Subaru Forester STI Sport v Subaru Outback Sport Touring XT 2024 Comparison

Subaru’s Forester range is the more affordable model line with the entry-level $38,690 plus on-road costs (ORCs) Forester 2.5i compared with the base Outback starting price of $43,690 (plus ORCs). At that point, both models share a very similar drivetrain comprising 2.5-litre non-turbo engines, AWD and an automatic continuously variable transmission (CVT).

As you rise up the ranks, however, in addition to higher equipment levels the models introduce different drivetrains. In the case of the Forester, it gets a mild hybrid powertrain based on a 2.0-litre version of the naturally aspirated boxer four-cylinder engine, while the Outback gets a 2.4-litre turbo boxer four-cylinder engine and no hybrid option.

For this comparison we’re pitching the non-electrified Forester against the Outback in top-spec trim. Under normal circumstances that would spell $47,140 plus ORCs for the Forester 2.5i-S and $56,990 plus ORCs for the Outback Touring XT.

However, in late 2024 Subaru introduced a special edition for each model based on the most expensive versions, and these two variants are the focus of this comparison. The Forester STI Sport is $1500 dearer than the Forester 2.5i-S for a price of $48,640 plus ORCs and gains a dusting of aesthetic touches and some sporty suspension, while the Outback Sport Touring XT is $500 more than the Outback Touring XT for a price of $57,490 plus ORCs and benefits from a few exterior cosmetic enhancements.

In both cases though, the special editions have all the equipment found in the flagships on which they’re based. Subaru has not specified how long each ‘limited’ edition will be on sale or if their numbers have been capped.

The Outback gets a more comprehensive suite of technology including a nine-speaker sound system versus the Forester’s eight, and while both cars support Android and Apple smartphone mirroring, only the Outback does it wirelessly. While the Outback is the most modern technologically, it also allows a bit of retro nostalgia courtesy of a CD player. Cute.

USB charging sockets are exclusively the original A type for the Forester whereas the Outback features a mix of USB-A and USB-C; the Outback also has the most impressive (arguably contemporary) central touchscreen with an 11.6-inch display in a portrait orientation.

The Forester’s display is about half that size, squarer in aspect and landscape in orientation, but it does also offer a separate 6.3-inch ‘multifunction’ screen atop the dashboard offering an additional and useful set of information.

Neither solution is as good as a proper head-up display, which neither car gets, although there is a head-up LED warning light which illuminates or flashes in different colours to alert the driver of hazardous situations.

Adding to the standard spec, the Outback Sport Touring XT gains unique Geyser Blue paint, darkened exterior touches such as the badges, 18-inch wheels and a metallic black rear spoiler and tailgate.

It’s a similar aesthetic treatment for the Forester, which gets blacked-out 18-inch wheels and exterior trims including a similar treatment of the boot/spoiler. However, it also gets posh burgundy and black interior upholstery and STI-themed gauges.

Only the Outback offers a heated steering wheel and seat ventilation for front occupants while both models share heating in the front row. Electric seat adjustment is standard for the front seats in both, although the Outback gets more adjustment options.

Unlike the Outback, the Forester STI Sport gets some light dynamic enhancement in the form of uprated dampers.

Not surprisingly, both cars share Subaru’s standard five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty. Original Subaru equipment is also guaranteed for three years if fitted to a new vehicle.

While the Forester’s older engine wants attention every 12,500 kilometres, the more modern Outback XT turbo engine goes 15,000km before scheduled servicing is required.

As both cars feature Subaru’s Eyesight dual-camera-based technology, safety features are abundant and fairly closely aligned. There’s a well-calibrated AEB system, a camera-based driver monitoring system, and very effective lane-keeping assistance.

Both also include a reversing camera and a clever side-view camera (very handy when trying to park near passenger-side obstructions), plus a third camera for a view at the front of the car. Neither, however, has a fourth camera, meaning a full 360-degree surround view is not possible in either model.

Add in blind-spot monitoring and each has all the main ingredients to earn these models a five-star ANCAP rating. However, the Outback trumps the Forester with a few extras, including road sign recognition and a graphical display imposed over the reverse camera image to aid positioning and parking.

