Compare the2026 Honda PassportVS 2025 Subaru Forester

The Honda Passport has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Forester doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the Passport deploy with different levels of force or don’t deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The Passport’s side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The Forester’s side airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

The Passport has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. A system to reveal vehicles in the Forester’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Passport has standard Cross Traffic Monitor, helping the driver avoid collisions. Subaru charges extra for Rear Cross Traffic Alert on the Forester and its not available on the Base.

Compared to metal, the Passport’s plastic fuel tank can withstand harder, more intrusive impacts without leaking; this decreases the possibility of fire. The Subaru Forester has a metal gas tank.

Both the Passport and the Forester 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, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras and available around view monitors.

The Honda Passport weighs 814 to 1195 pounds more than the Subaru Forester. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

There are over 67 percent more Honda dealers than there are Subaru dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Passport’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Honda vehicles are better in initial quality than Subaru vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Honda above average in initial quality. With 2 more problems per 100 vehicles, Subaru is rated lower.

The Passport’s 3.5 DOHC V6 produces 105 more horsepower (285 vs. 180) and 84 lbs.-ft. more torque (262 vs. 178) than the Forester’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder.

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the Passport’s fuel efficiency. The Forester doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

The Passport has 1.9 gallons more fuel capacity than the Forester (18.5 vs. 16.6 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The Passport has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Forester doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

For better stopping power the Passport’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Forester:

For better traction, the Passport has larger standard tires than the Forester (265/60R18 vs. 225/60R17). The Passport TrailSport’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Forester (275/60R18 vs. 235/50R19).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Passport has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Forester.

The Passport has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Forester doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Passport offers an optional full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the Forester; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which limits mileage and speed before replacement.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Passport’s wheelbase is 8.5 inches longer than on the Forester (113.6 inches vs. 105.1 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Passport is 6.3 inches wider in the front and 6.3 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Forester.

The Passport has 8.3 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Forester (119.1 vs. 110.8).

The Passport has 3.6 inches more front hip room, 4.2 inches more front shoulder room, 1.1 inches more rear headroom, 1.5 inches more rear legroom, 3.7 inches more rear hip room and 5 inches more rear shoulder room than the Forester.

The Passport has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Forester with its rear seat up (44 vs. 29.6 cubic feet). The Passport has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Forester with its rear seat folded (83.8 vs. 74.4 cubic feet).

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the Passport. The Forester doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

The Passport’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Forester’s (5000 vs. 1500 pounds).

The Passport’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Forester’s standard passenger windows don’t open or close automatically. With the Forester Premium/Sport/Limited/Touring’s power windows, only the front windows open or close automatically.

On a hot day the Passport’s driver can lower all the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Forester can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Passport has standard Push Button Start and Smart Entry that allows you to unlock the doors from either front door handle, open the cargo door, and start the engine, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Only the Forester Premium/Sport/Limited/Touring offers a Keyless Access and Start.

The Passport’s standard speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The Forester’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted. The Passport TrailSport Elite’s standard wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield.

The Passport’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Subaru only offers heated mirrors on the Forester Premium/Sport/Limited/Touring.

Unlike the Subaru Forester’s fixed side view mirrors, the Honda Passport offers available power folding mirrors that offer unparalleled convenience while maneuvering in tight places or parked. With the mirrors folded it’s easier to walk past and help prevent parking damage. The mirrors can be quickly unfolded when the driver is ready to leave.

The Honda Passport has a standard Homelink wireless remote control system for garage door operation and device management, conveniently located on the rear view mirror. Homelink® eliminates the need for separate garage door openers and associated risks of losing, breaking, or having dead batteries. Subaru charges extra for Homelink® on the Forester.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Honda Passport has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Only the Forester Premium/Sport/Limited/Touring offers wireless charging.

The Passport TrailSport has a 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Forester doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Honda Passport and the Subaru Forester, based on reliability, safety and performance.