Compare the2022 Subaru CrosstrekVS 2021 Toyota Rav4

Safety
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Crosstrek CVT are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Rav4 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Crosstrek has standard Whiplash-Reducing Front Seats, which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash-Reducing Front Seats system allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Rav4 doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Crosstrek. But it costs extra on the Rav4.

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

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

	Crosstrek	Rav4
	Driver
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	121	152
Neck Stress	304 lbs.	306 lbs.
Neck Compression	42 lbs.	56 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	252/363 lbs.	400/388 lbs.

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 Subaru Crosstrek is safer than the Toyota Rav4:

	Crosstrek	Rav4
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	428 lbs.	508 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	13 inches	14 inches
HIC	201	299
Hip Force	824 lbs.	835 lbs.

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

Reliability

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Crosstrek’s reliability 29 points higher than the Rav4.

Engine

As tested in Motor Trend the Crosstrek Sport/Limited 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder is faster than the Toyota Rav4 (automatics tested):

	Crosstrek	Rav4
Zero to 60 MPH	7.8 sec	8.8 sec
Quarter Mile	16 sec	16.8 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	87.7 MPH	83.8 MPH

The flat cylinder configuration of the boxer engine in the Crosstrek lowers its center of gravity, enhancing handling stability without compromising ground clearance. The Rav4 doesn’t offer a boxer engine configuration.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Crosstrek gets better mileage than the Rav4:

			MPG
Crosstrek
AWD	Auto	2.0 DOHC flat-4	28 city/33 hwy
		2.5 DOHC flat-4	27 city/34 hwy
Rav4
AWD	Auto	XLE 2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	27 city/33 hwy
		Adventure/Limited 2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	25 city/33 hwy
		TRD Off-Road 2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	25 city/32 hwy

The Crosstrek has 2.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the Rav4 (16.6 vs. 14.5 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Subaru Crosstrek higher (7 out of 10) than the Toyota Rav4 (6). This means the Crosstrek produces up to 1.1 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Rav4 every 15,000 miles.

Transmission

The Crosstrek offers a manual transmission for better acceleration, control and sportiness. The Rav4 doesn’t offer a manual transmission.

The Crosstrek offers an optional continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Rav4 doesn’t offer a CVT.

Brakes and Stopping

The Crosstrek stops much shorter than the Rav4:

	Crosstrek	Rav4
60 to 0 MPH	120 feet	134 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	136 feet	140 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

The Crosstrek’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Rav4 LE/XLE’s standard 65 series tires.

Suspension and Handling

The Crosstrek Premium handles at .81 G’s, while the Rav4 Limited pulls only .74 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Crosstrek Premium executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.6 seconds quicker than the Rav4 Limited (27.3 seconds @ .62 average G’s vs. 28.9 seconds @ .57 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Crosstrek’s turning circle is .7 feet tighter than the Rav4 LE/XLE’s (35.4 feet vs. 36.1 feet). The Crosstrek’s turning circle is 2 feet tighter than the Rav4 XLE Premium/Adventure/Limited/TRD Off-Road’s (35.4 feet vs. 37.4 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Crosstrek has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Rav4 LE/XLE (8.7 vs. 8.4 inches), allowing the Crosstrek to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Crosstrek’s minimum ground clearance is .1 inch higher than on the Rav4 XLE Premium/Limited/Adventure/TRD Off-Road (8.7 vs. 8.6 inches).

Chassis

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

The Crosstrek is 4.4 inches shorter than the Rav4, making the Crosstrek easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Passenger Space

The Crosstrek has .3 inches more front headroom, 2.1 inches more front legroom, .8 inches more front hip room and 7.5 inches more rear hip room than the Rav4.

Cargo Capacity

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the Crosstrek. The Rav4 doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

Servicing Ease

The engine in the Crosstrek is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Rav4. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

Ergonomics

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Crosstrek’s available exterior PIN entry system (not available on Crosstrek Base). The Rav4 doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system.

The Crosstrek’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.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the Crosstrek Limited has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Rav4 doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The Crosstrek’s optional rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Rav4 offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Crosstrek owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Crosstrek will cost $485 less than the Rav4 over a five-year period.

The Crosstrek will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Crosstrek will retain 62.13% to 65.32% of its original price after five years, while the Rav4 only retains 55.58% to 57.76%.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Crosstrek is less expensive to operate than the Rav4 because typical repairs cost much less on the Crosstrek than the Rav4, including $28 less for front brake pads, $61 less for fuel injection, $154 less for a fuel pump, $519 less for a timing belt/chain and $138 less for a power steering pump.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Subaru Crosstrek will be $2936 to $6782 less than for the Toyota Rav4.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Subaru Crosstrek and the Toyota Rav4, based on reliability, safety and performance.