Toyota Kluger VS Subaru Forester
Toyota Kluger
Likes
- Hybrid efficiency
- Low ownerships costs
- Great space and storage
Dislikes
- Grande grade is expensive
- Exterior design uninspiring
- Third row airbags don't fully cover occupants
Subaru Forester
Likes
- Hard to beat practicality
- Easy driving experience
- Ride height and capability
Dislikes
- Uninspiring drivetrain
- Price getting steep
- Potential thirst for fuel
Summary
Toyota Kluger
So, a big SUV like the Toyota Kluger Grande is on your shopping list, but how well will a hybrid version work for you?
Chances are you're a parent - the Kluger is a family favourite after all. And if you’re a parent take comfort in knowing this review of the Toyota Kluger Grande Hybrid is being written by a fellow parent.
A parent who has been up since 5:00am with a toddler who threw breakfast on the floor, somebody who’s already done the school run with the eight-year old and is on their third cup of coffee. And it’s only 9:00am.
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What does this have to do with cars? Everything - well, it does for family cars, anyway.
The family car is a vital tool and if it doesn’t work properly, not just mechanically but in a practical and financial way, it’s not going to be much help. A good family car needs to be easy to use as well.
Because you’re also a sleep-deprived parent I’m not going to make you trawl through this entire review to find out if the Toyota Kluger Grande Hybrid is any good.
So, let me tell you now, it’s excellent and outstanding among its rivals like the Hyundai Palisade, Kia Sorento or Nissan Pathfinder. It’s exceptional for its roominess, cabin storage and low ownership costs.
Does being a hybrid matter or change things? Absolutely. It'll save you money on fuel and make driving smoother. So, in my books you'd be bananas not get the hybrid version.
So, there you have it - buy it. Seriously. There’s a reason why it's so popular among families.
You only have to look at the car park at the pool I take my son to for his swimming lessons.
Last weekend I ended up in a Kluger traffic jam in there. See, I took a photo because I thought it was funny. My son did not. What would be the collective noun for a group Klugers?
Anyway, the reason why you should continue reading is because I think you don’t need to get the top-grade Grande as it’s too pricey. Read on to save some money and find out more…
| Safety rating | |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 2.5L |
| Fuel Type | — |
| Fuel Efficiency | 5.6L/100km |
| Seating | 7 seats |
Subaru Forester
There’s a new top dog in the Subaru Forester family (without getting into the hybrids, that is), and it’s wearing an STI badge.
But don’t get too excited about it, because this isn’t a full-blown piece of engineering from Subaru Tecnica International - rather a slightly modified special edition based on a high-spec Forester.
Is it worthy of the iconic pink badge? Or more importantly, is it worthy of your money? We’re putting this kitted-out version of Subaru’s likeable family SUV to the test to find out.
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| Safety rating | |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 2.5L |
| Fuel Type | — |
| Fuel Efficiency | 7.4L/100km |
| Seating | 5 seats |
Verdict
Toyota Kluger8.1/10
The Kluger Grande Hybrid is outstanding among its peers for fuel efficiency, practicality and ownership costs. It's just that this grade is overly expensive. Really the GXL is the sweet spot in the range for value but you do miss out on some good features such as the sun blinds and leather seats.
That said, hybrid is the way to go with a large SUV, delivering fuel savings and a more peaceful driving experience.
Comfortable, easy, practical and peaceful, that's all parents really want.
Subaru Forester7.5/10
Don’t let the 7.5/10 make you think the Forester is not a good car. For the person who needs a practical, off-road-capable mid-size family SUV without too many complications, it’s extremely hard to look past this thing.
Is the STI Sport the best choice in the range? Not for most, given its higher price and relative lack of extra ability to go with it. A standard suspension tune and even a slightly less plush interior are probably a better call for most family needs, which means saving a fair bit at the purchase.
It’s also worth noting that the next generation Forester is coming soon, and with that could come a price hike. If a Forester is on the shopping list but the cost of living is starting to bite, now might be the time.
If the slightly sharper handling and red interior leather is of interest to you, the STI Sport might be worth a look, but just know the Forester’s best attributes can be had for less money in a much cheaper variant.
Design
Toyota Kluger
The Toyota Kluger is the New Balance sneaker of cars. Yep, Toyota has nailed Mum-and-Dad fashion with the look of the Kluger, without any hint of irony.
