Compare the2022 Chevrolet TraxVS 2021 Toyota Rav4

The Chevrolet Trax has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Rav4 doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

Both the Trax and the Rav4 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive, blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Chevrolet Trax is safer than the Toyota Rav4:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Chevrolet Trax is safer than the Toyota Rav4:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The Trax’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the Rav4’s (6 vs. 5 years).

There are over 2 times as many Chevrolet dealers as there are Toyota dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Trax’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Trax third among small suvs in their 2020 Initial Quality Study. The Rav4 isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2020 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are better in initial quality than Toyota vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet third in initial quality, above the industry average. With 36 more problems per 100 vehicles, Toyota is ranked 19th, below the industry average.

The Trax stops much shorter than the Rav4:

The Trax has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Rav4 doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

The Trax handles at .80 G’s, while the Rav4 Limited pulls only .74 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Trax executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Rav4 Limited (28.2 seconds @ .58 average G’s vs. 28.9 seconds @ .57 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Trax LS’ turning circle is .7 feet tighter than the Rav4 LE/XLE’s (35.4 feet vs. 36.1 feet). The Trax LT’s turning circle is .7 feet tighter than the Rav4 XLE Premium/Adventure/Limited/TRD Off-Road’s (36.7 feet vs. 37.4 feet).

The Chevrolet Trax may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 250 to 350 pounds less than the Toyota Rav4.

The Trax is 1 foot, 1.3 inches shorter than the Rav4, making the Trax easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Trax has .1 inches more front headroom and 3 inches more rear hip room than the Rav4.

The Trax’s variable intermittent wipers have an adjustable delay to allow the driver to choose a setting that best clears the windshield during light rain or mist. The Rav4 LE’s standard fixed intermittent wipers only have one fixed delay setting, so the driver will have to manually switch them between slow and intermittent.

The Trax has a standard automatic headlight on/off feature. When the ignition is on, the headlights automatically turn on at dusk and off after dawn. When the ignition turns off, the headlights turn off after a delay timed to allow you to securely get to your front door. The Rav4 has an automatic headlight on/off feature standard only on the XLE/XLE Premium/Adventure/Limited/TRD Off-Road.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Trax is less expensive to operate than the Rav4 because it costs $191 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Trax than the Rav4, including $16 less for front brake pads, $218 less for a starter, $182 less for fuel injection, $24 less for a fuel pump and $43 less for a timing belt/chain.

The Car Book by Jack Gillis recommends the Chevrolet Trax, based on economy, maintenance, safety and complaint levels.