Mitsubishi ASX vs Subaru Forester

What's the difference?

The Mitsubishi ASX ES is a compact SUV that, surprisingly, can fit its occupants with relative comfort. The boot is a good size and you have just enough up front to satisfy a driver for everyday use.

The size makes it perfect for urban dwellers and the ongoing costs are fantastic. But by current standards its safety is lacking a fair few items for me.

The Subaru Forester 2.5i-S continues to impress me. It’s a very practical family car with its features and use of space but I like the price, too. Some of the old-school design aspects won’t appeal to everyone, though. I also would prefer a more powerful engine but this easily gets an 8.0/10 from me.

My son liked his view this week and the big sunroof, he gives it a 7.0/10. 

I love how the ASX looks. It has a wide stance and enough squared edges to not look too cute but its compact size should appeal to urban dwellers where space is at a premium.

The two panels at the front, which sandwich the chrome grille and house quad LED lights, add a lot of personality to the ES.

As do the 18-inch alloys and the way the lights jut out at the rear. There are multiple bright paintwork colours to choose from if you want to add your own flair.

Once inside, you’re reminded that you’re in a base-type model with the analogue instrument panel, traditional gear-shifter and handbrake, but I have fallen in ‘like’ with how old-school it is.

The fabric trims feature a nice lattice-pattern and the dashboard is simple with just three climate dials to navigate.

Overall, the interior is no-nonsense but that might appeal to drivers who don’t want to be overwhelmed by their car and its tech.

The 2023 model hasn’t seen a facelift and remains decidedly curvy with its chunky body panelling but the LED exterior lights add some sharpness to the overall look.

The interior carries the ‘muscular’ vibe with the thick cutaways and ledges on the dashboard and door panels. There’s a lot happening inside but it all somehow manages to not be overwhelming.

It’s a bit old-school inside, with the traditional gearshifter, CD player (yep, they still exist) and smaller 8.0-inch touchscreen multimedia system but I reckon it just makes this look more capable.

It’s certainly polished but it won’t appeal to drivers who are looking for sleek or futuristic styling. 

The ASX is roomier up front than in the rear, and taller occupants will be most comfortable in the front row. There is plenty of head- and legroom, and surprisingly for this class, there’s also a good amount of elbow room!

The front seats are comfortable and well padded and adjust manually but I miss having lumbar support on longer trips.

The fabric trims look nice and it’s great that carpet mats come standard in the ES.

The back seat offers an okay amount of room for my 168cm (5'6") height but taller occupants may feel squished.

My son struggled at times to fit his large school bag through the smaller door apertures, as they are not as wide as the front. However, its 205mm ground clearance makes it an easy car to slide into most of the time.

The back seats aren't terribly comfortable because you feel like you’re perched on top as they sit straight like a church pew. Expect a few 'oomphs' from passengers when going around corners.

Individual storage options up front are good for this class with a deep middle console and glove box, two cupholders and two drink bottle holders. Plus, there is a little cubby in front of the gear shifter which is the perfect size for a phone.

In the back, there is a single map pocket and two cupholders but I would have liked to have seen at least one USB port, too.

As you might expect at this grade level, the amenities are very basic throughout the car. It takes a while for the air conditioning to hit the back row because of the one-zone climate control and lack of directional air vents back there. This is something my son reminds me of on hot days.

The technology matches the amenities with the 8.0-inch touchscreen multimedia system being super simple on graphics and options. It is responsive but basic to use.

There are two USB-A ports and a 12-volt for charging and it’s easy to connect to the wired Apple CarPlay. There is wired Android Auto for those users, too.

The instrument panel has a small digital screen that shows your trip information and average fuel usage but is otherwise analogue and easy to read. There is digital radio and Bluetooth connectivity but that’s it for the tech.

The boot is a good size at 393L and you get a temporary spare tyre underneath the floor. The load space is level and while the tailgate isn’t powered, it’s not a heavy lid to operate.

The interior is downright practical and boasts more space than this SUV class can usually claim. At 168cm (5'6") I have plenty of head and legroom in both rows, even with the electric sunroof! Tall passengers will feel comfortable, too.

