Compare the2022 Ford EcoSportVS 2022 Toyota Rav4 Hybrid

The Ford EcoSport 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 Hybrid doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

Both the EcoSport and the Rav4 Hybrid 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, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

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 Ford EcoSport is safer than the Toyota Rav4 Hybrid:

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

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

Both the EcoSport and Rav4 Hybrid have a standard automatic start/stop engine feature to stop unnecessary fuel waste and pollution at stop lights and heavy traffic. The EcoSport has a standard disable switch for the system, so a driver can keep the engine from shutting off when the vehicle stops temporarily.

The EcoSport has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Rav4 Hybrid doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

The EcoSport stops much shorter than the Rav4 Hybrid:

The EcoSport’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 Hybrid LE/XLE’s standard 65 series tires. The EcoSport’s optional tires have a lower 50 series profile than the Rav4 Hybrid’s optional 60 series tires.

The EcoSport has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Rav4 Hybrid’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

The EcoSport SES handles at .77 G’s, while the Rav4 Hybrid XSE pulls only .75 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the EcoSport’s turning circle is 1 foot tighter than the Rav4 Hybrid’s (35.1 feet vs. 36.1 feet).

The Ford EcoSport may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 400 to 500 pounds less than the Toyota Rav4 Hybrid.

The EcoSport is 1 foot, 7.6 inches shorter than the Rav4 Hybrid, making the EcoSport easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The EcoSport has .1 inches more front headroom, 1.9 inches more front legroom and 3.2 inches more rear hip room than the Rav4 Hybrid.

The EcoSport’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Rav4 Hybrid’s (2000 vs. 1750 pounds).

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

The EcoSport’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Rav4 Hybrid’s power window (except driver window), power lock and power mirror switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

The EcoSport’s standard speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The Rav4 Hybrid 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 EcoSport 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 Hybrid has an automatic headlight on/off feature standard only on the XLE/SE/XSE/Limited.

The EcoSport (except S) offers an optional 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Rav4 Hybrid doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

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