Subaru Forester vs. Nissan Rogue: Which is Better?
The Subaru Forester is affordable and has plenty of room for both passengers and cargo—but does the Rogue come out on top?
Written by Cassandra Hamilton
Reviewed by Jessica Barrett
While the Nissan Rogue put up a tough fight, we’re calling this one in favor of the Subaru Forester thanks to its overall affordability and extra passenger and cargo space.
The Subaru Forester and Nissan Rogue are both excellent choices when it comes to compact SUVs. They’re practical, stylish vehicles with great safety ratings, plenty of cargo space, and rugged good looks. Which SUV takes the cake in the 2022 model year, though?
Jerry
is here to help you figure out which SUV reigns supreme while providing helpful tips on car insurance
savings. This level of service is what makes Jerry the #1-rated insurance broker app
in the App Store. We’ll go through everything from ownership costs to interior appointments in our comprehensive guide to the Nissan Rogue vs. the Subaru Forester. Forester vs. Rogue: which is more expensive?
Here’s a breakdown of the starting MSRPs for all of the trims for the Forester and the Rogue:
Model | Starting MSRP | Model | Starting MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|
Forester Base | $27,070 | Rogue S | $28,445 |
Forester Premium | $29,320 | Rogue SV | $30,135 |
Forester Sport | $30,890 | Rogue SL | $34,975 |
Forester Limited | $33,000 | Rogue Platinum | $38,225 |
Forester Wilderness | $33,945 | ||
Forester Touring | $36,420 |
Find out if you can reduce your monthly car payments in minutes
* checking your rate won’t affect your credit score
Check your rate
* checking your rate won’t affect your credit score
To sum it up, the Nissan Rogue has a larger price range, while the Forester offers top trims at a more affordable level.
Ownership costs
It’s not enough to just look at the starting MSRP. To get a complete picture of which SUV is more affordable to own, you need to look at long-term ownership costs, which include maintenance, repairs, fuel, financing, and insurance.
The five-year ownership cost for a 2022 Subaru Forester as estimated by Edmunds is around $37,688. That’s an additional $4,957 on top of the total cash price of $32,731. By comparison, the Rogue has a five-year ownership cost of $40,607—$6,421 over the cash price.
So what makes the Rogue more expensive to own over the Forester? Well, it’s not the repair costs—RepairPal estimates the yearly repair costs for the Rogue are just $467 compared to the $632 in repair costs for the Forester.
In fact, the Forester is only rated 3.5 out of 5 for reliability (the Rogue has yet to be rated for reliability by RepairPal). If that’s not the cause for the difference in expense, what is?
MORE:
Subaru tune-up cost
Insurance costs
The answer lies in insurance. The
Nissan Rogue insurance costs
are much higher than the Subaru Forester insurance costs
. The average cost per year to insure a Forester is just $2,072 versus $2,781 per year for the Rogue. You can get both of these prices down when you use a trusted insurance broker app like
Jerry
—but Forester owners will still see an overall lower price than Rogue owners.Winner: Subaru Forester
Overall, the Subaru Forester is the obvious option when it comes to affordability. The lower upfront costs, even for top-tier trims, combined with manageable Subaru maintenance expenses and affordable insurance make the Forester cheaper to own than the Rogue.
But, the difference in price and ownership costs is only one piece of the puzzle. We’ve got an in-depth comparison of the vehicles’ strong points and opportunities for improvement to help you decide whether the Rogue’s price increase is worth it.
Subaru Forester vs. Nissan Rogue: in-depth comparison
Body style and size
You can easily tell the Forester and Rogue apart by eyesight alone. While the Forester is boxy and truck-like in its styling, it’s not as rugged and stocky as the Rogue.
The Forester is generally regarded as a compact crossover SUV while the Rogue is a true midsize SUV. That being said, the Rogue isn’t much bigger than the Forester—or so it would seem.
When it comes down to real measurements of cargo and passenger capacity, the Forester ekes the Rogue out just a bit. While
the Rogue’s wheelbase is about an inch and a half longer
than the Forester, the Forester is bigger in all other measurements. The biggest difference is that the Rogue offers more trunk room with the seats up than the Forester does.Dimensions | 2022 Subaru Forester | 2022 Nissan Rogue |
|---|---|---|
Wheelbase | 105.1 inches | 106.5 inches |
Passenger volume | 111.6 cubic feet | 105.4 cubic feet |
Headroom (front/rear) | 41.2/39.6 inches | 41.1/39.2 inches |
Legroom (front/rear) | 43.3/39.4 inches | 41.5/38.5 inches |
Cargo volume w/seats up | 28.9 cubic feet | 36.5 cubic feet |
Cargo volume w/seats down | 74.2 cubic feet | 74.1 cubic feet |
Ground clearance | 8.7 to 9.2 inches | 8.2 inches |
Base curb weight | 3454 lbs | 3463 to 3741 lbs |
Engine and performance
The engines between the two vehicles are very different, though. The Forester comes with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 182 horsepower and 176 lb-ft of torque. It has a continuously variable transmission and Subaru's symmetrical all-wheel drive.
