Compare the2024 Subaru SolterraVS 2024 Toyota Rav4 Prime

Safety
Reliability
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics

Safety

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In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Solterra are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Rav4 Prime doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Subaru Solterra 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 Prime doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Solterra’s standard Downhill Assist Control allows you to creep down safely. The Rav4 Prime doesn’t offer Downhill Assist Control.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Solterra has standard Rear Cross Traffic Alert with Parking Support Brake, systems which detect vehicles approaching from the sides and can automatically apply the brakes to prevent a collision. Parking Support Brake costs extra on the Rav4 Prime XSE, and isn't offered on other Rav4 Prime models.

The Solterra’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Rav4 Prime doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Solterra and the Rav4 Prime 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, all wheel drive, 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.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does 40 MPH moderate front offset crash tests on new cars. In this updated test, results indicate that the Solterra is much safer than the Rav4 Prime:

	Solterra	Rav4 Prime
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	MARGINAL
Structure	GOOD	GOOD
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Chest Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Thigh/hip Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Restraints	GOOD	GOOD
	Rear Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Chest Rating	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Thigh Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Restraints	GOOD	MARGINAL

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 Subaru Solterra is safer than the Rav4 Prime:

	Solterra	Rav4 Prime
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Structure	GOOD	GOOD
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	105	120
Neck Compression	22 lbs.	67 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	GOOD
Shoulder Force	134 lbs.	178 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	1.22 in	1.34 in
Torso Deflection Rate	7 MPH	7 MPH
Pelvis	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Pelvis Force	870 lbs.	1093 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	212	542
Head Peak Forces	68 G’s	104 G’s
Neck Compression	156 lbs.	223 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	GOOD
Shoulder Deflection	.63 in	.94 in
Shoulder Force	223 lbs.	290 lbs.
Torso Deflection Rate	6 MPH	8 MPH
Pelvis	GOOD	GOOD
Pelvis Force	647 lbs.	692 lbs.
Head Protection	ACCEPTABLE	MARGINAL

The Subaru Solterra has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2024 model year. This distinction is based on its exceptional performance in IIHS’ rigorous battery of safety tests. Specifically, it earned a “Good” rating in the latest, more stringent moderate overlap front crash test, a “Good” result in the updated side impact test, and a “Good” score in the revised pedestrian crash prevention test. The Rav4 Prime was last only a “Top Safety Pick” in 2023 but no longer qualifies.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Subaru vehicles are better in initial quality than Toyota vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Subaru above average in initial quality. With 9 more problems per 100 vehicles, Toyota is rated lower.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Solterra gets better mileage than the Rav4 Prime running on electricity:

		MPGe
Solterra
	Premium Electric Motors	114 city/94 hwy
	Limited/Touring Electric Motors	111 city/93 hwy
Rav4 Prime
	Electric Motors	105 city/84 hwy

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

		MPGe
Solterra
	Premium Electric Motors	114 city/94 hwy
	Limited/Touring Electric Motors	111 city/93 hwy
Rav4 Prime
		MPG
	2.5 4-cyl. Hybrid	40 city/36 hwy

The Solterra can travel with zero emissions on a full charge for 222 to 227 miles. The Rav4 Prime has to start its internal combustion engine after only 42 miles.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Subaru Solterra higher (10 out of 10) than the Toyota Rav4 Prime (7). This means the Solterra produces up to 11.8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Rav4 Prime every 15,000 miles.

Brakes and Stopping

The Solterra stops shorter than the Rav4 Prime:

	Solterra	Rav4 Prime
60 to 0 MPH	135 feet	142 feet	Consumer Reports
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	145 feet	155 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Solterra has larger tires than the Rav4 Prime (235/60R18 vs. 225/60R18).

The Solterra Limited/Touring’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Rav4 Prime XSE’s 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Solterra Limited/Touring has standard 20-inch wheels. The Rav4 Prime’s largest wheels are only 19-inches.

Suspension and Handling

The Solterra has 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 Prime doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Solterra’s wheelbase is 6.3 inches longer than on the Rav4 Prime (112.2 inches vs. 105.9 inches).

For greater off-road capability the Solterra has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Rav4 Prime SE (8.3 vs. 8 inches), allowing the Solterra to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Solterra’s minimum ground clearance is .1 inch higher than on the Rav4 Prime XSE (8.3 vs. 8.2 inches).

Passenger Space

The Solterra has 1.1 inches more front headroom, 1.1 inches more front legroom and .1 inches more front hip room than the Rav4 Prime.

Servicing Ease

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Subaru service is better than Toyota. J.D. Power ranks Subaru 7th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 26% lower rating, Toyota is ranked 21st.

Ergonomics

The Solterra Limited/Touring’s standard easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Rav4 Prime doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Solterra’s driver power window, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Rav4 Prime’s power mirror switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

When the Solterra Limited/Touring 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 Prime’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

Both the Subaru Solterra and Toyota Rav4 Prime offer exterior mirrors that can be folded to provide convenience. The Solterra offers available power folding mirrors, which allow for easy, one-touch folding or unfolding at the driver’s discretion. This provides added convenience when maneuvering or parking, as well as when walking past the parked vehicle. In comparison, the Rav4 Prime’s foldable mirrors are manual, requiring the driver to get out and physically fold them once parked and unfold them before getting in.

The Solterra Limited/Touring’s Advanced Park can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Rav4 Prime doesn’t offer an automated parking system.