This generation came out in 2021 and you can guarantee Toyota won’t bring out a new-gen version until about 2028, possibly 2030.
And even then that one will also look like a loaf of bread, just with a different face. Like this one, and the last one and the one before that.
That reminds me, we need bread.
The Kluger looks tough, but not elegant. It looks modern, but not avante-garde. It looks functional and tells the world, 'if it wasn’t for the kids I wouldn’t be driving this'.
Get past the Kluger Grande’s uninspiring exterior and you’ll find a surprisingly upmarket cabin that's full of air and light, well appointed with premium seats as well as a modern and stylish dashboard.
The Grande grade adds some nice trimmings I didn't mention in the features section such as the wood-look elements, ambient lighting, and the soft-touch instrument panel.
The exterior also gains chrome elements in the grille, roof rails and larger 20-inch chrome-look wheels.
There are some elements which bring the tone down in the cabin. The JBL speakers in the windscreen pillars look like big plastic novelty ears and the wood-look trim doesn’t look or feel like wood (why didn’t they use real wood?), but it’s not worth getting uppity about.
Subaru Forester
The Forester is a pretty good-looking thing in this writer’s eyes, but its design hasn’t changed dramatically in the last few years.
The mid-size SUV looks equally at home on inner-city residential streets and in the middle of nowhere, even with the slightly ‘sported-up’ black trim of the STI version. And I do mean ‘slightly’.
Aside from the fact it looks a lot like the Forester 2.5i Sport of a few years ago (without the red bits), the STI Sport is perhaps ironically unadventurous. Even its alloy wheels don’t scream ‘sports’.
For all the SUVs with their respective brands’ performance badging (and not engineering) attached to them that bear more bark than bite, maybe it’s not such a bad thing Subaru has refrained from putting the Forester in full Tecnica uniform.
Inside, however, the black and red leather seems determined to distract from the fact that not much else has changed cabin-wise. It feels visually busier than it needs to, but still falls on the correct side of the restrained/garish line.
But there’s probably a reason the interior feels a little bit ‘classic Subie’ - if it works, it might pay to avoid making big changes.
Practicality
Toyota Kluger
The Kluger is vastly more practical than many of its rivals despite them also being large and seven seaters.
That’s because the Kluger’s use of space inside is excellent for storage, luggage and people. There’s thoughtful practicality everywhere.
Take the Kluger’s dashboard, which doesn’t eat into the cabin too much and has built-in shelves running the width from front passenger to driver.
And the centre console box with its roller door opening that reveals a wireless phone charger and below that deck is a huge hidden space.
There are cupholders in all three rows and generously sized door pockets.
Legroom in the second row is excellent and I can sit behind my driving position even though I'm 189cm tall.
I could sit in the third row, but my head touched the roof and my knees were getting friendly with the back of the seat in front. As with most third rows in SUVs they’re best suited for kids.
Along with the wireless phone charger there are seven USB ports (five up front and two in the second row).
Three-zone climate control means the second row can set their temperature (this comes on the GXL grade, too), and the Grande adds sun blinds and privacy glass to the rear windows.
The rear doors also open tall and wide making entry and exit easy.
The tailgate opens high so there's less chance of bumping your head and it’s the gesture type which means you use a kick motion to open if your hands are full.
Boot space is excellent. The cargo capacity with the third row folded flat is 552 litres and with the third row up its 421 litres.
Subaru Forester
I've heard the Forester called a ‘jack of all trades, master of none’ kind of car, and I reckon that’s unfair. Aside from having Subaru’s venerable all-wheel drive at its disposal, the Forester is a supremely practical SUV - exactly what it needs to be given the reasons most people buy SUVs.
Okay, so the interface and tech is pretty old. If you’ve been in a Forester built in the last few years, there’s not a lot new to find.
There are some deliberately large buttons, the climate controls are still very classic and tactile, even the steering wheel buttons are pretty chunky.
If you’re not used to the amount of technology in new cars, Subaru has tried to make this as easy as possible to navigate.
I hate to sound like one of those ‘back in my day’ people, but in a lot of cases I’m finding myself preferring interior layouts and controls of a few years ago rather than post-2020 screens and ‘iPad’ style controls.
Newer Subarus have a rather large portrait centre screen, and even though it works fine, this one with the buttons below it is easier.
