I had an opposite experience coming from RAV4 hybrid to a Forester and could not be happier. Despite the better economy in the town of the RAV4 , I think the Forester is better in all other aspects, handling, visibility, practicality, quality of interior. The Subaru looks a design centric for the occupants, where the Toyota a design centric to the reliability. By the way on of the aspects that made my decision the hybrid exceeds the conventional engine in city and warm weather. However in cold weather and highways the fuel consumption is similar. Also the RAV4 had an annoying low frequency transmission vibration at 45 mph. Now looking forward the hybrid Forester. I think will be a killer , the best of both worlds.
I’m glad you’re happy with your Forester! Thanks for sharing your experiences with both. I’m actually surprised the Forester can sometimes get up to 30mpg at 80mph, that’s a big improvement over the turbo Outback we had. You’re right, the hybrid Forester should be pretty interesting!!
@@AutomotiveAnonymous208 I replaced a 2003 Subaru WRX with a Forester from 2016-18, and it was GREAT in Colo. snow. Hit a deer, set off 6/8 airbags (a $12K+ total loss), & replaced it with a Mazda CX-5, which got higher highway mileage. I now enjoy my 2025 CX-70 PHEV!
I just traded my 24 RAV4 XLE which I bought three months ago. The driver's seat was HORRIBLE. Picked up a 25 Outback Onyx 2.5. I had a 90 minute drive home and was super comfortable. The RAV4 would start to kill my back within 30 minutes. IMHO, this new car is light years ahead of the Toyota. And this is coming from someone who has bought about 20 Toyotas over the last 35 years. Toyota is losing its mojo to the hybrid world.
I’m sorry to hear that’s been your experience, but I’m glad you’re enjoying the Outback!! What seat material did your Toyota have? I’ve noticed some of their leather seats I didn’t enjoy but I usually like their cloth.
Great video! The E-CVT is extremely reliable for the Toyota for it doesn’t need a belt or multiple clutches to function. It has a planetary gear set instead which is more efficient and mechanically direct without as many power losses. There is a simple clutch that is electronically controlled that minimizes the shock of engaging and disengaging of the engine. So, with friction surfaces minimized, maintenance is minimal and less heat is generated. The biggest drawback is that Toyota hybrid can sound a lot like a car with a CVT with some droning on hard acceleration. But with stronger electric motors, that is less an issue than my 1st & 2nd generation Prius cars which demanded more power from the gas engine for hard acceleration.
Just a small correction, there is no clutch with a Toyota eCVT. The start stop is accomplished simply by controlling the electric motors at the proper speeds. There are no electronic or hydraulic controlled clutches and no friction surfaces to wear.
We compared these 2 cars in 2023 and got the Subaru Outback Onyx 2.5. The car was primarily for road trips, so the better lane centering and longer cargo area for camping was important. We are getting over 30mpg highway. For around town and better mileage, our other car is a Nissan Leaf. We factory ordered the Subaru without sunroof or GPS.
Traded our 2024 Outback for the Forester....way better visibility, more quiet, love the color River Rock, etc. The infotainment center is a little quicker than the old one, but still lags behind most all other brands. I think our next one will be the Tesla Model Y. BTW...seatbelt connections in the Forester are tough to find and lock. Not fun fighting that.
Thanks for your spot on review of the Outback vs RAV4 Hybrid. I own both vehicles (‘21 Rav4H and’24 Outback XT Limited) and totally agree with your observations except I have little experience with either in snow. The RAV4 is my daily driver and the Outback is my wife’s daily driver. Longer road trips there’s no question the Outback is just more comfortable. Handling again, Outback is superior. I often joke about the Outback feeling like a cat climbing a tree with its handling feel. Cargo capacity and loading is pretty comparable to both normally but the edge goes to Outback on loaded road trips. The really only thing that separates the two is the mileage factor of the vehicles with huge difference going in favor of the RAV4. About 15 mpg difference in my experience over 40,000 miles averages, and that’s a lot. But she wouldn’t trade for anything else and I’m considering a Subaru, (‘25 Forester) for a new vehicle. 😂 Excellent review,sir. Now I need to watch your comparison of the Forester to the RAV4 H.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and experiences with both! I’ll share my video comparing the Toyota to the Forester tomorrow morning. If you ever do drive in deep snow, you’ll likely be amazed and what your Subaru can do! 😉
Very good comparison....Make sure you have the right tires ready for the snow season!! That should be pretty interesting. Lots of RAV4s can start well in freezing cold temperatures, they seem to do well, It'll be interesting to see how you compare it, the Subaru's are known for winter driving.
Thanks!! And you got it. I’m hoping we get snow soon so I can see how these tires do. I’d like to order the new ones before we get too far into winter incase they really are as bad as people on the forums say. 😬
After being in a wreck where both cars were a total loss and both drivers were able to walk away (both cars were Subaru Outbacks 🙂 ), I don't think I would ever feel as safe in any other vehicle....even though I love Toyotas. A lady was wearing flip-flops and got them caught on the gas pedal and couldn't slow or stop her car. She rear-ended me twice. PLEASE DON'T DRIVE WEARING FLIP-FLOPS!
Woah, I’m sorry to hear about the accident but I’m thrilled you’re okay! Yeah, I’ve heard enough stories like this to personally believe Subarus and specifically the Outback are about as safe as anything on 4 wheels!
@@cpavs8304 keep it as long as possible! The next generation coming out the outback loses all of its personality and just resembles another generic SUV. Follow the recommended maintenance intervals, and don't let the oil go more than 4K. I do mine every 3K, but I think four is fine. The car will last you a long time. The outback is a superior vehicle to the rav4. The reason why the outback handles so much better that he forgot to mention; Subarus have boxer engines and they sit very low and wide, so every Subaru is going to handle way better than the comparable competition. I have a 2022 WRX. This is my third Subaru.
Just comparing these 2 cars, I think think you will get tired of the Rav 4 fast. Other than the hybrid for MPG's the OBW is just better overall. The RAV4 TRD would've been closer but still falls short. Another reason why Subaru should offer the Ascent Wilderness... Just my thought. Love the channel BTW
Haha maybe, we’ll see. I’m somewhat frugal other than my car purchases so I LOVE getting good gas mileage. It’s like always having a small financial win when driving a lot and not feeling like it’s costing you each day as much. I still don’t know if I’ll keep this more than my typical 2 years before trying the new RAV4 or Hybrid Subaru or something else. But if I do keep this long term I’ll fill the eventually boredom with my next project car in a year or two! 😉🤪
Great review. But, we have both an Outback and a RAV4 hybrid. But it’s the prime. It’s very close to the traction in winter driving because you don’t need max hp in the rear. You need quicker response. And the prime does that for you. Also, we have winter tires in both and traction is never an issue with either. The outback is better handling at speed and accelerating hard, but there is no comparison in operating costs. I like both. And you’re spot on in your choice to have one of each.
So I’m curious Your one of the few honest car guys out there. It’s why I watch all your stuff Most videos regarding sabaru and the AWD and X mode.. show it does an amazing job And then you find some channels that say sabaru isn’t as good as eveyone claims. Do you think these people are intentionally trying to make sabaru and X mode look bad? Or maybe they claim they have X mode on and they really dont? Or is X mode more over rated then a lot people claim?
ua-cam.com/users/shortsrfOFcO89LDk?si=umOGd8YxA7o8qLFk This video very specifically is what I’m talking about I hope you don’t mind if share this I’m curious what your thoughts are on that. It looks like to me they don’t really have X mode on but I could be wrong
I really appreciate you sharing this and that you watch all of my videos, I’m very grateful for you!! I think X-mode is pretty legit. Here’s probably the best video I made of myself getting stuck and needing X-mode level 2 to get out. ua-cam.com/video/ZtAldAW8_6k/v-deo.htmlsi=5ADTXaF1_hiN-MM6
We have a forester. Is the cvt reliable? Toyota cvt I hear good things and Subaru cvt not so much. Getting scared about the cvt reliability on our forester
Subaru CVT failure rate seems to be as low as most decent brands automatic transmissions. They’re more prone to failure (from what I hear) if the fluid isn’t changed and during very long summer road trips it can be more likely to get heat soaked. But the real concern is if they do fail they’re very expensive to replace compared to the average auto transmission.
