2011 Toyota RAV4 vs Subaru Forester muddy mashup review 

Best way to decide, I’m a mechanic and we see at least 3 subarus a week for blown stuff. Toyotas? Never. Just oil changes. I think I’ll buy the rav4

It is 2020 now. Rav4 still looks great. V6 zips up mountain passes. Wide door top to bottom loads big stuff. Holds full size wheel. Saved us in rear end collision at stop light on highway. 4 speed transmission no problem with V6 - reliable.

These guys r supprisingly not annoying as car reviewers. Keep up the good work guys

Idk why everyone hates on Rav4 looks, I think it's quite an attractive little SUV that has aged well, especially the sport trim. Especially compared to the horrendously ugly Rav4 yota makes now

Glad we could help and thanks for the kind words and watching.

The rav4 looks attractive I don’t know what he’s talking about. many modern suvs they all look the same. The rav4 had personality. the Subaru and newer rav4s all look the same and like every other crossover

Damn! Guess I’d better try and drive the Forester. I have an 07 RAV4 Limited V6, and it absolutely rips on the streets!

This is my favourite TFL video. Both the Forester and the RAV4 are good cars. My favourite car of all time is my dads 1999 Subaru forester 2,0 manual with low gear. Really fun to drive.

Great video guys! After car shopping for about 3 months I finally narrowed it down to these two vehicles and this video really helped me with pros and cons of each one. Thanks!

I LOVE my 11 Rav 4WD Limited with the V6. It has low pampered mileage. I use Mobile 1 full synthetic oil and change it every 4K miles. The transmission and the rear differential fluid and grease is changed every 30K miles. The heated leather interior still looks new. It’s always garaged. My Rav looks showroom new inside and out. It’s Gold / Tan metallic with Ivory leather interior and burgundy metallic pinstripes. I added a K&N intake and a quiet Flowmaster 3” exhaust system. Before those 2 modifications I was getting 24-25 mpg on the highway and now I’m getting 26-27 , sometimes 28. It’s a lot quicker, has more horsepower and torque than before. It looks like a “Sleeper”, but it hauls ass when needed

We bought our 2010 Rav4 Limited 4 cylinder AWD +options back in March, 2010 for $27k +tax. It's still a great car and it looks like the new 2013 has addressed many of the pre 2013 issues, such as a proper lift gate, better mpg, 6 speed a/t, modernized interior, and lighter weight. We'll be checking it out in a few years when it's time to trade in the 2010. Thanks for this vid.

I don’t understand the love it or hate it on the looks of the 2006-2012 Toyota RAV4. Yes, I own a 2009 RAV4 and I think this look has aged really well. Yes, the new one’s have the updated safety features but they can’t beat the looks of the 2006-2012. Love the the spare tire hanging on the back door.

One thing you guys never mention about the rav4 is that it comes with a locking center diff. Which I think would be pretty important in comparisons like this considering none of the competing cars do.

this is a very good review and comparison of both cars. came here because my dad is giving me his 2010 Forester soon, looking forward to it!

Here it is almost 2018 and the 2011 Rav 4 still looks contemporary with Escapes, CRVs, Volvo 65, BMW, 2018 VW Tiguan except today's SUVs lack the accessible Hummer-like full wheel on the back.

Drove a Rav4, Honda CR-v and Subaru Forester when comparing vehicles and went with the Rav4. Traction control on the Rav is a PIA when you want to throttle it up in the winter $ if you disengage it you're FWD only. Subie had a sportier cockpit but was small and the Subie is not near as roomy as the RAV for passengers. CRVs seats don't fold flat and it only had a 4 cyl engine but was nice overall. Subie dealer wouldn't let me drive the turbo unless we did purchase #'s 1st. 26MPG avg for RAV

Love my RAV4. Driven through 45 states with it. I have the 2007 four banger. I think the V6 option was there from the beginning though.

It's 2021 and I just purchased a 2010 Rav4 4cyl with 100K miles. I seriously considered a Forester, having owned a 2006 Outback for 10 years and 100,000 miles I was tired of fighting oil leaks from the head gaskets and valve cover gaskets of the boxer and having to lift the engine to replace spark plugs. Every Forester I looked at in the 80K mile range gushed oil. The Toyota 4 is dry as a bone and runs as smooth as it did when it came from the factory.

