Compare the2022 Toyota Rav4VS 2021 Lexus NX Series

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 Lexus NX Series doesn’t offer pretensioners for the rear seat belts.

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 NX Series 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 NX Series have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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.

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

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 Toyota Rav4 is safer than the Lexus NX Series:

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

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the Rav4 for 1 year and 15000 miles longer than Lexus pays for maintenance for the NX Series (2/25000 vs. 1/10,000).

There are over 5 times as many Toyota dealers as there are Lexus dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Rav4’s warranty.

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

The Rav4’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 9 more horsepower (203 vs. 194) than the NX 300h’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Toyota Rav4 is faster than the NX 300h :

On the EPA test cycle the Rav4 gets better mileage than the NX Series:

Both the Rav4 LE AWD/XLE/XLE Premium and the NX Series 300h have a standard automatic start/stop engine feature to stop unnecessary fuel waste and pollution at stop lights and heavy traffic. All Rav4 LE AWD/XLE/XLE Premiums have a standard disable switch for the system, so a driver can keep the engine from shutting off when the vehicle stops temporarily.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Toyota Rav4 uses regular unleaded gasoline. The NX 300 requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

An eight-speed automatic is standard on the Toyota Rav4, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a six-speed automatic is available for the NX Series.

The Rav4 stops much shorter than the NX Series:

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Rav4 XLE Premium/Adventure/Limited has standard 19-inch wheels. The NX Series’ largest wheels are only 18-inches.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Rav4’s wheelbase is 1.2 inches longer than on the NX Series (105.9 inches vs. 104.7 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Rav4 is .7 inches wider in the front and 1.4 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the NX Series.

The Rav4 Adventure handles at .84 G’s, while the NX 300 F Sport AWD pulls only .76 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Rav4 LE/XLE’s turning circle is 1.3 feet tighter than the NX Series’ (36.1 feet vs. 37.4 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Rav4 LE/XLE has a 1.7 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the NX 300h (8.4 vs. 6.7 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 1.7 inches higher than on the NX 300 (8.6 vs. 6.9 inches).

The Toyota Rav4 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 500 to 550 pounds less than the Lexus NX Series.

The front grille of the Rav4 Adventure/Limited/TRD Off-Road uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The NX Series doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

As tested by Car and Driver while cruising at 70 MPH, the interior of the Rav4 Limited 4WD is quieter than the NX 300 F Sport AWD (66 vs. 69 dB).

The Rav4 has 27.3 cubic feet more passenger volume than the NX Series (98.9 vs. 71.6).

The Rav4 has 1.3 inches more front headroom, .5 inches more front shoulder room, 1.4 inches more rear headroom, 1.7 inches more rear legroom and 1.1 inches more rear shoulder room than the NX Series.

The Rav4 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the NX Series with its rear seat up (37.6 vs. 17.7 cubic feet). The Rav4 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the NX Series with its rear seat folded (69.8 vs. 54.6 cubic feet).

The Rav4’s cargo area is larger than the NX Series’ in almost every dimension:

The Rav4’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the NX Series’ (1500 vs. 0 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Lexus NX 300h AWD is only 2000 pounds. The Rav4 4WD offers up to a 3500 lbs. towing capacity.

The Rav4 has a much higher standard payload capacity than the NX Series (1100 vs. 895 lbs.).

The Rav4 has a much higher maximum payload capacity than the NX Series (1230 vs. 895 lbs.).

Both the Rav4 and the NX Series offer available heated front seats. The Rav4 Limited also offers optional heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the NX Series.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Toyota Rav4 XLE Premium/Limited/TRD Off-Road offers an optional wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The NX Series doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

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 NX Series doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Rav4 is less expensive to operate than the NX Series because it costs $472 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Rav4 than the NX Series, including $212 less for a water pump, $556 less for a muffler, $58 less for a starter, $303 less for fuel injection, $117 less for front struts, $240 less for a timing belt/chain and $62 less for a power steering pump.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Toyota Rav4 and the Lexus NX Series, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Toyota Rav4 outsold the Lexus NX Series by over six to one during the 2021 model year.