2021 Subaru Forester vs 2022 Toyota Sequoia

The 2021 Subaru Forester, despite its redesign in 2019, retained a somewhat dated appearance, largely due to its continuation from the previous generation. The most noticeable change was the distinctive cross-shaped taillights. Subaru seemed to adhere to the philosophy of not fixing what wasn't broken, maintaining the boxy, upright shape that appealed to many SUV shoppers. The Base trim appeared plain with 17-inch steel wheels, but the overall look was clean and unpretentious. The Forester Sport models added orange striping, a rear spoiler, and black 18-inch alloy wheels, which made a significant visual impact, especially with complementary paint colors like Dark Blue Pearl. The Forester shared its Subaru Global Platform with other models, emphasizing its rugged SUV marketing, although it shared underpinnings with sedans and hatchbacks.

Inside, the Forester's interior was practical, with materials designed to withstand wear and tear. The Sport trim added orange accents, while Base, Premium, and Sport models featured cloth upholstery, and Limited and Touring trims offered leather. The All-Weather Package, standard on Premium and higher trims, included heated front seats, heated exterior mirrors, and a windshield de-icer. The Forester's interior was functional, with a no-nonsense design, although it lacked some modern conveniences like wireless charging and a power-adjustable driver's seat on the Base trim.

The 2022 Toyota Sequoia, continuing its second generation into its 14th year, showcased a mature design. Its exterior maintained a balance with a modestly sized grille, elegant wheel arches, and straight lines, avoiding the oversized features seen in other SUVs. The Sequoia's dimensions were substantial, with a height of 77 inches, width of 79.9 inches, and length of 205.1 inches, riding on a 122-inch wheelbase. Ground clearance ranged from 9.6 to 10 inches, complemented by standard running boards and 18 to 20-inch alloy wheels. Inside, the Sequoia's age was evident, with a flat and old-fashioned dashboard design. The 7-inch touchscreen and 4.5-inch TFT driver information screen felt outdated compared to modern SUVs. However, the interior was well-constructed, with high-quality materials and tight seams, ensuring durability for family use.

The Nightshade Special Edition model, based on the Limited trim, demonstrated Toyota's efforts to keep the Sequoia current. It featured darkened chrome or black-painted exterior trim and split-spoke 20-inch alloy wheels, enhancing its appearance. The Magnetic Gray Metallic paint on the test vehicle complemented the black-out treatment, bringing the Sequoia's looks up to date.

The 2021 Subaru Forester was equipped with a single powertrain option: 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 provided a lower center of gravity compared to inline-four engines. The Forester had a maximum towing capacity of 1,500 pounds, with Trailer Stability Assist as standard. While the power felt adequate for most situations, it lacked the desired thrust for highway merging and overtaking. The suspension tuning prioritized comfort, resulting in a softly sprung ride with poor body control and noticeable body roll in corners. The Forester's standard all-wheel drive (AWD) and X-Mode enhanced its off-road capabilities, with Sport models offering Dual X-Mode for different surfaces. Hill-descent control was standard on Premium and higher trims, and the Forester had 8.7 inches of ground clearance.

The 2022 Toyota Sequoia featured a 5.7-liter i-Force V8 engine, producing 381 horsepower and 401 pound-feet of torque, paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. The Sequoia's truck roots contributed to its 1,300-pound payload capacity and 7,400-pound maximum towing capacity. The SUV's weight ranged from 5,730 to 6,000 pounds, resulting in fuel economy ratings of 13 mpg city/17 mpg highway/15 mpg combined for RWD models and 13 mpg city/17 mpg highway/14 mpg combined for 4WD models. Despite its weight, the Sequoia offered a smooth and stable ride, with excellent highway performance and sure-footed handling on curvy roads. The Sequoia's body-on-frame construction and ample ground clearance made it a competent off-roader, with the TRD Pro model featuring enhanced suspension for improved off-road capabilities. The Sequoia's 38.1-foot turning circle and excellent sightlines made it a practical daily driver, although its height required caution in low spaces.

The 2021 Subaru Forester offered above-average headroom and legroom in both rows, thanks to its tall, flat roofline. The large windows provided excellent outward visibility and a roomy feeling, although they allowed sunlight to raise the cabin temperature. The Forester's cargo space was generous, with 35.4 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 76.1 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. It offered more cargo space than some competitors but lacked a sliding second-row bench. A power liftgate was optional on the Sport trim and standard on Limited and Touring trims. The Forester's cupholders were decently sized, and the center console was reasonably spacious, although the phone-storage cubby was too small for an average-size phone. The Forester's interior controls were user-friendly, with large knobs for audio and climate control, although the steering wheel had an overwhelming number of buttons.

The 2022 Toyota Sequoia prioritized passenger comfort, with roomy seating in all three rows and three-zone climate control. A standard one-touch tilt/slide power moonroof added to the interior's appeal. Heated and ventilated front seats were available on all trims. The Sequoia's center console and glove compartment offered ample storage, with additional pockets on each door. Rear passengers had access to cupholders, power outlets, and storage. The cargo compartment featured a 12-volt outlet, with 18.9 cubic feet of space behind the third row. Power-folding or manual-folding options for the third row expanded cargo space to 66.6 cubic feet, and folding both the second and third rows provided 120.1 cubic feet of space.

The 2021 Subaru Forester came with the Subaru Starlink infotainment system, featuring a 6.5-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, Bluetooth, SiriusXM satellite radio, front-row USB ports, and a CD player. Sport models upgraded to an 8-inch touchscreen and Harman Kardon audio system, while Limited and Touring models added navigation and rear USB ports. The infotainment system was user-friendly, with well-designed graphics and backup analog controls, although the screen was slow to boot up. The Forester also included a secondary screen in the dashboard and a small screen in the instrument cluster, displaying information like fuel economy and tire pressure, although the setup felt overly complex.

The 2022 Toyota Sequoia's infotainment system felt outdated, with a 7-inch touchscreen and clunky operating system. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility were standard, along with WiFi connectivity and SiriusXM satellite radio. The Sequoia Limited added navigation and a 12-speaker audio system, with an optional premium audio and convenience package offering 14 JBL speakers, a subwoofer, and an amplifier. The Sequoia's technology lagged behind competitors, lacking modern powertrain features like turbocharging and electrification. However, Toyota updated the Sequoia's exterior lighting to LED and included standard safety features like a rear backup camera and parking sonar.

The 2021 Subaru Forester excelled in safety, earning the highest "Top Safety Pick+" award from the IIHS, with top ratings in crash tests and front-crash prevention tech. The NHTSA awarded the Forester a five-star overall rating. The Forester came standard with Subaru's EyeSight driver-assist suite, featuring 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.

The 2022 Toyota Sequoia lacked crash-test ratings from the NHTSA and IIHS, but it featured the Toyota Safety Sense P suite, including pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure alert, and automatic high beams. The Sequoia also included a blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert, stability control, traction control, anti-lock brakes, electronic brake-force distribution, brake assist, and smart-stop technology. A full complement of airbags, crumple zones, side-impact beams, and other safety features were standard.