Thanks for the video super informative as I was looking at a Rav 4 and already have outback. I drive freeways on long road trips to go skiing in Colorado so think I will keep the outback. Need a good driver assistance system and AWD.
I think sticking with the Outback is a good choice. While I do similar driving I decided to give another platform a try. A glutton for punishment maybe, but so far the RAV has been pretty decent! We’ll see what happens when the snow falls. Thanks for watching!!
The 360 navigation control the RAV4 has is something that is a must have. I often get into difficult parking situations that require parallel parking. The ability to see the situation from the top down is really important. The 360 feature is only on the higher trim. I don’t believe that capability is available on the Subaru correct?
Thanks for sharing all that you have! Some top trim level (Touring) Subarus do have a 360 cam, but I can’t remember if the 2025 Outback has that or not as it’s the last year of its current generation. It probably doesn’t, but I’m sure the next gen will. 🤪
The next GEN for Subaru and Toyota should be much better for both vehicles. I’m expecting a much larger screen for the RAV4. And for the Subaru it said that it will be crossover that they are coming out with to compete with the RAV4
@@bobprice6274 The RAV already comes with larger screens once you move up the trim levels. A 12 inch driver's and 10 inch media. They make a very nice improvement over the base screens.
@@dclinton100 yes true, the new one I think will be 14” same as Crown Signia. When they announce the 2026, I will know if the new features are worth waiting for or go with the 2025. At that point the 2025 will be discounted because the new update 2026 is comimg.
@@AutomotiveAnonymous208 we just got the 2025 outback limited. It only has a backup camera. Not sure why it's only on the wilderness. The excuse they told us was for off-road driving to see rocks in front of the wilderness. People in an outback would like to see in front of them too. Was not happy with the reason.
An owner of 3 Foresters in the past years and an Outback currently. They are great vehicles on snow. Typically love the fact they put oil filters on top so I can do oil change myself. However I always have the same problems with these Subarus and never been ratified. Namely noisy heat shields. Bad wheel bearings, cheap low cranking battery on new cars that only last for 2.5 years, inconsistent Eyesight functionality. Just replaced my Forester with a Venza. Will see how it goes.
The battery in my 2008 Toyota Tundra lasted 9 years as far as I know, at least when I sold the truck in 2017 it still had the factory battery in it LOL. None of the off the shelf aftermarket batteries seem to last very long in comparison LOL. I'm looking at getting a Subaru Outback Wilderness at some point, got a while to wait before I get financially caught back up again and save up the money I don't want a $600+ a month car payment HAHA!! And my credit took a huge hit for the mortgage refinance I just did so it'll take a bit for that to recover.
@@wildbill23c Ya. I found some other people had the same battery problem after. It's a cheap battery with barely adequate cranking power. I replaced this 2015 Outback factory battery with a Redtop AGM battery in 2017 and now still running strong. But I have to say what matters is how many mileage the car ran not how many years it lasts.
@@WCTubeful The battery in my pickup didn't even last a year....why? It sits all the time LOL...Yep, totally understand that. The battery in my Tundra I used to have I drove it daily, so the battery was always charged properly, unlike my HD truck that sits at home all the time and gets driven every few weeks if its lucky LOL.
Thanks for sharing this!! Reading the Reddit thread about the guy with 450k miles on his 2020 and he never changed the tranny oil, which was at least very encouraging to hear haha.
On the Subaru infotainment system what apps and stuff in it do you have to pay to use? From my understanding many of the apps are only a limited time for free then they stop working unless you pay a subscription to keep them?
I’m not sure. When I got the Outback I paid 180$ for a 4 year MySubaru app subscription to do all the remote start, HVAC, GPS, etc features. No other app have I paid for or aware of needing a subscription.
@@AutomotiveAnonymous208 Thank you, I probably should talk to a dealer and see for sure what all I'd have to pay for in the future on the infotainment system. I appreciate the videos. Thanks.
Watching this video I’d buy the RAV4, likes are the motor has direct and port injection to keep valves carbon clean, the e-cvt has gears not a chain, the subtle auto on/off system, the infotainment screen, the HVAC knobs, the mpg’s, the simple clean interior and the exterior styling, I don’t drive off-road or in the snow or on icy roads, I don’t camp or sleep in my car so RAV4 fits me better. If I did drive off-road and in the snow and lived in an area with extreme weather conditions I’d get the Outback, it’s AWD is superior, love the turbo motor for more torque. The Subaru is the more refined driving and handling car. But the Subaru infotainment does needs improvement.
I traded in my awesome 2022 CRV for the Rav4 because of the Atkinson cycle! I'm a long termer as we still own our perfect 05 accord. Honda's electronics have toyota whipped but i am a long termer as was more concerned by the engine!
I crossed shopped both and the RAV4 was a downgrade in driving fun. I had driven a minivan for years and there was no way I was going to be happy with the lethargic RAV4 albeit the Toyota will last forever, My 2004 Sienna ran to 210,000 miles before the transmissions started slipping. I happy with my Outback. I have the regular 2.5 and its plenty fun balance for fun and frugal. We test drove both back to back. The RAV4 was fine . It was like a tall Corolla. It just worked. the fit was fine and the finish all around was fine, IT was just boring as hell to drive.
You're right on with your RAV4 observations (2021 RAV4 Trail). I hate Toyota's Lane Keep Assist. It's adjustments are abrupt and it constantly loses lock on the road markings. You cannot relax when it's engaged. Never use it. I laughed at your comment on the overhead lights. Living in the Great White North, it eats snow and ice as a snack (with winter tires of course).
Very cool! Haha, they’re a pain to turn on/off when I try to briefly use those lights in my early morning drives. That’s really good to know! But yours isn’t a hybrid, right? So it’s a bit more mechanical? And then are you referring to legit winter tires you swap on, or just a more competent tire than came from the factory? Thanks!!
After driving all kinds of Subarus for years and loving it, I finally have switched to Toyotas, it really feels like a down grade though except in the reliability :( I keep cars for long time and because of Subaru oil consumption, valve fouling from direct injection (no D4S system like in Toyotas), belt driven CVT and lack of physical buttons I could not justify buying another Subaru.
A few things; the Subaru mainly handles better because of the boxer engine, lower center of gravity makes Subarus out handle any similar product from another automaker. You should have kept the outback! Especially because the refresh loses everything that an outback is supposed to be, and you have one of the best versions of an outback, the wilderness! Beautiful turbo excellent AWD system, tons of room. That would have been my move. Just keep up with the regular service intervals, and a car will last a really long time! I'm sure you could have gotten another 5 years out of the outback with good regular maintenance, and most importantly following the recommended service intervals! Why do people want to get rid of cars so quickly these days? We live in such a disposable society. I have a 2022 WRX, btw 😅
Thanks for sharing all of this! The OBW definitely was a sweet ride and good version of that car. But it was just time to try something different. I’m glad you’re enjoying your WRX!!
Rav4 is a great jack of all trades vehicle and a worthy purchase. It's not a master at doing one thing however. That's the only drawback in my opinion. If you want a 2nd vehicle for that purpose, either get a 4Runner for extreme off roading or a Prius for the best MPGs. I own a Rav4 Adventure and a Corolla hatchback. My Corolla is technically my daily driver for work, but I use the Rav4 quite a bit, almost like a daily. When it snows or if I need to haul a lot of stuff, that's my primary vehicle.
I’ve owned three rav 4 in the last 15 years I bought a used 21 forester last year and its the best vehicle besides my 2010 Tacoma. I’ve ever owned. You get way more for your money with subaru
Very cool! I also once had a 2nd gen Tacoma! Subaru definitely offers a lot of quality bang for the buck, I’m glad they appear to be doing really well as a company.
I have a '22 Rav4 hybrid. I used to have a '12 Outback with the 3.6. The non-hybrid Rav4 is too slow. The hybrid has more hp and torque. The Outback is quieter, rides nicer and with the 3.6 was pretty quick. The head unit on the Outback was horrible. The Outback will be getting Toyota's hybrid system - that will be the one to get.
I've read that Subaru is keeping the boxer engine with their new hybrid system. Or did you mean, they will adapt their boxer engine to Toyota's hybrid system?
