2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid vs 2023 Subaru Forester

The 2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid borrowed styling elements from the Tacoma pickup, notably its trapezoidal grille and upright fascia, giving it a rugged look popular among midsized SUVs. However, the side profile introduced a swooping character line over the rear wheel arch, reminiscent of the Toyota Supra and Sienna, which added unnecessary visual weight and made the Highlander appear somewhat bloated. The rear design echoed the trapezoidal grille, but the overall body felt disjointed compared to more cohesive designs like the Kia Telluride or Honda Pilot. Inside, the Highlander's unconventional asymmetrical dash featured a metallic styling element that spanned the passenger side, creating a helpful storage tray. The infotainment touchscreen was positioned high on the dash, reducing driver distraction. The Bronze Edition introduced 18-inch bronze alloy wheels and light grey fabric seat upholstery with a triangle motif, which seemed more suited to paper towels than car interiors. The Softex synthetic leather substitute felt more like vinyl, and genuine leather was only available in the top trims. The rear seating area had more hard plastics, typical for family SUVs, but the third row was particularly uncomfortable with unyielding armrests.

The 2023 Subaru Forester maintained its traditional, functional design, resembling previous Forester models. The Premier trim, with its 18-inch alloy wheels and satin chrome exterior trim, was the best-looking of the lineup. The Forester's robust roof rails could support a tent, thanks to a high static-weight rating. Inside, the Premier offered exclusive brown leather and metallic accents, with a traditional Subaru design featuring analog gauges and an 8-inch touchscreen. The interior was easy to clean, with hard plastics and a control layout relying on buttons and knobs. The Forester's appearance was busy, with grey and silver cladding outside and a mix of controls inside. However, this back-to-basics approach made it easy to use. The Forester's excellent driving dynamics, light steering, and effective brakes contributed to a comfortable and communicative ride. Despite its adequate 2.5-litre engine, the Forester excelled in handling and off-road capability, making it a reliable choice for adventurous drivers.

The 2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid was powered by a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine and hybrid system, producing 243 horsepower. It featured a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and standard all-wheel drive (AWD) in Canada, with an electric motor powering the rear axle for additional traction. Toyota estimated it could reach 100 km/h in just over eight seconds, slightly slower than gasoline-only SUVs in its class. The hybrid powertrain provided a quick but tepid response from a standstill, with the gasoline engine supplying more power as speed increased. The CVT's lack of gear shifts resulted in an uninspired drone during acceleration, especially on hills. Braking was traditional, with a soft pedal feel and seamless transition from regenerative to physical brakes. The Highlander Hybrid offered a soft ride quality, smoothing over bumps while maintaining adequate cornering confidence. The cabin remained mostly free of wind and road noise on highways, contributing to a quieter driving experience.

The 2023 Subaru Forester featured a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine generating 182 horsepower and 176 lb-ft of torque, powering all four wheels through a CVT with eight programmed ratios. The Subaru Intelligent Drive (SI-Drive) system offered a Sport mode for quicker responses, while the X-Mode off-road traction control system included hill descent control and additional settings for deep snow and mud. The Forester Wilderness trim added all-terrain tires and modifications for enhanced off-road capability. The Forester Premier, weighing 85 kg less than the Outback Premier, felt livelier despite the engine's adequacy. The boxer-type engine was louder in the Forester, but its excellent driving dynamics, light steering, and effective brakes provided a comfortable and communicative ride. The Forester's handling was trustworthy, with minimal lateral rocking and fore-aft motions. However, a turbocharged engine would improve performance at elevation, and a hybrid option could enhance efficiency. The Forester returned 9.1 L/100 km on the testing route, falling short of the official rating of 8.2 L/100 km in combined driving.

The 2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid offered well-cushioned front seats with plenty of adjustments for drivers of all sizes. However, the driver's door armrest was awkwardly positioned, leaving the elbow unsupported. The interior provided ample storage, including a deep tray under the infotainment screen, a small shelf in front of the passenger, and a large centre armrest bin. The second-row seats were spacious, accommodating tall passengers with ease, and featured sliding and reclining captain's chairs for versatility. A second-row bench was available as a no-cost option, increasing passenger capacity to eight. The third-row seat was less accommodating, suitable for occasional use by children, with limited headroom and legroom. Cargo space behind the third row was 453 litres, expanding to 1,370 litres with the seatbacks folded and 2,387 litres with the second row stowed. Limited and Platinum trims included a hands-free power liftgate.

The 2023 Subaru Forester prioritized function over form, offering a practical and straightforward design. The Touring trim included a panoramic glass sunroof, a 10-way power-adjustable driver's seat, heated front seats, heated side mirrors, a heated steering wheel, and a windshield wiper de-icer system. Higher trims offered StarTex artificial leather or perforated genuine leather, dual-zone automatic climate control, and heated outboard rear seats. The Forester's high seating position, tall glass, and thin windshield pillars provided excellent visibility, making it easy to drive and park. However, the panoramic sunroof's insufficient tinting caused solar heating, and the Premier trim lacked ventilated front seats. The back seats offered ample legroom and headroom but lacked leg support and had a reclined backrest angle. The Forester's doors were well-sealed, and interior storage was plentiful, with multiple pockets and compartments. The cargo area, accessible via a power liftgate, offered 762 litres of space behind the back seat, expanding to 1,957 litres with the seat folded.

The 2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid featured an 8-inch infotainment touchscreen as standard, with a 12.3-inch option available on top trims. The system was quick to respond, with logically organized menus and physical shortcut buttons for common features. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity were standard, with wireless charging available on Limited and Platinum trims. Navigation and an 11-speaker JBL premium audio system were also standard on these trims.

The 2023 Subaru Forester's technology appeared outdated at first glance, but it offered practical features. The Base trim included a 6.5-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, HD Radio, and Starlink connected services. An 8-inch touchscreen was available, along with a navigation system and Harman Kardon premium audio. The Forester's older Starlink system was user-friendly, with separate climate controls and easy-to-use volume and tuning knobs. However, the voice-recognition system was unreliable, making Apple CarPlay or Android Auto preferable for navigation.

The 2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid received a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA, with four stars for frontal collision and rollover protection. The IIHS named it a Top Safety Pick+, with the highest "Good" scores across the board. Standard safety features included adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-keep assist, a blind-spot monitor, rear cross-traffic alert, and automatic high beams. The adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assist systems required some fine-tuning, with abrupt stops and excessive steering resistance.

The 2023 Subaru Forester featured the next-generation EyeSight collection of collision avoidance and driver assist technologies, with updated software and cameras for improved performance. Adaptive cruise control was standard, and higher trims included Automatic Emergency Steering, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. The Rear Automatic Braking system was prone to false alarms, and the DriverFocus Distraction Mitigation System monitored driver inattention. The Forester earned a Top Safety Pick rating from the IIHS, with an Acceptable rating in a new side-impact test and a Marginal rating in a small-overlap frontal-impact assessment. The NHTSA awarded it five-star crash-test ratings and a four-star rollover resistance rating.