The instrument cluster being a pair of physical dials is also welcome, even if it means the digital display looks many years older than the car really is.
It’s also a spacious cabin, if not just physically then in feeling also. The huge sunroof and high-visibility glasshouse means plenty of light comes in and makes it feel roomy while also of course being easy to see out of (and therefore, manoeuvre).
Ergonomically, the Subie is sound. The seating position, aforementioned driver visibility, controls placement and space around each passenger is practical and well thought out, plus moving back into the second row doesn’t feel like a huge comfort downgrade.
Light in the second row is also good, the seats recline and the touch-point materials are like the front seats - comfy leather and a lack of scratchy plastics unless you go looking for them.
The second row can also be folded down (in a 60/40 split) from the boot with controls near the electric tailgate, which brings the boot space from 498 litres to 1060L, though Subaru says maximum space available is 1740L up to the ceiling.
Price and features
Toyota Kluger
If you’re reading this you’ve decided to find out more or possibly just want to know why I called out the price of the Kluger Grande Hybrid in the introduction.
Here’s why. The Kluger Grande Hybrid lists for $80,230. That’s before on-road costs like rego, stamp duty, compulsory third party insurance and dealer delivery charges.
That’s a lot of money and it’s because this Grande grade sits at the top of the range.
The entry-level Kluger GX Hybrid lists for $58,290. That’s $22K less than the Grande. You could buy an entire car for $22,000 - a Hyundai Venue, a Kia Stonic or a Suzuki Swift.
So, why does the Grande cost so much? I don’t know. The features don’t seem to justify the higher price.
All Klugers come standard with alloy wheels, LED headlights, proximity unlocking and push-button start, three-zone climate control, rear privacy glass plus wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. And all have seven seats.
The GXL adds built-in sat nav and a big 12.3-inch media display, heated and power-adjustable front seats, and an auto tailgate.
The Grande then adds leather seats (heated and ventilated up front), a wireless phone charger, head-up display, panoramic glass roof, kick-function tailgate, sunshades for the rear windows and an 11-speaker JBL sound system.
Really, the GXL Hybrid is the one to get and it lists for $67,810.
Subaru Forester
At $48,640, before on-road costs, the Forester STI Sport AWD (to use its full name) has some strong competition - there are high-spec AWD hybrid Toyota RAV4 GXLs, powerful front-drive SUVs like the Ford Escape Vignale and Hyundai Tucson N-Line hybrid, or even variants of Euros like the VW Tiguan and Renault Koleos all within $1000 of the STI Sport’s sticker price.
But those looking for the practicality the mix of Subaru’s AWD, the space inside, and perhaps even the slightly older interior can provide, there’s a decent list of features for a car coming in at just a slice under ‘fifty large’.
The STI Sport AWD is based on the top-spec (petrol) Forester 2.5i-S, so it shares plenty of standard features - read on for those - but the key additions for this variant include a suspension tune by the eponymous performance division, a combination black and ‘Bordeaux Red’ interior leather with red contrast stitching, STI badging inside and out, dark grey 18-inch alloy wheels and black exterior trim for the grille, mirrors, roof rails and light surrounds.
From the Forester 2.5i-S, the STI Sport also brings along the existing leather seats and trim, with power-adjustable fronts which are also heated, plus the other main interior features like the 8.0-inch touchscreen for multimedia with wired Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, an eight-speaker Harman Kardon sound system with subwoofer and amp and a large electric sunroof.
It’s lacking some more modern features like wireless phone mirroring, wireless phone charging, USB-C ports or a fully digital driver display, but the latter of those is certainly no great loss.
On the outside, the existing self-levelling LED headlights with cornering response, LED DRLs and fog lights, privacy glass, roof rails and electric tailgate all also carry over from the 2.5i-S.
There are certainly rivals with more features, but they require trade-offs in other areas that might not appeal to Subaru customers.
Under the bonnet
Toyota Kluger
If you're concerned a hybrid system will have trouble pulling a large SUV around, let me tell you, the Kluger is powerful and has no problems doing the work. This hybrid SUV could well have more grunt than any car you've ever driven.
Okay, so the Kluger Grande we tested was a petrol-electric hybrid variant which combines a 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with three electric motors powered by a battery.