259hp for the Rav4, 224hp for the Forester. Both impressive stats, but how much torque do each engine deliver? I do find the Forester to be better looking than the Rav4, and with the boxer engine mounted the way it is, makes better sense, particularly for 4wd, since the engine and driveshaft are aligned with each other in a symmetrical design. I'm not against honest. In fact, I'm all for form follows function.

rav4 v6 is quick and doesn't need premium unleaded fuel. 5 speed auto is smooth and effortless. when it hit's 4,000 revs it turns into a Beast on Roids.

I noticed that in a lot of the 'random car vs subaru' comparisons, the subaru generally wins because it's more fun to drive and it's extremely capable. I don't think you'd be bored driving a subaru, which is something you can't say about most vehicles.

I agree that CUV's are largely pointless. I think a lot of people like the seating position. Aside from that, I think the RAV4 V6 AWD makes a very compelling argument. Power, weight, storage space, comfort, and mileage, are all top of the price class. I haven't yet driven it myself, I have ridden in it. C&D says the handling is pretty good. Throw on a few mods and you'll be good to go.

Engine is fast and the car is powerful! Maybe the other way around.

If you get the Sport version RAV4 it is a lot more fun and the steering is more direct. They may have thought about that before the test,. I have a 2008 RAV4 Sport FWD and get over 28mpg on the highway and with the K&N it definitely is fun . My last car was an M3 so I never thought I would like anything like this but the RAV 4 puts a smile on my face every time I drive it. Drove from Dallas to LA and back then this year to Daytona for the 24 hour race and the journeys were smooth, cheap and fun

I really liked the review. Honest and real. This will help me sell more Subies! Now the 2012 model boasts a timing chain, and an oil filter on TOP of the motor.

Rav4 was the best selling cuv last year so a lot of people like it and it is getting redesign so next year it should sell even more. Btw if they don't like the transmission in the Subaru they should have got a manual.

Good review but you guys need to use a word other than "quirk" to describe the differences in cars. Quirk has a negative connotation as in "hang up" or "peculiar oddity" or "foible." Why don't you say "advantage" rather than "quirk" when you are describing a car's comparative benefits?

But, you failed to tell everyone about Toyota stakes in Subaru. Also, how can you simply just come out and say that Subaru is better? It's called personal preference and your opinions do not speak for everyone else. I like both. Which did I buy? RAV4. It works better for ME. I also like the quieter engine sound in the Toyota vs the Subaru. Again, personal preference. In this video, all you did was drive them and base your opinions on what You like. It makes the world go round and round ;-)

I love my LIMITED 2009 RAV4 rear door. I also prefer the tire on the back of the SUV easy access. The V6 is a lot of power for that vehicle. The Rav4 look sporty/classy they can go either way. Not to offend the Subaru owners but to me they look like granny cars. I'll stick with my RAV4

I have a Forester, and the 4 speed really isn't noticeable for someone like me who uses the car to drive to work and occasional long distances. I'm so glad I went with it instead of the RAV4; the Forester got me through the Chicago blizzard in February no problem, and I saw 2 RAV4s abandoned on the main road. :P

Great post, saved me the time to tell boberson that anyone who thinks a minivan or wagon is cooler than, well, just about anything, has no business commenting on anything automotive, except perhaps, which fabric pattern was more attractive in the Gremlin

I like that Toyota kept the older look with this gen and the tire in the back. And nothing wrong with 4speed automatics, tried and true.

We have a Toyota RAV4 with a tire on the back there was a bad snow storm and we made it through all the other cars were stuck

I prefer a N/A motor over turbo any day, in these types of vehicles anyways. For everyday driving, occasional snow, and very light duty off roading, the V6 RAV4 is awesome. Very quick/powerful, cheap, practical, above average fuel economy for a V6, and very reliable. The RAV4 just makes sense for me and my needs. Highly recommend if you can find a good one used. Toyota needs to bring back the V6 in the RAV4!

who would rather pick a toyota for a Subaru? i mean im a honda fanboy but given the chance to pick CR-V of Forester, i would pick the forester in a heartbeat

u 2 need to find a road for awd. this road my 2wdr can go with zero problem.

the 2006-present Toyota RAV4 is assembled in Tahara, Aichi, Japan Obu, Aichi, Japan Woodstock, Ontario, Canada (from November 2008) Tianjin, China

