With over a dozen compact SUVs to select from, there’s sure to be a mannequin that matches your wants and way of life. Two of essentially the most alluring are the 2025 Subaru Forester and 2025 Kia Sportage. Each have among the freshest designs and expertise of their class, plus an extended historical past within the market.
Which of those may be best for you? Right here’s how the Subaru Forester and Kia Sportage evaluate.
2025 Subaru Forester
The Subaru Forester has lengthy been the go-to compact SUV for adventure-loving people and households. It’s obtained the traits Subaru loyalists love — customary all-wheel drive, ample floor clearance, and high security marks — together with rugged enchantment and plenty of cargo room for all of the gear. The Forester is all new for 2025 and brings all these items together with the newest tech and security options. For this all-new era, Subaru can also be introducing the first-ever Forester Hybrid for these searching for improved gasoline economic system.
Subaru Forester Highlights
Normal all-wheel drive: Having energy go to all 4 wheels as a substitute of simply the entrance, like most SUVs, means enhanced traction. This additional traction and functionality aren’t simply useful for off-roading. If you happen to often take care of snow or slick roads, all-wheel drive grants higher dealing with and assurance. The Sportage affords all-wheel drive, but it surely prices additional.
EyeSight security suite: This customary security and driver help suite consists of options like automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-departure alert, adaptive cruise management with lane centering, and a rear-seat reminder.
Adventurous perspective: A Subaru Forester is greater than your atypical, commuter-minded SUV. The Subaru model and journey are intertwined. These autos are perfect for drivers searching for an escape into the wild, and the Forester is understood and liked for enabling that. That is very true in case you go for the Subaru Forester Wilderness mannequin with its additional floor clearance and off-road {hardware}.
Verify this week’s Honest Buy Worth or see the Forester mannequin stock close to you.
2025 Kia Sportage
The 2025 Kia Sportage lineup itself is surprisingly huge. The model’s compact SUV and best-selling mannequin is accessible in seven trims, from the bottom LX to the top-line X-Professional Status. Powering them is a 187-horsepower 4-cylinder engine. In contrast to a number of rivals, together with the Subaru Forester, the Kia makes use of a conventional 8-speed automated transmission as a substitute of a repeatedly variable transmission (CVT), which some drivers discover can drone. Entrance-wheel drive (FWD) is customary, whereas all-wheel drive (AWD) is non-compulsory or customary on the upmarket X-Professional trims. The Sportage can also be accessible as a hybrid and plug-in hybrid, which we evaluate individually.
Kia Sportage Highlights
Twin-screen shows: All Kia Sportage trims besides the bottom LX come customary with a outstanding 12.3-inch heart touchscreen with navigation (the LX has an 8-inch display screen), and all include both a 12.2-inch or 12.3-inch instrument show. Along with offering loads of useful info, these screens look nice.
X-Professional trims: These extra rugged and adventurous trims most straight compete with the Subaru Forester. Within the X-Professional configuration, you get off-road options resembling additional floor clearance, all-terrain tires, and off-road settings for the all-wheel-drive system.
Wonderful guarantee protection: Kia has warranties that its rivals simply can’t match. They embody a 5-year/60,000-mile customary guarantee, plus powertrain protection for 10 years or 100,000 miles, whichever comes first.
Verify this week’s Honest Buy Worth or see the Sportage mannequin stock close to you.
Similarities
The Kia Sportage and Subaru Forester have almost the identical horsepower, max cargo room, and energetic security options. They each enchantment to patrons searching for a compact SUV with a persona.
New 2025 Subaru Forester Costs
|
Retail Worth
|
Honest Buy Worth (92620)
|
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
$31,415
|
TBD
|
|||
|
$34,805
|
TBD
|
|||
|
$37,525
|
TBD
|
|||
|
$37,705
|
TBD
|
|||
|
$39,115
|
TBD
|
|||
|
$43,015
|
TBD
|
New 2025 Kia Sportage Costs
|
Retail Worth
|
Honest Buy Worth (92620)
|
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
$28,785
|
TBD
|
|||
|
$30,885
|
TBD
|
|||
|
$33,685
|
TBD
|
|||
|
$34,385
|
TBD
|
|||
|
$36,385
|
TBD
|
|||
|
$37,885
|
TBD
|
|||
|
$39,685
|
TBD
|
The Kelley Blue Guide Honest Buy Worth for any particular person used automobile can differ significantly in keeping with mileage, situation, location, and different components.
The costs right here replicate what patrons are at the moment paying for New 2025 Subaru Forester autos and New 2025 Kia Sportage autos in typical situation when buying from a dealership.
These costs are up to date weekly. The producer’s urged retail worth (MSRP) quoted consists of the vacation spot price, however doesn’t embody tax, license, doc charges, and choices.
| 2025 Subaru Forester | 2025 Kia Sportage | |
| Common Powertrains | ||
| Engine | 2.5-liter 4-cylinder | 2.5-liter 4-cylinder |
| Towing Capability | N/A | 2,500 kilos |
| Horsepower | 180 hp @ 5,800 rpm | 187 hp @ 6,100 rpm |
| Torque | 178 lb-ft @ 3,700 rpm | 178 lb-ft @ 4,000 rpm |
| Transmission | Automated, CVT w/Lineartronic | automated, 8-speed |
| Gasoline Economic system | 26 metropolis/33 freeway/29 mixed mpg | 25 metropolis/32 freeway/28 mixed mpg |
| Specs | ||
| Primary Guarantee | 3 years/36,000 miles | 5 years/60,000 miles |
| Powertrain Guarantee | 5 years/60,000 miles | 5 years/60,000 miles |
| NHTSA Total Security | Not rated | Not rated |
| Max Seating Capability | 5 | 5 |
| Wheelbase | 105.1 inches | 108.5 inches |
| Total Size | 183.3 inches | 183.5 inches |
| Width | 81.2 inches | 73.4 inches |
| Top | 68.1 inches | 65.4 inches |
| Turning Diameter | 35.4 ft | 19.3 ft |
| Headroom, Entrance | 41.2 inches | 39.6 inches |
| Headroom, 2nd Row | 39.6 inches | 39.4 inches |
| Legroom, Entrance | 43.3 inches | 41.4 inches |
| Legroom, 2nd Row | 39.4 inches | 41.3 inches |
| Shoulder Room, Entrance | 57.7 inches | 57.5 inches |
| Shoulder Room, 2nd Row | 56.7 inches | 55.6 inches |
| Cargo Behind Second Seat | N/A | N/A |
| Cargo With All Seats Down | N/A | 74.1 ft |
Specification desk displays the everyday configuration of autos proven.
Conclusion
The Kia Sportage attracts with a barely decrease beginning worth, longer warranties, spectacular expertise, and smooth design. There are additionally ample trim ranges to select from. The Subaru Forester, in the meantime, is extra adventurous and comes customary with all-wheel drive, a rugged perspective, and its personal spectacular expertise and trim lineup. That is one other occasion when two rivals are fairly totally different however equally fascinating. We advocate assessing your wants and way of life, then test-driving each to see which connects with you.