The engine’s output is 142kW and 242Nm while the motors make a combined 184kW. The front two electric motors make 134Nm and 270Nm of torque while the rear motor produces 121Nm.
The continuously variable transmission keeps the motion smooth and sends the drive to all four wheels, so yes, the hybrid is all-wheel drive.
Subaru Forester
The same drivetrain as is used in the 2.5i-S is found in the STI Sport AWD.
No prizes for anyone who guessed it’s a 2.5-litre flat-four engine, but some might be disappointed to know that means no turbocharging and no sporty transmission - the STI Sport still outputs 136kW and 239Nm via a continuously variable transmission (CVT).
Subaru’s ever-present ‘symmetrical’ all-wheel drive system is, of course, here in the Forester too, but the brand’s relatively recent foray into hybrid drivetrains was given a miss for this version.
Efficiency
Toyota Kluger
There are plenty of large SUVs with big V6 and V8 petrol engines out there with heaps of power but they use three times the amount of fuel the Kluger Grande Hybrid does.
I know this first hand. I’ve just tested a V6 powered seven seater SUV which used 20L/100km month in, month out.
I drove the Kluger Grande Hybrid on exactly the same roads every day, doing the same things like school drop offs, the supermarket run, swimming lessons and the work commute and it used 6.6L/100km. I measured this at the fuel pump.
So, 20L/100km for another V6 seven-seater SUV or 6.6L/100km for the Kluger Grande Hybrid? Which would you prefer?
Toyota’s official consumption figure for the Kluger Hybrid is 5.6L/100km (based on a combination of open and urban roads) but mine was mainly suburban and city driving when more fuel is used.
The Kluger Hybrid has a 65-litre fuel tank which means a range of approximately 1160km is technically possible.
The Kluger Grande Hybrid doesn't need plugging in to charge. The battery recharges on the go through regenerative braking.
So, unless you’re a driving enthusiast who loves high-performance or classic cars I’m not sure why you wouldn't choose the hybrid option when it comes to a large SUV. Or a small one.
Subaru Forester
Subaru claims a 7.4L/100km combined cycle (urban/extra-urban) fuel consumption figure for the STI Sport AWD, and while we’ve seen tests come close to that in other variants of the Forester with the same drivetrain, inner-city life can be a detriment to the Forester’s drinking habits.
On a test loop which was fairly unsympathetic to fuel efficiency, the Forester’s trip computer reported a 10.2L/100km figure, though a commute from inner-Melbourne to the CBD saw the digits nudge 13.0.
Historically, highway driving has been better for the Forester, and the STI Sport should be no different - plus its 63-litre fuel tank (able to run on 91 RON) should mean if you can approach Subaru’s claimed fuel consumption figure, you could theoretically find yourself driving more than 800km on a single tank.
Driving
Toyota Kluger
Smooth, easy, comfortable. Let’s be honest, the Kluger is the SUV version of the Toyota Camry and like that sedan it’s not trying to be a performance vehicle.
Besides, as a dad of small children, smooth, easy and comfortable is all I want these days. I’m still hurting all over after giving piggybacks down a hill all after yesterday. I think I’ve punctured a lung or something. So yeah, smooth, easy, comfortable please and dull sounds good to me right now.
The hybrid powertrain with the continuously variable transmission means motion is smooth with no jerky gear changes and at lower speeds the Kluger glides in silence under the power of just the motors.
If you've never driven an EV before a hybrid like this is the perfect place to start. There's no plugging in to charge yet at low speeds it operates just like an electric car, moving silently and smoothly through the world.
It's serene and makes traffic far less taxing with no gear changes or idling engine.
The steering is light and accurate, while the visibility is good making the Kluger easy to pilot and park.
The suspension is set up for a composed ride and this is helped more by the big, comfy seats.
The Kluger Grande Hybrid isn’t fast in a straight line, but it isn’t sluggish either. The combination of the torque from the electric motors and petrol engine make it feel just as quick off the mark as some V6-powered SUVs I’ve driven lately.
Subaru Forester
Like much of the Forester STI, the driving experience is heavily borrowed from some tried and true Subaru characteristics.
That naturally aspirated flat-four engine, though underwhelming on paper, gets the job done without much fuss. In fact, it sometimes feels peppier than it should given its outputs.
Its 'S/I' (Sport or Intelligent) drive mode selector is there to adjust acceleration style, but it doesn’t make an enormous difference.