Up front, the leather-accented seats are well-padded and both are electric with heating function but the passenger side misses out on additional lumbar support.

Individual storage options are quite good with a deep middle console and glove box, plus two cupholders and a drink bottle holder in each door.

The phone utility tray is a tad too small for my iPhone 8 Plus, which makes it awkward when you connect to the wired Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.

The 8.0-inch touchscreen multimedia system is on the smaller side but the graphics are super clear. It’s not laggy either, which is always a bonus, and has built-in satellite navigation, too. 

There is an additional 4.2-inch screen on top of the dash plus the 6.3-inch digital instrument panel – both display safety and vehicle information but I found it confusing jumping between all three screens while on the go.

Incorporating the smaller screen’s info into a larger instrument panel would have been better.

Charging options are good throughout with each row getting two USB-A ports but the front also enjoys two 12-volt ports too.

The back seat is almost as comfortable as the front and individual storage is better than average with a map pocket and two device holders on the backs of both front seats. There are those drink bottle holders and two cupholders in the fold-down armrest.

The amenities are a bit bare but I do like that you have directional air-vents and those USB ports.

My six-year old and my parents found it super easy to get in and out of this car because of the 220mm ground clearance.

The doors were a little heavy for my son to operate smoothly but I love how they open to almost 90 degrees because it made it easy to fit my monster booster seat through the aperture.

On that note, there are ISOFIX child-seat mounts on the outboard seats and three top-tether anchor points and I reckon you might get lucky with three skinny seats.

There should be plenty of room for front passengers when a 0-4 rearward facing child seat is installed, too.

I really like how wide and tall the aperture is for the boot but was surprised that it only has 498L of capacity because it looks a lot bigger.

It has a level loading space but because of the full-sized spare wheel, you can’t adjust the floor level. And as always, it’s great having a powered tailgate.

There are seven models in the petrol-based Forester line-up and this sits second from the top, with a price tag of $46,340, before on-road costs.

That puts it just under its nearest rival, the X-Trail ST-L ($46,790) but makes it a fair bit more affordable than the Karoq Sportline 4x4 ($49,490) and RAV4 XSE ($52,585).

There are two hybrid versions available, if you’re looking for something a bit eco-friendlier.

The Forester 2.5i-S is well-specified with leather-accented trims, heated front seats, electric front seats with eight-way adjustments, dual memory seat positions (driver only), a powered tailgate, a sunroof and a full-size spare wheel.

The exterior hosts full LEDs with its daytime running lights, headlights and tail-lights but it still misses out on ambient lighting inside.

Is has dual climate-control is up front and directional air vents in both rows, plus multiple charging options add to interior practicality. Its technology feels up to market with the graphics however the packaging looks older but more on that later.

You do have to fork out a bit extra for carpet mats ($207.07, fitted) but otherwise, even the paintwork is included in the price tag. 

The ES has a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine with a maximum power output of 110kW and 197Nm of torque. It is a front-wheel drive and has a continuously variable automatic transmission.

For manual enthusiasts, you can option a five-speed gearbox on the base GS model but I find the ES to be perfectly adequate to run about town in. And while it’s lacking a little in power, it has enough punch for open-road driving if need be.

Our Forester model has a 2.5-litre, horizontally-opposed four-cylinder 'boxer' petrol engine with a maximum power output of 136kW and 239Nm of torque.

It’s not the most powerful engine but I feel it had plenty of power for what I required of it this week. It can occasionally whine if you push it hard on a hill.

This is an all-wheel drive but has a continuously variable auto transmission, which can feel a bit clumsy at lower speeds.

The ES has an official combined cycle fuel economy figure of 7.7km/100km but my real-world usage came to 8.6L.

This is a disappointing figure considering how much open-road driving I do, so I would expect that figure to be higher in the city. Unfortunately, the ES isn’t as economical as I was hoping.

Based on a 7.7L/100km fuel cycle and the 63-litre fuel tank, expect to see a driving range of around 829km.

