Toyota RAV4 Toyota RAV4 2012 Subaru Forester Subaru Forester 2014

We are 103,000+ car owners sharing real-world car information.

Join Us

Toyota RAV4 (2012) vs. Subaru Forester (2014) Specs

How powerful is the engine? How much room is in the back seat? Get the 2012 Toyota RAV4 and 2014 Subaru Forester specs.

2012 Toyota RAV4 and 2014 Subaru Forester Specifications

Model Year 2012 2014  
Model Toyota RAV4 Subaru Forester  
Engine 3.5L V6
DOHC-4v
269 hp@6200
246 lb-ft@4700
turbocharged
2.0L H4
DOHC-4v
250 hp@5600
258 lb-ft@2000
 
Transmission 5-speed automatic 8-speed shiftable CVT  
Drivetrain AWD AWD  
Body 4dr SUV 4dr SUV  
      Difference
Wheelbase 104.7 in 103.9 in 0.8 in
Length 181.1 in 180.9 in 0.2 in
Width 71.5 in 70.7 in 0.8 in
Height 66.3 in 66.4 in -0.1 in
Curb Weight 3680 lb. 3624 lb. 56 lb.
Fuel Capacity 15.9 gal. 15.9 gal. 0 gal.
Headroom, Row 1 40.8 in 41.4 in -0.6 in
Shoulder Room, Row 1 57.1 in 57.0 in 0.1 in
Hip Room, Row 1 53.8 in 0.0 in 53.8 in
Legroom, Row 1 41.8 in 43.0 in -1.2 in
Headroom, Row 2 39.7 in 39.8 in -0.1 in
Shoulder Room, Row 2 55.3 in 56.5 in -1.2 in
Hip Room, Row 2 52.4 in 0.0 in 52.4 in
Legroom, Row 2 38.3 in 38.0 in 0.3 in
Headroom, Row 3 37.2 in 0.0 in 37.2 in
Shoulder Room, Row 3 52.6 in 0.0 in 52.6 in
Hip Room, Row 3 43.3 in 0.0 in 43.3 in
Legroom, Row 3 30.0 in 0.0 in 30 in
Total Legroom 110.1 in (over 3 rows) 81 in (over 2 rows) 29.1 in
Cargo Volume, Minimum 12.3 ft3 34.4 ft3 -22.1 ft3
Cargo Volume, Behind R2 37.2 ft3 34.4 2.8 ft3
Cargo Volume, Maximum 73.0 ft3 74.7 ft3 -1.7 ft3

Return to top

TrueDelta Reviews the Seat Room and Comfort of the 2012 Toyota RAV4

2012 Toyota RAV4 Seat Room and Comfort: Pros
YearComment
2013 The first two generations of the Toyota RAVs were much smaller than contemporaneous Honda CR-Vs. More than perhaps any other difference this one probably explains Toyota's lack of segment leadership. The third-generation RAV4, introduced for the 2006 model year, was much larger, and finally about the same size as the Honda. The new RAV4's body is an inch lower, but also a few inches longer. Compared to the CR-V, it's 1.6 inches longer, an inch wider, and 0.7 inches taller. This translates to a slightly roomier interior, and probably the roomiest in the segment unless one includes the boundary-defying Santa Fe Sport, Chevrolet Equinox, and GMC Terrain. Sitting behind my 5-9 self, I have nearly five inches of knee room in the Honda. Quite good, but I have seven inches in the new RAV4. Beyond sheer space, the RAV4's rear seat cushion is a comfortable height off the floor, and its rear seat back reclines over a relatively wide range. The Honda's rear seat back can be set in only two different positions that aren't far apart. Add a third passenger, though, and the rear seat no longer seems so roomy. My three kids aren't large, but they complained about the amount of room. The reason isn't hard to find: for some reason the new RAV4 only offers 48.8 inches of rear hip room. This is much better than the 43.3 inches in the 2012, but still well short of the 53.3 inches in the CR-V. So, while the RAV4 has the edge in knee room, the Honda easily wins a hip room comparison. see full Toyota RAV4 review
 

What Our Members Are Saying about the Seat Room and Comfort of the 2012 Toyota RAV4