Yes, it could do with more torque, but the engine doesn’t struggle and only starts to sound laboured at high revs during the kind of acceleration you’d need for seconds at a time.
The sound of a CVT whirring away isn’t exactly auditory bliss, nor does it make for engaging acceleration.
But it’s relatively quiet under regular load below highway speed and, as long as the road isn’t too coarse, NVH is generally good in the Forester.
Road, wind and engine noise are certainly present in certain circumstances, but they’re not intrusive until you get to higher speeds.
At those high speeds is where you might notice one of the most significant changes to the STI version of the Forester - the dampers have been retuned by STI, for what Subaru hopes is a “sharper, more responsive driving experience”.
It’s hard to seriously call the Forester sharp - it’s a mid-size family SUV with enough clearance to go light off-roading - but the STI Sport holds up well for what it is.
The Forester driving experience was already likeable and easy, and in terms of cornering and handling bumpy rural (or even just bumpy urban) roads, the suspension keeps things under control without feeling too stiff.
Its body doesn’t roll as much as you might expect when cornering, but given STI’s engineers focused their efforts on the dampers, its a good thing the Forester doesn’t either waft or thud when presented with big sharp bumps, nor does it vibrate and rattle over constant rough surfaces.
Of course, it’s also got 'X Mode' controls for different surfaces like snow, dirt and mud, making it a pretty handy companion for outdoor adventuring or camping trips in regions where the weather gets a bit unpredictable. If you’ve ever tried to get a front-wheel drive hatchback out of a muddy hillside campsite…
Essentially, the Forester is the kind of SUV that, if you wanted to, you could have a medium amount of fun with on a twisty road before taking it down a particularly rough, unsealed or muddy trail, then later hand the keys to your grandma knowing she’d be able to handle everything about the driving experience, too.
Safety
Toyota Kluger
The Kluger was given the maximum five-star ANCAP rating when it was tested in 2021 and all grades through the range come with the same high level of safety tech.
So, like all the other grades the Grande has AEB with pedestrian and cyclist detection, there’s blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, plus front and rear parking sensors.
The rear view camera’s view is wide and the resolution is excellent - vital for reversing out of driveways.
Child seats can be fitted only in the second row with three top tether anchor points and two ISOFIX mounts.
You should also know that airbags don't fully cover the third row occupants in the Kluger.
Subaru Forester
The Forester holds a maximum five-star ANCAP rating from assessment in 2019, which sounds outdated but arguably the most important aspects of the ANCAP testing are the crash protection, for which the Forester scored highly - an extremely good 94 per cent for adult occupant protection and 86 per cent for child occupant protection.
Seven airbags including dual frontal, side chest, curtain airbags and a driver knee airbag keep occupants protected, while Subaru notes the engine’s low-centred nature means it’s designed to slip under rather than into the cabin cell in case of a frontal collision.
Its active safety systems have been kept up to date, with functions like lane-keep assist, driver monitoring, automatic reverse braking and the help of Subaru’s ‘EyeSight’ monitoring system are all welcome additions, particularly since they’re not as intrusive as some rivals.
The lane-keep assist, for example, only beeps (relatively calmly) and intervenes when the Forester actually approaches the lane edge, and the driver monitoring and speed warning systems don’t chime or give warnings unless something is actually going wrong.
Like the multimedia and interior layout, the active safety is one area where the most recent previous generation of common features seems to be better than those many manufacturers are now implementing.
Ownership
Toyota Kluger
The Kluger Grande Hybrid is covered by Toyota’s five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty. The hybrid battery is covered by an eight-year/160,000km warranty.
Servicing is needed annually or every 15,000km and is capped at $265 per service for the first five years.
Subaru Forester
Subaru’s five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty is now considered the minimum par-for-course coverage for a mainstream new car in Australia, while some rivals are offering seven-, eight- or even 10-year warranties (though the longer one are sometimes conditional).
Subaru also offers 12 months of roadside assistance, though this is also often offered in similar lengths to warranties by competitors.
Servicing intervals for the Forester are every 12,500km or 12 months, with the first of five capped price services (aside from a free one-month check-up) costing $370.91 and the most expensive (fourth) costing $888.62.
A $1387.25 three-year service contract or a $2674.64 five-year plan are on offer.