Hi AA, I confess I had trouble following the comparison between your Outback and Rav 4. Perhaps they aren't all that easily comparable however, they're both very good solid vehicles in their own right. I think that you a long time owner of Subarus became conditioned and easily tend to compare anything to Subarus you owned and currently own. The same thing happens to me as the Forester and Crosstrek are the goldstandard sort of speak and everything else will be measured against Subies. Did you already did a comparison between your Rav and Forester,?I don't remember if you did. Both are slightly different as you have them configured.
I’m sorry about that, but you’re right, I’m very conditioned to compare things to Subarus. Since starting the UA-cam stuff I’ve driven more of them than anything else. I do have the RAV4 to Forester video done and it will be published publicly tomorrow. These videos are just thoughts on the differences at least the things I notice or that matter to me in a vehicle, I totally understand that my list of items could be irrelevant to many people. 🤷♂️🤪
The Toyota is more fuel efficient. I would rather have the 2.5 naturally aspirated Outback over the RAV4 because it’s bigger, more capable as far as ground clearance and better all wheel drive.
I would've sold the Forester and kept the Outback if I were in your shoes. What's the point of having both the Forester and RAV4 when they're basically identical in form and function. the Outback gives you the option for ruggedness, more performance, and a different form factor. But financially this is a sound decision as it'll give your channel a broader audience base as well as save you some gas at the end of the day.
You’re spot on in that recommendation haha. But the Forester is my Wife’s car, and she loves it lol. And as long as there’s any Subaru in the garage I didn’t feel the need to keep the 3 year old Outback which by next year would be past its powertrain warranty. I think they’re very reliable, but I don’t keep cars past the warranty because I’ve had engine/transmission failures before. As this point in life we can make do with the same size compact crossover, at least for a couple years. 🤪 Thanks for watching and pointing out some very good points!
This was a nice balanced comparison even though the R4H goes up against the Forester (which you did mention, thanks). One thing though, you can't just half the HP to say the Subaru puts this much to the rear wheels because there are drivetrain losses involved. So it is probably 10-20% less than half the HP (max) and on top of that, it will only put a variable percentage to the rear depending on the conditions. Looking forward to some of your opinions on winter driving once you get enough snow. I have a R4H and have already been through a few storms and can say it handles very well (with winter tires on). My thoughts are you would have to be in some pretty severe snow conditions to truly notice a major difference in abilities. In no way I'm saying Toyota's e-AWD is as mechanically good as Subaru's AWD system but under normal driving, Toyota's system is more than capable.
Thanks for sharing this! Good point about the drive train loss. And do you swap out your tires to a dedicated winter tire for the winter, or which one to you currently run? I really appreciate your insight and I’m glad it’s been serving you well.
@@AutomotiveAnonymous208 I replaced the OE tires (only 6,000 miles on them) with a set of Pirelli Scorpion Weatheractive tires a month ago. They are All-Weather (true 4 season) tires and have put them through every condition except hot weather so far. They are better than the OE tires (Michelin Primacy A/S) in both dry and wet conditions with better grip and a slightly better turn-in with a small penalty in F/E (can't have it all, right). In the snow, I find them about 95% as good as previous top tier tires I've used (X-Ice Snow, WS80) on my other cars. If you have seen the news and the horrible storms hitting NY State, I drove through one of those east of Buffalo, just to give you an idea on some of the conditions I've driven through already. Keep up the good work with the channel.
Toyota’s E-CVT has already reached 1st place (in transmission reliability/performance/efficiency scores) for reliability and efficiency🎉. It’s now being touted as the world’s most reliable transmission, based on warranty repairs of less than 0.002%, exceptional reliability under extreme neglect and lack of maintenance, and the overall engineering design. The E-CVT is an engineering masterpiece… and I hope Toyota patented the F* out of it.
I crashed and rolled over. The batteries starting leaking onto me when I was upside down. I don't recommend having batteries under the seat. Had they caught fire, I would of been toast.
Curious why you decided to sell your Outback Wilderness and get a different vehicle? I’ve been watching a lot of your Subaru videos for quite a while now.
It was just time for a change, especially where it feels like I drive Subarus all the time now for videos. Also, one of my most important uses of a car is driving long distances to my therapy work, and while I really need a competent car (or at least tires) to manage the snow, I wanted to not start worrying about reliability. The Outback would have been out of warranty within a year and while I’ve had no reliability issues with it, I start worrying about surprise failures on the horizon. That probably sounds silly, but on my drives to work at highway/interstate speeds I’ve had the transmission go out in both my Trans Am and Miata, so I feel mildly prone to big powertrain component failures haha. Also, now that I made videos it’s fun to explore and share my thoughts on this new to me platform incase it’s beneficial to others and educational to myself. 🤷♂️🤪 I still love Subarus and think in general they’re a better value brand new than Toyota, assuming they don’t have any major repairs after the warranty.
Great suggestion, you got it! I’ll probably also drive our Subaru Forester some more either first (or after) and share how they compare to each other on factory tires.
It will be interesting what it has. I will be comparing it to the Rave4 2026. I wonder if it will have a larger display on the higher trims? What features are rumored? Expect a higher mpg.
Haha maybe. But I’m planning to do a lot of filming and driving with the new Hybrid Subarus and I just needed a change. I didn’t care to wait until next year and I often start to get worried about a powertrain failure with aging vehicles on my early morning drives to therapy. I know that sounds ridiculous, but both of my most recent sports cars transmissions failed while doing that drive, so it’s real to me haha. Even if this car isn’t overall better, it’s more enjoyable right now because it’s new and different and I can eliminate that concern from mind again. 🤪😅
@@AutomotiveAnonymous208 the 2025 is a good vehicle. I am hoping the new one has these features (my best guess list): Larger entertainment display 14” display Improved 44 mpg 41 city Two new paint colors, green Same sunroof as signia 30 percent quieter Auto software update New storage console 1 new interior color Spare tire Same sound system Reading lights 19” tires Toyota safety sensense 3.0 Camry hybrid power system Front wheel drive option
I may have misspoke 😅… hopefully someone who currently has the app can comment on here. I ended my service and deleted the app after signing away the Outback. I do remember it can honk the horn and turn on the lights, I’m pretty sure. 🤪
@@AutomotiveAnonymous208 Yes to the horn and lights, and you can lock it remotely. And on my ‘25 Outback Wilderness it will tell you if a window or the sunroof is open, BUT no way that I know of to close them.
@@AutomotiveAnonymous208 Dang, I was hoping *I* was wrong, because it would be great if you could. And I wish you could remotely turn on the heated steering wheel when you start the car. First world problems for sure. 😂
@@AutomotiveAnonymous208 For my R4H I got a obd dongle and could programm the keyfob to open and close the windows by pressing the open/lock buttons on it. I would think that any toyota dealer should be able to do this for you
You should buy a venza hybrid limited everything is inside more than the rav4 i owned one 2022 model love it but you have remember the rav4 is the best selling suv in the world and also the rav4 saves you a lot of money than the outback on the pump thanks
That’s awesome! I personally don’t need a nicer vehicle than the RAV4 I currently have. I’d rather eat up depreciation costs buying something new and reliable every couple years than buy something nicer and keep it for longer. But that’s just me and I’m weird haha. 🤪 Thanks for watching!!
I notice you're in Idaho. How does the hybrid battery hold up in ultra cold weather. My child will be attending school in northern Utah next year, and I'm wondering if very cold weather significantly affects battery life.
I’m not sure yet. I wouldn’t think it damages the battery much because the car should have been engineered to protect it and help it regulate temperature in various extreme conditions. But MPG will likely suffer during the winter and more electricity is needed from the gas engines generation of it to maintain the battery and provide in cabin heat. 🤷♂️🤪 Best of luck! I assume as long as this car is on a good set of tires it should be a very well balanced car and holds up well.
A laundry list of first world problems... I can relate to a few. The AWD systems in the vehicles you're comparing are apples and oranges. If a true full time AWD is what you need, the Rav4 hybrid was a bad decision. As for the 'nanny tech'.... put the phone down, and drive the car. 😁. Every time the car has to intervene, you've failed as a competent driver. I know that's harsh, but way too many people tend to rely on these safety features above and beyond their intended use. Neither were designed to 'self drive', even for 2 seconds. As a Rav4 hybrid owner, I can relate to most of your 'creature comfort' issues. I can say it's far from perfect, and the app, after the 'free trials' is basically useless. The monthly subscription prices do not justify the cost, imho. I'd also say the Rav4's base stereo is.... bad. I switched from a '21 Cherokee Trailhawk, and comfort wise the Jeep was FAR BETTER, BUT it's valve train lasted 14k miles... It was in the shop 4 times for broken things I've never seen break on any other car... So far the Rav4 has had zero issues and nothing but oil changes required. If you swap out cars every 2-3 years, get whatever you want... It won't matter, it'll be under warranty. If you plan on keeping your car past 36k miles, the Rav4 hybrid is a reliable, economical 'commuter' that should be trouble free far after 3yrs/36k miles.