The official fuel figure for the combined cycle is 7.4L/100km and my real-world usage came to 6.9L. That’s great economy for this sized SUV but I did mostly open-road driving this week. Expect it to be higher in the city.

Based on the combined fuel figure and the 63L fuel tank, you should be able to get a driving range of around 850km, which is good for those families who like to do road trips.

I feel like I’ve gone back to basics with the ASX ES. I’m much more alert in it because it doesn’t have the same standard safety tech that I’m used to (more on that below) and it took me a few drives to stop throwing my keys into the cupholder because you need the key to turn on the ignition.

I've missed the good old-fashioned turning of a key. It’s a lot more satisfying than pressing a button.

Overall, the ES is an enjoyable little SUV to drive and there is enough power to allay any worries about whether it will make it up a hill.

The ES is solidly placed on the road and handles corners well but the steering is not exactly razor sharp and you have to make big adjustments. But you get used to that pretty quickly.

In terms of ride comfort, the suspension is adequate for the smooth stuff but you’ll know it if you hit a bumpy road. The cabin noise also creeps up, which is annoying on a longer trip.

It’s certainly compact with its 4365mm length and 1640mm height but that makes the ASX easy to park. The sloping bonnet and relatively flat behind also make it easy to determine where the car starts and ends.

This is very handy because the reversing camera is a bit blurry and you miss out on front parking sensors at this grade level.

I’ve mostly enjoyed driving this around town but it delivers a steadier experience on the open road. That CVT auto just doesn’t do it any favours in stop/start traffic, I’m afraid!

I didn’t have to get too aggressive with the accelerator on hills, but the engine can whine if you push it too hard.

Overall, the steering is responsive enough to confidently take on a winding road but it’s on the looser side of firm. The ride comfort is superior and while the suspension feels super cushioned, it’s not floaty.

The cabin can get a bit loud at higher speeds and your senses might feel battered after a long trip but it is otherwise pleasant to be in.

I am particularly fond of the higher driving position and how the windows at the rear are so wide. It has great visibility, which is important in a SUV.

The exterior styling makes the Forester appear a lot larger than it is but the 10.8m turning circle reminds you how easy it is to manoeuvre! 

The reversing camera is clear and I love the additional side camera that shows the front left wheel. It makes it easy to line up the car with parking lines.  

The safety features are robust on the Forester and I really like the driver fatigue monitor because it has facial recognition technology that watches you for signs of inattention. I tested it a lot this week and found it fairly responsive.

Other features that come standard, are LED daytime running lights, blind-spot monitoring, forward collision warning, rear cross-traffic alert, lane keeping aids, lane departure warning, intelligent seat belt reminders, front and rear parking sensors, a reversing camera and adaptive cruise control with stop/go and lane keeping function.

It has autonomous emergency braking with car, pedestrian and cyclist detection which is operational from 0-80km/h.

The Forester was awarded a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating but it was done a while ago in 2019. There are seven airbags but it’s missing the front centre airbag we’re starting to see on new cars.

The ASX comes with the ‘Diamond Advantage’ that Mitsubishi is well-known for and that means you’ll enjoy a 10-year, or up to 200,000km warranty, whichever occurs first.

What?! I know. Pretty great. In terms of duration, that’s much better than anything else on the market at the moment.

Worth noting, however, that a five-year/100,000km warranty is 'standard' and the 10-year cover only applies to cars serviced according to the factory schedule at an authorised Mitsubishi dealership.

If you do, you’ll also enjoy a 10-year or up to 150,000km capped-priced servicing plan. 

And although the services average on the more expensive side for this class at $502 each, having those extra few years is a bonus.

Servicing intervals are reasonable at every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever occurs first.

The on-going costs are quite reasonable on this with it coming with a five-year/unlimited km warranty. You can choose to pre-purchase a three- or five-year capped-priced servicing plan, which is cheaper than a pay-as-you-go option.

It’s $1387.25 for the three-year plan (averaging $463 per service). Expect to pay $2674.64 for the five-year plan (averaging $535 per service) but both plans are competitive for the class.

Servicing intervals are average at every 12 months or 12,500km, whichever occurs first.