While both vehicles were awarded the full five-star rating, the Forester is the older car and was rated in 2019 and so its maximum rating will expire in December 2025. The newer Outback was assessed in 2021, so its five-star rating will remain valid until late 2027.

For the smallest passengers, the Outback and Forester offer ISOFIX child seat anchors for two with top tethers for three in the second row.

Unlike in many ‘all terrain’ cars these days – including the hybrid versions of Subaru models – that sacrifice space for their small battery, both the Forester and Outback are equipped with a full-size spare wheel found in each cars’ boot.

With a few years between the models, the Forester finds a number of ways to reveal the age difference when it comes to technology. From the USB-A-only power sockets to the lack of wireless device charging, it’s clear the venerable Forester is due for an overhaul.

Both it and the Outback also lack a head-up display and full digital instrument cluster, further dating the age of these technological platforms. But the Outback’s operating system is faster in operation while the larger central single screen makes the landscape display in the Forester look older still.

That said, there’s nothing wrong with the operation of anything. The Forester’s manual HVAC dials and push buttons will appeal to those who prefer tactile controls over the digital screen buttons of the Outback.

The Outback, in contrast, offers wireless device charging, wireless smartphone mirroring and USB-C ports, but the central screen boot time can be slow.

At the heart of each powertrain is Subaru’s ubiquitous flat-four-cylinder engine bolted to a CVT transmission. However, that’s where the similarities end. While the Forester has a relatively old non-turbo 2.5-litre engine, the Outback has a turbocharged 2.4-litre unit.

Essentially a detuned version of the Subaru WRX high-performance model, the Outback is the faster of the pair and the most suitable for towing, producing 183kW/350Nm and boasting a braked towing capacity of 2400kg. The Forester, on the other hand, is less capable. It produces 136kW/239Nm and has a maximum braked towing capacity of 1800kg.

Both offer Subaru’s celebrated permanent all-wheel drive system for better traction on- and off-road, with both cars providing a respectable amount of all-terrain promise.

Some bemoan the nature of the CVT, but Subaru is one of the best manufacturers at extracting the potential of this technology and has gone to the extent of engineering eight simulated gearchanges for a more conventional feel.

In practice, the Outback’s turbo engine feels as though it’s working a little less than the Forester’s thanks to the former’s torquier nature, while the non-turbo engine must rev harder for meaningful performance. Neither make an unpleasant sound and both are smooth in their power delivery, but it’s the Outback that feels a bit more relaxed on longer journeys, especially when loaded up.

With the additional performance and towing potential of the Outback’s turbo engine, there is a price to be paid when it comes to fuel efficiency. Subaru claims the Forester asks for 7.4L/100km, while the Outback’s claimed figure is 9.0L/100km.

In practice, both numbers were higher during our time with the brace of Subarus, but with a similar advantage handed to the Forester and an indicated average fuel usage of 9.5L/100km versus 10.7L/100km. In an era of sophisticated turbocharging, clever fuel injection and downsized engines, both economy figures are at the thirstier end compared with many rivals.

With the promising XT badge on its boot, the Outback follows in a bloodline of Subarus that have boosted performance but don’t shout about it, and that’s exactly the driving experience the Outback delivers.

Acceleration isn’t exactly face-peeling from a standing start, but the surge of torque and grunt builds, rendering the XT deceptively fast and – most importantly – far improved for towing and off-road duties compared with the non-turbo engine.

Its chassis also strikes a humble balance of comfort and bump absorption for tackling unsealed tracks without sacrificing driving enjoyment. There’s a nice level of confidence in the way the XT negotiates corners, with pointy steering delivered via the ergonomically pleasing steering wheel.

The Forester continues to offer a similar level of driving involvement that has long earned the car acclaim. However, while its STI dampers take the road holding and body control up a level, that’s firmly where any performance-focused improvements end.

Its engine is still a little breathless and has to work hard to find pace, while the CVT pairs less desirably here than with the turbo engine. There’s still fun to be had at the wheel but the sportier dampers compromise ride quality that really didn’t need to be firmer, while nothing else about the model shrieks ‘high performance’.

