2024 Toyota Sienna vs 2025 Subaru Forester

The 2024 Toyota Sienna was available in several trim levels, including LE, XLE, XSE, Woodland Edition, Limited, and Platinum, each offering a distinctive look. Despite the absence of the "swagger wagon" commercials, the Sienna maintained its stylish appeal with sleek front and rear fascias and a range of vibrant colors like deep blue, red, and green. LED lighting was standard, with upper trims featuring Bi-LED projector headlamps. The XSE trim, known for its sporty appearance, included a black metallic mesh front grille, black heated side mirrors, and 20-inch dark wheels. The Woodland Edition, designed for off-road readiness, came in exclusive Cement or Midnight Black Metallic colors and featured roof rails with crossbars, a tow hitch, and slightly increased ground clearance.

Inside, the Sienna offered standard cloth seats, three-zone climate control, and seating for eight. The XSE trim with the optional Premium package replaced the second-row bench seat with captain’s chairs and added heated and cooled leather-trimmed front seats. The interior design featured horizontal lines for a spacious feel, a fixed center console with satin accents, and easily accessible cup holders and shifter. While not luxurious, the interior was practical for families, with upper trims offering a built-in vacuum cleaner.

The 2025 Subaru Forester, traditionally known for its practicality over aesthetics, received notable styling updates. It featured standard roof rails and 17-inch alloy wheels, with a more generic look that some found less distinctively Subaru. The Forester Sport trim, tested for this comparison, showcased bronze trim accents and 19-inch wheels, while the Limited and Touring trims offered 18-inch and 19-inch wheels, respectively. The Forester maintained its large-greenhouse shape with geometric wheel arches and a more decisive side window design. Black plastic pieces at the corners suggested a potential for two-toned paint jobs.

Inside, the Forester offered cloth upholstery with blue contrast stitching, while the Sport trim featured StarTex material with brown contrast stitching. Limited and Touring trims provided genuine leather seating. The interior boasted structural dash elements, giving it a more intentional design. The Forester's cabin was designed for practicality, with a focus on easy cleaning and durability.

The 2024 Toyota Sienna was equipped with a hybrid powertrain, combining a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with two electric motors, producing a total of 245 horsepower. All-wheel drive models included an additional electric motor for the rear wheels. Despite a sport-tuned suspension and a Sport mode button, the Sienna's performance was not particularly thrilling, feeling sluggish off the line with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) that contributed to a smooth but slow acceleration. The CVT could become noisy, especially during highway merging or uphill driving. Around town, the Sienna offered a pleasant driving experience, with light and accurate steering and excellent visibility. However, the brakes were occasionally grabby, and the minivan's performance was overshadowed by competitors like the Honda Odyssey, Kia Carnival, and Chrysler Pacifica, which offered stronger V6 engines.

The 2025 Subaru Forester featured a 2.5-liter Boxer four-cylinder engine, producing 180 horsepower and 178 lb-ft of torque. The powertrain included a Lineartonic CVT and Subaru's Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive system. While not known for its quietness, the Forester's engine noise was significantly reduced for 2025, providing a quieter ride at lower speeds. Subaru's X-Mode system, standard from the Premium trim, enhanced stability and traction on challenging terrain, with a dual-function version available on higher trims. The Forester Sport's performance was stable and confident on various surfaces, including snow and mud, with seamless X-Mode activation. The Forester's fuel economy was rated at 26 mpg city, 33 highway, and 29 combined, with a slight decrease for Sport and Touring trims. A hybrid version was anticipated but not yet available.

The 2024 Toyota Sienna offered practical interior features, including a lower storage pass-through for bulkier items, four cupholders up front, and a shelf above the glovebox with a wireless charging pad. The second-row captain’s chairs could slide 25 inches, providing up to 40 inches of legroom, although the slide function was complex, and the seats were not removable, limiting cargo space. The third row was accessible for adults and offered 39 inches of legroom when the second row was pushed forward. The Sienna featured tri-zone climate control, with an additional zone for the front passenger in the XSE trim. The rear liftgate, activated with a kick motion, revealed 33.5 cubic feet of cargo space, expandable to 101 cubic feet with the third row stowed.

The 2025 Subaru Forester introduced a hands-free power liftgate, powered on the Sport trim and foot-activated on Limited. The Forester's cargo space increased slightly to 29.6 cubic feet with the rear seats in place and 74.4 cubic feet with them folded. The cargo area included eight heavy-duty hooks. While the Forester's cargo volume was competitive, it was slightly less than some rivals due to its roomy second row. The interior featured a dark headliner to resist marks, with a 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat on the Premium trim and additional power adjustments on higher trims. The Touring trim added driver’s seat memory, front-row seat ventilation, and heated back seats.

The 2024 Toyota Sienna was equipped with an older infotainment system, featuring a nine-inch touchscreen with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. While the system included physical buttons for common menus, the backup camera's grainy view was disappointing. The Sienna offered a standard Wi-Fi hotspot, SiriusXM satellite radio, and an optional 12-speaker JBL stereo system. USB ports were plentiful, and a 1500-watt inverter with a 120-volt outlet was available. Optional features included an 11.6-inch rear-seat entertainment system and a 10-inch color head-up display.

The 2025 Subaru Forester introduced an 11.6-inch Multimedia Plus infotainment system, standard on all but the base trim, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The base trim featured two 7-inch touchscreens with wired smartphone projection. Premium and higher trims included dual USB-A and USB-C ports, a wireless charging pad, and Wi-Fi hotspot capability. A navigation system was standard on the Touring trim, with an 11-speaker Harman Kardon sound system available on Sport and Limited trims. Subaru’s Starlink connected services suite offered additional capabilities, including Valet Mode and Remote Vehicle Configuration.

The 2024 Toyota Sienna came standard with the Toyota Safety Sense suite, including lane departure alert, automatic emergency braking, road sign recognition, adaptive cruise control, and automatic high beams. Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert were also standard. The Sienna received a four-star rating from the NHTSA for frontal crash and rollover protection and five stars for side crash protection. The IIHS rated it "Good" in crashworthiness but "Average" in front crash prevention.

The 2025 Subaru Forester featured Subaru’s EyeSight suite of driver-assistance technology, with enhancements for 2025, including a wider field of view and an electric brake booster. Emergency Stop Assist was available on the Touring trim, along with a digital rearview mirror, surround view monitor, and reverse automatic braking. The 2024 Forester earned a Top Safety Pick award from the IIHS and a five-star rating from the NHTSA, with high expectations for the 2025 model.