No question the Forester will get better mileage. It has a little better crash rating. (Although the rating didn't take into account the GV's standard stability control, which will help avoid accidents to begin with.) And the Forester has a larger cargo area. But it doesn't feel nearly as spacious inside the passenger areas.
As for reliabilty, I've commented on that before with respect to the Forester, so I won't stir up trouble again. The new GV seems to have very few problems for any vehicle, let alone a new model. They have been running around since September, so some medium-term problems would be showing up, in addition to the one or two minor initial problems. Such as loose material in some leather seats and reprogramming a few 5-spd automatics. But there's virtually nothing showing up, and they are very tightly screwed together. Made in Japan, too. Where is the Forester made?
Parked side-by-side, or going for a drive in both, and not knowing the pricing, you'd never guess the Forester is the one that costs more. Resale prices for Grand Vitaras are in line with their lower purchase prices, if not better. And if you need it, the GV can be had with something unavailable on the Forester: a low range. We need it.
But I'm biased. I have a GV and never liked the Forester. The Forester has lots of ardent supporters, while the GV is too new to have a "following". Many traditional GV owners don't like the new one because it's not as suited to bush-bashing. The GV is also a relatively rare sight on the roads, compared to Foresters, if that makes any difference to you. I'd say test drive them both, and get the one you like the dynamics of better. Or just flip a coin.
