2024 Subaru Forester vs. 2024 Hyundai Tucson Comparison – Kelley Blue Book

The 2024 Subaru Forester and 2024 Hyundai Tucson are compact SUVs with room for five and fuel-conscious 4-cylinder engines. Each boasts a generous amount of comfort and tech features, including all-important smartphone connectivity and safety items like lane-keep assist and adaptive cruise control. 

In the Subaru lineup, the Forester is perched above the smaller Crosstrek in terms of size and price but below the midsize Outback and 3-row Ascent. It’s worth noting that 2024 is the final model year for this generation of the Forester, with a fully redesigned model on the way for 2025.

As for the Tucson, it received a complete redesign for the 2022 model year. This ushered in the bold-looking front grille with headlights neatly worked into its design. Unlike the Forester, which comes standard with all-wheel drive (AWD), the Tucson has a choice of front- or all-wheel drive configuration.     

Let’s explore the highlights of the Subaru Forester and Hyundai Tucson.

2024 Subaru Forester

The 2024 Subaru Forester starts at $28,440, including destination charges. There are six available trims, yet under the hood of them all is a 182-hp 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine coupled to a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). 

Performance is fine for daily driving, and it’s pretty good on gas for an AWD-equipped SUV, attaining up to 29 mpg combined in city/highway driving. The ride is nicely balanced, especially considering Subaru engineered the Forester to be capable of off-road driving adventures.     

Subaru Forester Highlights

Wilderness trim: Subaru added the Wilderness model for the 2022 model year to give the Forester greater all-terrain credentials. Features like redesigned bumpers allow for greater approach and departure angles. You also get an underbody skid plate, beefier tires, matte-black alloy wheels, chunky roof rails, copper-colored exterior trim, additional ground clearance, and a more advanced version of the Forester’s X-mode AWD system. 

Ownership costs and resale value: Among compact SUVs, are there any guesses which took home our Lowest 5-Year Cost to Own and Best Resale Value awards? That’s right, the Subaru Forester took top honors in each category. This is excellent news for SUV shoppers who want a practical vehicle that won’t drain their wallets down the road. 

EyeSight safety features: This grouping of driver aids comes on every Forester. Among other features, it includes automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-departure alert, adaptive cruise control with lane centering, and a rear-seat reminder. 

Check this week’s Fair Purchase Price or see the Forester models for sale near you. 

2024 Hyundai Tucson 

The Hyundai Tucson has a competitive starting price of $28,585, including destination fee. You get front-wheel drive standard, though all-wheel drive is a $1,500 option on all four trims. 

The Tucson scoots down the road courtesy of a 187-hp 2.5-liter 4-cylinder and 8-speed automatic transmission. Similar to the Forester, acceleration and passing power are adequate. The Tucson’s combined fuel economy is 28 mpg in city/highway driving for front-wheel-drive models. If efficiency is a priority, know that the Tucson is also available as a fuel-sipping hybrid and plug-in hybrid.

Hyundai Tucson Highlights

Cargo space: Among compact SUVs, you won’t find many that match the Tucson’s level of cargo space. Behind the split-folding second row, there’s 38.7 cubic feet of volume. That’s almost 12 cubic feet more than the Forester.

Class-leading warranty: One of the biggest advantages of the Tucson over the Forester is Hyundai’s outstanding warranty coverage. Its 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty and 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty are tied with Kia for best-in-class.

Rugged (appearing) XRT model: The Tucson XRT is an exciting pick for anyone who wants some off-road-themed design flourishes – but doesn’t need a vehicle to scale boulders during their daily commute. It has black fender flares, roof rails, side steps, a tow hitch, and black 19-inch alloy wheels. Inside, the XRT adds a leather-wrapped steering wheel, sunroof, and a larger 10.25-inch touchscreen with navigation.

Check this week’s Fair Purchase Price or see the Tucson models for sale near you. 

Similarities

The Subaru Forester and Hyundai Tucson are compelling choices in the highly competitive compact SUV field. Not only do they square off against each other, they face competition from popular models like the Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4, Chevrolet Equinox, Ford Escape, and many others. Regarding driving dynamics and performance, the Forester and Tucson are maneuverable and have good ride quality. Neither is a rocket when you punch the gas pedal, though their modest fuel consumption likely matters much more to SUV shoppers.  

Conclusion

Among our ranking of the Best Compact SUVs, the Forester and Tucson land right about in the middle. Working in favor of the Subaru is its standard all-wheel-drive system, lofty driving position with excellent visibility, ride comfort, long-term value, and off-road capability. What don’t we like? It has less cargo room than the Tucson with the rear seats up.

The Hyundai Tucson is notable for its eye-catching exterior design, expansive cargo space, and available hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains. The Tucson also comes standard with features like blind-spot monitoring and wireless smartphone connectivity – both are extra-cost options on the Forester. Let’s not forget to point out the Tucson’s class-leading warranty that includes 10 years/100,000 miles of powertrain coverage. This is a strong counter to the Forester’s cost-to-run bragging rights.