Forester Limited	$33,750	Limited	$34,700
Forester Wilderness	$34,695	N/A	N/A
Forester Touring	$37,170	N/A	N/A

The Forester offers more trim levels, which to some car owners is a plus. For pricing, it’s tough to determine a winner. The lower trim levels for the Forester are more expensive but it’s pretty close as you go up a trim level or two. The Forester’s highest trim is almost $3000 more than the highest trim for the Tucson.

Ownership costs

For those shopping on a budget, you need to consider more than starting price. Let’s review ownership costs for each vehicle.

The true cost of owning a 2022 Forester over five years is $45,363, including depreciation.The five-year ownership costs for the 2022 Tucson are $44,308.With a difference of roughly $1,000, neither SUV wins this round—but neither loses, either.

These are two reasonably priced SUVs that are practical for the average driver to own. Even their fuel costs over five years are about the same.

Insurance costs

This category doesn’t help narrow down the field much, either—the insurance cost per year and over five years for both SUVs are very close.

The

Subaru car insurance costs

include about $1,204 for the first year and $6,457 over five years, while the

Hyundai car insurance costs

are around $1,193 for the first year and $6,398 over five years.Both are pretty affordable, and there’s not much difference that makes it easier to compare the two vehicles.

Of course, these numbers might not be an indicator of what you’ll pay for car insurance. You might pay more if you live in an urban area and opt for the highest trim, for instance—or if you have a less-than-stellar driving record.

Winner: The Hyundai Tucson

If we’re forced to pick a winner, we’lll go with the Tucson and its slightly lower insurance costs. But, really, it’s the slimmest of margins.

MORE:

The best used Subaru to buy

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Subaru Forester vs. Hyundai Tucson: in-depth comparison

We need to find a winner, right? To do so, let’s dig deeper to perform a closer comparison.

Body style and size

Both vehicles can seat five passengers.Each offers different dimensions, a key point that can help you choose between the two.

The dimensions of the 2022 Subaru Forester and the 2022 Hyundai Tucson are:

Dimensions	Subaru Forester	Hyundai Tucson
Wheelbase	105.1 inches	105.9 inches
Passenger volume	100.9 cubic feet	98.9 cubic feet
Headroom (front/rear)	41.2/39.6 inches	40.1/39.5 inches
Legroom (front/rear)	43.3/36.4 inches	41.4/41.3 inches
Cargo volume w/ seats up	28.9 cubic feet	41.2 cubic feet
Ground clearance	8.7 inches	7.1 inches

The Forester gets the gold in passenger volume, headroom (front/rear), front legroom,and a big win for ground clearance.The Tucson gets the prize for wheelbase, rear legroom,and a huge win in cargo volume with seats up.

We’ll give this one to the 2022 Tucson—unless you need more ground clearance for off-roading.

Engine and performance

The Tucson base comes with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that generates 187 horsepower and 178 lb-ft of torque.The only transmission option is an eight-speed automatic,but you can choose between the standard front-wheel drive or the optional all-wheel drive.

Then there’s the Forester with its 2.5-liter engine with Subaru’s BOXER design.Under the hood is 182 horsepower with 176 lb-ft of torque.Similar to the Tucson, there is only the option of an automatic transmission, but it does have the car maker’s signature symmetrical all-wheel drive system.

We’re giving this one to…the Forester! The symmetrical all-wheel drive offers a ton of value and makes up for a bit less speed and acceleration.

MORE:Is a Subaru hybrid worth it?

Fuel economy

Every driver needs to give thought to how fuel efficient an SUV is before making their purchase, so let’s compare!

The base Forester and the base Tucson FWD both have a fuel economy of 26 mpg city, 33 mpg highway,and 29 mpg combined. There is a difference in fuel tank capacity, however—the Forester has a capacity of 16.6 gallons whereas the Tucson’s fuel tank capacity is 14.3 gallons.

If you want an SUV with greater fuel capacity (it will cost more to fill up but you’ll need fewer trips to the pump) then the Forester is the one for you.

Safety

The 2022 Forester and the 2022 Tucson are both IIHS Top Safety Pick+.

The Forester received a five-star safety ratingfrom the NHTSA.Each Subaru comes standard with the EyeSight safety system. This means that its safety package includes pre-collision braking, lane departure and sway warning, adaptive cruise control, and more.

The Tucson earned a four-star safety ratingfrom the NHTSA. It comes with automated emergency braking, automatic on/off headlights, lane keep and follow assists,and high beam assist. Higher trims also come with blind spot monitoring and safe exit assist.

The Forester is the safer SUV.The EyeSight safety system is a huge differentiator, and the Forester also fared better in crash test ratings.

MORE:

A complete guide to Subaru safety ratings

Tech

Neither Subaru nor Hyundai goes over the top in terms of tech features, but they do each offer decent packages.

The tech available on the Forester includes:

6.5-inch multimedia touchscreen

Harman Kardon sound system with six speakers

Dual-zone climate control

Rain sensing wiper blades

Distraction Mitigation System

Starlink

The tech for the Tucson includes:

10.25-inch touchscreen

Buttonless controls

Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™

Hyundai digital key

360-degree camera system

Remote park assist

It’s a close cal,l but the Tucson has more advanced features. When you’re car shopping, though, you should consider your driving needs before deciding which tech package is more appealing.

Interior and comfort

These vehicles are more practical than luxurious.Still, driving either model never feels like you’re sitting on rocks, leaning against concrete.

The interior of the Forester includes:

Cupholders in the front and rear

Single zone front climate control

Loads of elbow room

Adjustable lumbar support for driver’s seat

Overhead console with storage

The interior of the Tucson includes:

8-way power driver and front passenger seats

Ambient interior lighting

Heated and ventilated front seats

Leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob

Power driver’s lumbar support

Another tie! Both SUVs offer comfortable interiors, but neither stands out.

Winner: Subaru Forester

This was a close one, but we’re going with the Forester as the better overall SUV.It’s safer and offers greater fuel tank capacity. It also offers more trim levels,so you’ll have more options when it comes to picking the ride that suits you best.

Again, this was a close one. We recommend test driving each and deciding which categories are the most important to you.

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