Compare the2022 Lexus RXVS 2022 Toyota Rav4 Hybrid

The Lexus RX 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.

The RX has standard Active Headrests, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Headrests system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Rav4 Hybrid doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The RX has a standard blind spot warning system which uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. A system to reveal vehicles in the Rav4 Hybrid’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the RX has a standard rear cross-path warning system, which uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. Rear cross-path warning costs extra on the Rav4 Hybrid.

Both the RX and the Rav4 Hybrid have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, 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 and around view monitors.

The Lexus RX weighs 417 to 1030 pounds more than the Toyota Rav4 Hybrid. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

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 Lexus RX is safer than the Toyota Rav4 Hybrid:

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

The RX comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Rav4 Hybrid’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

Lexus’ powertrain warranty covers the RX 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Toyota covers the Rav4 Hybrid. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 6 years or 70,000 miles. Coverage on the Rav4 Hybrid ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The RX’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the Rav4 Hybrid’s (6 vs. 5 years).

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 RX’s reliability 32 points higher than the Rav4 Hybrid.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the RX first among midsize premium SUVs in their 2021 Initial Quality Study. The Rav4 Hybrid 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 Lexus vehicles are better in initial quality than Toyota vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lexus third in initial quality, above the industry average. With 13 more problems per 100 vehicles, Toyota is ranked 13th.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Lexus vehicles are more reliable than Toyota vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lexus first in reliability, above the industry average. With 17 more problems per 100 vehicles, Toyota is ranked fourth.

The RX 350’s standard 3.5 DOHC V6 produces 76 more horsepower (295 vs. 219) than the Rav4 Hybrid’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid. The RX 450h’s standard 3.5 DOHC V6 hybrid produces 89 more horsepower (308 vs. 219) than the Rav4 Hybrid’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Motor Trend the RX 350 3.5 DOHC V6 is faster than the Toyota Rav4 Hybrid:

The RX Hybrid’s standard fuel tank has 2.7 gallons more fuel capacity than the Rav4 Hybrid (17.2 vs. 14.5 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The RX’s standard fuel tank has 4.7 gallons more fuel capacity than the Rav4 Hybrid (19.2 vs. 14.5 gallons).

For better stopping power the RX’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Rav4 Hybrid:

The RX’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Rav4 Hybrid are solid, not vented.

The RX stops much shorter than the Rav4 Hybrid:

For better traction, the RX has larger tires than the Rav4 Hybrid (235/65R18 vs. 225/65R17).

The RX’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Rav4 Hybrid’s optional 60 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the RX has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Rav4 Hybrid LE/XLE. The RX’s optional 20-inch wheels are larger than the 18-inch wheels optional on the Rav4 Hybrid.

The RX 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 RX offers an available driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads or off-road. The Rav4 Hybrid’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The RX 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 Hybrid doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the RX’s wheelbase is 3.9 inches longer than on the Rav4 Hybrid (109.8 inches vs. 105.9 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the RX is 1.4 inches wider in the front and .3 inches wider in the rear than on the Rav4 Hybrid.

The RX 350 handles at .79 G’s, while the Rav4 Hybrid XSE pulls only .75 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The RX 350 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.3 seconds quicker than the Rav4 Hybrid XSE (27.1 seconds @ .63 average G’s vs. 28.4 seconds @ .61 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the RX has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Rav4 Hybrid (8.2 vs. 8.1 inches), allowing the RX to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The RX has 3.1 inches more front legroom, 2.3 inches more front hip room, .2 inches more rear legroom, 8.4 inches more rear hip room and 1.2 inches more rear shoulder room than the Rav4 Hybrid.

A control in the cargo area automatically lowers or raises the RX’s optional rear seats, to make changing between cargo and passengers easier. The Rav4 Hybrid doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

Maximum trailer towing in the Toyota Rav4 Hybrid is limited to 1750 pounds. The RX offers up to a 3500 lbs. towing capacity.

The RX uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Rav4 Hybrid uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Lexus service is better than Toyota. J.D. Power ranks Lexus second in service department satisfaction. With a 49% lower rating, Toyota is ranked 20th.

The RX’s standard easy entry system raises the steering wheel and glides the driver’s seat back, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Rav4 Hybrid doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The RX offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed, tachometer, warning and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Rav4 Hybrid doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The RX’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting 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 RX has a standard automatic headlight on/off feature. When the ignition is on, the headlights automatically turn on at dusk and off after dawn. The Rav4 Hybrid has an automatic headlight on/off feature standard only on the XLE/SE/XSE/Limited.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the RX to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Rav4 Hybrid doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

The RX’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Toyota charges extra for heated mirrors on the Rav4 Hybrid.

When the RX is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Rav4 Hybrid’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

The RX’s standard 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 Hybrid offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

The RX 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.

The RX is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Rav4 Hybrid doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Both are recommended, but Consumer Reports® chose the Lexus RX as its “Top Pick,” the highest scoring vehicle in its category, based on reliability, safety and performance.