@814gt I bought a 2007 Mitsubishi Outlander.It's a 2.0 TDI from Audi,Ralliart version with over 180hp and 400Nm of torque.It has complete sport package with sport suspension,19" wheels and other stuff.It's very nice to drive,very powerful.I mean could you believe i outran a 2002 V6 Porsche Cayenne on the highway?While offering this great performance,it does combined 42 mpg!I think that's amazing. It has all the options and gadgets i need and it has decent off-road capabilities.i'm very satisfied

We started to buy a RAV4, but the Toyota dealer messed all of the paperwork up, and tried to cheat us of an $8,000 difference! After three hours at the Toyota dealer we just left because it really wasn't worth the wait or aggravation. So we went and tried a Forester out and loved it, so we bought it. and I'm really glad we did because it is amazing in the worst of road conditions. Which I assume the RAV4 is too, but I'm really impressed with it

I just got my first car. 2006 Subaru Forester 2.5X. I can't wait for winter since I know I can always get home safely.

Nice review! Since the forest 2014 and Rav 4 2013 have been redesigned and are different from their previous models, would you guy have a mashup review for them again soon? Many thanks!

Not sure if you guys know what "quirk" means, but otherwise, great video! I enjoy watching all your stuff.

I had the 1st, 2 door RAV4 years ago. It lasted until my boyfriend got rearended in it at the beach. I miss it. The new ones are too big for me. Thanks for the review!

Cool! Thanks again! I will call the hotline mentioned in the article. Thanks for taking the time to tell me about that. Massive amounts of good karma to you and yours!

The RAV4 "Sport" is an option package which adds a spoiler and a red badge and bigger wheels. Not really performance upgrades but could possible make the car feel more fun to drive.

What's with the overuse of the word "quirk"?

All i really got from this video was an over use of the word QUIRK.

@Twixx32 I said the same thing until I drove the forester. I drove about 6 'crossovers' and it was the best overall choice. Turbo forester is a blast to drive. When I'm on cottage side roads, driving on the highway, city driving I don't even realize that it has 4 gears. But, do what you need to so you feel good about your next purchase.

I don't think they know what quirk means.

I've been told Rav4s are pretty cramped, but CUV's arent very rigid, you would need to add a truck frame, tough suspension, skid plates, low range, lockers, and better tires for offroad and towing ability, and in the end you end up getting only 13-17 mpg, even with a v6, which is what 2 door v6 wranglers get. Honestly, it's a good car for a crossover, but large sedans probably get the same storage, better comfort, same handling, and better mpg, although I do admire your respectful input.

Regardless of these comments, and these facts. Some people out there know that theres just something about subaru..other than about its specs. against other competitors such as Toyota. I see both of these cars in front of me every time I walk out of my house, but most of the time I choose to have subaru keys in my hand.

The Subaru has a 4 speed because if you can't drive manual you don't deserve to have as much fun.

Forester could be my next suv, love turbocharge and awd..it wont be as good as my evo x, but maybe close. love handling vehicles..

I can’t believe they didn’t do any off road comparison . They need a dirt hill , stop and see which one makes it up. Not a very good review 😞

I like the way the rav4 looks better. I also like the side swing rear gate because I have a low roof carport under my house. I wouldn't buy either car if my main concern was performance or acceleration. Kinda weird for perfomance and looks to be such deciding factors when they both are kinda potato. Would have been better to see an off road comparison and see how many pieces of luggage fit in the back including the rav4 subtrunk. Other notable comparisons to make would have been stereo and power outlets. But you got 1.2 million views so I guess it doesn't matter.

Well, if you have maintenance records, I'd go talk to the dealer even though you're out of the warranty. If they blow you off, open a call w/Toyota USA - make some noise - sometimes they listen. .....esp. w/their recall history as of late. On our previous Sienna van, Toyota extended the warranty to 100K for all owners to cover a trans issue ...thankfully ours didn't have an issue, but was nice to know it was covered.

Not sure what you guys think a quick is but . quirk 1. an individual peculiarity of character; mannerism or foible unless you're going for this one 2. an unexpected twist or turn I think you've grabbed a word you think sounded cool and persist in using it in situation where it does not fit. oh well, maybe you're locked in to it now. like giving it 3 rubber chickens out of 5

Sure wish toyota would put the v6 back in rav4. I'd buy one immediately.

