Toyota Highlander vs Subaru Forester Hybrid

The 2022 Toyota Highlander presented a modern and somewhat aggressive front-end design, with flared fender arches and a distinctive third-row window that gave the impression of a smaller vehicle. However, once inside, the Highlander offered a spacious cabin with clever storage solutions for items like iPads and juice boxes. The XSE trim, in particular, stood out with its bold red leather interior, contrasting with a sedate navy blue exterior. This trim also featured unique exterior styling, ambient interior lighting, and a sport-tuned suspension, adding a touch of sportiness to the Highlander's otherwise practical nature.

In contrast, the 2025 Subaru Forester Hybrid underwent a redesign that resulted in a more cohesive yet conventional appearance, losing some of its distinctiveness. Its blockier shape and rugged black plastic elements hinted at its off-road potential, resembling a fun-sized Ford Explorer. Inside, the Forester Hybrid retained some of its previous charm with a beveled dashboard centre section, now dominated by a large vertical infotainment touchscreen. The cabin featured a mix of hard plastics and soft-touch materials, with the front seats providing ample cushioning and support. The hybrid model also included heated outboard rear seats, enhancing comfort for passengers.

The 2022 Toyota Highlander was equipped with a 3.5-litre V6 engine, delivering 295 horsepower and 263 pound-feet of torque. This power was channelled through an eight-speed automatic transmission to standard all-wheel drive, with no front-wheel drive option available in Canada. The Highlander offered a drive-mode button with Sport, Normal, and Eco modes, as well as an AWD system dial with Mud/Sand, Rock, and Normal modes. While the V6 provided better pickup once the vehicle was moving, it excelled at highway speeds, offering ample power for overtaking. The XSE trim's sport-tuned suspension reduced body roll while maintaining a comfortable ride. The Highlander could tow up to 2,268 kilograms and had a max payload of 775 kilograms.

The 2025 Subaru Forester Hybrid featured a 2.5-litre horizontally opposed flat four-cylinder engine, combined with a parallel hybrid system producing 194 horsepower. The hybrid powertrain included two motor/generators and a 1.1-kWh lithium-ion battery pack. The Forester's AWD system used a traditional driveshaft, promising better traction off-road. While acceleration was adequate, the hybrid transmission sometimes made it feel slower than it was. The hybrid system operated smoothly, with seamless transitions between electric and engine power. The Forester Hybrid excelled off-road, thanks to its X-Mode drive programming and hill descent control, offering a balance between on-road comfort and off-road capability.

The 2022 Toyota Highlander offered up to 2,387 litres of cargo space with the second- and third-row seats folded. With the second-row seats in use, there was 1,370 litres of cargo space, and 453 litres with all seats deployed. The Highlander's interior featured deep cargo pockets, extra ledges, and a spacious centre console compartment. The XSE trim included second-row captain’s chairs, providing a centre aisle to the rear seats. While the second-row seats were spacious for adults, the third row was best suited for short trips.

The 2025 Subaru Forester Hybrid provided an unimpeded forward view from the driver's seat, thanks to thinner front roof pillars. The front seats offered ample space, and the cockpit had an open, airy feel. The rear seats provided plenty of legroom and headroom, enhanced by a standard panoramic sunroof. The Forester Hybrid offered 779 litres of cargo space, with a hands-free power liftgate and power remote seatback releases for easy loading. While storage was adequate, the harder plastic surface of the wireless charging pad allowed phones to slide during turns.

The 2022 Toyota Highlander came standard with Bluetooth connectivity, five USB ports, and an 8-inch touchscreen supporting Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The infotainment system featured a straightforward layout with hard buttons for easy navigation. The XSE trim included a wireless charging pad and a combination of USB and USB-C ports. A larger 12.3-inch touchscreen and an 11-speaker JBL premium stereo system were available as options.

The 2025 Subaru Forester Hybrid featured an 11.6-inch vertical infotainment touchscreen with built-in navigation, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. The Starlink infotainment system was praised for its large on-screen buttons and easy-to-navigate menus. Physical buttons flanking the screen allowed for no-look temperature adjustments. The Forester Hybrid also included an 11-speaker Harman Kardon premium audio system and multiple external camera views for off-roading.

The 2022 Toyota Highlander came standard with the Toyota Safety Sense suite, including forward collision avoidance, automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning, dynamic radar cruise control, lane tracing assist, traffic-sign recognition, and automatic high beams. All trims featured blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and eight airbags. The Highlander received a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS.

The 2025 Subaru Forester Hybrid earned five stars in NHTSA crash tests, except for rollover protection, where it received four stars. The IIHS awarded the non-hybrid model a Top Safety Pick rating. The Forester Hybrid included Subaru's EyeSight suite, with frontal collision warning, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, automatic high beams, and lane-keep assist. Top-trim models added rear automatic braking, blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, a driver attention monitor, and a surround-view monitor.