Overview
The 2019 Subaru Forester and the 2019 Toyota RAV4, which both begin a new generation this model year, are head-to-head rivals in the midsized crossover market. The Forester easily wins in the pricing category, with a base MSRP of $24,295 versus the RAV4's base MSRP of $25,500. But there's also an asterisk in there that favors the Subaru: every Forester is built with all-wheel drive, while it's an add-on for the RAV4 - to the tune of $1,400. Therefore, when you're comparing apples to apples with both base models having AWD, the Forester starts out saving you more than $2,600! Add in the RAV4's higher destination charge, and that difference becomes $1,520.
Now, let's compare their standard features, comfort, and capabilities (for off-roading as well as for carrying cargo).
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Safety Features
Both crossovers have a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine across their trim lineup: the Subaru's makes 182 horsepower and is paired to a Lineartronic CVT, while the RAV4 lineup (not including the RAV4 Hybrid) gets 203 hp out of its engine, which is paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. All Foresters and the AWD RAV4s have a selectable mode feature for different road (or off-road) conditions: snow, rock/dirt, and mud/sand.
Both of these five-passenger CUVs come with a touchscreen infotainment system - STARLINK on the Subaru and Entune on the Toyota - with features that grow as the trim level rises. The Forester's advantages include compatibility with Android Auto and Pandora, which the RAV4 lacks. Each manufacturer includes a moonroof on all but the base trim, but the Forester's is a panoramic moonroof and the RAV4's is a standard moonroof (a panoramic roof can be added to the top-trim RAV4 at an additional cost).
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 Safety
Both of these crossovers come with a standard rearview camera and a proprietary suite of active safety technologies to mitigate collisions; Subaru EyeSight and Toyota Safety Sense are included on their respective base models. The Forester's Touring trim adds Subaru DriverFocus, a distraction mitigation system that uses infrared technology to read signs of distraction in the driver's face, while also "remembering" up to five different drivers' settings for climate and the positions of the seat and side mirrors. Toyota does not offer anything like this system.Â
Utility and Passenger Comfort
As mentioned above, the Forester has more interior volume than the RAV4. It also clearly beats the RAV4 in ground clearance, with 8.7 inches over the Toyota's 6.1-to-6.5 inch range. It's also more convenient in that you'll make fewer stops at the gas station: the Forester's tank is a whopping 2.1 gallons larger. The Forester offers more second-row legroom (39.4 inches vs. 37.8 inches), front-row head room (41.2 inches vs. 39.5), front leg room (43.3 inches vs. 41), and overall passenger volume (111.9 cubic feet vs. 98.9).
Where the Forester includes leather seating on the two highest trims, the RAV4 does not offer leather at all - just the leather-like SofTex material that's offered on its premium trims. Heated seats are also more readily available on the Forester, which has them available on the second lowest trim and standard on the others, with heated rear seats and a heated steering wheel standard on the top trim. In contrast, the RAV4 doesn't make heated front seats standard until its highest trim, and a separate options package must be purchased to get a heated wheel and heated back seats (available on premium trims only).
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