2025 Chevy Equinox vs. 2025 Subaru Forester

The SUV has long been associated with comfort, versatility, space, and off-road readiness. As a result, it has remained a popular vehicle class for decades. And the latest editions within the segment further support this. In this article, we’re pitting the 2025 Chevy Equinox vs. 2025 Subaru Forester against each other to see which one comes out on top to answer that all-important question: Which is the best option for you? Keep reading to learn more.
Exterior Design
The exterior of a vehicle is often a major selling point for many people, and it’s easy to see why. Your exterior communicates the vehicle’s style and personality, so it makes sense that it’s an important factor in many consumers’ buying decisions. Let’s see how Equinox and Forester compare in terms of their exteriors.
2025 Chevy Equinox
Chevy is well aware that its buyers love trucks. As a result, it has injected a truck-like appearance into the Equinox’s SUV styling. This can immediately be seen in the aggressive front grille design and the darkened front emblem, which also contributes to the bold exterior.
Other exterior elements include a low-slung hood, adventure-ready 17-inch wheels, decisive-looking taillights, and more.
2025 Subaru Forester
The Subaru Forester has continually ranked as one of the best-selling Subaru models in the U.S. And the 2025 model year validates why. The exterior gives off a very professional, corporate vibe. Its enlarged, hexagonal grille boasts a formal appearance with its gloss-black accents, full 360-degree front camera, and prominent Subaru badging.
And that only scratches the surface. The 2025 Subaru Forester also delivers steering-responsive full LED headlights, 3 cameras as part of Subaru’s Eyesight Assistance technology, black-painted side mirrors, and a stylish integrated rear spoiler.
Interior Layout
Every interior of any vehicle should provide a few necessities: comfort, practicality, technology, and space. Let’s see if the Equinox and the Forester go above and beyond when it comes to their interior designs.
2025 Chevy Equinox
Depending on the trim you get, the Equinox’s interior layout offers a few stylistic options. For example, the Activ trim receives an incredible two-tone color scheme throughout the cabin. The seats, armrests, dash, and door panels are draped in maple sugar and black tones for a uniquely elegant and contrasting interior presentation.
Meanwhile, the luxury-leaning RS trim, with its blacked-out materials and stylish red stitching, delivers a more suave and youthful interior experience. Overall, the 2025 Chevy Equinox interior is an excellent example of what every SUV should provide.
2025 Subaru Forester
When you step inside the Forester, you’ll be greeted by a sense of elegance and sophistication. And this is due to the stylish two-tone black and brown color combination. You get an array of materials and fabrics throughout the cabin. Some of these include piano-black and chrome door handles, rubberized door panel armrests, and ultra-suede material with contrast stitching.
Once you settle into your seat, you’ll notice many similarities within the Forester. The interior layout is very similar to the Outback, Crosstrek, and even the WRX. As a result, you can feel confident you’re getting a premium interior with the Forester regardless of the trim level you choose.
Technology and Connectivity
Let’s talk about tech. After all, every driving experience should offer the connectivity and the entertainment to keep passengers engaged. This is simply the new standard automakers have set and that consumers expect.
2025 Chevy Equinox
The Chevy Equinox comes with an 11.3-inch infotainment touchscreen. This simple addition is 30% larger than the largest monitor of the 2024 model. Moreover, it also has wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capabilities. The Equinox has a 6-speaker sound system, a Wi-Fi hotspot, wireless charging, and an array of safety features, along with its Chevy Assist suite.
And if all that wasn’t enough, the Equinox also boasts active noise cancellation, Google automotive services capabilities, 5G vehicle connectivity, natural voice recognition, LCD display, phone integration, as well as built-in navigation.
2025 Subaru Forester
There’s a prominent piece of technology that immediately grabs your attention the moment you enter the 2025 Subaru Forester. It’s the 11.6-inch Starlink infotainment system, which has a portrait-style orientation that makes app access easy, simple, and fast. Additionally, you also get climate control, volume and tuning knobs and buttons, heated and cooled seats, and a full 360-degree camera.
Which Model is the Right Choice for You?
While both models are excellent choices, choosing one over the other will be based on a few important considerations. Namely, your budget, preference, and lifestyle needs. For example, if money is no object and you want a vehicle that is stylish, reliable, aggressive, and fully loaded with an array of features that enhance both safety and comfort, then the 2025 Chevy Equinox is the best choice for you.
However, if you’re on a limited budget and you’re not too concerned with any of the fancy bells and whistles, then there’s nothing wrong with the 2025 Subaru Forester. While it certainly has a lot going for it, the Forester does fall a bit short in a few essential categories when compared with the Equinox. For this reason, the Equinox comes out as the clear winner in this comparison.
Conclusion
Regardless of which model you choose, both the Chevy Equinox and the Subaru Forester are excellent models that will go the distance when it comes to meeting your driving needs. But if you want an SUV that doesn’t just meet your needs but far surpasses them, then the 2025 Chevy Equinox is the vehicle for you. This model has it all to ensure a safe, reliable, and comfortable driving experience.
For this reason, you simply can’t go wrong with the Equinox. And the best part is that we at Betley Chevrolet are here to help. Our team of automotive specialists is here to address your concerns, answer your questions, and guide you through the vehicle-buying process. So, if you’re ready to get your Chevy Equinox, contact us today to learn more.