2012 Toyota RAV4 Seat Room and Comfort: Pros
YearBody/PowertrainComment
2013 4dr SUV 176-horsepower 2.5L I4
6-speed shiftable automatic AWD
The drivers seat has a really long travel - I normally have the seat far back (5'11" with long legs) but I probably had 6 inches of travel further back I could have gone. The seat isn't overadjustable and not too hard to get into a comfortable position. The fake leather is a reasonable facsimile and has heated seats - would have to see how it does in the direct sun. see full Toyota RAV4 review
2013 4dr SUV 176-horsepower 2.5L I4
6-speed shiftable automatic AWD
Rear seat room is pretty impressive and seating position is nice. Adjustable rake of the rear seat is a nice touch. Appears to have 3 car seat anchors. The rear seat appears to be the same size as, or maybe even larger than the original Highlander / RX300. see full Toyota RAV4 review
2012 Toyota RAV4 Seat Room and Comfort: Cons
YearBody/PowertrainComment
2012 4dr SUV 179-horsepower 2.5L I4
4-speed automatic FWD
I'm about 6'3" and 220lbs so I get cramped on long trips. see full Toyota RAV4 review
2012 4dr SUV 179-horsepower 2.5L I4
4-speed automatic FWD
I'm about 6'3" and 220lbs so I get cramped on long trips. see full Toyota RAV4 review
2011 4dr SUV 179-horsepower 2.5L I4
4-speed automatic AWD
back seat is hard, not much leg room see full Toyota RAV4 review
 

TrueDelta Reviews the Seat Room and Comfort of the 2014 Subaru Forester

2014 Subaru Forester Seat Room and Comfort: Pros
YearComment
2014 Beyond visibility, people buy crossovers to get more space for people and cargo. As in previous Subaru Foresters, the 2014's ceiling is cathedral-high. I could have worn a top hat inside. If you're very tall, and have been seeking a compact vehicle in which you'll easily fit, you've found one. If, on the other hand, you've been seeking expansive elbow room, the Honda CR-V has more of it. And legroom? A combined (first and second row) figure of 81 inches tops every other compact SUV, including the otherwise segment-leading Honda (79.6 inches) and Toyota RAV-4 (79.8 inches). The Chevrolet Equinox offers another tenth of an inch, but with a 188-inch length (vs. the Forester's 181) and 4,083-pound curb weight (vs. the Forester 2.5i's 3,366) it's not truly compact. Subaru has worked no such miracles with shoulder room. At 56.5 inches, the Forester's is typical of the compact crossover class. Add in a small driveline hump (absent in the Honda) and three adults won't happily share the rear seat for long. But how many car owners put three adult-sized people in the second row for long, anyway? Measurements don't tell the entire story. The Honda's rear seat cushion is too low to the floor to provide adults with thigh support, and its rear seatback can be reclined to only two nearly identical positions. In constrast, the Forester's passengers enjoy a comfortably high rear seat that reclines through a broader range. One negative for rear seat comfort: unlike the Ford Escape (but like nearly all other compact crossovers, including the CR-V), the Forester has no rear air vents. Thanks to the tall, square rear body, cargo space is also the best in the segment, though not by as large a margin as the rear seat. Up front, there are plenty of bins in which to stash your stuff. see full Subaru Forester review
 

What Our Members Are Saying about the Seat Room and Comfort of the 2014 Subaru Forester

2014 Subaru Forester Seat Room and Comfort: Pros
YearBody/PowertrainComment
2015 4dr SUV 170-horsepower 2.5L H4
CVT AWD
I'm 6'3" and often don't fit comfortable in vehicles. I found this had a very nice amount of front seat room. The center console tends to stay out of the way as well, some newer designs have the center stack moving into where my right knee would be. It's a very noticeable improvement over my previous 2009 Escape. I actually found the Forester more comfortable for me than the Outback. I was expecting the opposite. see full Subaru Forester review
2015 4dr SUV 170-horsepower 2.5L H4
CVT AWD
After looking at Explorer's, I was surprised how much more room the Forester had in the back seat. Granted it doesn't have a third row, but if you don't need a 3rd row, the Forester is hard to beat in this segment for rear seat room. We can put a forward facing child seat in the back, move the front seat up a about 2 inches from all the way back and there's still plenty of front passenger room and my 1.5 year old son can't kick the back of the seat. see full Subaru Forester review
2014 4dr SUV 170-horsepower 2.5L H4
CVT AWD
Excellent rear seat comfort and rear seats are 60/ 40 and easy to fold flat. rear seats also have recline function which is nice ... excellent leg room see full Subaru Forester review
2014 4dr SUV 170-horsepower 2.5L H4
CVT AWD
Huge rear seat for the car's size see full Subaru Forester review
 
See TrueDelta's information for all SUVs
See TrueDelta's information for all Toyota models.