All-New 2026 Toyota RAV4 VS 2026 Subaru Forester// Which one?
Welcome to the Motormouth YouTube channel. I’m Zach. I’m Andrea. And this is a comparison between the all-new 2026 Toyota RAV 4 and what else? And the Subaru Forester, also the 2026 model with a hybrid. The allnew RAV 4 is offered in two electrified powertrain options. A hybrid and a plug-in hybrid. Gone is the gas option for 2026. The hybrid has a 2.5 L 4 cylinder matched to an ECVT. It has the fifth generation hybrid system and gets a combined 236 horsepower. In Canada, standard all-wheel drive. In the US, front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive options are available. The RAV 4 plug-in hybrid is a 2.5 L 4 cylinder matched to an ECVT. It gets a combined 324 horsepower. It uses the sixth generation PHEV system with two electric motors and it has a 22.7 kilowatt hour battery. It gets 84 km 52 mi of range. The GR Sport a little less at 77 km 48 mi and the Woodland 79 km 49 mi of EV range standard all-wheel drive. There are two Forester powertrain options. The gas model is a 2 and 1/2 L 4-cylinder and a CVT, 180 horsepower, 178 pound- feet of torque and standard all-wheel drive. The hybrid is a 2 and 1/2 L 4-cylinder or what they call an Eboxer hybrid. It’s matched to a linearronic CVT and gets 194 horsepower, 199 pound- feet of torque, standard symmetrical fulltime all-wheel drive. Both the RAV 4 and the Forester offer a comfortable drive. You still get the gas model with the Forester where with the RAV 4, it’s only hybrid and plug-in hybrid for 2026. Uh, I like both. I was super impressed with the Forester hybrid. Obviously, RAV 4 hybrid as well. Both are fairly quiet uh for insulation of the cabin. So, the big news is, you know, Subaru is kind of like the newest player in this class with a hybrid. They’re late to the game and they do use some Toyota components in their system. The big mechanical difference is with Toyota is we’ll use all-wheel drive because you know the Forester is only all-wheel drive. They have the gas engine and electric motor powering the front wheels at the RAV 4 and to power the rear wheels they have a separate little electric motor. They call it E all-wheel drive. Electric all-wheel drive and electric motor. Subaru is different. They still have a drive shaft that connects the electric motor at the front and the gasoline engine mechanically to the rear wheels. That’s how they get their symmetrical all-wheel drive. It is a difference and it does affect fuel economy. Yeah, you’ll notice when we get into all of the stats of fuel economy, there’s quite a difference between the two. The Forester hybrid just doesn’t deliver as good a fuel economy. It was important to Subaru to have symmetrical all-wheel drive. That’s a massive feature uh within their lineup. I think that overall I would get the hybrid for the Forester. I find that the gas model, although good, it’s going to get you from A to B, but passing power on the highway just isn’t as good. That electric motor makes a big difference. And many feel that the Forester gas model could really use a turbocharged engine just like the Outback. Yes. Too bad they don’t offer that anymore. They used to. the XT, which was really quite quick. It it it even though it’s brand new for Forester, right, it it’s not even catching up in terms of power to the last RAV 4, which had 219 horsepower. Now, they’ve gone up even more with the RAV 4 to add more power. The one thing we both noticed driving it was that tip-in throttle response when you want to pass a truck on the highway, for example, or merging on the highway was better with the new RAV 4. So, uh, just on paper, RAV 4 has more power. Subaru has that mechanical all-wheel drive. Plus, you get that plug-in hybrid option as well for the RAV 4 with even more power and fabulous range. Now, I would have to lean into the RAV 4, although I think, you know, for a first kick at the can for Subaru with the Forester, that hybrid is really good. The RAV 4 gets a new look with different designs, core, rugged, and sport. Core is your more elegant RAV 4 with a color match grill. Rugged, your more adventurous, outdoorl looking RAV 4 with integrated rigid industries LED lighting. And it’s half an inch higher because of the all-terrain tires. Sport models have the sportier design elements, and the new RAV 4 GR Sport takes inspiration from motorsports and prioritizes handling with a GR tuned suspension. It also sits lower to the ground. The RAV 4 comes standard with LED headlamps, LED tail lamps, 17in wheels available, 18 and 20-in wheels, and a temporary spare tire for both the hybrid and plug-in hybrid. The Rav 4 has 8.1 in of ground clearance. The Woodland model a little more at 8.5 in, and the GR Sport a little less at 7.5 in. Now, the Forester was just redesigned for 2025. It has rugged looks, of course. It has that wonderful what they call greenhouse effect