2021 Toyota RAV4 vs 2022 Lexus RX

The 2021 Toyota RAV4 had a rugged-looking exterior reminiscent of a traditional SUV, with boxy fender flares, chiseled taillights, and a scowling front end. This aggressive styling set it apart from previous RAV4 generations and most other compact crossovers. Despite its bold exterior, the RAV4 was built on the Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) platform, shared with other Toyota models like the Camry and Sienna. The RAV4 Adventure and TRD Off-Road models offered additional styling options, such as unique roof colors, interior accents, and wheels, enhancing its rugged appeal.

Inside, the RAV4 featured functional touches like large rubberized knobs and door handles, distinguishing its cabin from other Toyota models. Material quality was decent on lower trims but didn't improve significantly on higher trims. The TRD Off-Road model had SofTex upholstery, which Toyota claimed was lighter and more durable than leather, but real leather wasn't available even on the top-tier RAV4 Limited trim.

The 2022 Lexus RX, available in base 350, F Sport, and L trim levels, continued to showcase a modern and sporty design following its 2020 facelift. Competing with luxury crossovers like the Audi Q5 and BMW X5, the RX stood out with its aggressive styling, characterized by razor-sharp character lines and angular features. The F Sport trim, in particular, added performance-oriented elements like 20-inch wheels, black-housing mirrors, and a unique front fascia. The RX's exterior design was both eye-catching and carefully restrained, offering a high-fashion appeal across all trims.

Inside, the RX maintained a luxurious cabin with nearly a dozen color combinations available for the RX 350 and 450h models. The F Sport trim added sporty touches like model-specific badging and Scored Aluminum trim. While the RX's interior featured high-quality materials and soft-touch surfaces, the center stack felt dated due to an abundance of buttons. The RX excelled in comfort and cabin quietness, making it a pleasant companion for long drives.

The 2021 Toyota RAV4 was powered by a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine producing 203 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive was standard, with all-wheel drive available. The engine achieved 40% thermal efficiency, a level typically found in racing engines, and delivered impressive output for a naturally aspirated four-cylinder. However, the transmission's hesitation and the steering's lack of feel detracted from the driving experience. The RAV4 offered a "Sport" driving mode, but it only added weight to the steering without enhancing performance.

On the highway, the RAV4 provided a quiet cabin and a comfortable ride, but its off-road capabilities were more notable. The Adventure and TRD Off-Road models featured a torque-vectoring rear axle, 8.6 inches of ground clearance, and a 3,500-pound towing capacity. The TRD Off-Road also had model-specific suspension tuning and all-terrain tires, making it more capable on rough terrain than the average crossover.

The 2022 Lexus RX 350 came with a 3.5-liter V6 engine producing 295 horsepower and 267 pound-feet of torque, while the hybrid RX 450h added two electric motors for a combined output of 308 hp. Both powertrains used an eight-speed automatic transmission, with front-wheel drive standard on the RX 350 and all-wheel drive available. The RX 450h came exclusively with all-wheel drive. Despite its sporty appearance, the RX's performance was underwhelming, with a lackluster engine note and sluggish acceleration. The F Sport trim added performance dampers and an adaptive variable suspension, but the driving modes (Eco, Normal, Sport, Sport+) didn't significantly alter the driving experience.

The RX excelled in driving comfort and cabin quietness, absorbing road imperfections and isolating road noise effectively. The RX 350's fuel efficiency was rated at 20 mpg city, 27 mpg highway, and 23 combined, while the RX 450h hybrid achieved 30 mpg combined.

The 2021 Toyota RAV4 offered a tall, upright roof providing ample headroom in both rows and good outward visibility. However, legroom was slightly behind competitors. The front seats were comfortable, but the rear seats had flat, hard cushions, making long trips less appealing. The RAV4 had a 60/40 split-folding rear seat but lacked the sliding feature found in some rivals. Cargo space was 37.6 cubic feet with the rear seats in place, above average but still behind the Honda CR-V. The oversized knobs and steering-wheel controls were user-friendly, even with gloves on, but the center-console storage was somewhat limited.

The 2022 Lexus RX's two-row version offered 99.8 cubic feet of passenger volume, comfortably seating four adults, with a snug fit for five. Headroom was 39.4 inches in the front and 39.1 inches in the rear, while legroom measured 44.1 inches up front and 38.0 inches in the back. The three-row RX 350L had limited cargo space, with only 7.45 cubic feet behind the third row, expanding to 58.48 cubic feet with both back rows folded. The RX featured thoughtful interior elements like a dedicated smartphone slot, adjustable-height cup holder, and a flat-bottomed cargo net, but the rear seats didn't fold completely flat, and the load-in height was high.

The 2021 Toyota RAV4 came standard with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Amazon Alexa compatibility, and SiriusXM satellite radio. Most trims had a 7-inch touchscreen, while the Limited model had an 8-inch screen, and the RAV4 Prime offered a 9-inch screen. Up to five USB ports were available, and a JBL premium audio system was optional. The infotainment system was user-friendly but not particularly flashy, with a well-positioned touchscreen and easy-to-read graphics. However, the gasoline RAV4 lacked the head-up display available on the RAV4 Prime.

The 2022 Lexus RX featured an 8-inch touchscreen as standard, with a 12.3-inch version optional. Despite being moved closer to the driver, the touchscreen's positioning created access issues due to a lip in front of the screen. The touchpad controller was frustrating to use, and the drive mode selector's placement next to it caused confusion. The RX offered a range of tech features, including six USB ports, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, wireless charging, Amazon Alexa compatibility, a WiFi hotspot, and premium audio systems. The Lexus App provided additional connectivity options like remote engine start and vehicle settings.

The 2021 Toyota RAV4 received a "Top Safety Pick" rating from the IIHS, with top scores in all crash tests and a "Superior" rating for front-crash prevention. However, it missed the highest "Top Safety Pick+" rating due to mixed headlight scores. The NHTSA gave the RAV4 a five-star overall rating, with four stars in frontal and rollover crash tests, and five stars in side crash tests. Standard safety features included forward-collision warning, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, automatic high beams, road-sign recognition, and Lane Tracing Assist. Higher trims added blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, reverse automatic emergency braking, and park assist.

The 2022 Lexus RX came standard with the Lexus Safety System 2.0+, which included adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, road-sign recognition, lane-keeping assist, a pre-collision system, and intelligent high beams. Additional standard features were blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, a head-up display, and Lexus Enform Safety Connect. The RX was named a Top Safety Pick by the IIHS when equipped with optional triple-beam LED headlights but missed the "plus" designation due to headlight ratings. The NHTSA gave the RX four stars overall, with five stars in side crash tests and four stars in frontal crashes and rollover resistance.