Compare the2024 BMW X1VS 2024 Toyota Rav4

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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The BMW X1 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 doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the X1. But it costs extra on the Rav4.

The X1 has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them and moves the vehicle back into its lane. A system to reveal vehicles in the Rav4’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the X1 has standard Cross Traffic Warning with braking function and automatically engage the brakes. Toyota charges extra for Rear Cross Traffic Alert on the Rav4.

Both the X1 and the Rav4 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, 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, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the BMW X1 is safer than the Rav4:

	X1	Rav4
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Structure	GOOD	GOOD
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	107	120
Torso	GOOD	GOOD
Torso Max Deflection	1.1 in	1.34 in
Pelvis	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Pelvis Force	692 lbs.	1093 lbs.
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	173	542
Head Peak Forces	no contact	104 G’s
Neck Tension	134 lbs.	312 lbs.
Neck Compression	201 lbs.	223 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	GOOD
Shoulder Deflection	.59 in	.94 in
Shoulder Force	245 lbs.	290 lbs.
Torso Deflection Rate	5 MPH	8 MPH
Head Protection	GOOD	MARGINAL

The BMW X1 achieved a “Top Safety Pick” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for the 2024 model year. This recognition was based on its impressive performance in the small overlap frontal crash test, updated side impact crash test, headlight evaluations, and pedestrian crash prevention testing. The Rav4 last would have qualified as a “Top Safety Pick” in 2023.

Warranty

The X1 comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Rav4’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

The X1’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the Rav4’s (12 vs. 5 years).

BMW pays for scheduled maintenance on the X1 for 1 year and 11000 miles longer than Toyota pays for maintenance for the Rav4 (3/36,000 vs. 2/25000).

Reliability

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the X1 has a standard 210-amp alternator. The Rav4’s standard 100-amp alternator and largest (Adventure/TRD Off-Road) 150-amp alternator aren’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that BMW vehicles are better in initial quality than Toyota vehicles. With 2 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks BMW higher than Toyota.

Engine

The X1 xDrive28i’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 38 more horsepower (241 vs. 203) and 111 lbs.-ft. more torque (295 vs. 184) than the Rav4’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder. The X1 M35i xDrive’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 110 more horsepower (313 vs. 203) and 111 lbs.-ft. more torque (295 vs. 184) than the Rav4’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the X1 xDrive28i is faster than the Toyota Rav4:

	X1	Rav4
Zero to 60 MPH	5.6 sec	8.8 sec
Quarter Mile	14.3 sec	16.8 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	97.8 MPH	83.8 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the X1 gets better mileage than the Rav4:

			MPG
X1
	AWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	25 city/34 hwy
Rav4
	AWD	Adventure/Limited 2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	25 city/33 hwy
		TRD Off-Road 2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	25 city/32 hwy

Regenerative brakes improve the X1’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Rav4 doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

Regardless of its engine, the X1’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. Toyota only offers an automatic engine start/stop system on the Rav4 LE AWD/XLE/XLE Premium.

Transmission

The X1 offers a standard sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The Rav4 doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

The X1’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The Rav4 doesn’t offer launch control.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the X1’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Rav4:

	X1	X1 M35i xDrive	Rav4
Front Rotors	13.2 inches	15.2 inches	12 inches
Rear Rotors	11.8 inches	13 inches	11.1 inches

The X1’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 are solid, not vented.

The X1 stops much shorter than the Rav4:

	X1	Rav4
70 to 0 MPH	167 feet	168 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	115 feet	134 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	136 feet	140 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the X1’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Rav4 (245/45R19 vs. 235/55R19).

The X1’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Rav4 LE/XLE’s standard 65 series tires. The X1’s optional tires have a lower 40 series profile than the Rav4 XLE Premium/Adventure/Limited’s 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the X1 has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Rav4 LE/XLE. The X1’s optional 20-inch wheels are larger than the 19-inch wheels on the Rav4 XLE Premium/Adventure/Limited.

Suspension and Handling

The X1 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’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The X1 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 doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

The X1 xDrive28i handles at .86 G’s, while the Rav4 Limited 4WD pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The X1 xDrive28i executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 2.6 seconds quicker than the Rav4 Limited (26.3 seconds @ .67 average G’s vs. 28.9 seconds @ .57 average G’s).

Chassis

The X1 xDrive28i is 3.7 inches shorter than the Rav4, making the X1 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Towing

The X1’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Rav4’s (3500 vs. 1500 pounds).

Servicing Ease

The X1 uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Rav4 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 BMW service is better than Toyota. J.D. Power ranks BMW 7th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 18% lower rating, Toyota is ranked 20th.

Ergonomics

The X1 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 doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The X1 has standard Comfort Go that allows you to start the engine without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Only the Rav4 XLE/Adventure/Limited/TRD Off-Road offers a Smart Key System.

The X1’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’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 X1’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 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.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the X1 to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Rav4 doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the X1 has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Rav4 doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The X1’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Toyota charges extra for heated mirrors on the Rav4.

When the X1 is put in reverse, the passenger rearview mirror tilts from its original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirror into its original position. The Rav4’s mirror doesn’t automatically adjust for backing.

The X1’s optional 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 offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

The X1 has a standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. Dual zone air conditioning is only available on the Rav4 XLE/Adventure/Limited/TRD Off-Road.

The X1’s Parking Assistant can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling the transmission and speed with the brake pedal. With its available fully controlled system, the driver just activates it and it parks autonomously, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Rav4 doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the BMW X1 and the Toyota Rav4, based on reliability, safety and performance.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the X1 third among small premium suvs in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The Rav4 isn’t in the top three in its category.

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