Compare the2025 Lincoln AviatorVS 2024 Toyota Rav4 Prime

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Model Availability

Safety

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Both the Aviator and Rav4 Prime have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Aviator has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The Rav4 Prime’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

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 Aviator 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 Lincoln Aviator 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 Aviator’s optional Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The Rav4 Prime doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Aviator has standard Cross-Traffic Alert with Rear Cross Traffic Braking, 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 Aviator’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 Aviator 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, 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 all wheel drive.

The Lincoln Aviator weighs 445 to 627 pounds more than the Toyota Rav4 Prime. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

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 Aviator is much safer than the Rav4 Prime:

	Aviator	Rav4 Prime
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	MARGINAL
Structure	GOOD	GOOD
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	160	307
Chest Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Thigh/hip Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Leg/foot Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Restraints	GOOD	GOOD
	Rear Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Chest Rating	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Thigh Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Restraints	ACCEPTABLE	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 Lincoln Aviator is safer than the Rav4 Prime:

	Aviator	Rav4 Prime
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Structure	GOOD	GOOD
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	86	120
Torso	GOOD	GOOD
Shoulder Force	134 lbs.	178 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	1.06 in	1.34 in
Torso Deflection Rate	5 MPH	7 MPH
Pelvis	ACCEPTABLE	ACCEPTABLE
Pelvis Force	982 lbs.	1093 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	168	542
Head Peak Forces	no contact	104 G’s
Neck Tension	268 lbs.	312 lbs.
Neck Compression	22 lbs.	223 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	GOOD
Pelvis	GOOD	GOOD
Head Protection	GOOD	MARGINAL

Warranty

The Aviator comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck. The Rav4 Prime’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

Lincoln’s powertrain warranty covers the Aviator 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Toyota covers the Rav4 Prime. 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 Prime ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

Reliability

The Lincoln Aviator’s engine uses a cast iron block for durability, while the Rav4 Prime’s engine uses an aluminum block. Aluminum engine blocks are much more prone to warp and crack at high temperatures than cast iron.

The Aviator has a standard “limp home system” to keep drivers from being stranded if most or all of the engine’s coolant is lost. The engine will run on only half of its cylinders at a time, reduce its power and light a warning lamp on the dashboard so the driver can get to a service station for repairs. The Rav4 Prime doesn’t offer a lost coolant limp home mode, so a coolant leak could strand you or seriously damage the truck’s engine.

Engine

The Aviator’s standard 3.0 turbo V6 produces 98 more horsepower (400 vs. 302) than the Rav4 Prime’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Motor Trend the Lincoln Aviator is faster than the Toyota Rav4 Prime:

	Aviator	Rav4 Prime
Zero to 60 MPH	5.4 sec	5.5 sec

Fuel Economy and Range

The Aviator has 5.7 gallons more fuel capacity than the Rav4 Prime (20.2 vs. 14.5 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The Aviator has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Rav4 Prime doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Aviator	Rav4 Prime
Front Rotors	13.6 inches	12.9 inches
Rear Rotors	13.8 inches	12.4 inches

The Aviator stops shorter than the Rav4 Prime:

	Aviator	Rav4 Prime
60 to 0 MPH	124 feet	131 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	145 feet	155 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Aviator has larger standard tires than the Rav4 Prime (255/55R20 vs. 225/60R18). The Aviator’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Rav4 Prime (275/40R22 vs. 235/55R19).

The Aviator’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 Prime SE’s standard 60 series tires. The Aviator’s optional tires have a lower 40 series profile than the Rav4 Prime XSE’s 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Aviator has standard 20-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the Rav4 Prime SE. The Aviator’s optional 22-inch wheels are larger than the 19-inch wheels on the Rav4 Prime XSE.

Suspension and Handling

The Aviator has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Rav4 Prime’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

The Aviator has a standard 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 Prime’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The Aviator has a standard automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The Aviator’s height leveling suspension allows the driver to raise ride height for better off-road clearance and then lower it again for easier entering and exiting and better on-road handling. The Rav4 Prime doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

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

The Aviator’s drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The Rav4 Prime doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Aviator’s wheelbase is 13.2 inches longer than on the Rav4 Prime (119.1 inches vs. 105.9 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Aviator is 3.9 inches wider in the front and 3.2 inches wider in the rear than on the Rav4 Prime.

The Aviator’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (51% to 49%) than the Rav4 Prime’s (56% to 44%). This gives the Aviator more stable handling and braking.

The Aviator AWD handles at .80 G’s, while the Rav4 Prime XSE pulls only .75 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Aviator AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Rav4 Prime XSE (27.1 seconds @ .69 average G’s vs. 27.6 seconds @ .62 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Aviator has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Rav4 Prime SE (8.7 vs. 8 inches), allowing the Aviator to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Aviator’s minimum ground clearance is .5 inch higher than on the Rav4 Prime XSE (8.7 vs. 8.2 inches).

Chassis

The Aviator Reserve/Black Label uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Rav4 Prime doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

Passenger Space

The Aviator offers optional seating for 7 passengers; the Rav4 Prime can only carry 5.

The Aviator has 41.7 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Rav4 Prime (140.6 vs. 98.9).

The Aviator has 3.8 inches more front headroom, 2 inches more front legroom, 4.2 inches more front hip room, 3.7 inches more front shoulder room, .2 inches more rear headroom, 1.2 inches more rear legroom, 10.6 inches more rear hip room and 4.9 inches more rear shoulder room than the Rav4 Prime.

Cargo Capacity

The Aviator’s cargo area provides more volume than the Rav4 Prime.

	Aviator	Rav4 Prime
Third Seat Folded	41.8 cubic feet	n/a
Third Seat Removed	n/a	33.5 cubic feet
Second Seat Folded	77.7 cubic feet	69.8 cubic feet

Pressing a button automatically lowers the Aviator’s second and third row seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Rav4 Prime doesn’t offer automatic folding second row seats.

Towing

The Aviator’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Rav4 Prime’s (5000 vs. 2500 pounds).

Servicing Ease

The Aviator uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Rav4 Prime 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.

The engine in the Aviator is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Rav4 Prime. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

Ergonomics

The Aviator’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 Prime doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Aviator’s exterior PIN entry system. The Rav4 Prime doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its Safety Connect™ can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

The Aviator’s power window switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Rav4 Prime’s power window (except driver window) switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

The Aviator’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 Prime’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

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

The Aviator’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 Prime offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

The Aviator has standard front air conditioned seats and offers them optionally in the second row. This keeps the passengers comfortable and takes the sting out of hot seats in summer. The Rav4 Prime doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats in the rear.

The Aviator has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the vehicle heater warms up. A heated steering wheel costs extra on the Rav4 Prime.

The Aviator (except Premiere) offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the Rav4 Prime.

The Lincoln Aviator has a standard Homelink wireless remote control system for garage door operation and device management, conveniently located on the driver’s visor. Homelink® eliminates the need for separate garage door openers and associated risks of losing, breaking, or having dead batteries. Toyota charges extra for Homelink® on the Rav4 Prime.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Lincoln Aviator has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Only the Rav4 Prime XSE offers wireless charging.

The Aviator (except Premiere)’s optional Active Park Assist Plus 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.

Model Availability

The Aviator is available in both rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Rav4 Prime doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.