Toyota RAV4 vs Subaru Forester

If you’re in the market for an SUV, there are two you should consider: the 2021 Toyota RAV4 and the Subaru Forester. Each SUV is strong and dedicated to making sure you’re able to complete your daily tasks with ease. While they’re similar in many ways, their differences could be the deciding factor when it comes to determining which one is better for you.

At Ira Toyota of Manchester, we’ve crafted this comparison of the RAV4 and the Forester for drivers in Amherst, Manchester, and Derry, NH.

Toyota RAV vs Subaru Forester: Engine Performance

Toyota RAV4 vs Subaru Forester One of the biggest draws to an SUV for many drivers is the potential to have a vehicle with an even more powerful engine. The Toyota RAV4 and the Subaru Forester both come with high-powered engines, but if you want to get the most out of engine performance, the Toyota RAV4 wins this battle for a few different reasons.

First, the RAV4 offers multiple engines. The Subaru only offers one powertrain across all its trims. The RAV4 offers a 2.5L 4-cylinder gas engine with SPORT, ECO, and NORMAL drive modes, plus a 2.5L hybrid 4-cylinder engine with similar drive modes along with EV and TRAIL modes. Below, we’ll outline their respective engine specs.

Toyota RAV4

Subaru Forester

2.5L 4-cylinder gas engine:

203 horsepower, 184 lb-ft of torque

2.5L 4-cylinder gas engine:

182 horsepower, 176 lb-ft of torque

2.5L 4-cylinder hybrid engine:

219 combined net horsepower

N/A

Toyota vs Subaru: Infotainment

Toyota RAV4 vs Subaru Forester Staying connected to your digital world is essential when you’re driving any distance. This means having your music, podcasts, maps, and more at your fingertips. The Toyota and the Subaru both offer tons of amazing infotainment and seamless connectivity features that provide easy access to everything you need.

Each vehicle comes standard with Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™ with wireless Bluetooth® capabilities that let you access your phone’s features on an infotainment screen without having to handle your phone. Speaking of screens, the base screen in the Toyota is bigger than the one in the Subaru: the Toyota screen measures seven inches, while the Subaru screen is 6.5 inches.

Across the board, the RAV4 offers a better speaker system than the Forester, so if you’re looking for enhanced audio quality, the RAV4 should be your choice. It comes standard with six speakers to the four in the Forester and can be upgraded to an 11-speaker system by JBL®. In the Forester, you can upgrade to a 9-speaker system by Harman Kardon®.

Both vehicles come with built-in 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspots except the base model Forester. This makes it more readily available in the RAV4 compared to the Forester.

RAV4 vs Forester: Safety Tech

Toyota RAV4 vs Subaru Forester When there’s a potential for danger or you need assurance that you can switch lanes without any issues, the RAV4 and the Forester are equipped with amazing, intuitive safety technology that essentially acts as a second set of eyes when you’re on the road. Both SUVs offer similar features, including:

Pre-Collision System
Lane Departure Alert
Automatic High Beams
Blind Spot Monitor with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert

That’s where the similarities end since the RAV4 wins the safety battle decisively over the Forester in a number of ways. The RAV4 offers standard Lane Tracing Assist and Road Sign Assist features that are designed to outline the lane you’re in and center your vehicle if you drift as well as display upcoming road signs if you can’t see them.

Standard across all RAV4 trims is Safety Connect®, which enables you to call for medical assistance, law enforcement, or a tow truck if you’re ever in an accident, your car is stolen, or your vehicle breaks down. The Subaru offers a similar feature, called STARLINK® Safety & Security, but it’s not standard on all Forester trims.