Harrier vs. Forester: Sleek Luxury or Rugged Versatility: Choose your Adventure

The Toyota Harrier is a high-end SUV ideal for corporate working class aged 40-55, particularly designed for women due to its sleek styling and comfortable interior. While, the Subaru Forester is favored by individuals in their late twenties to mid-thirties, particularly those who are adventurous, outdoorsy, motorsports enthusiasts, off-roaders, and cruising due to its proven off-roading capabilities.The Harrier and Subaru Forester, both budget-friendly SUVs, were upgraded from 2010 and are now being compared to understand their similarities and differences. This comparison provides insight into their respective vehicles. 

Interior and Exterior Comparison

Toyota Harrier

In 2013, Toyota introduced the third generation of the Toyota Harrier, separated from the Lexus RX. It featured a futuristic frontal design and a 2.0 Liter power plant for driving refinements. The Harrier's interior remains unchanged, with the same seating arrangement and dashboard layout. The instrument cluster features a touchscreen entertainment console and LCD displays, providing comfortable space for tall individuals. The Toyota Harrier offers ample cabin storage for various items like beverages, smartphones, and handbags. The first row features door panel storage, while the second row includes front seat jacket pockets and cupholders. The car also has a spacious boot for a family of five and foldable back seats, but has limited off-roading capabilities and is higher-priced than its competitors.

Subaru Forester

The Subaru Forester is a compact 5-seater SUV produced for five generations, starting from 1997. It shares many components with the Subaru Impreza, with the first generation being the SF from 1997-2002, the second generation being the SG from 2002-2009, the third generation being SH from 2009-2012, the fourth generation being SJ from 2012-2018, and the fifth generation being SK from 2018-present. 

The 4th generation Subaru Forester offers more interior space with adjustable seating in the first row and impressive second row. The cabin design is borrowed from the XV and Impreza, making it functional and modern. The first row features door panel storage, cup-holders, glovebox, and center-box, while the second row has front seat jacket pockets, cupholders, and door pockets. The cargo space is large enough for a family of five, and the second-row seats can be folded for extra space. Its unique All-Wheel-Drive system and turbocharged DTI engine, which accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.5 seconds, set it apart, but its disadvantages include poor fuel efficiency and lower power output. 

Engine, Performance & Fuel Consumption

Toyota Harrier

The Harrier is equipped with a 2.0-Liter 3ZR-FAE petrol engine and a 2.5-Liter 2AR-FXE petrol Hybrid engine, both mated to a 7-Speed Super CVT-I transmission, available in 2WD and 4WD. The  2.0L engine has a fuel consumption of 16.0 km/L, while the 2.5L Hybrid Harrier has a fuel consumption of 21.8 km/L.

Subaru Forester

The Subaru Forester offers two petrol engine choices: FB20 2.0L naturally aspirated and FA20 DIT 2.0 Liter turbocharged, with options for Lineartronic CVT or 6-speed manual transmission, and full-time 4WD. The 2.0L engine offers a fuel consumption of 15.2 km/L, while the 2.0L Turbo model has a fuel consumption of 13.2 km/L.

Finally

The Toyota Harrier and Subaru Forester are both excellent cars, with the Harrier being suitable for urban drivers and the Forester for budget SUVs. Both have similar specs and features, but the Forester is superior due to its speed, lower starting price, and stylish exterior. The choice between the two depends on trim level, engine capacity, color, and price. You can now browse the stocklist for Toyota Harrier and Subaru Forester to see a wider selection of available models.