Those who assume they need a V6 - Haven't been behind the wheel of a Turbo Subaru - I own a wrx wagon - 178k miles (NO MAJOR REPAIRS EVER) Just change the oil and it runs forever - SUBARU - Kicks Butt Period !!!! - STILL DRIVES LIKE NEW (FACT) Just take care of Oil and it will take care of you - Synth Only for the past 150K mile

Why would you want an 8 speed transmission. They are expensive and complicated. I have a v6 AWD RAV4 and it is fast and great on snow.

the landcruiser is an suv, if you were in europe they might also be described as four-wheel-drives or "wagons" to simiplify the fact that they are shaped slightly similar to a wagon, long and square, but no, they do not come as actual wagons

@tinhinnh You're right, however the only difference in suspension is the front struts. The sway bars, links, and rear struts are identical in the Limited and Sport versions. You can check out the OEM parts list online.

Its to help keep engine rpm down so when you want you can get better fuel economy. The best part is at 65 on the freeway in 8th gear your cruising just above 1,000 rpm, well worth it if you ask me. plus you get better acceleration.

@814gt Subaru makes no V6. Never have. They use a horizontally opposed - boxer - 6-cylinder (H6) which is a completely different engine.

Big horsepower is irrelevant in a car like this and irrelevant in a review like this

@814gt Well you certainly get your money's worth with only four gears. Each gear gets used a lot more ;-)

cvt (continuously variable transmission) is how they fixed that with my outback, no gears, no jerks very smooth...

My 2010 rav4 goes back to the dealer 3 months before my 36 month lease is over,this monday the big car sale holiday.Reason is you cant find a 2013 rav4 anywhere.I will miss the strong v6,but thats it.I pick up my new Subaru forester after i drop off the rav.Got a super deal,moonroof ,heated seats and all the bells and whistles.I wont miss the toyota recalls,on my corolla,matrix,tacoma,and rav4.Plus the free oil changes that took three hours to complete,with appointment.TOYONOMORE.

The turbo forester does not come with a 4 speed auto trans. It comes with a 5 speed auto or a 5 speed manual.

Funny, everytime I walk past a Rav4 I think of how pretty I think it is.

If you presented your review more in terms of 'Why you would/wouldn't buy car X" they would be better. Other than this, some very solid reviews. Particular enjoyable because they are different than the others I typically watch.

A very good test video, i think the RAV 4 is more a family car than a crossover. The Forester is more crossover and the design is very good! Forester is the better car i would say

This is the top rated subaru forrester video on all of RU-vid.

Brilliant show, hosts are excellent.

The 4 Speed auto is quite the crafty transmission though! You're actually better off, offroad with the 4 speed in the subaru than you are the manual. That is fact. However the end of the video is a bit out of line. In the Rav4, he only has the stroller. Then in the subaru he has a baby seat plus the stroller. All around visibility is tons better in the Forester too. Blind spots are baaaaaad in the yota.

Rav4 interior molding is much better, accidentally scratched the plastic when I took off the seatbelt in the Forester! I just test drove both and bought the Rav4 for that and the better gas mileage.

@NathanDAdlen I can afford the gas. When buying a vehicle the 4spd transmission was a negative. However, when comparing to crv, rav4, sante fe etc... too many other reasons for me to go with the Forester. My 2011 wrx could you use a 6th gear, but likewise, it's amazing fun with the 5 gears. Forester drives so well, I can overlook the 4 gears.

Man Toyota is the underdog here. plus Subaru is more expensive off the line and repairs as well . Toyota is famous for their unbreakable engines . It’s got 4wd . More hp and tq . I didn’t see you guys use the DAC system which Toyota did excellent with as well. The RAV4 did everything the subí did and it’s much more fun to drive anywhere . V6 less stress . Better power to weight . TOYOTA LETS GO PLACES !

I still have my 2008 (brought it in 2008 brand new) rav4 limited v6 as backup car. Over the years, I changed multiple cars, but rav4 has always been the car I kept. And most likely I will keep it by the time I replace my 2024 BMX X7😆

@rdiaz206 Sorry for mixing up the terms; Too easy to mismatch due to marketing lingo these days. Yes i know: 4wd means locking center/rear diffs and on-demand traction used in trucks and Wranglers, and the AWD is a full-time system used on roads. Doesn't change the fact the Toyota's AWD system (marketed as 4wd for whatever reason) is not as good as the multi-plate unit found in the Subaru AWD.

