2020 Honda Passport vs 2021 Toyota RAV4

The 2020 Honda Passport was a testament to Honda's consistent design philosophy, offering a familiar yet appealing aesthetic that resonated with loyal Honda buyers. Its exterior design, reminiscent of a scaled-down Honda Pilot, combined ruggedness with athleticism, positioning it between the Pilot and CR-V in terms of size and capability. The Passport's elevated ground clearance and robust styling cues, such as the matte black grille and 20-inch black alloy wheels, enhanced its off-road appeal. Inside, the Passport Elite trim boasted a sophisticated cabin with a mix of durable and soft-touch materials, featuring heated and ventilated front seats, a leather-trimmed steering wheel, and ample space for passengers and cargo.

In contrast, the 2021 Toyota RAV4 embraced a more aggressive SUV-like exterior, with boxy fender flares and a scowling front end that set it apart from previous generations and other compact crossovers. While its styling suggested ruggedness akin to the 4Runner, the RAV4's underpinnings were more akin to a Camry, built on the TNGA platform. The RAV4 offered various trims like the Adventure and TRD Off-Road, which added unique styling elements and off-road capabilities. Inside, the RAV4 featured functional touches like large rubberized knobs and SofTex upholstery, though the material quality didn't elevate with higher trims. The RAV4's interior was practical, with decent headroom and cargo space, but rear seat comfort and legroom were less impressive.

The 2020 Honda Passport was powered by a 3.5-liter V6 engine, delivering 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. While its performance was robust across various driving conditions, its fuel economy was less impressive, with FWD models achieving 20 mpg city and 25 mpg highway. The Passport excelled in off-road scenarios, thanks to its torque-vectoring AWD system and drive modes like Snow, Sand, and Mud. It also boasted a towing capacity of up to 5,000 pounds, surpassing competitors like the Nissan Murano and Chevrolet Blazer.

The 2021 Toyota RAV4 featured a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine producing 203 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque, mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. While the engine's thermal efficiency was notable, the transmission's hesitancy and lack of steering feel detracted from the driving experience. The RAV4's off-road capabilities were enhanced in the Adventure and TRD Off-Road trims, with features like a torque-vectoring rear axle and 8.6 inches of ground clearance. However, its towing capacity was limited to 3,500 pounds for these models, and the overall driving dynamics were less engaging compared to the Passport.

The 2020 Honda Passport was praised for its practicality, offering ample space for passengers and cargo. Its right-sized proportions provided good visibility and comfortable seating for four adults, with features like height-adjustable seatbelts and tri-zone climate control enhancing comfort. The Passport excelled in cargo space, with 41.2 cubic feet behind the rear seats and the most under-floor storage in its class. Its interior design prioritized functionality, with thoughtful storage solutions and easy-to-clean surfaces.

The 2021 Toyota RAV4 offered a competitive amount of headroom and outward visibility, but rear seat comfort and legroom were less impressive. Its cargo space was above average at 37.6 cubic feet, though still behind the Honda CR-V. The RAV4's interior featured oversized knobs and easy-to-use controls, but lacked large cupholders and storage space on the console. While the RAV4's styling emulated old-school SUVs, its interior functionality was more limited compared to the Passport.

The 2020 Honda Passport featured a practical infotainment system, with higher trims offering an 8.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration. The system was user-friendly, with responsive pinch, swipe, and tap functionality. Standard features included Bluetooth, a USB port, and a seven-speaker audio system, while higher trims added a 10-speaker audio system, satellite radio, and a Wi-Fi hotspot.

The 2021 Toyota RAV4 came standard with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa compatibility, with most trims featuring a 7-inch touchscreen. The system was easy to use, with shortcut buttons for key functions, but lacked the flashiness of more advanced systems. Higher trims offered an 8-inch screen and a JBL premium audio system, but the RAV4's infotainment was more about simplicity than innovation.

The 2020 Honda Passport was designed with safety as a priority, earning good scores from the IIHS and NHTSA, and being named an IIHS Top Safety Pick. It came standard with the Honda Sensing suite, including collision mitigation, lane departure warning, and adaptive cruise control. Higher trims offered additional features like blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic detection.

The 2021 Toyota RAV4 also received a "Top Safety Pick" rating from the IIHS and a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA. It featured the Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 bundle, with forward-collision warning, adaptive cruise control, and lane-departure warning. Higher trims added features like blind-spot monitoring and a 360-degree camera system, though the RAV4's headlight scores varied across trims.