2019 Toyota RAV4 vs 2020 Lincoln Navigator

The 2019 Toyota RAV4 had a bold, chunky design with sharp edges inspired by the Toyota Tacoma pickup. Its aggressive and futuristic look conveyed strength, with side-profile styling and taillights reminiscent of Toyota’s luxury brand, Lexus. The rear C-pillar featured a character line, a common design trait among new vehicles, though it wasn’t particularly visually appealing. The RAV4 offered both monotone and two-tone color options, with the latter featuring contrasting roofs that made the black strip across the rear pillar more sensible.

Inside, the RAV4’s cabin was simple and elegant, with many features integrated into a new floating touch screen and a “pod” that spanned from the center dash to the cupholders. The trims ranged from the base LE to the upscale Limited, each adding more features and luxury touches. The Adventure trim took a rugged direction with unique wheels, grille, and interior accents, while the Limited trim offered a more upscale experience with chrome-finished wheels, ambient lighting, and optional packages for added comfort and convenience.

The 2020 Lincoln Navigator stood out with its chrome and brightwork, differentiating it from the Ford Expedition on which it was based. The Lincoln Embrace lighting system sequentially illuminated the SUV to welcome its owner, and the lattice-type grille insert mimicked the Lincoln star logo. The Navigator also featured fender vents, full-width taillights, and black roof pillars for a wraparound glass appearance. The new Reserve Monochromatic Package added a custom look with body-color enhancements and 22-inch black-painted wheels.

The Navigator offered various trims, including the standard Navigator, Reserve, and ultra-plush Black Label, with options for standard or long-wheelbase body styles and rear-wheel or four-wheel drive. The test vehicle, a standard-length Navigator Reserve with 4WD, featured a luxurious Dark Slate leather interior with 30-way Perfect Position front seats, a wide storage console, digital instrumentation, a 10-inch infotainment touchscreen, and high-quality materials throughout. The panoramic glass roof added natural light, enhancing the luxurious feel of the SUV.

The 2019 Toyota RAV4 came equipped with a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine producing 203 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque, paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission. It offered front-wheel drive or two flavors of all-wheel drive: a base AWD setup and a more advanced torque-vectoring AWD available in the Adventure and Limited trims. The XLE test model had the base AWD, providing Snow, Sand & Mud, and Rock & Dirt drive modes. The torque-vectoring AWD could divide power to the wheels in real-time, enhancing off-road capability.

The 2.5-liter engine performed well on highways but lacked low-end power, making it feel sluggish in stop-and-go traffic. The ride quality was generally good, though the steering felt twitchy, and there was noticeable body roll. The RAV4’s fuel economy was impressive, with the AWD model achieving 27 mpg city and 34 highway, and the torque-vectoring AWD version returning 25 mpg city and 33 highway.

The 2020 Lincoln Navigator featured a twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 engine generating 450 horsepower and 510 lb-ft of torque, paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission. It offered rear-wheel drive or four-wheel drive, with multiple Lincoln Drive Modes to tailor the powertrain to specific driving situations. The Navigator’s towing capacity was 8,700 pounds with RWD and 8,300 pounds with 4WD, aided by Pro Trailer Backup Assist for easier trailer maneuvering.

Acceleration from the twin-turbo V6 was strong, with a subtle yet aggressive engine note. The Navigator’s fuel economy averaged 16.4 mpg on the testing loop, with an EPA rating of 18 mpg combined. The SUV’s adaptive damping suspension provided excellent body motion control, though impact harshness was noticeable with 22-inch wheels. The Navigator felt huge around town but offered a tight turning radius, parking assist, and numerous camera views for better maneuverability.

The 2019 Toyota RAV4’s cabin was clean and upscale, with practical features and spacious seating in both rows. The center stack pod contained climate controls, a large tray for small items, drive-mode controls, and a short, stocky shifter. The RAV4 offered 37.6 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats up, expanding to 69.8 cubic feet with the seats folded. It provided plenty of storage options, including deep center-control trays, door bins, and a hidden tray above the glove box.

The 2020 Lincoln Navigator required climbing up into the SUV, but once inside, passengers found plenty of room to stretch out. The test vehicle’s 30-way Perfect Position front seats were exceptionally comfortable, with power-adjustable pedals and a heated steering wheel. The second row offered a choice between a three-person bench or captain’s chairs, with the latter featuring a large center console and audio controls. The third-row seat provided ample legroom and thigh support, making it comfortable for most passengers.

Cargo volumes in the Navigator were class-leading, with the standard-length model offering 19.3 cubic feet behind the third row, 57.5 cubic feet behind the second row, and 103.3 cubic feet maximum. The longer Navigator L increased these measurements to 34.3, 73.3, and 120.2 cubic feet, respectively.

The 2019 Toyota RAV4 LE came standard with a 7-inch touchscreen running Entune 3, featuring Apple CarPlay, Bluetooth connectivity, a USB port, and a WiFi hotspot. The XLE added five USB ports, while the Adventure trim upgraded to a panoramic reversing camera, a 7-inch instrument panel display, and an 8-inch Entune infotainment screen. The Limited trim offered an optional JBL premium stereo. The infotainment system was user-friendly, with real dials for volume and tuning, though Android Auto was not yet available.

The 2020 Lincoln Navigator’s Sync 3 infotainment system was slow to load content, but it provided Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Lincoln Connect services, a 4G LTE WiFi hotspot, and wireless device charging. "Phone As A Key" technology allowed the smartphone to function as the vehicle key. The voice recognition system worked reasonably well, though it required specific command pathways. The Reserve’s Luxury Package included a 20-speaker Revel Ultima audio system with three listening profiles. Additional technologies included a surround-view camera system and a head-up display, though the test vehicle lacked the optional rear-seat entertainment system.

The 2019 Toyota RAV4 came standard with a full array of airbags, a reversing camera, traction control, and a tire-pressure monitoring system. Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 was also standard, including forward-collision warning and avoidance, lane-departure warning, automatic high-beams, and dynamic radar cruise control. The system added traffic-sign detection and Lane-Tracing Assist, keeping the vehicle centered in the lane.

The 2020 Lincoln Navigator featured the Lincoln Co-Pilot360 collection of advanced driving assistance systems, including forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning with lane-keeping assistance, a blind-spot warning system with trailer coverage, a rear cross-traffic warning system, and automatic high-beam headlights. The Reserve trim added adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability. The Navigator received a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA, though the RWD model had a three-star rollover resistance rating. The IIHS had not tested the 2020 model.