Compare the2023 Toyota Rav4 PrimeVS 2023 Ford Mustang Mach-E

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Toyota Rav4 Prime 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 Ford Mustang Mach-E doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Rav4 Prime. But it costs extra on the Mustang Mach-E.

Both the Rav4 Prime and the Mustang Mach-E 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, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available around view monitors.

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, and daytime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Rav4 Prime the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2023, a rating granted to only 53 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Mustang Mach-E last would have qualified as a “Top Safety Pick” in 2022.

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the Rav4 Prime for 2 years and 25000 miles. Toyota will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Ford doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Mustang Mach-E.

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 Rav4 Prime’s reliability 24 points higher than the Mustang Mach-E.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota above average in long-term dependability. With 34 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Ford is rated lower.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota first in overall reliability. Ford is ranked 18th.

The Rav4 Prime’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 36 more horsepower (302 vs. 266) than the Mustang Mach-E’s standard electric motor. The Rav4 Prime’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 36 more horsepower (302 vs. 266) than the Mustang Mach-E eAWD’s standard electric motors. The Rav4 Prime’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 12 more horsepower (302 vs. 290) than the Mustang Mach-E ER’s standard electric motor.

As tested in Motor Trend the Toyota Rav4 Prime is faster than the Mustang Mach-E ER electric motor:

On the EPA test cycle the Rav4 Prime running on electricity gets better mileage than the Mustang Mach-E:

The Rav4 Prime’s maximum EPA estimated range on a full tank and a full charge is 622 miles, after which it can be refueled at any gas station in minutes. The Mustang Mach-E’s range is only 224 to 312 miles, after which

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

The Rav4 Prime has a standard space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the Mustang Mach-E; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

The Rav4 Prime XSE handles at .83 G’s, while the Mustang Mach-E California Route 1 pulls only .77 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Rav4 Prime XSE executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1 seconds quicker than the Mustang Mach-E California Route 1 (27 seconds @ .65 average G’s vs. 28 seconds @ .62 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Rav4 Prime SE’s turning circle is 2 feet tighter than the Mustang Mach-E’s (36.1 feet vs. 38.1 feet). The Rav4 Prime XSE’s turning circle is .7 feet tighter than the Mustang Mach-E’s (37.4 feet vs. 38.1 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Rav4 Prime SE has a 2.2 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Mustang Mach-E (8 vs. 5.8 inches), allowing the Rav4 Prime to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Rav4 Prime XSE’s minimum ground clearance is 2.4 inches higher than on the Mustang Mach-E (8.2 vs. 5.8 inches).

The Rav4 Prime is 4.7 inches shorter than the Mustang Mach-E, making the Rav4 Prime easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Rav4 Prime has .2 inches more front shoulder room, 1.3 inches more rear headroom and .5 inches more rear shoulder room than the Mustang Mach-E.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Rav4 Prime’s rear seats recline. The Mustang Mach-E’s rear seats don’t recline.

The Rav4 Prime has a larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Mustang Mach-E with its rear seat folded (69.8 vs. 64.4 cubic feet).

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the Rav4 Prime. The Mustang Mach-E doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

The Rav4 Prime has a 2500 lbs. towing capacity. The Mustang Mach-E has no towing capacity.

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the Rav4 Prime uses the Vehicle Stability Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Mustang Mach-E doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

The Rav4 Prime XSE offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed 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 Mustang Mach-E doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Rav4 Prime has a standard locking fuel and charge port door with a remote release located convenient to the driver. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank. The Mustang Mach-E doesn’t offer a locking charge port.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the Rav4 Prime XSE offers optional adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Mustang Mach-E doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The Rav4 Prime has standard heated front seats. Heated front seats are only available on the Mustang Mach-E Premium/CA RT 1/GT. The Rav4 Prime also offers optional heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Mustang Mach-E.

Optional air-conditioned seats in the Rav4 Prime XSE keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Mustang Mach-E doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The Rav4 Prime XSE offers an optional 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 Mustang Mach-E doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Toyota Rav4 Prime, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Ford Mustang Mach-E isn't recommended.

The Toyota Rav4 outsold the Ford Mustang Mach-E by over 10 to one during 2022.