Subaru will not like the hybrid MPG number of Toyota, initially appeared in Autoblog.
Subaru returns to the hybrid game
Subaru loyalists ask – no, begging – Subaru to produce a hybrid that is not an expensive crossed PHEV with the residual Toyota technology since 2021. Subaru tried to develop its own system in 2014 for Crosstrek and was … quite terrible. Then, in 2019, Toyota and Subaru worked together for Crosstrek PHEV, which had a hybrid technology of Toyota, paired with a real AWD system. The car was fine, but the price was expensive for a small SUV PHEV. Then Subaru gave up in 2023 and the loyalists were quite upset with it. Now, unlike the several (and successful) competitors of Subaru, there was no hybrid in Subie. All this changed this year, with two new EVs and a single hybrid – the pilot.
Kristen Brown
Check out the two images of this gallery in the original article
Like the Old Times, Subaru and Toyota, they worked closely together to develop Hybrid on Subaru Forester 2025. Subaru developed a significant amount of its own technology this time, but Toyota was highly engaged in the process of developing and engineering. Now, Forester competes with the Toyota RAV4 on both sides of the coin, both like SUV only for gas and AWD hybrid SUV. Both are similar in size, cargo space, family convenience and now, efficiency. So, is one really better than the other?
They are very similar but also very different
Both were babies from the 90s. The Toyota RAV4 was the first in 1994, but it was not 4WD until 1996. It fits in with the small, capable, spacious and affordable Japanese SUVs that swept the country. Then the Subaru Forester came in 1998, which had a system AWD and a person that many were quickly fascinated. Both SUVs were hot sellers, but when Toyota hybrids RAV4 in 2016 (shortly after the first model year of Hybrid Crosstrek), it acquired a leg over Forester’s rapid sale. The foestor would not be a hybrid for a full decade later.
Kristen Brown
Toyota has increased the shares it has in Subaru since its first purchase in 2005, and the partnership has led to some really cool cars. Subaru Brz and Toyota GR86 are great examples. So, Subaru Forester Hybrid is clearly sharing a lot with the RAV4, but there are some key differences that are worth noting.
Will be the AWD system first
While Toyota and Subaru Swap Secrets, Toyota Rav4 AWD Hybrid does not include a traditional AWD system. RAV4 is AWD only when it is bought as a hybrid, while Subaru is AWD, no matter what engine it is in it. The AWD system in Toyota has two axes in the front, while the rear “bridge” is purely electronic. No physical Contact between the rear axle and the engine in general. When it does not detect slipping, the SUV is programmed to divert the front wheels for efficiency. When slipping or the driver puts it in the path, the AWD system is evenly divided. The brakes are automatically applied to separate wheels that have no grip, and the power is sent to the wheels that do it.
Check out the two images of this gallery in the original article
The Subaru AWD system is more traditional. Like the foresters before it, all four wheels have their own axis attached to the front and rear differential. There is also a central differential that allows the front and back to rotate at different speeds while making turns. This is something that Subaru is always a good way and it is quite nice to see how the car manufacturer wears a torch in the next generation. However, its only downside is the fact that the AWD mechanical system is much more manly than the electronic (or “intelligent”) AWD system. This is more effective off-road in poor weather conditions, but with the price of miles per gallon.
Toyota is miles in front of Subaru … literally
When I had Toyota a week before Subaru, I was amazed at how effective it was for AWD. During my week I was an average of 36.2 MPG in normal mode, and when I switched it to eco mode in the middle of my review, I received 36.3. I am sure that if I had it in ECO all the time, I would approach 38 MPG without a problem. With two children in his car seats, equipment, my husband and this is an average SUV, it’s impressive. To date, I have not managed a more effective hybrid SUV.
Kristen Brown
Subaru, on the other hand, has never done it over 30 MPG. The most driving around the city with a random highway exit, the closest I reached 30 MPG was 29.2. In the days when I was mostly moving around the city with a lot of braking and going to low speeds, it dropped to 26.5. Still, for a SUV that has a real, mechanical AWD system, it is fantastic.
Kristen Brown
Another advantage of RAV4 over a forestry is pricing. Le, which is the main model of Hybrid RAV4, starts at $ 32,600, while Forester hybrid starts at $ 36,595. The maximum MSRP for the RAV4 Limited is $ 40,05, while the Subaru Touring Hybrid is $ 43,295. Now, if we are talking about PHEV, Toyota becomes a more expensive choice, but Forester does not have PHEV, so it’s not exactly a fair competition.
Definitive thoughts
The Subaru Forester has the potential to be in the ring with the Almighty RAV4, but I still don’t think it’s there. I am a loyalist at Subaru, but if someone feels torn between the RAV4 and the pilot strictly for hybridization, I will need to recommend RAV4. Toyota had a few years to smooth out and improve its hybrid and ECVT system, while it is the first model year of Forester as a hybrid with a whole new system.
Kristen Brown
Don’t get me wrong, there are many things I loved for Forester through RAV4, but it will come later. Call me an old school, but I always hesitate when it comes to the first model year for every car. I will look with close, impatient eyes like Subaru experience and grow from the 2026 model.
Subaru will not like the hybrid MPG number of Toyota for the first time appeared in Autoblog on July 16, 2025.
This story was originally reported by Autoblog on July 16, 2025, where it first appeared.