2019 Toyota RAV4 vs 2020 Subaru Outback

The 2019 Toyota RAV4 featured a bold, chunky design with sharp edges, drawing inspiration from the Toyota Tacoma pickup. Its aggressive and futuristic look conveyed strength, with taillights reminiscent of Toyota’s luxury brand, Lexus. The RAV4's character line on the rear C-pillar was a common design trait, though not always visually appealing. The two-tone color options with contrasting roofs made sense, but the monotone schemes seemed cluttered. Inside, the RAV4's cabin was simple and elegant, with many features integrated into a floating touchscreen and a “pod” spanning from the dash to the cupholders.

In contrast, the 2020 Subaru Outback aimed for incremental improvements while maintaining its winning formula of utility, safety, and performance. The sixth-gen Outback was built on Subaru’s Global Platform, boasting a 70% increase in structural rigidity. The base 2.5-liter engine had 90% new parts, while higher trims featured a 2.4-liter turbocharged engine. Exterior changes were subtle, but the interior saw significant upgrades, including an 11.6-inch touchscreen for most trims and innovative tech like DriverFocus, which used facial recognition to adjust settings and monitor driver alertness.

The 2019 Toyota RAV4 came 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 types of all-wheel drive (AWD), including a torque-vectoring AWD in the Adventure and Limited trims. The base AWD setup provided Snow, Sand & Mud, and Rock & Dirt drive modes. The RAV4's engine performed well on highways but felt sluggish in stop-and-go traffic. The ride quality was generally good, though the steering felt twitchy, and there was noticeable body roll. Fuel economy for the AWD model was impressive, with 27 mpg city and 34 highway.

The 2020 Subaru Outback featured an upgraded 2.5-liter engine with 182 horsepower, a 7-hp increase over the previous year. It offered 26 mpg city and 33 highway. For more power, the 2.4-liter turbocharged engine in XT trims produced 260 hp and 277 pound-feet of torque, achieving 0-60 mph in around 7 seconds. Both engines were paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) tuned to mimic a traditional automatic. Subaru’s symmetrical AWD system provided consistent power delivery and better handling, with 8.7 inches of ground clearance for off-road capability. The Outback's approach, departure, and breakover angles were suitable for light off-roading.

The 2019 Toyota RAV4's cabin was clean and upscale, with practical features and ample cargo space. The center stack pod housed climate controls, a large tray, 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 when folded. The front row had plenty of storage options, including deep bins and a hidden tray above the glove box. The rear armrest featured cupholders for added convenience.

The 2020 Subaru Outback excelled in functionality, offering 32.5 cubic feet of trunk space, expandable to 75.7 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. The rear seats could be easily dropped via handles in the trunk. The Outback's interior was spacious, with ample legroom and headroom, even for taller passengers. Subaru prioritized visibility, with great sightlines in most directions, though the rear quarters had a noticeable blind spot. The Outback's design balanced proportion and functionality, making it a practical choice for families.

The 2019 Toyota RAV4's LE trim came with a 7-inch touchscreen running Entune 3.0, featuring Apple CarPlay but not Android Auto. The XLE trim added five USB ports, while the Adventure trim upgraded to an 8-inch screen and a panoramic reversing camera. The Limited trim offered an optional JBL premium stereo. The infotainment system was user-friendly, with hard dials for major functions and real dials for volume and tuning.

The 2020 Subaru Outback featured an 11.6-inch touchscreen for most trims, with a dual 7-inch screen setup for the base trim. The large screen was visually appealing and easy to navigate, though some climate-control functions were buried. The system suffered from lag, affecting navigation, app switching, and even volume control. The camera resolution was also subpar, detracting from the overall experience. Despite these issues, the Outback's infotainment system had potential with future updates.

The 2019 Toyota RAV4 came standard with a comprehensive suite of safety features, including front- and side-impact airbags, a reversing camera, traction control, and a tire-pressure monitoring system. Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 added forward-collision warning, lane-departure warning, automatic high-beams, dynamic radar cruise control, traffic-sign detection, and Lane-Tracing Assist.

The 2020 Subaru Outback's standard safety suite was impressive, with features like adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, and lane-keep assist. However, the DriverFocus system, designed to alert distracted drivers, was problematic, frequently issuing false alerts. Subaru’s EyeSight system, while standard, could be obstructed by weather conditions, causing it to turn off unexpectedly. Despite these issues, the Outback maintained a strong commitment to safety.