This is a difficult choice to make. The Outlander clearly has the Forester in its sight, but Mitsubishi has to come up with a bigger engine (3LV6) to match Subaru's (2.5F4 Turbo) power but its still a tad short. In terms of ameneties and space, the Outlander has the advantage. I haven't driven the Outlander yet so I cannot comment on its ride & handling. I'll tell you a personal anecdote: During the MIAS last March, I inspected the Mitsubishi Outlander on display. Nice! While I was seated at the Driver's side, another onlooker opened the front passenger door and when he closed it again, lo and behold, the sunglass holder mounted above the rear view mirror fell! Talk about build quality. Notwithstanding, in difficult comparisons as this, I suggest you go for a test drive. Considering that the Outlander is still a new model, there are no comprehensive reviews as of this writing. My personal choice: still the Subaru Forester.