2021 Honda Odyssey vs 2021 Subaru Forester

The 2021 Honda Odyssey had a familiar look that was subtly updated for the new model year. It featured a new grille and front bumper, standard LED headlights with automatic high-beam operation across all trims, and a new gloss black spear with a chrome insert stretching the width of the taillights. New wheel designs debuted for the top three trim levels, modernizing the Odyssey by reducing brightwork. Buyers could choose from five trim levels: LX, EX, EX-L, Touring, and Elite, with base prices ranging from $31,790 to $47,820, excluding destination charges. The test vehicle, a Lunar Silver Metallic Elite trim, was priced at $48,940, including the $1,120 destination charge. The Elite trim added perforated leather upholstery with contrast stitching and piping, new dashboard ambient lighting, and handsome new 19-inch wheels with Shark Gray paint and machined surfaces, giving the Odyssey a more luxurious feel.

The 2021 Subaru Forester, redesigned for the 2019 model year, retained a styling that looked older due to its carryover design from the previous generation. The most noticeable change was the distinctive cross-shaped taillights. Subaru maintained the boxy, upright shape that appealed to many SUV shoppers. The Base trim level looked plain with 17-inch steel wheels, but the Forester had a clean and unpretentious look compared to other compact crossovers. The Forester Sport model, like the test car, featured orange striping around the lower edges of the body and roof rails, a rear spoiler, and black 18-inch alloy wheels, which made a significant visual impact, especially with the Dark Blue Pearl paint. The Forester rode on the Subaru Global Platform, shared with other models like the Impreza, Crosstrek, Legacy, and Outback. The interior was a mix of durable materials, with the Sport trim adding orange trim and cross-stitching. Base, Premium, and Sport models had cloth upholstery, while Limited and Touring trims offered leather upholstery and an All-Weather Package with heated front seats, heated exterior mirrors, and a windshield de-icer.

The 2021 Honda Odyssey was equipped with a 3.5-liter V6 engine and a ten-speed automatic transmission powering the front wheels, producing 280 horsepower. The transmission included Normal, Sport, Econ, and Snow driving modes, along with paddle shifters. The V6 engine featured variable cylinder management for fuel efficiency, with an EPA rating of 22 mpg in combined driving, and an observed 21.8 mpg during testing. The Odyssey lacked all-wheel drive (AWD), which was a disadvantage compared to competitors offering AWD. However, it had a new electronic brake booster for improved brake pedal feel and response, and adaptive cruise control with low-speed follow capability. The Odyssey's ride and handling were enjoyable, with well-weighted steering, a firm but comfortable ride, and expertly managed body motions. The Touring and Elite trims had 19-inch wheels with aggressive tires, enhancing handling. However, the brakes showed signs of fade during heavy use, indicating a need for a braking component upgrade.

The 2021 Subaru Forester had a single powertrain option: a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine producing 182 horsepower and 176 pound-feet of torque, paired with a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). The engine had a boxer configuration, providing a lower center of gravity. The Forester had a 1,500-pound towing capacity and standard Trailer Stability Assist. The engine felt adequate but lacked the desired thrust for highway merging and overtaking, and there was noticeable wind noise at highway speeds. The suspension tuning was soft, resulting in poor body control and a bouncy ride on uneven pavement. AWD was standard, with a sophisticated drivetrain featuring X-Mode for different surfaces, and Dual X-Mode on Sport models. Premium and higher trims had hill-descent control and 8.7 inches of ground clearance. However, for serious off-road capability, other vehicles like the Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk or Ford Bronco Sport were better options.

