Compare the2023 Toyota Rav4 PrimeVS 2023 Lexus NX

The Rav4 Prime 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 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.

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

Both the Rav4 Prime and the NX 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, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available around view monitors.

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the Rav4 Prime for 1 year and 15000 miles longer than Lexus pays for maintenance for the NX (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 Prime’s warranty.

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 Lexus 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, Lexus is rated lower.

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

The Rav4 Prime’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 99 more horsepower (302 vs. 203) than the NX 250’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder. The Rav4 Prime’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 62 more horsepower (302 vs. 240) than the NX 350h’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid. The Rav4 Prime’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 27 more horsepower (302 vs. 275) than the NX 350’s standard 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Toyota Rav4 Prime is faster than the Lexus NX:

On the EPA test cycle the Rav4 Prime running on electricity gets better mileage than the NX 450h running on electricity (105 city/84 hwy vs. 93 city/75 hwy MPGe).

On the EPA test cycle the Rav4 Prime running its gasoline engine gets better mileage than the NX running its gasoline engine:

The Rav4 Prime can travel with zero emissions on electricity, only, on a full charge for 42 miles. The NX 450h has to start its internal combustion engine after only 37 miles.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Toyota Rav4 Prime uses regular unleaded gasoline. The NX 350 requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Toyota Rav4 Prime higher (7 out of 10) than the Lexus NX (6 to 7). This means the Rav4 Prime produces up to 1.1 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the NX every 15,000 miles.

The Rav4 Prime stops shorter than the NX:

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 NX; it requires you to depend on its run-flat tires, which limits mileage and speed before they are repaired. If a run-flat is damaged beyond repair by a road hazard your vehicle will have to be towed.

The Rav4 Prime XSE handles at .83 G’s, while the NX 450h AWD pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Rav4 Prime XSE executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.4 seconds quicker than the NX 450h AWD (27 seconds @ .65 average G’s vs. 28.4 seconds @ .57 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Rav4 Prime SE’s turning circle is 1.9 feet tighter than the NX’s (36.1 feet vs. 38 feet). The Rav4 Prime XSE’s turning circle is .6 feet tighter than the NX’s (37.4 feet vs. 38 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Rav4 Prime SE has a greater minimum ground clearance than the NX (8 vs. 7.7 inches), allowing the Rav4 Prime to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Rav4 Prime XSE’s minimum ground clearance is .5 inch higher than on the NX (8.2 vs. 7.7 inches).

The front grille of the Rav4 Prime 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 doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Rav4 Prime has 1.5 inches more front shoulder room, 1 inch more rear headroom, 1.7 inches more rear legroom and 2.4 inches more rear shoulder room than the NX.

The Rav4 Prime has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the NX with its rear seat up (33.5 vs. 22.7 cubic feet). The Rav4 Prime has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the NX with its rear seat folded (69.8 vs. 46.9 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Rav4 Prime easier. The Rav4 Prime’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 27.8 inches, while the NX’s liftover is 30.8 inches.

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

The Rav4 Prime’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the NX’s (2500 vs. 0 pounds).

The power windows standard on both the Rav4 Prime and the NX have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Rav4 Prime is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The NX prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

Consumer Reports rated the Rav4 Prime’s headlight performance “Good,” a higher rating than the NX’s headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

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

The Toyota Rav4 outsold the Lexus NX by over 8 to one during 2022.