Back in March we got our first forester we're toyota bias rented a rav 4 I not a real big guy but I found the seats in be very narrow I didn't find them comfortable at all subaru won
Thanks for sharing this! I’m glad you’re happy with your Forester, we really like ours. And I’ll share the comparison thoughts I have to that car tomorrow.
My advice, change the cluster to digital instead of analog. Its better in my opinion. To change the cluster from analog to digital in a RAV4, you can do the following: 1. Use the left or right arrow on the MID controller on the left side of the steering wheel to navigate to the Settings screen 2. Press the down arrow to find MID Settings 3. Press and hold the OK button on the MID controller 4. Use the down arrow to navigate to Meter Type 5. Press the OK button 6. Select Digital
This is apples to oranges. The Rav4 to Forester is a much closer compare. Outback is definitely more upscale than the others. The Rav4 eCVT is premium though.
You’re right, it definitely is haha. But also people cross shop all sorts of vehicles, and this video is about my experience with each that I cross shopped. I do have a video of how this compares to our Forester which will be public soon. But even when I had my 2023 Miata and would do the occasional update on it there’d be people with trucks and Jeep wranglers who were looking for a change and trading their behemoths for a MX-5, lol. 🤷♂️🤪
I would not trade my ICE Subaru for a ICE Toyota. But I would trade my ICE Subaru for a RAV4 Hybrid. If my need was for off-road, or low-traction travel, I'd never trade my Subaru for a RAV4
I get that. I’m curious and a bit nervous to see how this first winter goes. But I figured since I don’t actually off road and we only have maybe 10 really bad snow days a year this can probably survive that haha.
In real world tests, the Rav4 hybrid performed very well off-road and in icy/snowy conditions. It has a lot of front wheel slip, but takes no power away from the rear, unlike in a mechanical AWD.
That’s a good point, thanks for sharing this!! I think my concern with the AWD system is less about getting started and stopping at low speeds, but it’s about losing the rear when at highway speeds if it’s just tailing behind and isn’t actively propelling its self forward to keep up with the front of the car.
@ What are you even talking about? Loss of traction is a function of tires (where the grip actually happens) and not power supply, which is what drive systems do. “Tailing behind versus propelling itself?” Are you serious with that? These are not two unlinked vehicles! This is a single piece! You don’t seem to comprehend the first thing about physics or mechanics! This is why you also brought up stopping, which has NOTHING to do with the drive system.
@@afcgeo882 , Tires can be replaced more easily than drivetrain. The Subaru's AWD system is second to none when it comes to reliable and affordable traction
Haha I get that, depending on how my winter driving goes I may change my mind. But so far I don’t regret it. It is boring overall, but it’s reliable and I can count on it to be reliable if I keep it long term. I’m more okay with a boring car now since I get to enjoy test driving more exciting cars each month with my filming. My current plan is to enjoy this while I save up for the next project car to satisfy the enthusiast in me. 🤪
Oh yes ...... thats actually not true. My neighbour across the street has a 9 month old CX-5 which needed already 3 brake jobs at the front and a completely redone anti theft system at 10000km. My R4H has 3 1/2 years and 75000km with absolutely no issues except regular maintenance. My wife and me have more than 40 years of driving experience with 5 different Toyotas, 2 gas only and three hybrid with about 500000km combined. Problems so far: 1 blinker bulb, one 3rd braking light, 1 rearview mirror that fell off and one time on a rear door a failed remote locking. Everything else was just regular maintenance. And now Toyota is giving customers, at least in Germany, 15 years or 250000km of guaranty. There is a few things that I don´t like about my R4H Black Edition but since reliability is the absolut no.1 criteria for me the only question what I will buy next year is if it´s going to be a R4plug-in or a Landcruiser :-) ( the R4 Prime is called plug-in over here in Europe)
Endless moneypit with low quality components, cheap plastics, and very inferior reliability. Most mechanics would agree with you. Yes, a bmw is a superior pile of junk.
I get that haha. It still throws me off a bit too. It works a bit faster than my Subarus did. But with how it sticks off the dash I think there should be a scrolly dial to control it like in the 2023 Miata I use to own.
@@AutomotiveAnonymous208Mazda’s infotainment screen is purposefully placed out of hand reach for most drivers, which is why it has those controls. Toyota’s definitely isn’t.
I had an opposite experience coming from RAV4 hybrid to a Forester and could not be happier. Despite the better economy in the town of the RAV4 , I think the Forester is better in all other aspects, handling, visibility, practicality, quality of interior. The Subaru looks a design centric for the occupants, where the Toyota a design centric to the reliability.
By the way on of the aspects that made my decision the hybrid exceeds the conventional engine in city and warm weather. However in cold weather and highways the fuel consumption is similar. Also the RAV4 had an annoying low frequency transmission vibration at 45 mph.
Now looking forward the hybrid Forester. I think will be a killer , the best of both worlds.
I’m glad you’re happy with your Forester! Thanks for sharing your experiences with both. I’m actually surprised the Forester can sometimes get up to 30mpg at 80mph, that’s a big improvement over the turbo Outback we had. You’re right, the hybrid Forester should be pretty interesting!!
@@AutomotiveAnonymous208 I replaced a 2003 Subaru WRX with a Forester from 2016-18, and it was GREAT in Colo. snow. Hit a deer, set off 6/8 airbags (a $12K+ total loss), & replaced it with a Mazda CX-5, which got higher highway mileage. I now enjoy my 2025 CX-70 PHEV!
I just traded my 24 RAV4 XLE which I bought three months ago. The driver's seat was HORRIBLE. Picked up a 25 Outback Onyx 2.5. I had a 90 minute drive home and was super comfortable. The RAV4 would start to kill my back within 30 minutes. IMHO, this new car is light years ahead of the Toyota. And this is coming from someone who has bought about 20 Toyotas over the last 35 years. Toyota is losing its mojo to the hybrid world.
I’m sorry to hear that’s been your experience, but I’m glad you’re enjoying the Outback!! What seat material did your Toyota have? I’ve noticed some of their leather seats I didn’t enjoy but I usually like their cloth.
Great video! The E-CVT is extremely reliable for the Toyota for it doesn’t need a belt or multiple clutches to function. It has a planetary gear set instead which is more efficient and mechanically direct without as many power losses. There is a simple clutch that is electronically controlled that minimizes the shock of engaging and disengaging of the engine. So, with friction surfaces minimized, maintenance is minimal and less heat is generated. The biggest drawback is that Toyota hybrid can sound a lot like a car with a CVT with some droning on hard acceleration. But with stronger electric motors, that is less an issue than my 1st & 2nd generation Prius cars which demanded more power from the gas engine for hard acceleration.
Thanks for sharing all of this!!
The amazing “E” CVT is one of the main reasons we just bought our 2024 RAV4
@@aussiedeplorable8670…yep, me too!! That transmission is an engineering masterpiece🫡
Just a small correction, there is no clutch with a Toyota eCVT. The start stop is accomplished simply by controlling the electric motors at the proper speeds. There are no electronic or hydraulic controlled clutches and no friction surfaces to wear.
@ Thanks!
We compared these 2 cars in 2023 and got the Subaru Outback Onyx 2.5. The car was primarily for road trips, so the better lane centering and longer cargo area for camping was important. We are getting over 30mpg highway. For around town and better mileage, our other car is a Nissan Leaf. We factory ordered the Subaru without sunroof or GPS.
I didn't know any Outback Onyx came with GPS. On the site it specifically says it doesn't come with GPS. Why did you have to order it that way?
Totally agree with all your comments on the RAV4 good and bad..all on point with no BS! Good review. JP 2024 Rav4 Prime
Thanks! I bet you have a lot of fun with your Prime! I hope to drive one someday. 🤪
Traded our 2024 Outback for the Forester....way better visibility, more quiet, love the color River Rock, etc. The infotainment center is a little quicker than the old one, but still lags behind most all other brands. I think our next one will be the Tesla Model Y. BTW...seatbelt connections in the Forester are tough to find and lock. Not fun fighting that.
