Subaru Forester vs Volkswagen Touareg

Price and cost per week

Safety Rundown

ANCAP's published record does not give the Volkswagen Touareg a rating. With no pair of ratings to compare, the active-safety features in the spec table above are the fairer comparison.

Recalls on our record

A recall covers the builds its notice lists, not every car of a model. Check your VIN at vehiclerecalls.gov.au.

Feature Showdown

The Subaru Forester features a 11.6-inch touchscreen paired with a 4.2-inch digital dash, while the Volkswagen Touareg gets a 15-inch display and 12.3-inch instruments. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across both.

The Volkswagen Touareg counters with power tailgate. Which feature set matters more depends on your daily routine and priorities.

Interior trim differs: the Subaru Forester gets cloth upholstery while the Volkswagen Touareg offers leather.

Drivetrain

The Subaru Forester uses a Petrol producing 136kW and 247Nm of torque, sent through a cvt to a AWD layout.

The Volkswagen Touareg responds with a Diesel making 170kW and 500Nm, paired to a auto driving all four wheels. It gets to 100km/h in 8 seconds.

The Volkswagen Touareg has the clear power advantage at 170kW vs 136kW. For most buyers, the way each car feels day-to-day matters more than outright acceleration.

Space & Comfort

The Subaru Forester measures 4,655mm long on a 2,670mm wheelbase, 234mm shorter than the Volkswagen Touareg at 4,889mm (2,894mm wheelbase). The longer wheelbase on the Volkswagen Touareg generally means more rear legroom.

Boot space is 496L in the Subaru Forester and 810L in the Volkswagen Touareg, giving the Volkswagen Touareg a 314L advantage.

For towing, the Volkswagen Touareg leads with a 3,500kg braked capacity vs 1,800kg. That 1,700kg difference matters if you regularly hitch up.

Neither U-turns in one sweep on a 7 m local street (both need a three-point turn); the Subaru Forester's turning circle is 1.2 m tighter, 10.8 m against 12.0 m kerb to kerb. The street estimate is indicative, worked from the published turning circles.

Cost to own

At 15,000 km a year, fuel for the Subaru Forester costs about $2,252 a year (7.9 L/100km) and fuel for the Volkswagen Touareg about $2,166 a year (7.6 L/100km), at $1.90 a litre and 32c a kWh. That is $86 a year less for the Volkswagen Touareg.

Warranty: 5 years / Unlimited (Subaru Forester) and 5 years / Unlimited (Volkswagen Touareg). Capped-price servicing: 5 years (Subaru Forester), no data (Volkswagen Touareg).

Where each one leads

The Subaru Forester: the lower starting price ($45,990 against $86,790).

The Volkswagen Touareg: more power (170kW against 136kW), the bigger boot with the seats up (810L against 496L), the higher braked towing limit (3,500kg against 1,800kg) and lower fuel or energy costs on our assumptions ($2,166 a year against $2,252).

The Verdict

Subaru Forester scores higher, 76 vs 68

The Subaru Forester scores 76 to the Volkswagen Touareg's 68 on the CarSorted Score, and leads 1 of the 5 spec rows that separate them, at the lower price. The biggest gaps: safety (Subaru Forester ahead by 31 points), practicality (Volkswagen Touareg ahead by 20 points), performance (Volkswagen Touareg ahead by 17 points). At 15,000 km a year, fuel for the Volkswagen Touareg costs about $86 less (7.6 L/100km against 7.9 L/100km, at $1.90 a litre). Boot space with the seats up: 496L in the Subaru Forester, 810L in the Volkswagen Touareg.

Common questions