The Forester has standard Whiplash-Reducing Front Seats, which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash-Reducing Front Seats system allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The CR-V doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.
With its standard EyeSight, the Subaru Forester is better at preventing collisions with pedestrians than the Honda CR-V, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:
|
Forester |
CR-V |
Overall Evaluation |
GOOD |
ACCEPTABLE |
|
Crossing Child - DAY |
|
12 MPH |
AVOIDED |
-10 MPH |
25 MPH |
AVOIDED |
-18 MPH |
|
Crossing Adult - NIGHT |
|
12 MPH Brights |
AVOIDED |
AVOIDED |
12 MPH Low beams |
AVOIDED |
No Slowing |
25 MPH Brights |
AVOIDED |
AVOIDED |
25 MPH Low beams |
AVOIDED |
-17 MPH |
|
Parallel Adult - NIGHT |
|
25 MPH Brights |
AVOIDED |
AVOIDED |
25 MPH Low beams |
-12 MPH |
No Slowing |
37 MPH Brights |
AVOIDED |
-33 MPH |
Warning Issued-Brights |
3.2 sec |
2.4 sec |
37 MPH Low beams |
-10 MPH |
No Slowing |
Warning Issued-Low beams |
1.6 sec |
No Warning |
In a Vehicle-to-Vehicle Frontal Crash Prevention 2.0 test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the Subaru Forester achieved a “Good” rating - the highest possible - in forward collision warning and automatic braking systems, outperforming the Honda CR-V which scored only an “Acceptable” in these critical safety features.
To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Forester. But it costs extra on the CR-V.
The Forester Touring has a standard 360-Degree Surround View Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The CR-V only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.
Both the Forester and the CR-V have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available blind spot warning systems, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does 40 MPH moderate front offset crash tests on new cars. In this updated test, results indicate that the Forester is much safer than the CR-V:
|
Forester |
CR-V |
Overall Evaluation |
ACCEPTABLE |
POOR |
Structure |
GOOD |
GOOD |
|
Driver Injury Measures |
|
Head/Neck Rating |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Chest Rating |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Thigh/hip Rating |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Leg/foot Rating |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Restraints |
GOOD |
GOOD |
|
Rear Passenger Injury Measures |
|
Head/Neck Rating |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Thigh Rating |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Restraints |
GOOD |
POOR |
Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Subaru Forester is safer than the CR-V:
|
Forester |
CR-V |
Overall Evaluation |
GOOD |
GOOD |
|
Driver Injury Measures |
|
Head/Neck |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Head Injury Criterion |
103 |
138 |
Torso |
GOOD |
ACCEPTABLE |
Shoulder Deflection |
.87 in |
.91 in |
Torso Max Deflection |
1.02 in |
1.3 in |
Torso Deflection Rate |
6 MPH |
7 MPH |
Pelvis |
GOOD |
ACCEPTABLE |
Pelvis Force |
892 lbs. |
1093 lbs. |
Head Protection |
GOOD |
GOOD |
|
Passenger Injury Measures |
|
Head/Neck |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Torso |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Torso Deflection Rate |
5 MPH |
7 MPH |
Pelvis |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Pelvis Force |
580 lbs. |
759 lbs. |
Head Protection |
GOOD |
GOOD |
The Subaru Forester ((except Wilderness)) achieved a “Top Safety Pick” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for the 2025 model year. This recognition was based on its impressive performance in the small overlap frontal crash test, updated moderate overlap front crash test, updated side impact crash test, headlight evaluations, and pedestrian crash prevention testing. The CR-V is not a “Top Safety Pick” for 2025.