Did you get a 25 or 24 Forester?
Thanks for your spot on review of the Outback vs RAV4 Hybrid. I own both vehicles (‘21 Rav4H and’24 Outback XT Limited) and totally agree with your observations except I have little experience with either in snow. The RAV4 is my daily driver and the Outback is my wife’s daily driver. Longer road trips there’s no question the Outback is just more comfortable. Handling again, Outback is superior. I often joke about the Outback feeling like a cat climbing a tree with its handling feel. Cargo capacity and loading is pretty comparable to both normally but the edge goes to Outback on loaded road trips.
The really only thing that separates the two is the mileage factor of the vehicles with huge difference going in favor of the RAV4. About 15 mpg difference in my experience over 40,000 miles averages, and that’s a lot. But she wouldn’t trade for anything else and I’m considering a Subaru, (‘25 Forester) for a new vehicle. 😂
Excellent review,sir. Now I need to watch your comparison of the Forester to the RAV4 H.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and experiences with both! I’ll share my video comparing the Toyota to the Forester tomorrow morning. If you ever do drive in deep snow, you’ll likely be amazed and what your Subaru can do! 😉
Very good comparison....Make sure you have the right tires ready for the snow season!! That should be pretty interesting. Lots of RAV4s can start well in freezing cold temperatures, they seem to do well, It'll be interesting to see how you compare it, the Subaru's are known for winter driving.
Best of luck w/ your new ride. Would love to see feedback after a few snowstorms.
Thanks!! And you got it. I’m hoping we get snow soon so I can see how these tires do. I’d like to order the new ones before we get too far into winter incase they really are as bad as people on the forums say. 😬
@@AutomotiveAnonymous208 is it fun to drive at all or is it more like driving a large truck?
After being in a wreck where both cars were a total loss and both drivers were able to walk away (both cars were Subaru Outbacks 🙂 ), I don't think I would ever
feel as safe in any other vehicle....even though I love Toyotas. A lady was wearing flip-flops and got them caught on the gas pedal and couldn't slow or stop her car.
She rear-ended me twice.
PLEASE DON'T DRIVE WEARING FLIP-FLOPS!
Woah, I’m sorry to hear about the accident but I’m thrilled you’re okay! Yeah, I’ve heard enough stories like this to personally believe Subarus and specifically the Outback are about as safe as anything on 4 wheels!
Love my 2024 Subaru Outback in the snow.
Subaru's are great for snow...Have you tried The Toyota 4Runner? That thing's a beast.
I have the 24 OB wilderness and a Ford F150 lariat .. and my wilderness is superior in the snow over my F150
@@cpavs8304 keep it as long as possible! The next generation coming out the outback loses all of its personality and just resembles another generic SUV. Follow the recommended maintenance intervals, and don't let the oil go more than 4K. I do mine every 3K, but I think four is fine. The car will last you a long time. The outback is a superior vehicle to the rav4. The reason why the outback handles so much better that he forgot to mention; Subarus have boxer engines and they sit very low and wide, so every Subaru is going to handle way better than the comparable competition. I have a 2022 WRX. This is my third Subaru.
Just comparing these 2 cars, I think think you will get tired of the Rav 4 fast. Other than the hybrid for MPG's the OBW is just better overall. The RAV4 TRD would've been closer but still falls short. Another reason why Subaru should offer the Ascent Wilderness... Just my thought. Love the channel BTW
Haha maybe, we’ll see. I’m somewhat frugal other than my car purchases so I LOVE getting good gas mileage. It’s like always having a small financial win when driving a lot and not feeling like it’s costing you each day as much. I still don’t know if I’ll keep this more than my typical 2 years before trying the new RAV4 or Hybrid Subaru or something else. But if I do keep this long term I’ll fill the eventually boredom with my next project car in a year or two! 😉🤪
Good review
Thanks, I appreciate you watching!
Great review. But, we have both an Outback and a RAV4 hybrid. But it’s the prime. It’s very close to the traction in winter driving because you don’t need max hp in the rear. You need quicker response. And the prime does that for you. Also, we have winter tires in both and traction is never an issue with either. The outback is better handling at speed and accelerating hard, but there is no comparison in operating costs. I like both. And you’re spot on in your choice to have one of each.
Thanks for sharing your experience with each of them!! I’m not surprised the Prime’s power kicks in pretty quickly.
As always great video
Thanks, I really appreciate you deciding to watch again! I also have a RAV4 vs. Forester comparison that I’ll share within the next 3-4 days.
Love the Subaru forester wilderness ❤
So I’m curious
Your one of the few honest car guys out there. It’s why I watch all your stuff
Most videos regarding sabaru and the AWD and X mode.. show it does an amazing job
And then you find some channels that say sabaru isn’t as good as eveyone claims. Do you think these people are intentionally trying to make sabaru and X mode look bad? Or maybe they claim they have X mode on and they really dont? Or is X mode more over rated then a lot people claim?
ua-cam.com/users/shortsrfOFcO89LDk?si=umOGd8YxA7o8qLFk
This video very specifically is what I’m talking about
I hope you don’t mind if share this
I’m curious what your thoughts are on that. It looks like to me they don’t really have X mode on but I could be wrong
I really appreciate you sharing this and that you watch all of my videos, I’m very grateful for you!! I think X-mode is pretty legit. Here’s probably the best video I made of myself getting stuck and needing X-mode level 2 to get out.
ua-cam.com/video/ZtAldAW8_6k/v-deo.htmlsi=5ADTXaF1_hiN-MM6
Nothing drives like a subaru. Feel safe and secure. I will stick w mine.
That’s very true! Especially in winter.
The RAV4 interior is lacking any style. I know, I know, it’s a long lasting appliance.
@@angusmacdonald5300l like the storm trooper look, ours is white too.
@@angusmacdonald5300 but I think it looks better than the Subarus
We have a forester. Is the cvt reliable? Toyota cvt I hear good things and Subaru cvt not so much. Getting scared about the cvt reliability on our forester
Subaru CVT failure rate seems to be as low as most decent brands automatic transmissions. They’re more prone to failure (from what I hear) if the fluid isn’t changed and during very long summer road trips it can be more likely to get heat soaked. But the real concern is if they do fail they’re very expensive to replace compared to the average auto transmission.
If you’re concerned about the cvt, change the fluid regularly. I’ll change mine every 2 years but I’ll be towing a little
@ thanks, I will
Subaru:s cvt is very reliable, don't worry so much!
@ thanks I’m going service it but not baby it. Whatever happens .
Thanks for the video super informative as I was looking at a Rav 4 and already have outback.
I drive freeways on long road trips to go skiing in Colorado so think I will keep the outback. Need a good driver assistance system and AWD.
I think sticking with the Outback is a good choice. While I do similar driving I decided to give another platform a try. A glutton for punishment maybe, but so far the RAV has been pretty decent! We’ll see what happens when the snow falls. Thanks for watching!!
The 360 navigation control the RAV4 has is something that is a must have. I often get into difficult parking situations that require parallel parking. The ability to see the situation from the top down is really important. The 360 feature is only on the higher trim. I don’t believe that capability is available on the Subaru correct?
Thanks for sharing all that you have! Some top trim level (Touring) Subarus do have a 360 cam, but I can’t remember if the 2025 Outback has that or not as it’s the last year of its current generation. It probably doesn’t, but I’m sure the next gen will. 🤪
The next GEN for Subaru and Toyota should be much better for both vehicles. I’m expecting a much larger screen for the RAV4. And for the Subaru it said that it will be crossover that they are coming out with to compete with the RAV4
@@bobprice6274 The RAV already comes with larger screens once you move up the trim levels. A 12 inch driver's and 10 inch media. They make a very nice improvement over the base screens.
@@dclinton100 yes true, the new one I think will be 14” same as Crown Signia. When they announce the 2026, I will know if the new features are worth waiting for or go with the 2025. At that point the 2025 will be discounted because the new update 2026 is comimg.
@@AutomotiveAnonymous208 we just got the 2025 outback limited. It only has a backup camera. Not sure why it's only on the wilderness. The excuse they told us was for off-road driving to see rocks in front of the wilderness. People in an outback would like to see in front of them too. Was not happy with the reason.
