Compare the2025 Toyota Rav4VS 2024 Land Rover Discovery Sport

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Toyota Rav4 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 Land Rover Discovery Sport doesn’t offer pretensioners for its second-row seat belts.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Toyota Rav4 are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The Land Rover Discovery Sport doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

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 Rav4 are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Discovery Sport doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Rav4 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 Discovery Sport 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.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Rav4 (except LE) offers an optional Parking Support Brake that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Discovery Sport doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.

Both the Rav4 and the Discovery Sport have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors, available all wheel drive, blind spot warning systems, around view monitors and rear cross-path warning.

Toyota’s powertrain warranty covers the Rav4 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Land Rover covers the Discovery Sport. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the Discovery Sport ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the Rav4 for 2 years and 25000 miles. Toyota will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Land Rover doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Discovery Sport.

There are over 6 times as many Toyota dealers as there are Land Rover dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Rav4’s warranty.

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’s reliability 50 points higher than the Discovery Sport.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are better in initial quality than Land Rover vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota above average in initial quality. With 22 more problems per 100 vehicles, Land Rover is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Land Rover vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota second in reliability, above the industry average. With 121 more problems per 100 vehicles, Land Rover is ranked 28th.

On the EPA test cycle the Rav4 gets better mileage than the Discovery Sport:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Toyota Rav4 uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Discovery Sport requires premium, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

For better maneuverability, the Rav4 LE/XLE’s turning circle is 2.6 feet tighter than the Discovery Sport’s (36.1 feet vs. 38.7 feet). The Rav4 XLE Premium/Limited’s turning circle is 1.3 feet tighter than the Discovery Sport’s (37.4 feet vs. 38.7 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Rav4 LE/XLE has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Discovery Sport (8.4 vs. 8.3 inches), allowing the Rav4 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Rav4 XLE Premium/Limited’s minimum ground clearance is .3 inch higher than on the Discovery Sport (8.6 vs. 8.3 inches).

The Toyota Rav4 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 650 to 750 pounds less than the Land Rover Discovery Sport.

The front grille of the Rav4 Limited uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Discovery Sport doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Rav4 has 1.9 inches more front legroom, .5 inches more front shoulder room, .8 inches more rear headroom and .5 inches more rear shoulder room than the Discovery Sport.

The Rav4 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Discovery Sport with its rear seat up (37.6 vs. 6.9 cubic feet). The Rav4 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Discovery Sport with its rear seat folded (69.8 vs. 60 cubic feet).

The Rav4’s cargo area is larger than the Discovery Sport’s in almost every dimension:

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

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Rav4 Limited’s available liftgate can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Discovery Sport doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

If the windows are left open on the Rav4 the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. (This window function must be activated by your Toyota service department.) The driver of the Discovery Sport can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Rav4 XLE/Limited has standard extendable sun visors. The Discovery Sport doesn’t offer extendable visors.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Rav4 Limited keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Discovery Sport doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The Rav4 is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Discovery Sport doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Insurance will cost less for the Rav4 owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Rav4 will cost $965 to $2060 less than the Discovery Sport over a five-year period.

The Rav4 will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Rav4 will retain 60.29% to 62.45% of its original price after five years, while the Discovery Sport only retains 50.87% to 51.79%.

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

The Toyota Rav4 outsold the Land Rover Discovery Sport by almost 139 to one during 2023.