Compare the2025 Toyota Rav4VS 2024 Subaru Crosstrek

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 Subaru Crosstrek doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

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 Crosstrek 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.

The Rav4 Limited offers an optional Bird’s Eye View Camera to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Crosstrek only offers a rear monitor.

Both the Rav4 and Crosstrek offer Rear Cross Traffic Alert, but the Rav4 (except LE) has Parking Support Brake (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The Crosstrek’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert doesn’t automatically brake.

Both the Rav4 and the Crosstrek have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors, available all wheel drive and blind spot warning systems.

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 Toyota Rav4 is safer than the Crosstrek:

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. Subaru doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Crosstrek.

There are almost 2 times as many Toyota dealers as there are Subaru dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Rav4’s warranty.

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 Subaru vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota second in reliability, above the industry average. With 51 more problems per 100 vehicles, Subaru is ranked 13th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Subaru vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota second in overall reliability. Subaru is ranked 6th.

The Rav4’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 51 more horsepower (203 vs. 152) and 39 lbs.-ft. more torque (184 vs. 145) than the Crosstrek’s standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder. The Rav4’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 21 more horsepower (203 vs. 182) and 6 lbs.-ft. more torque (184 vs. 178) than the Crosstrek Sport/Limited/Wilderness’ standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Toyota Rav4 is faster than the Subaru Crosstrek:

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

The Rav4 stops much shorter than the Crosstrek:

For better traction, the Rav4 XLE Premium/Limited’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Crosstrek (235/55R19 vs. 225/60R17).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Rav4 XLE Premium/Limited has standard 19-inch wheels. The Crosstrek’s largest wheels are only 18-inches.

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Rav4 is 1.8 inches wider in the front and 2.5 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Crosstrek.

The Rav4 4WD handles at .84 G’s, while the Crosstrek Limited pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Rav4 4WD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.3 seconds quicker than the Crosstrek Limited (27.1 seconds @ .62 average G’s vs. 28.4 seconds @ .6 average G’s).

As tested by Car and Driver while at idle, the interior of the Rav4 Limited 4WD is quieter than the Crosstrek Limited (38 vs. 41 dB).

The Rav4 has 1 inch more front shoulder room, 1.5 inches more rear headroom, 1.3 inches more rear legroom and 1.1 inches more rear shoulder room than the Crosstrek.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Rav4’s rear seats recline. The Crosstrek’s rear seats don’t recline.

The Rav4 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Crosstrek with its rear seat up (37.6 vs. 19.9 cubic feet). The Rav4 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Crosstrek with its rear seat folded (69.8 vs. 54.7 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Rav4 easier. The Rav4’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 27.8 inches, while the Crosstrek’s liftover is 30.9 inches.

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

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the Rav4 (except LE) offers an optional power liftgate, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button or, optionally on the Rav4 Limited, by just kicking your foot under the back bumper, completely leaving your hands free. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer a power liftgate.

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the Rav4 uses the Enhanced Vehicle Stability Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

The Rav4 has a standard remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

When two different drivers share the Rav4 Limited, the memory seats make it convenient for both. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer memory seats.

The Rav4’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Crosstrek’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

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 Crosstrek can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Rav4 XLE/Limited’s optional wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield. The Crosstrek’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Both the Rav4 and the Crosstrek offer available heated front seats. The Rav4 Limited also offers optional heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Crosstrek.

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 Crosstrek doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

On extremely cold winter days, the Rav4 XLE/Limited’s optional heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the vehicle heater warms up. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

Both the Rav4 and the Crosstrek offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Rav4 has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

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

The Toyota Rav4 outsold the Subaru Crosstrek by almost three to one during 2023.