An owner of 3 Foresters in the past years and an Outback currently. They are great vehicles on snow. Typically love the fact they put oil filters on top so I can do oil change myself. However I always have the same problems with these Subarus and never been ratified. Namely noisy heat shields. Bad wheel bearings, cheap low cranking battery on new cars that only last for 2.5 years, inconsistent Eyesight functionality. Just replaced my Forester with a Venza. Will see how it goes.
Thanks for sharing this part of your ownership experience. Best of luck with the Venza!
The battery in my 2008 Toyota Tundra lasted 9 years as far as I know, at least when I sold the truck in 2017 it still had the factory battery in it LOL. None of the off the shelf aftermarket batteries seem to last very long in comparison LOL.
I'm looking at getting a Subaru Outback Wilderness at some point, got a while to wait before I get financially caught back up again and save up the money I don't want a $600+ a month car payment HAHA!! And my credit took a huge hit for the mortgage refinance I just did so it'll take a bit for that to recover.
@@wildbill23c Ya. I found some other people had the same battery problem after. It's a cheap battery with barely adequate cranking power. I replaced this 2015 Outback factory battery with a Redtop AGM battery in 2017 and now still running strong. But I have to say what matters is how many mileage the car ran not how many years it lasts.
@@WCTubeful The battery in my pickup didn't even last a year....why? It sits all the time LOL...Yep, totally understand that. The battery in my Tundra I used to have I drove it daily, so the battery was always charged properly, unlike my HD truck that sits at home all the time and gets driven every few weeks if its lucky LOL.
The Toyota E-CVT (planetary gearset) still needs regular oil changes. Make sure to clean the high voltage battery cooling fan filter!
Thanks for sharing this!! Reading the Reddit thread about the guy with 450k miles on his 2020 and he never changed the tranny oil, which was at least very encouraging to hear haha.
big deal, 100 000 mile service. It's not hydraulic, , it's splash lube just like a rear drive differential. Drain it and refill.
Not true. I called Ogden Toyota (Utah) and eCVT does not require lubricant changed anytime during the life of the automobile.
@@rncondie You’ll hear that a lot of things in life won’t demand lubricating. Be careful believing that in practice in the long term!
@@rncondie still good to change it....even 10 year intervals. Just like a differential on an old style rear wheel drive car.
On the Subaru infotainment system what apps and stuff in it do you have to pay to use? From my understanding many of the apps are only a limited time for free then they stop working unless you pay a subscription to keep them?
I’m not sure. When I got the Outback I paid 180$ for a 4 year MySubaru app subscription to do all the remote start, HVAC, GPS, etc features. No other app have I paid for or aware of needing a subscription.
@@AutomotiveAnonymous208 Thank you, I probably should talk to a dealer and see for sure what all I'd have to pay for in the future on the infotainment system. I appreciate the videos. Thanks.
Watching this video I’d buy the RAV4, likes are the motor has direct and port injection to keep valves carbon clean, the e-cvt has gears not a chain, the subtle auto on/off system, the infotainment screen, the HVAC knobs, the mpg’s, the simple clean interior and the exterior styling, I don’t drive off-road or in the snow or on icy roads, I don’t camp or sleep in my car so RAV4 fits me better. If I did drive off-road and in the snow and lived in an area with extreme weather conditions I’d get the Outback, it’s AWD is superior, love the turbo motor for more torque. The Subaru is the more refined driving and handling car. But the Subaru infotainment does needs improvement.
I traded in my awesome 2022 CRV for the Rav4 because of the Atkinson cycle! I'm a long termer as we still own our perfect 05 accord. Honda's electronics have toyota whipped but i am a long termer as was more concerned by the engine!
I totally get that! There’s a lot of peace of mind that comes from knowing you have what should be a trouble free power-plant. Thanks for watching!
I crossed shopped both and the RAV4 was a downgrade in driving fun. I had driven a minivan for years and there was no way I was going to be happy with the lethargic RAV4 albeit the Toyota will last forever, My 2004 Sienna ran to 210,000 miles before the transmissions started slipping. I happy with my Outback. I have the regular 2.5 and its plenty fun balance for fun and frugal. We test drove both back to back. The RAV4 was fine . It was like a tall Corolla. It just worked. the fit was fine and the finish all around was fine, IT was just boring as hell to drive.
Haha I get that. I’m glad you’re enjoying your Outback!
You're right on with your RAV4 observations (2021 RAV4 Trail). I hate Toyota's Lane Keep Assist. It's adjustments are abrupt and it constantly loses lock on the road markings. You cannot relax when it's engaged. Never use it. I laughed at your comment on the overhead lights. Living in the Great White North, it eats snow and ice as a snack (with winter tires of course).
Very cool! Haha, they’re a pain to turn on/off when I try to briefly use those lights in my early morning drives. That’s really good to know! But yours isn’t a hybrid, right? So it’s a bit more mechanical? And then are you referring to legit winter tires you swap on, or just a more competent tire than came from the factory? Thanks!!
@@Jeep4X this was great information not found in any other Rav4 videos I have seen.
@@Jeep4X the beep letting you know a car is there is useful
After driving all kinds of Subarus for years and loving it, I finally have switched to Toyotas, it really feels like a down grade though except in the reliability :( I keep cars for long time and because of Subaru oil consumption, valve fouling from direct injection (no D4S system like in Toyotas), belt driven CVT and lack of physical buttons I could not justify buying another Subaru.
I get that! I still really like Subaru, but it’s also nice to change things up every once in a while.
I own a24 limited hybrid and I’m very disappointed that it does not have folding mirrors…why not?
Maybe they will include that in the new RAV4 2026 I hope so
What about the 25 models,
BECAUSE, you have to buy a Lexus NX350H to get that feature. Also has power tilt steering wheel
Mirrors don’t fold on the 25 model.
The mirrors do auto fold in the 2024 Australian RAV4 Cruiser model
A few things; the Subaru mainly handles better because of the boxer engine, lower center of gravity makes Subarus out handle any similar product from another automaker. You should have kept the outback! Especially because the refresh loses everything that an outback is supposed to be, and you have one of the best versions of an outback, the wilderness! Beautiful turbo excellent AWD system, tons of room. That would have been my move. Just keep up with the regular service intervals, and a car will last a really long time! I'm sure you could have gotten another 5 years out of the outback with good regular maintenance, and most importantly following the recommended service intervals! Why do people want to get rid of cars so quickly these days? We live in such a disposable society. I have a 2022 WRX, btw 😅
Thanks for sharing all of this! The OBW definitely was a sweet ride and good version of that car. But it was just time to try something different. I’m glad you’re enjoying your WRX!!
Those climate control knobs are HUGE and I love it lol. Wish the Outback had them
Haha yeah, the knobs are huge, but the buttons are small. 🤷♂️😅
Rav4 is a great jack of all trades vehicle and a worthy purchase. It's not a master at doing one thing however. That's the only drawback in my opinion. If you want a 2nd vehicle for that purpose, either get a 4Runner for extreme off roading or a Prius for the best MPGs.
I own a Rav4 Adventure and a Corolla hatchback. My Corolla is technically my daily driver for work, but I use the Rav4 quite a bit, almost like a daily. When it snows or if I need to haul a lot of stuff, that's my primary vehicle.
I’ve owned three rav 4 in the last 15 years I bought a used 21 forester last year and its the best vehicle besides my 2010 Tacoma. I’ve ever owned. You get way more for your money with subaru
Very cool! I also once had a 2nd gen Tacoma! Subaru definitely offers a lot of quality bang for the buck, I’m glad they appear to be doing really well as a company.
the digital rear view mirror eliminates the stacking problem in the back..
That’s a good point!
I have a '22 Rav4 hybrid. I used to have a '12 Outback with the 3.6. The non-hybrid Rav4 is too slow. The hybrid has more hp and torque. The Outback is quieter, rides nicer and with the 3.6 was pretty quick. The head unit on the Outback was horrible. The Outback will be getting Toyota's hybrid system - that will be the one to get.
I've read that Subaru is keeping the boxer engine with their new hybrid system. Or did you mean, they will adapt their boxer engine to Toyota's hybrid system?