All B.S. When you drive the Forester XT, the gear ratios are set up so well, you don't even know you're driving a 4spd. I have a 6spd acura that does not drive as well as my 2010 forester xt. You can put 20 gears in if you want.

V-6 RAV4 AWD is the #1 suv from 2006 to 2012...that V-6 engine can tow up to 3500 pounds ... if you go camping and put a lot of weight on your SUV That V-6 on the rav4 got you covered...the MPG on the rav4 v-6 is 19 city and 26 hwy wish is exelent! compared to the 4 cylinder AWD Subaru wish only gives you 21 city 26 hwy

11 years late, I love my rav4. Only crossover I don’t hit my head on the rear door with.

Thanks Bro! I'll definitely do that. I was very surprised and disappointed, because I know lots of people who have 200,000-300,000 miles on camrys, tacomas, tercels, etc.with little or no problems. They used too be the best cars you could buy!

These 3rd Gen RAV4 odels actually look better than most any small or midsize SUV on the road today.... Funny how that goes, the aggressive stryling toda I find absurdly ugly. The conservative looking 3rd GEN is a Keeper!

Nothing wrong with a tried and true 4 speed automatic...

Turn Traction off and then drive the RAV4 around corners and turns.. The RAV4 from 2009-2012 looks SO much better than the shitty design of 2013- ...

Serious question, r u guys gonna do a 2013 RAV4 vs. 2013 forester video? Really need some advice on this. If you guys do have the plan, would you put some more emphasis on performance in snowy condition? which AWD system is better sort of thing~

Vvti had a major oil leak, the valves tick like a timex, and the trans is starting to slip. The car only has about 80,000 miles on it.

I'm loving my 2012 forester. I got the base model with a manual, autos suck! Also, for mpg, I get 30, about 70% highway, 30% back road driving.

Can't wait to see a new mash up video with the new redesigns. :)

The man in Subaru seems to sooth the machine..... And the show is overshadowed by Rav4...more of RAV4 Show

i love both brands...but i just purchased my 3rd Subie....Outback. Wife drives Camry...will retire at 55.

i have to say the 2011 forester is one of the best cars out there i daily one and its amazing and actually rolled it twice at 40mph about 3 days ago and i wasnt hurt at all in the slightest and the car still drives just fine just has repairable body damage amazing cars

RAV4 is for people who need a crossover with 4wd for light snow/rain and lots of cargo + dependability. The V6 is there for the highway passing, where it is quite a beast. The steering feel is non-existent, like any other Toyota. The Forester has a better 4wd system and a much more rigid chassis (from an Impreza) and better driving fun. The turbo engine is quite good, but the 4spd auto-box nerfs the turbo. Surprising roomy and capable.

What about reliability?I would think thats a good thing to consider. I love the Forester But I have heard bad things about reliability both from my mechanic(he had 6 in the shop when I spoke to him)and online research.Head gasket and timing chain.My mechanic told me to go find a Rav 4

In case anyone watching this is going to test drive one of the forester xt automatic models from this time period... switch it into the manual-matic mode or at least “sport” automatic mode and it’ll feel like a different car. I only leave it in regular mode when I’m trying to drink coffee in traffic

@NathanDAdlen LOL I often would correct people when referring to a Van Dyke as a goatee. Somewhere along the way I gave up. I'm actually glad you corrected me for I, too, have a Van Dyke.

@marr0094 I'm aware how much the cambelt replacement costs in a Subaru so try something else to surprise me.The belt is replaced every 5 years or 60000 miles. It's not like an oil change so please do NOT make a massive deal of it because it's not working. Furthermore don't tell me Subarus in 2012 use the same engine as your 03. In fact I suggest you read about the latest EJ Sorry to hear about your HG but potentially the older the car the more problems you'll get regardless of the make

@markhenderson123 Remember, I also said "groan" when I mentioned CVT because they tend to have flaws like you experienced with the Legacy. If I want the Legacy, I'll consider the one with the flat-6 engine with a 5 speed auto. Thanks for the info.