with large doors and windows making it easy to see through and also get in and out of the vehicle. It has a new grill. Some say it looks like a Ford that merges the LED headlamps. And there are several functional aerodynamic improvements enhancing this SUV’s performance and stability. The Forester has 8.7 in of ground clearance and comes standard with LED steering responsive headlamps, LED tail lamps, raised roof rails, 17-in wheels available 18 and 19. There are different design elements depending on the trim you choose. The sport model gets bronze accents and bronze wheels. Wilderness models have wilderness specific badging, copper accents, greater ground clearance, and off-road tuned suspension with all-terrain Yokohama Geolander tires. The gas model has a temporary spare tire and the hybrid a tire repair kit because the battery is stored in the cargo area, which is another difference from the RAV 4. The battery for the RAV 4 is stored underneath the rear seat, so you give up no cargo space. And Toyota’s offering a temporary spare tire on the hybrid and plug-in hybrid. I think that that’s terrific. Toyota does a really good job. I like the new look of the Forester. I like the boxy design. And I know some people prefer the look of the previous model Forester. They’re seeing a bit of a Ford vibe with this new one. And the RAV 4 looks quite modern now. Yeah. Also, some people say the Forester looks like a Ford/ Honda CRV. Anyway, it’s still a Subaru. If you get that wilderness that that year’s no doubting that it’s a Subaru. Uh but with RAV 4, they took what they had because the wheelbase is the same as the previous model. The overall dimensions are roughly the same as the last RAV 4. They just made it more chiseled and square and I think it looks pretty good. I like the script on the back. I think that the rear looks quite nice. Um, overall Toyota did a nice job with the exterior design. What would you choose? Some people think that the Forester looks quite beautiful. Subaru models, you know, to each their own. Andrea married me, so look is in the eye of the beholder. The new RAV 4 interior prioritizes functionality and practicality with userfriendly technology, standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 12.3 in digital driver display, and a 10.5 in touchscreen. There is an available 12.9 in touchscreen. It is the newest version of the Toyota multimedia system with improved voice assistant and quicker response times as well as new software called Aren. The RAV 4 is comfortable and offers good visibility. Comes standard with cloth upholstery available soft text. On certain models, Toyota’s added a new shift by wire system with a minimalist toggle switch. Other models still have the traditional shifter. The Woodland trim has an outdoor inspired cabin with pattern trim pieces and orange accents. The Sport SE and XSSE models have a micro suede and softex upholstery combo with blue accents. And the GR Sport model adds GR badging, paddle shifters, and aluminum sport pedals and a micro suede combo. The Forester comes standard with cloth upholstery, available premium cloth, leather and ultra suede and leather combo, and all-weather soft touch materials on the sport model. The larger 11.6 6-in touchscreen is available with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. And a first for Forester is a hands-free power liftgate with kick sensor. In the United States, there are a variety of hybrid models to choose from, but in Canada, there’s only one trim, and it’s the top fully loaded with leather upholstery, ultra suede inserts, and geometric soft touch materials. The Forester keeps up well with the RAV 4 for available features, including a 12.3 in digital driver display for the hybrid models, a 360 camera, a ventilated front seats, a panoramic sunroof, and a Harman Cardon sound system. The RAV 4 has an available JVL sound system. One thing I love about the Forester is that greenhouse effect and the visibility. Larger doors, getting people in and out of the vehicle is just so easy. The problem is is that the hybrid only has one trim in Canada. In the US, it’s better. There are more trims available. So, you can get into a hybrid at a more affordable price point. But in Canada, the gas model is the one that has the variety of trims. I’d like to see the hybrid have a lower starting price point. It gets up there just like the Honda CRV hybrid. I used this line in one of the other comparisons. By the way, we’ve done the same comparison RAV 4 with um CRV, Sportage, and Tucson. And now I’m going to do it with this one. Andrea, you know what? Toyota said, “Hold my Saporro. We’re going to have hybrid only.” By the way, we don’t know the pricing yet. We’re going to get to the pricing of the current model in just a moment of their least expensive base model all the way up to the plug-in hybrid with a massive spectrum of available