@@dclinton100 Toyota and Subaru engineers are adapting the Toyota hybrid system to the Subaru boxer & boxer turbo. Should be a good powertrain.
Battle of the Topguns 😮
Subarus infotainment is brutal 🤬
Best bet: wait for the all new 2026 RAV4 Next summer 💕
Haha yeah!
Hi AA, I confess I had trouble following the comparison between your Outback and Rav 4. Perhaps they aren't all that easily comparable however, they're both very good solid vehicles in their own right. I think that you a long time owner of Subarus became conditioned and easily tend to compare anything to Subarus you owned and currently own. The same thing happens to me as the Forester and Crosstrek are the goldstandard sort of speak and everything else will be measured against Subies. Did you already did a comparison between your Rav and Forester,?I don't remember if you did. Both are slightly different as you have them configured.
I’m sorry about that, but you’re right, I’m very conditioned to compare things to Subarus. Since starting the UA-cam stuff I’ve driven more of them than anything else. I do have the RAV4 to Forester video done and it will be published publicly tomorrow. These videos are just thoughts on the differences at least the things I notice or that matter to me in a vehicle, I totally understand that my list of items could be irrelevant to many people. 🤷♂️🤪
The Toyota is more fuel efficient. I would rather have the 2.5 naturally aspirated Outback over the RAV4 because it’s bigger, more capable as far as ground clearance and better all wheel drive.
I would've sold the Forester and kept the Outback if I were in your shoes. What's the point of having both the Forester and RAV4 when they're basically identical in form and function. the Outback gives you the option for ruggedness, more performance, and a different form factor. But financially this is a sound decision as it'll give your channel a broader audience base as well as save you some gas at the end of the day.
You’re spot on in that recommendation haha. But the Forester is my Wife’s car, and she loves it lol. And as long as there’s any Subaru in the garage I didn’t feel the need to keep the 3 year old Outback which by next year would be past its powertrain warranty. I think they’re very reliable, but I don’t keep cars past the warranty because I’ve had engine/transmission failures before. As this point in life we can make do with the same size compact crossover, at least for a couple years. 🤪 Thanks for watching and pointing out some very good points!
This was a nice balanced comparison even though the R4H goes up against the Forester (which you did mention, thanks). One thing though, you can't just half the HP to say the Subaru puts this much to the rear wheels because there are drivetrain losses involved. So it is probably 10-20% less than half the HP (max) and on top of that, it will only put a variable percentage to the rear depending on the conditions. Looking forward to some of your opinions on winter driving once you get enough snow. I have a R4H and have already been through a few storms and can say it handles very well (with winter tires on). My thoughts are you would have to be in some pretty severe snow conditions to truly notice a major difference in abilities. In no way I'm saying Toyota's e-AWD is as mechanically good as Subaru's AWD system but under normal driving, Toyota's system is more than capable.
Thanks for sharing this! Good point about the drive train loss. And do you swap out your tires to a dedicated winter tire for the winter, or which one to you currently run? I really appreciate your insight and I’m glad it’s been serving you well.
@@AutomotiveAnonymous208 I replaced the OE tires (only 6,000 miles on them) with a set of Pirelli Scorpion Weatheractive tires a month ago. They are All-Weather (true 4 season) tires and have put them through every condition except hot weather so far. They are better than the OE tires (Michelin Primacy A/S) in both dry and wet conditions with better grip and a slightly better turn-in with a small penalty in F/E (can't have it all, right). In the snow, I find them about 95% as good as previous top tier tires I've used (X-Ice Snow, WS80) on my other cars. If you have seen the news and the horrible storms hitting NY State, I drove through one of those east of Buffalo, just to give you an idea on some of the conditions I've driven through already. Keep up the good work with the channel.
Toyota’s E-CVT has already reached 1st place (in transmission reliability/performance/efficiency scores) for reliability and efficiency🎉. It’s now being touted as the world’s most reliable transmission, based on warranty repairs of less than 0.002%, exceptional reliability under extreme neglect and lack of maintenance, and the overall engineering design.
The E-CVT is an engineering masterpiece… and I hope Toyota patented the F* out of it.
Thanks for sharing this!! What sources did you get that information from? I’d love to read up on it!!
The higher level trims on the RAV4 do have the garage door controlling capability built in
I crashed and rolled over. The batteries starting leaking onto me when I was upside down. I don't recommend having batteries under the seat. Had they caught fire, I would of been toast.
Woah, I’m sorry that happened! Thanks for being willing to share about your experience.
Alex, I'll take things that never happened for 500.
@@mikej238 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. You lost Jeopardy.
Curious why you decided to sell your Outback Wilderness and get a different vehicle?
I’ve been watching a lot of your Subaru videos for quite a while now.
It was just time for a change, especially where it feels like I drive Subarus all the time now for videos. Also, one of my most important uses of a car is driving long distances to my therapy work, and while I really need a competent car (or at least tires) to manage the snow, I wanted to not start worrying about reliability. The Outback would have been out of warranty within a year and while I’ve had no reliability issues with it, I start worrying about surprise failures on the horizon. That probably sounds silly, but on my drives to work at highway/interstate speeds I’ve had the transmission go out in both my Trans Am and Miata, so I feel mildly prone to big powertrain component failures haha. Also, now that I made videos it’s fun to explore and share my thoughts on this new to me platform incase it’s beneficial to others and educational to myself. 🤷♂️🤪 I still love Subarus and think in general they’re a better value brand new than Toyota, assuming they don’t have any major repairs after the warranty.
You have to really test it before doing a review. Driving in snow is super important for many people.
Great suggestion, you got it! I’ll probably also drive our Subaru Forester some more either first (or after) and share how they compare to each other on factory tires.
Subaru is much better ❤
What’s the price difference?
The Outback MSRP’d for close to 41k 3 years ago, the RAV4 MSRP’d at 38,xxx.
No comparison on room the Subaru wins hands down
For sure, but the Outback is a bigger class of vehicle. And I feel that on a daily basis 😅. I’ll share my comparison of the RAV4 to the Forester soon.
@@AutomotiveAnonymous208but the Outback and rav4 are the same price .. pretty much
I think it depends on what you’re looking for The vehicle to do. If mileage per gallon is important than the RAV4 wins for example
@ at the end of the day .. this is not a good comparison
Makes me wonder if you should have waited for the 2026 Outback before you made the buying decision.
It will be interesting what it has. I will be comparing it to the Rave4 2026. I wonder if it will have a larger display on the higher trims? What features are rumored? Expect a higher mpg.
Haha maybe. But I’m planning to do a lot of filming and driving with the new Hybrid Subarus and I just needed a change. I didn’t care to wait until next year and I often start to get worried about a powertrain failure with aging vehicles on my early morning drives to therapy. I know that sounds ridiculous, but both of my most recent sports cars transmissions failed while doing that drive, so it’s real to me haha. Even if this car isn’t overall better, it’s more enjoyable right now because it’s new and different and I can eliminate that concern from mind again. 🤪😅
@@AutomotiveAnonymous208 the 2025 is a good vehicle. I am hoping the new one has these features (my best guess list):
Larger entertainment display 14” display
Improved 44 mpg 41 city
Two new paint colors, green
Same sunroof as signia
30 percent quieter
Auto software update
New storage console
1 new interior color
Spare tire
Same sound system
Reading lights
19” tires
Toyota safety sensense 3.0
Camry hybrid power system
Front wheel drive option
Roll up the windows with the Subaru app? I don’t think so. I hope you can prove me wrong.
I may have misspoke 😅… hopefully someone who currently has the app can comment on here. I ended my service and deleted the app after signing away the Outback. I do remember it can honk the horn and turn on the lights, I’m pretty sure. 🤪
@@AutomotiveAnonymous208 Yes to the horn and lights, and you can lock it remotely. And on my ‘25 Outback Wilderness it will tell you if a window or the sunroof is open, BUT no way that I know of to close them.
Oh gotcha, thanks for correcting this!! 🙃
@@AutomotiveAnonymous208 Dang, I was hoping *I* was wrong, because it would be great if you could. And I wish you could remotely turn on the heated steering wheel when you start the car. First world problems for sure. 😂
@@AutomotiveAnonymous208 For my R4H I got a obd dongle and could programm the keyfob to open and close the windows by pressing the open/lock buttons on it. I would think that any toyota dealer should be able to do this for you
EV mode driving isn't "free". The energy is paid for one way or another. Braking energy is the only "free" portion.