Other versions of the Forester do almost everything the same, but without flashy pink badging they don’t set anyone up for disappointment. Stick to the unlimited editions and the Forester still offers a great car to live with at a more palatable price.

Both vehicles offer a number of off-road enhancing X-Modes that make the best possible use of the available traction. There’s also hill descent control and a generous amount of ground clearance as well as that all-wheel drive system common to all Subarus except the BRZ.

We spared an off-road test for this particular comparison but in previous individual reviews, both models have performed exceptionally well when some respectable off-road challenges are thrown under their wheels.

As the Forester STI Sport is based on the flagship 2.5i-S, it gets the best level of luxury you’ll find in any Forester but builds on it with some likeable touches. The two-tone burgundy and black Nappa leather-accented seating is completed by red contrast stitching on the steering wheel and instrument panel, while there are some tantalising STI motifs on the gauges.

Despite its age, the Forester’s cabin still feels like the designers cared about how it would appeal many years down the track. While some of the buttons are a bit rattly and the screen’s 6.5-inch size and aspect is a bit dated, the layout and materials still look and feel great.

Door pockets are a little skinny and the centre storage compartment is similarly tight, but larger storage and passenger space is good, completed by a 498L boot that’s tall in its proportions.

But while you may perceive the Outback as the more wagon-like of the pair, its space and execution is the more successful compared to the more SUV-esque Forester. At 522L, its boot is bigger, the leather on its seats lacks the two-tone feature but feels more supple and waxy, while the front seating provides better support despite lacking the STI sports promise.

Then there are the rear seats, which are beautifully accommodating with angle-adjustable seat backs and even more space than the not-exactly-claustrophobic Forester’s second row. Incidentally, the FCAI’s VFACTS new car data classes the Outback as a ‘large SUV’ and the Forester as a ‘medium SUV’.

Finally, the Outback beats the Forester’s smaller storage spots as well, with marginally better cubby options dotted about the cabin. We particularly love the little shelf provided for the front passenger.

The Outback Sport Touring XT continues to offer the admirable formula of ‘underpromising and overdelivering’, with subtle badging and sharp pricing but surprising performance and a whole heap of kit. It’s all wrapped up in an understated wagon package that fits in lots of people and lugguge, and with a decent towing capacity as well.

To some degree, the Forester does the opposite. With a coveted STI badge on its boot, interested parties are likely to be disappointed by the almost complete absence of any performance enhancement. Not only that, but it’s inferior in power to the Outback which shouts about nothing.

Certainly, the Forester still offers an unchanged blend of space, ergonomics, comfort and off-road ability, all of which allow the model to age gracefully, but its racy limited-edition badging in this case is overpromising and underdelivering.

With a generous budget, the Outback Sport Touring XT is the clear pick, but the surprising twist in this tale is that the really smart money lies in neither of these special editions.

You can climb into a Subaru Outback Sport XT for $53,190 plus ORCs, which gets a lot of kit and the same excellent engine, while in the Forester range you’ll find a number of cheaper options that share the engine of the 2.5i-S, decent equipment levels and a starting price of less than $40K.

With STI badging the Forester is fooling no one, but the Outback Sport Touring XT, or its Sport XT or Touring XT siblings, offers a huge amount of car for those who know what its subtle moniker stands for. It’s not just the easy winner in this pairing, but one of the best all-rounders on the market today.

2024 Subaru Forester STI Sport at a glance:
Price: $48,640 plus on-road costs
Available: Now
Engine: 2.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Output: 136kW/239Nm
Transmission: continuously variable automatic
Fuel: 7.4L/100km
CO2: 168g/km
Safety rating: 5-star (ANCAP 2019)

2024 Subaru Outback Sport Touring XT at a glance:
Price: $57,490 plus on-road costs
Available: Now
Engine: 2.4-litre 4-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 183kW/350Nm
Transmission: continuously variable automatic
Fuel: 9.0L/100km
CO2: 204g/km
Safety rating: 5-star (ANCAP 2021)

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