2021 Toyota Sequoia vs 2021 Subaru Forester

The 2021 Toyota Sequoia, despite its 2018 facelift, retained a design that felt dated, originating from its 2007 introduction. The subtle updates, such as the lines connecting the grille to the headlights, were overshadowed by the vehicle's large silhouette. Inside, the Sequoia's cabin reflected its age with a multi-tiered center dash reminiscent of the mid-2000s, and a 7-inch touchscreen that appeared small against the expansive dashboard. The front seats, though bulky, offered limited headroom for taller drivers, especially with the optional sunroof. However, the second-row seats provided ample headroom and legroom, ensuring comfort across the cabin. The Sequoia was available in several trims, including the SR5, TRD Sport, Limited, Nightshade Edition, TRD Pro, and Platinum, each offering various features and enhancements.

In contrast, the 2021 Subaru Forester, redesigned in 2019, maintained a familiar look with its boxy, upright shape, appealing to SUV shoppers seeking practicality. The styling changes were minimal, with the most notable being the distinctive cross-shaped taillights. The Forester Sport model added visual flair with orange striping and black 18-inch alloy wheels, enhancing its appearance. Built on the Subaru Global Platform, the Forester shared its underpinnings with other Subaru models, ensuring a rugged yet familiar driving experience. Inside, the Forester's no-nonsense interior featured durable materials, with the Sport trim adding orange accents. The Forester offered a range of trims, including Base, Premium, Sport, Limited, and Touring, each with varying levels of upholstery and features.

The 2021 Toyota Sequoia was powered by a robust 5.7-liter V8 engine, delivering 381 horsepower and 401 pound-feet of torque. This engine was paired with a six-speed automatic transmission, available in rear-wheel drive (RWD) or four-wheel drive (4WD) configurations. Despite its hefty weight of up to 6,000 pounds, the Sequoia offered strong acceleration, though its six-speed transmission was considered outdated compared to modern multi-speed options. The Sequoia's driving dynamics resembled those of a truck, with a soft suspension and strong brakes, providing a confident driving experience. However, it exhibited body roll in corners and had a towing capacity of 7,400 pounds, which was lower than some competitors in the full-size SUV segment.

The 2021 Subaru Forester featured a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine producing 182 horsepower and 176 pound-feet of torque, paired with a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). The engine's boxer configuration contributed to a lower center of gravity, enhancing stability. While the power was adequate for most situations, it lacked the desired thrust for highway merging and overtaking. The Forester's suspension was tuned for comfort, resulting in a soft ride with noticeable body roll in corners and bounce on uneven surfaces. Standard all-wheel drive (AWD) and X-Mode enhanced its off-road capabilities, with Sport models offering Dual X-Mode for varied terrains. The Forester's towing capacity was limited to 1,500 pounds, and it excelled in handling mud and dirt better than many compact crossovers.

The 2021 Toyota Sequoia boasted a spacious cabin, offering nearly 19 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row and over 66 cubic feet with the third row folded. With all rear seats down, it provided an impressive 120 cubic feet of cargo space. The Sequoia's power-retractable rear window was a unique feature, allowing easy access to the cargo area. While the front-row space could have been better utilized, the Sequoia offered deep in-door pockets, a massive center console, and multiple cupholders, providing ample storage options.

The 2021 Subaru Forester offered generous headroom and legroom in both rows, thanks to its tall, flat roofline. This design also contributed to excellent outward visibility and a spacious feel. The Forester provided 35.4 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats up and 76.1 cubic feet with the seats folded. While it lacked a sliding second-row bench, a power liftgate was available on higher trims. The Forester's interior featured decently sized cupholders and a reasonably sized center console, though the phone-storage cubby was small, and wireless charging was not offered. The Forester's controls were user-friendly, with large knobs for audio and climate control, though the steering wheel had numerous buttons that could be confusing.

The 2021 Toyota Sequoia came standard with a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system featuring Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Amazon Alexa, and a WiFi hotspot. Our test model included a larger 9-inch screen, which still felt small on the expansive dash. The older infotainment system was straightforward to use, with large hard buttons for easy navigation. The digital trip computer was small but functional, offering a simple interface.

The 2021 Subaru Forester's standard Starlink infotainment system included a 6.5-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth, SiriusXM satellite radio, and front-row USB ports. Sport models upgraded to an 8-inch touchscreen and Harman Kardon audio system, while Limited and Touring trims added navigation and rear USB ports. The Forester's infotainment system was user-friendly, with well-designed graphics and backup analog controls. However, the screen was slow to boot up. Additional displays in the dashboard and instrument cluster provided secondary information, though the setup felt overly complex.

The 2021 Toyota Sequoia was equipped with the Toyota Safety Sense-P suite, including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, and automatic high beams. It also featured blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and front-and-rear parking sensors. However, it lacked more advanced tech like lane-keeping assist. The Sequoia scored four out of five stars in the NHTSA's rollover test but was not rated in other crash tests.

The 2021 Subaru Forester excelled in safety, earning the highest "Top Safety Pick+" award from the IIHS and a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA. It came standard with EyeSight, a camera-based driver-assist system, including adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and lead-vehicle start alert. The Forester also offered a driver-monitoring system, blind-spot monitoring, rear-cross traffic alert, lane-keep assist, and reverse automatic braking. While EyeSight's adaptive cruise control and lane-centering functions were adequate, the latter's steering inputs felt jerky.