The 2021 Honda Odyssey offered legible instrumentation, logical controls, and ample storage. However, it lacked a tuning knob for the stereo, and the transmission gear buttons could be confusing. A 12-way power-adjustable driver’s seat was standard on all but the base LX trim, with the Elite trim adding a heated steering wheel and heated and ventilated front seats. The front passenger seat lacked height adjustment, but passengers found it comfortable. Storage space was excellent, with shelves in the front doors and a wireless smartphone charger on the center console’s top tray. The Magic Slide second-row seat layout allowed for various seating configurations, and the third-row seats accommodated both children and adults comfortably. Cargo space was generous, with 32.8 cubic feet behind the third-row seat, 88.8 cubic feet with the third-row seat tumbled, and 144.9 cubic feet with the second-row seats removed. However, removing and reinstalling the second-row seats was cumbersome.

The 2021 Subaru Forester offered above-average headroom and legroom in both rows, thanks to its tall, flat roof. The large windows provided excellent outward visibility but also let in a lot of sunlight. Cargo space was generous, with 35.4 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 76.1 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. The Forester had more cargo space than some competitors but lacked a sliding second-row bench. A power liftgate was optional on the Sport trim and standard on the Limited and Touring trims. The Forester had decently sized cupholders and a reasonably sized center console, but the phone-storage cubby was too small for an average-size phone, and there was no wireless charging. A power-adjustable driver’s seat was available starting from the Premium trim. The Forester’s infotainment system was user-friendly, with large knobs for audio and climate control, but the number of buttons on the steering wheel could be confusing.

Starting with the EX trim, the 2021 Honda Odyssey featured an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, satellite radio, HD Radio, text-messaging support, basic HondaLink connectivity, and a Cabin Control smartphone app. The Touring trim added a navigation system, HondaLink subscription service plans, WiFi capability, a CabinWatch interior camera, and a CabinTalk in-vehicle PA system. The Elite trim included an 11-speaker premium sound system, multi-zone listening options, and wireless smartphone charging. Touring and Elite trims offered HondaLink Security, Remote, and Concierge subscription plans. However, the Odyssey lacked a tuning knob, and the voice-recognition technology was not as advanced as modern smartphone assistants. The rear-seat entertainment system included a 10.2-inch screen, Blu-Ray disc player, wireless headphones, and built-in streaming apps, but the lack of a touchscreen was a drawback for some users.

The 2021 Subaru Forester came with the Subaru Starlink infotainment system, featuring a 6.5-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth, SiriusXM satellite radio, front-row USB ports, and a CD player. The Sport trim added an 8-inch touchscreen and Harman Kardon audio system, while the Limited and Touring trims included navigation and dual USB ports in the rear center console. The infotainment system was easy to use, with well-designed graphics and backup analog controls, but the screen was slow to boot up. The Forester also had a secondary screen in the center of the dashboard and a small screen in the instrument cluster, displaying information like fuel economy and tire pressure. However, the setup seemed overly complex, with redundant information displayed on multiple screens.

The 2021 Honda Odyssey improved its safety features with the standard inclusion of Honda Sensing on all trims. Honda Sensing added low-speed follow capability to the adaptive cruise control, pedestrian braking, road-sign recognition, and a new Honda Sensing menu button for easy access to ADAS settings. However, blind-spot warning with rear cross-traffic warning required upgrading to the EX trim. The Odyssey’s ADAS worked accurately but could be smoother. The Odyssey received top five-star ratings from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for all assessments except rollover resistance, which earned a four-star score. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) was expected to continue recommending the Odyssey as a Top Safety Pick.

The 2021 Subaru Forester excelled in safety, earning the highest “Top Safety Pick+” award from the IIHS, with top ratings in all crash tests, front-crash prevention tech, and headlights. The NHTSA gave the Forester a five-star overall rating, with five stars in frontal and side-crash tests, and four stars in rollover tests. The Forester came standard with Subaru’s EyeSight suite, including adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and lead-vehicle start alert. EyeSight’s adaptive cruise control and lane-centering functions performed adequately, but the steering inputs were jerky. Optional features included blind-spot monitoring, rear-cross traffic alert, lane-keep assist, and reverse automatic braking. The Forester also had a driver-monitoring system called DriverFocus, which checked for signs of distraction.