Forester vs. the Toyota RAV4

Look at the top of brand quality surveys and studies, and you will find Subaru and Toyota battling for the top positions. You will find the same thing in most places you look: Consumer Reports ratings, resale calculations, and brand loyalty studies. The compact crossover class racks up more sales than any other category in the U.S. A brand’s entry into this segment is often its best-selling model. Putting all these facts together, it is probably safe to say that many new car buyers are likely cross-shopping both the RAV4 and Subaru Forester. Which one is best for you? Keep reading this Ewing Subaru of Plano post to gain some insight into that answer.  

The Forester has been on the market for 28 years. Through each of its six generations, it gained a reputation as the vehicle in the segment that simply makes sense. It has always been roomy, has good visibility, and has top-notch reliability. It is equipped with a standard all-wheel-drive system that is second to none in the category. It has earned customer loyalty that is unmatched in the segment. The current Forester was just redesigned as an early 2025 model.  

The RAV4 can be credited with inventing the Compact Crossover segment, introducing the first SUV with a car-based platform 31 years ago. Its design has varied from soft and rounded to the current straight-edged and chiseled model. It is a huge seller and claims the most sales in the category, the best-selling Toyota model, and the best-selling vehicle overall that doesn’t have a full-size open cargo bed in the back. The current RAV4 is nearing the end of its fifth design generation, which began with the 2019 model year. Toyota has not offered any hint of what its upcoming replacement will be like. This does mean that a new RAV4 purchase may look older when the new model comes out, several years sooner than a new Forester purchase. 

Though Subaru and Toyota have co-developed their light sports cars and initial EV crossovers together, the Forester and RAV4 were developed independently of each other and share no components.  

Drivetrains 

The Toyota RAV4 is available in conventional, hybrid, and plug-in hybrid drivetrains, but until the Forester hybrid arrives next year, this comparison will focus on the conventional non-electrified RAV4 models.  

Both the RAV4 and Forester are powered by naturally aspirated (non-turbocharged) 2.5-liter engines. That is basically where the commonality ends. Like most 4-cylinder engines, the RAV4 has an inline configuration. It is transversely mounted, meaning that its cylinders line up vertically in a row sideways with a transmission on one side, which is ready to drive the front wheels. On models equipped with all-wheel drive (AWD), an active coupling diverts some power back to the center and down a driveshaft to power the rear wheels. The RAV4 engine generates 203 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque, which is managed by an 8-speed automatic transmission with available manual shift mode. 

Like all gas-powered Subarus, the Forester has a horizontally opposed engine with two cylinders on opposite sides on a flat plane. Also known as a Boxer engine because of the way the pistons’ movement resembles punches being thrown at each other, this engine configuration stands out for its low center of gravity as the pistons are as low as the crankshaft rather than towering above it on an inline engine.  The engine is also positioned so the crankshaft sends power rearward to the continuously variable transmission (CVT) and then to a differential that sends power to both the front and rear wheels. This is why Subaru refers to this as Symmetrical all-wheel drive because the system is evenly balanced on both sides. The power is a little less than the RAV4 at 180 horsepower and 178 lb-ft of torque, though the torque reaches its peak at 3700 rpm, which is 1300 lower than the RAV4 engine.  

The CVT has paddle shifters that can transition through eight set ratios. For both models, this manual shifting ability is particularly useful on mountain roads. It lets you stay in a lower ratio for quicker response when climbing and enables engine braking when descending. 

MPG 

Despite the transmission and configuration differences, both the RAV4 and Forester deliver nearly identical fuel economy figures. The Forester has an EPA city / highway / combined MPG estimate of 26 / 33 / 29. The AWD RAV4 is close but down one mpg in the city, bringing down the combined figure and resulting in 25 / 33 / 28. 

Off-road Components 

When the ground gets unpaved and uneven, the standard RAV4 has 8.4 inches of ground clearance, while off-road-themed models bump that up to 8.4 inches. Even that does not match the 8.7 inches of the standard Forester, all of which are equipped with a front aluminum skip plate when that is not quite enough. The off-road-focused Wilderness model delivers 9.2 inches of ground clearance, which is unmatched in the category. 

On Sport, Limited, and Touring grades, the Forester is equipped with Dual-Function X-Mode, which adjusts throttle, transmission, AWD, the traction control system, and Hill Descent Control to provide the optimum traction with special settings for dirt/snow and deep snow/mud. The RAV4 AWD also has drive mode settings for Snow, Mud and Sand, and Trail, as well as Normal Eco and Sport modes, but they aren’t quite as comprehensive for off-road use as on the Forester. 

Size and Features 

The Forester is about 2.5 inches longer than the RAV4 (183.3 vs. 180.9) but with about an inch less wheelbase (105.1 vs. 105.9). The Forester is also an inch narrower (72.0 vs. 73.0) but an inch higher (68.1 vs. 67.0). The Forester’s greater length is reflected directly in legroom which is longer in the front (43.3 vs. 41.0) and more importantly, provides about an inch and a half more for rear passengers (39.4 vs. 37.8). Despite the inch less in width, front and rear shoulder room is within a few tenths of an inch from each other. 

The RAV4 shows more cargo room behind the rear seats (27.5 vs 37.6 cubic feet), though as The Car Connection pointed out: “That seems off in reality, as the Forester’s boxy opening seems larger.“ That boxy space makes itself apparent when both models are in full cargo mode, with the Forester measuring in at 74.2 cubic feet compared to 69.8 for the RAV4. 

The dashboard aesthetics for the two models are a matter of taste. The RAV4 has a horizontal 8-inch center touchscreen on all grades except the top-level Limited grade, which has a 10.5-inch screen. Both screens have the same-sized housing, which is perched on top of the dash. All models have wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.  

While the base Forester has two 7-inch screens (one for infotainment and another for controls), all other models get the 11.6-inch touchscreen standard to other Subaru models, which is vertically integrated within the dash. The big screen comes with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Both models have cloth upholstery for the bottom two trim levels, whereupon they transition to synthetic leather, with actual leather available in the top grades.  

Safety 

Both models come standard with a set of safety and driver assistance technologies. The RAV4’s Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 includes: 

• Dynamic Radar Cruise Control 
• Lane Departure Alert 
• Pre-Collision System 
• Automatic High Beams 

Blind-spot systems are standard above the LE and XLE grades. 

The Forester comes standard with Subaru’s EyeSight® Driver Assist Technology, which includes: 

• Adaptive Cruise Control 
• Lane Keeping Assist  
• Pre-Collision Braking 
• Lane Departure and Sway Warning 
• Automatic Emergency Assist 
• Automatic High Beams 

Blind-spot detection is available on the Premium grade and standard on higher grades. 

The 2025 RAV4 earned a 5-Star Overall Rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The 2025 Forester has yet to be tested, but the 2024 model earned a 5-Star Overall Rating, and the redesigned model can be expected to perform at least as well. This is borne out in the 2025 Forester earning a TOP SAFETY PICK + rating from the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS), which is their highest rating. The RAV4 did not earn any TOP SAFETY PICK designation from the IIHS.  

Summary 

Clearly, both models compete closely and have their specific advantages. The Forester’s advantages in rear legroom, a superior infotainment system across most of the model line, higher ground clearance, and notably superior IIHS safety ratings are difficult to ignore. It certainly means that when looking for a compact crossover with a top-brand reputation, the Forester simply must be high on your consideration list. Of course, the final comparison must be made in person, and Ewing Subaru of Plano invites you to do just that, where if you find the Forester to your liking, you will find one of the largest Forester selections in the country.