The Subaru Forester is a small SUV that has challenged popular models like the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V. The RAV4 may be the most popular SUV on the market, but that doesn’t mean it’s the best. It got a surprisingly low overall score from Consumer Reports.

Consumer Reports loves the Subaru Forester

The Subaru Forester has hardly been class-leading in recent years. It has been eclipsed by models like the Hyundai Tucson, Mazda CX-5, RAV4, and more. Many find the small SUV to be too rugged and unrefined for their tastes. The Forester is affordable, practical and even gets decent gas mileage. It’s finally getting the love it deserves from publications like Consumer Reports.

CR gave the small SUV an overall score of 90/100. It scored a 90 on the company’s road test. The small SUV got 4/5 scores for both predicted reliability and predicted owner satisfaction.

The 2022 Subaru Forester starts at $25,395. It uses a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine to make 182 horsepower. It achieves 26 miles per gallon in the city and 33 miles per gallon on the highway.

The Toyota RAV4 has serious competition

The Toyota RAV4 is a staple in the small SUV segment. The small SUV isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. That being said, the RAV4 is no longer considered to be the best small SUV on the market. The Hyundai Tucson, Mazda CX-5, and Subaru Forester have all been stealing the RAV4’s thunder recently.

The 2022 Toyota RAV4 starts at $26,525. It uses a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine to make 203 horsepower. The small SUV gets 27 miles per gallon in the city and 35 miles per gallon on the highway.

The RAV4 got an overall score of 65 from Consumer Reports. It got a 3/5 predicted reliability and 3/5 predicted owner satisfaction rating. The Toyota RAV4 got a 72 out of 100 on the road test.

The Toyota RAV4 has been in production since 1994. Its claim to fame is its incredible reliability over long periods of time. RAV4 models can easily last for over a decade of ownership. The small SUVs have been known to last for over 250,000 miles when well-maintained. Despite the small SUV’s long history of dependability, it still faces major competition from other nameplates.

2022 Subaru Forester vs. 2022 Toyota RAV4

While the Toyota RAV4 may seem like the obvious choice over the Forester for many consumers, Subaru’s small SUV has had a great last few years. In contrast, the RAV4 has struggled to keep up with the emerging competition.

The Forester is more affordable, but the RAV4 has better fuel economy. The Toyota RAV4 also has more horsepower. Based on Consumer Reports’ road test, the Forester seems to have superior driving dynamics. The Subaru Forester is the better choice for consumers looking to take the road less traveled. If longevity and gas mileage take priority over capability for you, the RAV4 is the better option.