Consumer Reports Says 2022 Subaru Forester Dominates The Toyota RAV4

Does the 2022 Subaru Forester or the 2022 Toyota RAV4 perform better, and which is the better compact SUV? Which one has more interior space, and which model is easier to live with? Those are questions answered by owners in the Consumer Reports owner surveys.

Consumer Reports (by subscription) took an in-depth look at Forester and RAV4 to dive deeper into which new compact SUV comes out on top.

What Consumer Reports likes about the Subaru Forester

According to Consumer Reports, the best attributes of the 2022 Forester are its excellent outward visibility, headroom, front and rear seat comfort, fuel economy, driving dynamics, ride quality, straightforward controls, 36.5 cubic ft. of cargo room, safety technology, and top safety scores. CR says the Forester also has above-average ratings for both predicted reliability and owner satisfaction, based on data from its Annual Auto Surveys of owners.

What Consumer Reports dislikes about the Subaru Forester

CR says the Forester needs a bit more power, the CVT automatic "has a pronounced buzz during acceleration," and it falls short in cabin refinement. Finally, CR says, "blind spot warning (BSW) isn't available on the base Forester. It's optional on the Premium trim and standard on the Sport, Wilderness, Limited, and Touring trims. We think this important safety feature should be standard."

Consumer Reports ranks the 2022 Subaru Forester number one overall of twenty-three compact SUVs.

What Consumer Reports likes about the Toyota RAV4

According to Consumer Reports, the best attributes of the 2022 Toyota RAV4 are its handling, elevated driving position, headroom, cabin noise, large, easy-to-read controls, towing capacity on the Adventure trim, it has hybrid versions, and offers standard safety tech.

What Consumer Reports dislikes about the Toyota RAV4

CR says the RAV4 has disappointing driving dynamics, including the engine response, noisy transmission, poor ride quality, bland interior, poor visibility, and cargo cap icy is less than Forester. CR says, "The driving experience is unpleasant, partly because the engine is noisy, emitting a gravelly wail, unleashed when drivers accelerate hard. In normal driving, it has an annoying drone."

CR says, "In addition, the RAV4's predicted reliability and owner satisfaction are only average."

Consumer Reports ranks the 2022 Toyota RAV4 number twelve overall of the twenty-three compact SUVs.

Consumer Reports Forester report card

The verdict

Consumer Reports says the 2022 Subaru Forester is hands down the best model for compact SUV shoppers. They even say the Subaru Forester dominates the Toyota RAV4.

CR says, "The Forester is the easy choice between these two compact SUVs. It's more refined and roomier, has better visibility, and even gets one mpg more than the RAV4. It also has an advantage with its above-average reliability; the RAV4 is just average. The Forester is also slightly less expensive than a similarly equipped RAV4."

What is the price of the 2022 Subaru Forester?

The 2022 Forester comes in six trim levels; The Base Forester starts at $27,070, Premium ($30,070), Sport ($31,640), Limited ($33,750), new Wilderness ($34,695), and Touring ($37,170). Pricing includes destination and delivery fees ($1,175).

Consumer Reports Forester drive report

What is the Forester fuel mileage?

Having an SUV with all-wheel-drive usually means sacrificing fuel economy, but it's not valid with the new Forester. Subaru uses direct injection on its four-cylinder Boxer engines for efficiency. The automaker also uses the Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) automatic, contributing to better mileage.

The refreshed 2022 Subaru Forester compact SUV comes with standard all-wheel drive. A 2.5-liter four-cylinder Boxer engine powers the Forester. It gets an EPA-estimated 29 combined mpg and 26/33 city/highway mpg.

The bottom line is: Overall, Consumer Reports thinks the 2022 Subaru Forester is the best compact SUV in the face-off with the Toyota RAV4 and "will make buyers happy for years to come."

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Denis Flierl has invested over 30 years in the automotive industry in a consulting role working with every major car brand. He is an accredited member of the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press. Check out Subaru Report where he covers all of the Japanese automaker's models. More stories can be found on the Torque News Subaru page. Follow Denis on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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