Close 2025 Subaru Forester vs. Toyota RAV4
The 2025 Subaru Forester and the Toyota RAV4 are two top contenders in the highly competitive compact SUV segment. Both vehicles boast attractive design and styling, comfortable cabins, and impressive off-roading capabilities. But beyond these similarities, each model offers unique features that make it more suited for certain lifestyles and driving preferences.
In this ultimate RAV4 vs. Forester comparison, we explain how they stack up in several crucial areas. Join us as we compare these two compact SUV heavyweights to discover which model better matches your needs.
Comfort and Interior Quality
The new Subaru Forester and the Toyota RAV4 feature well-designed cabins with plenty of premium features. The Forester's interior has been completely redesigned with upscale soft-touch materials, giving it an upscale look and feel. The Base, Premium, and Premium Hybrid trims come with standard cloth-trimmed seats, while midtier trims, such as the Sport, Sport Hybrid, and Wilderness, get StarTex water-repellent seating surfaces. The high-end Limited trim takes comfort and style to the next level with standard leather upholstery.
In keeping with Subaru's reputation for unbridled interior comfort, the 2025 Forester offers a range of standard comfort amenities to make every journey an absolute dream. The base trim offers a six-way manually adjustable driver seat, a four-way manually adjustable front passenger seat, a manually adjustable tilt/telescoping steering column, a dual-zone automatic climate control system, and 60/40-split flat-folding rear seatbacks. Higher trims offer additional comfort features, including heated front seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and a power moonroof.
The 2025 Toyota RAV4 delivers an equally compelling interior with plenty of useful amenities and convenience features. Its entry-level LE trim offers fabric-trimmed seating, with six-way adjustability for the driver's seat and four-way for the front passenger seat. Higher trims get SoftTex seats with power-adjustable front seats. Additional comfort and convenience features that you can enjoy depending on the trim you choose include heated and ventilated front seating and a power tilt/slide moonroof.
Cargo Space and Utility
The 2025 Subaru Forester and the Toyota RAV4 offer generous cargo capacities, with each gaining an advantage depending on whether the rear seats are in use. The Forester delivers 29.6 cubic feet of cargo capacity when the rear seats are in place, lower than the RAV4's class-leading capacity of 37.6 cubic feet. However, when the rear seats are lowered, the Forester's remarkable cargo capabilities come into full perspective.
Folding down the Forester's rear seats expands its trunk space to 74.4 cubic feet. By comparison, the RAV4 delivers a maximum cargo capacity of just 69.8 cubic feet, with the rear seats folded flat. In addition to its greater maximum cargo capacity, the 2025 Subaru Forester has a wide rear opening and a flat load floor, which make loading and transporting even the bulkiest cargo easy.
Technology and Infotainment Systems
The 2025 Toyota RAV4 and the Subaru Forester deliver a truly connected and fun driving experience. Most trims in the 2025 Toyota RAV4 lineup have an intuitive 8-inch Toyota audio and multimedia display with wireless smartphone integration.
The two top trims, the Hybrid XSE and the Hybrid Limited, get a larger 10.5-inch touch screen as the standard display. Other critical standard and optional infotainment and connectivity technologies available on the latest RAV 4 include a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, an 11-speaker JBL Premium Audio system, wireless charging, and up to five USB ports.
The two top trims, the Hybrid XSE and the Hybrid Limited, get a larger 10.5-inch touch screen as the standard display. Other critical standard and optional infotainment and connectivity technologies available on the latest RAV 4 include a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, an 11-speaker JBL Premium Audio system, wireless charging, and up to five USB ports.
Performance and Powertrain Options
The latest Subaru Forester and the Toyota RAV4 offer robust powertrain options to suit different driving preferences. The standard powerplant across the 2025 Forester lineup is a 2.5-liter four-cylinder BOXER engine that produces 180 horsepower and 178 pound-feet of torque on the Base, Premium, Sport, and Limited trims. On the Wilderness trim, it delivers 182 horsepower and 176 pound-feet of torque. Hybrid trims in the 2025 Forester lineup pair the 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with electric motors and deliver a net combined output of 194 horsepower.
The 2025 Toyota RAV4 is available in three powertrain configurations: gas, hybrid, and plug-in hybrid. The base engine is a 2.5-liter inline-four gas engine, delivering 203 horsepower. Hybrid trims of the new RAV4 combine this engine with electric motors, producing an estimated net output of 219 horsepower. The RAV4 Prime features a plug-in hybrid system, which pairs the gas engine with electric motors and a larger battery pack. This powertrain cranks out an impressive 302 horsepower and gives you the luxury of driving short distances purely on electric power.
Safety Features and Ratings
The 2025 Toyota RAV4 and the Subaru Forester are very closely matched on the safety front, with both offering numerous advanced driver-assistance features for greater confidence behind the wheel. The Subaru EyeSight driver-assistance suite features include lane departure and sway warning, advanced adaptive cruise control, precollision Braking, and automatic emergency steering.
The 2025 Toyota RAV4 has Toyota Safety Sense 2.5, which also offers top-tier driver-assistance technologies. They include lane departure alert with steering assist, automatic high beams, precollision with pedestrian detection, full speed range dynamic radar cruise control, and road sign assist.
Test-Drive the 2025 Subaru Forester at Speedway Subaru
Deciding between equally matched vehicles, such as the 2025 Subaru Forester and the Toyota RAV4 can be daunting. However, getting an in-person feel for each can help you better understand which model best suits your lifestyle and driving preferences. Schedule a test-drive of the 2025 Forester at Speedway Subaru, or visit us today to discover why this formidable compact SUV is a top pick in Indianapolis, Indiana.