Compare the2022 Chevrolet TraxVS 2022 Toyota Rav4

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Environmental Friendliness
Brakes and Stopping
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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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:

	Trax	Rav4
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	122	152
Neck Injury Risk	26%	29.3%
Neck Stress	298 lbs.	306 lbs.
Neck Compression	12 lbs.	56 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	363/313 lbs.	400/388 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	207	284
Chest Compression	.3 inches	.4 inches
Neck Stress	122 lbs.	258 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 Chevrolet Trax is safer than the Toyota Rav4:

	Trax	Rav4
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	73	83
Abdominal Force	120 lbs.	138 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	100	146
Spine Acceleration	33 G’s	49 G’s
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	707 lbs.	835 lbs.

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

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Chevrolet Trax is safer than the Rav4:

	Trax	Rav4
Overall Evaluation	ACCEPTABLE	ACCEPTABLE
Structure	GOOD	GOOD
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Pelvis	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Pelvis Force	848 lbs.	1093 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	126	542
Head Peak Forces	no contact	104 G’s
Neck Tension	67 lbs.	312 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	GOOD
Shoulder Deflection	.55 in	.94 in
Shoulder Force	201 lbs.	290 lbs.
Torso Deflection Rate	6 MPH	8 MPH
Pelvis	GOOD	GOOD
Head Protection	GOOD	MARGINAL

Warranty

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.

Reliability

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Trax has a 130-amp alternator. The Rav4’s standard 100-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

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 Trax’s reliability 38 points higher than the Rav4.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Trax third among small suvs in their 2021 Initial Quality Study. The Rav4 isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 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 10th in initial quality, above the industry average. With 6 more problems per 100 vehicles, Toyota is ranked 13th.

Environmental Friendliness

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

Brakes and Stopping

The Trax stops much shorter than the Rav4:

	Trax	Rav4
70 to 0 MPH	166 feet	168 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	113 feet	134 feet	Motor Trend

Suspension and Handling

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).

Chassis

The Chevrolet Trax may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 250 to 400 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.

Passenger Space

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

Ergonomics

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.

Economic Advantages

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.

Recommendations

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