features and trims and price points which is why RAV 4 is king car in North America in Canada and the US. It’s the bestselling passenger car period when you take pickup trucks out of the situation. So, you know why only having one hybrid for Subaru just seems like folly. As for the interior, it’s very comfortable for both models. I find the seats to be quite comfortable. There’s enough thigh support offered on the seats. I think on long trips, you’ll find that both are a good option. Now, with the RAV 4, every trim comes with a height adjustment on the passenger seat, which is so nice to have. Of course, it can be manual or power operated, but that is a nice addition for the RAV 4. I feel like Toyota just made things better in the RAV 4 except for one thing. What’s that one thing I want to know? The infotainment screen has many functions now done in the screen. And you look at the Forester with that 11.6 in touchscreen and it’s the same thing. And it’s such a massive complaint. When we look at the new Outback coming, guess what? Subaru has changed that. Yeah. So you got to remember the the the vehicles that are being introduced for 2026 the decisions made by the car company were many years ago and you know several years ago head units the big push was to put everything into the screen and now we’re seeing a pivot to putting more buttons back in. So just in time for 2026 Toyota introduces a new head unit and pretty much everything’s in the screen. There are a couple of features available like a temperature up and down uh volume knob and front and rear defrost or are hot keys at the bottom. Yeah. But it’s the same with Subaru. They have a temperature up and down volume outside of the screen. But the one thing about Subaru with their screen compared to Toyota is it’s slow and laggy than what’s the name of the new Toyota software assistant. Aren Irene come on Irene is definitely snappier. And the graphics are really good. Like I find with the Forester, with the backup camera as well as the 360 camera that the graphics aren’t so great and when it rains, uh, it’s more difficult to see. Look, Subaru is going to be adding, I am 100% positive, that same infotainment system that’s going to be in the Outback into all of their models. But when this is it, there’s going to be a wait time. And when you take a look at the RAV 4, everything is updated with all of those extra features. So overall, Toyota did a great job with that interior. Although it definitely borders on practicality with materials used and more of a trucklike vibe than something like the Korean Cousins. The Forester has almost an extra 2.5 inches of front row legroom and over an inch and a half more second row legroom compared to the new RAV 4. The Toyota does have more cargo space behind the second row and overall cargo space compared to the Forester. So the RAV 4 will go on sale in the new year and that’s when they’re going to introduce the 2026 pricing. All we can go off is the current 25 pricing. We put all of the numbers on the screen for Canada and the US hybrid and plug-in hybrid. Pause and have a look and guess what the new numbers will be. So, here’s the pricing for the Subaru Forester in Canada. Includes freight, PDI, and fees. We have gas and hybrid for Canada and the US. So, make sure to pause and read the one that you’re interested in. Well, here are the allimportant fuel economy numbers for the RAV 4. We’ve chosen fuel economy for the most popular model, which is the XLE all-wheel drive. Here are the numbers on the screen. For the plug-in hybrid, here are the fuel economy numbers, both when the battery is charged and when the battery is depleted. This new plug-in will charge from 10 to 80% in approximately 35 minutes. With a level two charger, it’ll take 2 to 3 and 1/2 hours, depending on the size of the onboard charger. It has a J1772 charging port, available CCS1. Here’s the Forester fuel economy for gas and hybrid. We’re going to leave it on the screen for you to pause and take a look. The hybrid and plug-in hybrids from Toyota can tow 3500 lb. There are a few exceptions. The base model hybrid and front-wheel drive can tow, 1750 lb. The GR Sport has limited towing, but that number has not been announced. The Forester gas and hybrid models can tow,500 lb. The Wilderness gas model 3500 lb. Toyota and Subaru offer a warranty of three years or 60,000 kilometers, 36,000 miles. Now, both of these products, RAV 4 and Subaru with the Forester, do have a fan base. There were loyal buyers to both. Subaru buyers, uh, they love them. They love the ground clearance. They they offer a very smooth and comfortable ride. If you live somewhere where there’s a lot of bumps on the road, they eat those up easily. uh they love that big open feel to it and that sort of attitude and being a little bit different. So that’s that crowd. The RAV 4 are the people who just want to have a good