2022 Toyota Highlander vs 2022 Subaru Forester

The 2022 Subaru Forester came in various trims, including base, Premium, Sport, Wilderness, Limited, and Touring. Prices started at $25,195 for the base model, with the Touring trim reaching $35,295. A destination charge of $1,125 was added, and Subaru offered numerous dealer-installed accessories. All-wheel drive was standard across all trims. The Forester Wilderness, tested in Bend, Oregon, featured white paint, a dark gray interior with water-repellant StarTex simulated leather, and a base price of $33,945, including destination. With additional options like a navigation system, Harman Kardon premium sound system, and a power rear liftgate, the test vehicle's price reached $36,014.

The Forester's exterior, especially in the Wilderness trim, was not particularly attractive. The suspension lift, higher ride height, and extensive protective cladding gave it a rugged look, but the matte-black hood decal and copper-colored details were not universally appealing. Inside, the Forester emphasized functionality over aesthetics, with a mix of hard plastic and soft surfaces. The 8-inch Starlink infotainment system was user-friendly, though the three display screens could be cumbersome. Overall, the Forester felt well-made, but the Wilderness trim's design elements were not to everyone's taste.

The 2022 Toyota Highlander featured a modern, somewhat aggressive front-end design. The flared fender arches and the third-row window's upward kick gave it a compact appearance, but the interior was spacious with clever storage solutions. The XSE trim, tested, had a bold red leather interior contrasting with a navy blue exterior. The XSE also included unique exterior styling, ambient interior lighting, and a sport-tuned suspension.

Highlander trims included L, LE, XLE, XSE, Limited, and Platinum. The base L trim came with 18-inch alloy wheels, pushbutton start, three-zone climate control, and an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa. Higher trims added features like LED fog lights, a smart key system, leather-wrapped steering wheel, power liftgate, and more. The XSE trim had 20-inch alloy wheels, a large mesh grille, and dual exhaust tips. The Limited and Platinum trims offered even more luxury features, including heated and ventilated front seats, a hands-free power liftgate, and a panoramic sunroof.

The 2022 Subaru Forester continued with its 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, producing 182 horsepower and 176 pound-feet of torque. All Foresters had a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and all-wheel drive. The Wilderness model featured a CVT design that increased initial torque supply by 25%, doubling the towing capacity to 3,000 pounds. The EPA estimated the Forester Wilderness's fuel economy at 26 mpg combined, but real-world testing averaged 25.9 mpg.

The Forester's engine was adequate at sea level but felt sluggish at higher altitudes. The CVT had eight programmed ratios and included SI-Drive for a more responsive Sport mode. The dual-function X-Mode system offered various settings for different terrains, and the Wilderness trim had a re-tuned suspension with longer springs and shocks, improving ground clearance to 9.2 inches. The Forester excelled in various driving environments, including off-road courses and forest roads, but lacked engine power and had excessive wind noise at higher speeds.

The 2022 Toyota Highlander came with a 3.5-liter V6 engine, producing 295 horsepower and 263 pound-feet of torque. Power was routed through an eight-speed automatic transmission to either front-wheel drive or available all-wheel drive. The transmission had a tap-shift function and steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters on certain trims. Drive modes included Sport, Normal, and Eco, with additional AWD modes for Mud/Sand and Rock.

The V6 engine provided better pickup once the Highlander was moving, with a throaty exhaust note during acceleration. Handling was good in various scenarios, with the XSE trim's sport-tuned suspension reducing body roll while remaining soft over bumps. The Highlander could tow up to 5,000 pounds and had a max payload of 1,685 pounds in the FWD L and LE trims.

The 2022 Subaru Forester emphasized functionality, with easy entry and exit due to tall seating hip points. The StarTex upholstery was water-resistant, and the Wilderness trim included all-weather floor mats and a rubber cargo mat. The upgraded roof rails could accommodate a three-person roof tent. Comfort levels were high, with excellent visibility and rear air conditioning vents. Cargo space measured 28.9 cubic feet without the panoramic sunroof and 26.9 cubic feet with it. Folding the rear seats down increased cargo capacity to 74.2 cubic feet (69.1 with the sunroof).

The 2022 Toyota Highlander offered up to 84.3 cubic feet of cargo space with the second- and third-row seats folded. With the second-row seats in use, there was 48.4 cubic feet of cargo space, and 16 cubic feet with all seats deployed. The base L trim had an eight-way power-adjustable driver's seat, and the cockpit featured deep cargo pockets and extra ledges. The XSE trim had second-row captain's chairs, providing a center aisle to the third row. The third row was less spacious, suitable for short trips.

The 2022 Subaru Forester included a 6.5-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, satellite radio, and Starlink connected services. Premium trim added access to a 4G LTE WiFi hotspot. Wilderness, Limited, and Touring trims had an 8-inch screen, with available navigation and a Harman Kardon premium sound system. The Wilderness trim also included a 180-degree forward-view camera. The PIN Code Access feature allowed keyless entry for outdoor activities.

The 2022 Toyota Highlander came standard with a WiFi hotspot, five USB ports, and an 8-inch touchscreen supporting Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa. The infotainment system had a straightforward layout with hard buttons. The XSE trim featured a wireless charging pad and additional USB ports. A larger 12.3-inch touchscreen was available, along with an 11-speaker JBL premium stereo system.

The 2022 Subaru Forester debuted the EyeSight 4.0 safety system, with a wider field of vision and new Automatic Emergency Steering. EyeSight 4.0 included automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, and lane-centering assist. The Forester also had a rear-seat reminder system, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and rear automatic braking. The Touring trim featured DriverFocus, a facial recognition technology. The Forester earned a 5-star overall crash-test rating from the NHTSA.

The 2022 Toyota Highlander came standard with Toyota Safety Sense, including forward collision avoidance, automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise control, traffic-sign recognition, and automatic high beams. Higher trims added blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, front and rear parking sensors, rain-sensing windshield wipers, a surround-view parking monitor, a head-up display, and adaptive headlights. The lane-departure warning and lane-keeping assist systems were very active, sometimes overly so.