You should buy a venza hybrid limited everything is inside more than the rav4 i owned one 2022 model love it but you have remember the rav4 is the best selling suv in the world and also the rav4 saves you a lot of money than the outback on the pump thanks
That’s awesome! I personally don’t need a nicer vehicle than the RAV4 I currently have. I’d rather eat up depreciation costs buying something new and reliable every couple years than buy something nicer and keep it for longer. But that’s just me and I’m weird haha. 🤪 Thanks for watching!!
I notice you're in Idaho. How does the hybrid battery hold up in ultra cold weather. My child will be attending school in northern Utah next year, and I'm wondering if very cold weather significantly affects battery life.
I’m not sure yet. I wouldn’t think it damages the battery much because the car should have been engineered to protect it and help it regulate temperature in various extreme conditions. But MPG will likely suffer during the winter and more electricity is needed from the gas engines generation of it to maintain the battery and provide in cabin heat. 🤷♂️🤪 Best of luck! I assume as long as this car is on a good set of tires it should be a very well balanced car and holds up well.
30F is not freezing cold. It’s -1 C.
Just to let you know the Rav4 prime does not exist anymore changed to PHEV no more prime.. same thing tho!
Old habits die hard haha.
Outback is one class level higher than RAV4.
A laundry list of first world problems... I can relate to a few. The AWD systems in the vehicles you're comparing are apples and oranges. If a true full time AWD is what you need, the Rav4 hybrid was a bad decision.
As for the 'nanny tech'.... put the phone down, and drive the car. 😁. Every time the car has to intervene, you've failed as a competent driver. I know that's harsh, but way too many people tend to rely on these safety features above and beyond their intended use. Neither were designed to 'self drive', even for 2 seconds.
As a Rav4 hybrid owner, I can relate to most of your 'creature comfort' issues. I can say it's far from perfect, and the app, after the 'free trials' is basically useless. The monthly subscription prices do not justify the cost, imho.
I'd also say the Rav4's base stereo is.... bad.
I switched from a '21 Cherokee Trailhawk, and comfort wise the Jeep was FAR BETTER, BUT it's valve train lasted 14k miles... It was in the shop 4 times for broken things I've never seen break on any other car... So far the Rav4 has had zero issues and nothing but oil changes required.
If you swap out cars every 2-3 years, get whatever you want... It won't matter, it'll be under warranty. If you plan on keeping your car past 36k miles, the Rav4 hybrid is a reliable, economical 'commuter' that should be trouble free far after 3yrs/36k miles.
Back in March we got our first forester we're toyota bias rented a rav 4 I not a real big guy but I found the seats in be very narrow I didn't find them comfortable at all subaru won
Thanks for sharing this! I’m glad you’re happy with your Forester, we really like ours. And I’ll share the comparison thoughts I have to that car tomorrow.
Buyer’s remorse?
Haha not really, I needed a change. I drive too many Subaru’s. 😅
Toyota should have squared the back and the roof off. Giving much more sq ft in the back.
Looks like the new RAV4 2026 will be squared off observing the spy shots
The remodel Rav4 will have a boxed off rear, similar to the 4Runner.
My advice, change the cluster to digital instead of analog. Its better in my opinion.
To change the cluster from analog to digital in a RAV4, you can do the following:
1. Use the left or right arrow on the MID controller on the left side of the steering wheel to navigate to the Settings screen
2. Press the down arrow to find MID Settings
3. Press and hold the OK button on the MID controller
4. Use the down arrow to navigate to Meter Type
5. Press the OK button
6. Select Digital
Non hybrid Rav4 all day. Hate CVT
This is apples to oranges. The Rav4 to Forester is a much closer compare. Outback is definitely more upscale than the others. The Rav4 eCVT is premium though.
You’re right, it definitely is haha. But also people cross shop all sorts of vehicles, and this video is about my experience with each that I cross shopped. I do have a video of how this compares to our Forester which will be public soon. But even when I had my 2023 Miata and would do the occasional update on it there’d be people with trucks and Jeep wranglers who were looking for a change and trading their behemoths for a MX-5, lol. 🤷♂️🤪
Sounds like you should have kept the Subaru
Haha maybe. But it’s fun to explore this new platform.
I will never buy a plastic car!look at subaru plastic everywhere lol ugly looking car
I would not trade my ICE Subaru for a ICE Toyota. But I would trade my ICE Subaru for a RAV4 Hybrid. If my need was for off-road, or low-traction travel, I'd never trade my Subaru for a RAV4
I get that. I’m curious and a bit nervous to see how this first winter goes. But I figured since I don’t actually off road and we only have maybe 10 really bad snow days a year this can probably survive that haha.
In real world tests, the Rav4 hybrid performed very well off-road and in icy/snowy conditions. It has a lot of front wheel slip, but takes no power away from the rear, unlike in a mechanical AWD.
That’s a good point, thanks for sharing this!! I think my concern with the AWD system is less about getting started and stopping at low speeds, but it’s about losing the rear when at highway speeds if it’s just tailing behind and isn’t actively propelling its self forward to keep up with the front of the car.
@ What are you even talking about? Loss of traction is a function of tires (where the grip actually happens) and not power supply, which is what drive systems do. “Tailing behind versus propelling itself?” Are you serious with that? These are not two unlinked vehicles! This is a single piece! You don’t seem to comprehend the first thing about physics or mechanics! This is why you also brought up stopping, which has NOTHING to do with the drive system.
@@afcgeo882 , Tires can be replaced more easily than drivetrain. The Subaru's AWD system is second to none when it comes to reliable and affordable traction
I don’t know if YOU regret it, but I definitely think you made a mistake, Everyone has a rav 4, it’s boring. Sorry
Haha I get that, depending on how my winter driving goes I may change my mind. But so far I don’t regret it. It is boring overall, but it’s reliable and I can count on it to be reliable if I keep it long term. I’m more okay with a boring car now since I get to enjoy test driving more exciting cars each month with my filming. My current plan is to enjoy this while I save up for the next project car to satisfy the enthusiast in me. 🤪
Rav 4 is horrible vehicle. Underpowered and cheaply made. Mazda CX 5 is on different level.
I have a side by side comparison of those two that I’ll make public this week. The CX-5 is a very nice ride.
Oh yes ...... thats actually not true. My neighbour across the street has a 9 month old CX-5 which needed already 3 brake jobs at the front and a completely redone anti theft system at 10000km. My R4H has 3 1/2 years and 75000km with absolutely no issues except regular maintenance. My wife and me have more than 40 years of driving experience with 5 different Toyotas, 2 gas only and three hybrid with about 500000km combined. Problems so far: 1 blinker bulb, one 3rd braking light, 1 rearview mirror that fell off and one time on a rear door a failed remote locking. Everything else was just regular maintenance. And now Toyota is giving customers, at least in Germany, 15 years or 250000km of guaranty. There is a few things that I don´t like about my R4H Black Edition but since reliability is the absolut no.1 criteria for me the only question what I will buy next year is if it´s going to be a R4plug-in or a Landcruiser :-) ( the R4 Prime is called plug-in over here in Europe)
BMW is so much better.
Endless moneypit with low quality components, cheap plastics, and very inferior reliability. Most mechanics would agree with you.
Yes, a bmw is a superior pile of junk.
@@ivanvarykino8202the BMW B58 3.0 inline 6cyl is a solid engine but it would not trust a BMW hybrid system.
And 30k more
We looked at these just couldn’t get over the tablet looking screen sticking up out of the dash. Toyota needs to reengineer this in my opinion
I get that haha. It still throws me off a bit too. It works a bit faster than my Subarus did. But with how it sticks off the dash I think there should be a scrolly dial to control it like in the 2023 Miata I use to own.
It’s in a better location because it sticks out. Your eyes divert less from the road. It’s literally safer.
@@AutomotiveAnonymous208Mazda’s infotainment screen is purposefully placed out of hand reach for most drivers, which is why it has those controls. Toyota’s definitely isn’t.
Same location since 2019 and won't be changed in 25. One of the best selling vehicles on the planet. You're opinion is worthless 😂
@@AutomotiveAnonymous208maybe should have got the new CX-50 Hybrid?
Toyota is superior !!
The higher level trims on the RAV4 do have the garage door controlling capability built in