2024 Toyota RAV4 vs 2023 Ford Escape

The 2023 Ford Escape had a more European design language, diverging significantly from its predecessors' boxy aesthetics. A refresh added a traditional front end with the Ford blue oval logo centrally mounted on a stylish grille flanked by a sleek LED light bar. Shoppers could choose from various trim levels, starting from Active and climbing through ST-Line, ST-Line Select, Platinum, and ST-Line Elite. The Escape, especially in the top-trim ST-Line Elite, sported 19-inch wheels and body-color mirror caps and wheel-arch cladding, giving it a more upscale and less rugged appearance compared to some competitors. Inside, the ST-Line Elite test car featured diamond-stitched leather upholstery that, while attractive, felt hard and plasticky. The Escape’s seats were notably comfortable, making it a good option for long drives. The driver’s seat boasted 10-way power adjustability, enhancing comfort. However, the car's interior overly relied on plastic, some of which felt scratchy and poorly reinforced, giving an impression of cost-cutting.

The 2024 Toyota RAV4 aimed to project toughness, featuring a perpetually angry look with aggressive lower gray body cladding and dual exhaust outlets hinting at non-existent performance. Upper trims wore fake skid plates, and the TRD Off-Road model, priced from $38,295 plus a $1,350 destination charge, flaunted more rugged aesthetics with robust roof racks. The TRD Off-Road’s interior was designed for practicality and utility, with SofTex artificial leather upholstery and an eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat. Optional Weather and Advanced Technology packages added features like heated and ventilated front seats and a heated steering wheel. Toyota prioritized utility, embedding the cabin with storage shelves, robust door handles, and easy-clean surfaces. The RAV4 was equipped to accommodate four adults comfortably, or five if needed, with rear air conditioning vents, USB charging ports, and a fold-down center armrest. The cargo area offered 37.6 cubic feet of storage, expanding to 69.8 cubic feet with the rear seats folded, superior to the Escape’s cargo capacity.

The 2023 Ford Escape offered multiple powertrain options. The standard 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine produced 180 horsepower and 199 pound-feet of torque, available with either FWD or AWD. Higher trims like the ST-Line Select, Platinum, and ST-Line Elite came with a more powerful 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine delivering 250 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque, exclusively paired with AWD. Despite the impressive output of the four-cylinder engine, the Escape wasn’t a performance crossover. The suspension remained soft and compliant, and the transmission lacked performance tuning. The absence of paddle shifters and reliance on an electronic rotary controller prevented manual gear control, even in Sport mode. Ford maintained a well-balanced steering feel, avoiding the twitchiness observed in some competitors, and the brakes provided predictable and linear stopping power.

The 2024 Toyota RAV4 came with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine generating 203 horsepower at 6,300 rpm and 184 pound-feet of torque at 5,000 rpm. This engine required high revving to access maximum power. An eight-speed automatic transmission powered the front wheels unless the torque-vectoring AWD system was chosen. The TRD Off-Road model featured standard AWD, exclusive off-road suspension tuning, an underbody skid plate, and 18-inch matte-black TRD alloy wheels with all-terrain tires. Multi-Terrain Select offered various driving modes including Normal, Snow, Mud & Sand, and Rock & Dirt, though the model had the same 8.6 inches of ground clearance as other RAV4 variants and did not improve approach or departure angles. The off-road suspension smoothed out daily commutes, absorbing impacts from speed humps and imperfect pavement. However, the engine, despite being powerful for the class, felt loud and unrefined. The RAV4 TRD Off-Road managed an official EPA fuel economy rating of 28 mpg combined, averaging 26.6 mpg during evaluation, lower than its hybrid counterparts.

The 2023 Ford Escape excelled in comfort with soft, supportive seats, excellent ergonomics, and well-positioned armrests. The test vehicle included a head-up display, easily adjustable for various drivers. However, the Escape fell short in cargo space compared to its segment leaders. It offered 37.5 cubic feet of storage behind the second row and 65.4 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. Passenger space also lagged behind competitors, particularly in rear-seat legroom, though headroom was ample and the front-seat backs were designed to maximize space for taller passengers.

The 2024 Toyota RAV4 prioritized practicality and utility, featuring numerous storage solutions and oversized rubberized control knobs. The TRD Off-Road trim's SofTex upholstery added some luxury, complemented by eight-way power-adjustable driver's seats. With the optional Weather package, features like heated and ventilated front seats and a heated steering wheel enhanced comfort. The RAV4’s driver’s seat was comfortable, and the steering wheel had a pleasing shape. While the rear seat was comfortable for four adults, accommodating five when necessary, it lacked sufficient leg support. Cargo space in the RAV4 was competitive, offering 37.6 cubic feet behind the second row and expanding to 69.8 cubic feet with seats folded, edging out the Escape in space provision.

The 2023 Ford Escape impressed with its Sync 4 technology system, featuring an intuitive 13.2-inch touchscreen in higher trims like the ST-Line Elite and Platinum. This system included well-organized tiles for navigation, music, and Bluetooth pairing, alongside a static “Home” button for easy navigation across different applications. Despite minor annoyances like the slow response to inputs and awkward volume knob placement, Sync 4’s impressive feature set and ease of use enhanced the Escape’s appeal.

The 2024 Toyota RAV4 came equipped with Toyota Audio Multimedia system, offering a standard 8-inch and available 10.5-inch touchscreen display. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, and various connected services plans were also included. Service Connect and Safety Connect were free for ten years, providing automatic collision notification and SOS emergency calling features. Remote Connect and Drive Connect added remote vehicle access and cloud-based navigation with a digital assistant for one year. Wi-Fi Connect transformed the vehicle into an internet hotspot with a complimentary three-month data plan. The infotainment system, while sophisticated, had drawbacks, such as the lack of a multi-panel Home screen, complex exit from Apple CarPlay, and hard-to-read fonts. The digital voice assistant performed well, except for volume issues and occasional misunderstanding. The standard audio system was decent, but not exceptional, though a premium JBL option was available.

The 2023 Ford Escape earned a five-star overall rating from NHTSA, excelling in frontal and side-crash tests but scoring four stars in the rollover test. The IIHS did not grant it a Top Safety Pick designation due to a Marginal score in the updated side-impact test, despite “Good” scores in other categories. The Co-Pilot360 suite was standard, including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, and more. Co-Pilot360 2.0 added adaptive cruise control, road sign recognition, and a surround-view camera for enhanced safety.

The 2024 Toyota RAV4 came equipped with Toyota Safety Sense 2.5 (TSS 2.5), which included adaptive cruise control, lane-centering assist, and more. However, critical features like blind-spot monitoring were missing from the base LE trim. TSS 2.5 had a mixed performance, often losing functionality on winding roads. While the technology performed better on straight highways, with smooth adaptive cruise control, it sometimes applied excessive braking in traffic. The RAV4 lost its Top Safety Pick award from the IIHS due to Marginal ratings in recent small overlap frontal-impact tests and Acceptable ratings in side-impact tests, indicating the need for an updated design.