How Does the Subaru Forester Compare to Other Vehicles in the Crossover SUV segment? | Watch these videos of the Crossover Challenge conducted by the independent testing of the United States Auto Club
The following is a series of videos, aptly titled "The Crosover Challenge", which puts the 2014 Subaru Forester in direct competition with the Toyota Rav4, Honda CR-V, Mazda CX-5, and Ford Escape through three tests: All Wheel Drive, Control and Braking, and Hill Climbing.
An emergency vehicle operations center is the place where first responders are trained to deal with the kind of adverse driving conditions they'll encounter when protecting the public. Instructors at this facility conducted a real-world test to see how the all-wheel drive systems of the top five small crossovers performed in a variety of conditions. The instructors, and our vehicle test drivers, are former police officers, SWAT team members, and firefighters who are now emergency vehicle driving instructors.
Without playing favorites, the instructors randomly picked keys from a hat to assign driving. Each of the seasoned drivers got behind the wheel at the Subaru Forester, Ford Escape, Toyota Rav4, Mazda CX 5, and the Honda CRV and subjected each to a barrage of tests. First they test these vehicles on asphalt to see how they maintain control on curvy roads. Then the instructors took the vehicles off-road to test the capabilities of their all-wheel drive systems. The drivers were especially impressed with the Subaru and its X-Mode with Hill-Descent Control, which automatically applies breaking to help drivers stay confident and in control when descending steep hills with adverse terrain.
Crossover Challenge-All Wheel Drive
Nearly every drive features an unpredictable moment, which is why it's important to choose a vehicle that offers superb stability, traction, and control. An independent test was conducted on a closed course to see how each of the top five small all-wheel-drive crossovers from Subaru, Honda, Ford, Toyota, and Mazda were able to handle unpredictable situations on the road. The United States Auto Club implemented the test which measured the time required to negotiate obstacles on a dry surface. Each test driver performed a series of runs through the course that increased speed with each run to determine which models performed the course in the fastest time without hitting any obstacles.
The final analysis was in: The Subaru Forester outperformed all the other vehicles. Safety begins with avoidance and that's why every Subaru is equipped to give you peace of mind and control on the road.
Crossover Challenge: Control and Braking
Crossover Challenge-- "The Ramp":
An independent test was conducted on a closed course to evaluate how each of the top five small all-wheel-drive crossovers: Ford Escape, Mazda CX-5, Toyota Rav4, Honda CR-V and Subaru Forester were able to cope with extreme conditions.
One of the most thorough independent testing organizations, the United States Auto Club conducted the test and offered certified results.
After gathering the vehicles the compromised traction hill-climb test was created. A ramp was sent to a 30.5% grade and lined with polyethylene and wet down to test the ability of each be able to climb a hill under extreme low traction conditions.
The first four vehicles were unsuccessful in their attempts to reach the top of the ramp. The testers then attempted the hill in the Subaru Forester. The all-wheel drive Forester successfully climbed and ascended the ramp. The final analysis was in: the Subaru outperformed the competition. A Subaru is built around engineering you can trust in ever-shifting road conditions.
Crossover Challenge--"The Ramp":
Take a Test Drive in the All New 2014 Subaru Forester and experience the power and beauty of Symmetrical All Wheel Drive for yourself!
