Compare the2022 Toyota Rav4VS 2022 Hyundai Tucson

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Toyota Rav4 have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Hyundai Tucson doesn’t offer pretensioners for the rear seat belts.

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

The Rav4 has a standard Secondary Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Tucson doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

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

There are over 50 percent more Toyota dealers than there are Hyundai dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Rav4’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Hyundai vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota fourth in reliability, above the industry average. With 3 more problems per 100 vehicles, Hyundai is ranked 7th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Hyundai vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota second in reliability. Hyundai is ranked 6th.

The Rav4’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 16 more horsepower (203 vs. 187) and 6 lbs.-ft. more torque (184 vs. 178) than the Tucson’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Toyota Rav4 is faster than the Hyundai Tucson:

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Toyota Rav4 higher (6 out of 10) than the Hyundai Tucson (5). This means the Rav4 produces up to 6.9 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Tucson every 15,000 miles.

For better maneuverability, the Rav4 LE/XLE’s turning circle is 2.5 feet tighter than the Tucson’s (36.1 feet vs. 38.6 feet). The Rav4 XLE Premium/Adventure/Limited/TRD Off-Road’s turning circle is 1.2 feet tighter than the Tucson’s (37.4 feet vs. 38.6 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Rav4 LE/XLE has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Tucson (8.4 vs. 8.3 inches), allowing the Rav4 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Rav4 XLE Premium/Limited/Adventure/TRD Off-Road’s minimum ground clearance is .3 inch higher than on the Tucson (8.6 vs. 8.3 inches).

The Rav4 has .2 inches more front shoulder room and .4 inches more rear shoulder room than the Tucson.

A standard locking glovebox keeps your small valuables safer in the Rav4. The Tucson doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

Maximum trailer towing in the Hyundai Tucson is limited to 2000 pounds. The Rav4 4WD offers up to a 3500 lbs. towing capacity.

The Rav4’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Tucson’s standard power window switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully. Only its driver’s window opens automatically. With the Tucson SEL/N Line/Limited’s power windows, only the front windows open or close automatically.

If the windows are left open on the Rav4 the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. (This window function must be activated by your Toyota service department.) The driver of the Tucson can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

Both the Rav4 and the Tucson offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Rav4 has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Tucson doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

The Rav4 Adventure/TRD Off-Road has a 115-volt a/c outlet in the cargo area, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Tucson doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The Rav4 will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Rav4 will retain 55.58% to 57.76% of its original price after five years, while the Tucson only retains 49.27% to 50.81%.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Toyota Rav4 will be $589 to $1219 less than for the Hyundai Tucson.

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

Motor Trend performed a comparison test in its November 2021 issue and they ranked the Toyota Rav4 Limited 4WD higher than the Hyundai Tucson Limited AWD.

The Toyota Rav4 outsold the Hyundai Tucson by almost three to one during the 2021 model year.