The Rogue comes with a peppy 1.5-liter three-cylinder engine that makes 201 horsepower and 225 lb-ft of torque. It also has a CVT, but here all-wheel drive (AWD) isn’t standard—front-wheel drive (FWD) is. You can upgrade to AWD for an additional price.
The Forester’s engine isn’t great. It’ll get the job done with great handling, but it won’t lead the pack by any stretch of the imagination. The Rogue’s engine, on the other hand, is perkier and more responsive.
When it comes to towing power, the two SUVs are equally matched. Both can tow 1,500 pounds.
If a more responsive engine is important to you and you don’t mind a low tow capacity, the Rogue’s engine might make up for the difference in price.
Fuel economy
When comparing fuel efficiency, the Rogue is the clear winner when equipped with FWD—but you’ll still see better mileage even with AWD installed. The
mileage for the 2022 Rogue
is 30/28 mpg city, 37/35 mpg highway, and 33/31 mpg combined for FWD and AWD, respectively.Compare that to the fuel economy ratings of the Forester: 26 mpg city, 33 mpg highway, and 29 mpg combined.
Neither vehicle has a hybrid powertrain available, so the fuel efficiency you see is what you’ll get, though you should note that your efficiency will drop a bit in the Forester if you opt for the off-roading Forester Wilderness trim.
Safety
The Forester alone gets a five-star rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)—the Rogue has yet to be rated by this agency. However, both vehicles are 2022 Top Safety Pick+ selections from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). We’ll need a closer look to really get into the differences between the two.
For the NHTSA ratings, the Forester has five perfect stars across the board for all categories except rollover—the risk of which is only 16.9%.
While both the Forester and Rogue were merely rated “Acceptable” on the side crash test rating, the Rogue was also rated “Acceptable” on seat belt reminders. The Forester was rated “Good” in all other categories.
We’re going to give this one to the Subaru Forester thanks to the wealth of data available and a slight lead in IIHS ratings.
Tech
Another arena that might be a toss-up is technology. While the Forester’s tech really shines, the Rogue’s available technology gives it a run for its money.
The Forester has an intuitive 6.5-inch infotainment touchscreen that comes standard with smartphone integration and navigation capability. There are also USB ports for passengers in the front and rear seats in addition to onboard WiFi in all but the base trims.
Meanwhile, the Rogue features a 9.0-inch infotainment touchscreen that also comes with smartphone integration. The instrument cluster is fully digital, and there’s an available head-up display plus the capability for WiFi. You’ll also find USB ports in both the front and rear seats.
Interior and comfort
With more passenger and cargo space, the Forester might take this category—but the available Rogue interior upgrades do give us some pause.
The base trim for the Forester is somewhat sparse—you’ll get automatic climate control but not much else. Upgrade the trim to get heated front seats, leather upholstery, and a Harman Kardon audio system.
The Rogue, on the other hand, has an even more basic base trim: cloth seats. Upgrading one level will get you faux-leather upholstery, while genuine leather upholstery with quilted stitching is reservied for the top-tier
Rogue Platinum
trim. Combine this with a plethora of storage cubbies and three-zone automatic climate control, and you’ve got one comfortable ride. Winner: Subaru Forester
Overall, we have to choose the Subaru Forester as the top dog in this comparison. While both vehicles are great choices, the Forester has a lower overall cost, comparable technology, and more space in the cabin, all of which help it squeak ahead of the Rogue.
Still, if you need a more responsive engine and don’t mind sacrificing a little passenger and cargo space, the Rogue is a peppier choice for driving fun.
How to save on insurance costs
Whether you choose the Forester or decide the Rogue is a better fit for you, you can relax knowing you’ll pay less than the national average for your car insurance thanks to top safety ratings, low repair costs, and an overall affordable vehicle. Still, wouldn’t it be nice to save even more on your
car insurance
premium?That’s why
Jerry
is here—as a licensed insurance broker
, Jerry can find the best rates on the market that fit you and your vehicle. All you have to do is download the app, answer a few questions, and check out your customized quotes in less than two minutes. There’s no need to get on the phone or fill out multiple forms—Jerry’s got it covered and has a whole bucket of savings for you ($800+ per year!). “I just had to buy a new car, and I needed quick help to get insurance before I could get my plates. Because I work so many hours,Jerrywas the ideal choice for getting things done without long phone calls and waiting periods.” —Rosa G.
RECOMMENDED
Compare auto insurance policies
No spam or unwanted phone calls · No long forms
Reduce your monthly car payments in minutes?
Find out if Jerry can reduce your payments by an average of $150/month
4.7