reliable everyday transportation vehicle and that’s where RAV 4 wins. Mhm. I I think overall my favorite as I mentioned earlier with the Forester is the hybrid powertrain. It gives you enough passing power on the highway. Accelerating from a stop light is good. So, that’s the one I would lean towards. Although, it’s a new powertrain, so I don’t know how it’s going to play out for the year ahead. The issue is, yes, the price of it. You cannot get into an affordable hybrid option in Canada with the Forester. It’s a shame. So, if you’re on a tighter budget, you are not going to be able to beat the RAV 4 hybrid. You just aren’t. Problem is availability. Yeah. And you But you can in the United States. It’s a different story there. Uh we’re hoping that they’re going to revisit that and bring in more u available trims. Uh but these are quite different products and and even at the beginning I explained that the way they go around doing the raw wheel drive hybrid system is quite different. They are very different and I truly believe they’re different buyer sort of psyches and you guys let us know which one. What camp are you in? Camp Forester or camp RAV 4. Yeah. So just a quick recap. You’ve got RAV 4 with more power, more towing capacity, better fuel economy, and a plug-in hybrid option with more power and great range. Some of the benefits of Forester, you’ve got symmetrical all-wheel drive. Towing capacity for that wilderness model is really great and some unique trims and now a hybrid option. At least you’re getting better fuel economy and more power than that gas model. All right, thanks for watching and uh if you like what you see, subscribe. We’ll see you next time. We’ll see you next
This is a Motormouth couple car comparison of the all-new 2026 Toyota RAV4 VS the 2026 Subaru Forester
The all-new 2026 Toyota RAV4 is now offered in two electrified powertrain options, a Hybrid and Plug-in hybrid, gone is the gas option for 2026. The hybrid has a 2.5L 4-cylinder matched to an eCVT, it has the 5th generation hybrid system and gets a combined 236 horsepower. In Canada, standard AWD. In the US FWD and AWD options are available.
The 2026 Toyota RAV4 plug-in hybrid has a 2.5L 4 cylinder matched to an eCVT, it gets a combined 324 horsepower. It uses the 6th generation PHEV system with two electric motors and has a 22.7 kWh battery. It gets 84 km/52 miles of range. The GR Sport a little less 77 km/48 miles and the Woodland 79 km/49 miles of range. Standard AWD.
The 2026 Subaru Forester has two powertrain options, the gas model, a 2.5L 4-cylinder engine matched to a CVT, 180 horsepower and 178 lb-ft of torque, standard AWD.
The 2026 Subaru Forester hybrid is a 2.5L 4-cylinder e-Boxer hybrid, it’s matched to a lineartronic CVT and gets a combined 194 horsepower and 199 lb-ft of torque, standard Symmetrical full-time AWD.
The new 2026 Toyota RAV4 interior prioritizes functionality and practicality with user friendly technology, standard wireless Apple Carplay and Android Auto, a 12.3” digital driver display and 10.5” touchscreen, available 12.9” touchscreen. It has the newest version of the Toyota multi-media system with improved voice assistant and quicker response times as well as new software called Arene. The 2026 Toyota RAV4 is comfortable and offers good visibility, it comes standard with cloth upholstery, available Softex. On certain models Toyota has added a new shift by wire system with a minimalist toggle switch, other models still have the traditional shifter. The Woodland trim has an outdoor inspired cabin with patterned trim pieces and orange accents, the 2026 Toyota RAV4 Sport SE and XSE models have a micro suede and Softex upholstery combo with blue accents and the GR Sport model adds GR badging, paddle shifters and aluminum sport pedals and a micro suede combo.
The 2026 Subaru Forester is a comfortable SUV with a low step-in height for both front and rear passenger entry. Just like the RAV4 the interior has different stitching options and accents depending on the trim you choose. It comes standard with cloth upholstery, available premium cloth, leather, an ultra-suede and leather combo and all-weather soft touch material on the sport model. The larger 11.6” touchscreen is available with wireless Apple Carplay and Android Auto and a first for the Forester is a hands-free power liftgate with kick sensor. In the US, there are a variety of hybrid models to choose from but in Canada, only one trim and it’s the top trim fully loaded with leather upholstery and ultra-suede inserts and geometric soft touch materials. The 2026 Subaru Forester keeps up well with the RAV4 for available features, including a 12.3” digital driver display for the hybrid model, a 360 camera, ventilated front seats, a panoramic sunroof and an Harman Kardon sound system. The RAV4 has an available JBL sound system.
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