2024 Mazda CX-90 vs 2023 Toyota RAV4

In 2023, the Toyota RAV4 was offered in six trim levels, ranging from the budget-friendly sub-$30K RAV4 LE to the high-end RAV4 Limited, which boasted features like ventilated seats. Toyota also included two off-road-friendly trims in the Adventure and TRD Off-Road models. The adventure-focused Adventure trim featured a more aggressive grille with the Toyota badge positioned closer to the center, blacked-out wheels, a faux skid plate, and robust black cladding around the wheel arches. Despite its rugged look, the Adventure trim was more of a stylistic choice rather than being genuinely off-road capable. Inside, the Adventure stood out with orange accents, including a stripe down the seats and contrast stitching, which added a pop of color. While the RAV4 aimed for a rugged, truck-like vibe with manual and power seat adjustability, dual-zone climate control, and a range of upholstery options, it still felt somewhat basic compared to more premium options like the Toyota Venza.

For the 2024 Mazda CX-90, the Japanese automaker emphasized luxury and quality far beyond what was expected from brands like Honda, Nissan, and Toyota. The CX-90, which stretched over 200 inches, sported an imposing exterior with a big grille, wide-set front end, and large wheels ranging from 19 to 21 inches. The tasteful chrome trim added elegance despite its considerable size. The interior of the highest trims matched luxury brands like BMW and Mercedes-Benz, featuring brown suede upholstery, wood inlays, and matte plastic finishes. The CX-90 offered 11 different trim levels, spread across various powertrains, including a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and a more performance-oriented Turbo S model. Even the lower trims of the CX-90 boasted the same elegant design language and comfortable layout, making it a striking SUV both inside and out.

In 2023, the Toyota RAV4 was offered in six trim levels, ranging from the budget-friendly sub-$30K RAV4 LE to the high-end RAV4 Limited, which boasted features like ventilated seats. Toyota also included two off-road-friendly trims in the Adventure and TRD Off-Road models. The adventure-focused Adventure trim featured a more aggressive grille with the Toyota badge positioned closer to the center, blacked-out wheels, a faux skid plate, and robust black cladding around the wheel arches. Despite its rugged look, the Adventure trim was more of a stylistic choice rather than being genuinely off-road capable. Inside, the Adventure stood out with orange accents, including a stripe down the seats and contrast stitching, which added a pop of color. While the RAV4 aimed for a rugged, truck-like vibe with manual and power seat adjustability, dual-zone climate control, and a range of upholstery options, it still felt somewhat basic compared to more premium options like the Toyota Venza.

For the 2024 Mazda CX-90, the Japanese automaker emphasized luxury and quality far beyond what was expected from brands like Honda, Nissan, and Toyota. The CX-90, which stretched over 200 inches, sported an imposing exterior with a big grille, wide-set front end, and large wheels ranging from 19 to 21 inches. The tasteful chrome trim added elegance despite its considerable size. The interior of the highest trims matched luxury brands like BMW and Mercedes-Benz, featuring brown suede upholstery, wood inlays, and matte plastic finishes. The CX-90 offered 11 different trim levels, spread across various powertrains, including a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and a more performance-oriented Turbo S model. Even the lower trims of the CX-90 boasted the same elegant design language and comfortable layout, making it a striking SUV both inside and out.

In 2023, the Toyota RAV4 came standard with front-wheel drive (FWD), except for the Adventure and TRD Off-Road trims, which were all-wheel drive (AWD) by default. All trims could be upgraded to AWD, which added a Snow Mode. The non-hybrid RAV4s featured a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine producing 203 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque, mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. While this setup was reliable, it didn’t excel in acceleration, and the engine noise was noticeable but not excessively loud. The TRD Off-Road trim had some real off-road capabilities with its 18-inch Falken All-Terrain tires and a TRD-tuned suspension, but the Adventure trim, with its 19-inch all-season tires, didn’t offer much beyond cosmetic enhancements for off-road enthusiasts.

Mazda introduced two new powertrains for the 2024 CX-90, making it the first Mazda SUV to offer a plug-in hybrid option. The PHEV powertrain paired a 2.5-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine with a 17.8-kWh battery and a 68-kW electric motor, producing a combined output of 323 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque. It offered an electric-only driving range of 26 miles and an overall efficiency of 56 MPGe across a total driving range of 490 miles. The Turbo I6 engine in the Turbo S trims delivered 340 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque with premium fuel. This engine produced an impressive exhaust note and offered a range of driving modes, including Normal, Sport, and Off-Road. The CX-90 Turbo S exhibited a thrilling driving experience, although the eight-speed automatic transmission occasionally felt inconsistent. Both models maintained Mazda's reputation for delivering exceptional handling and dynamics, even in a larger three-row SUV.

In 2023, the Toyota RAV4 came standard with front-wheel drive (FWD), except for the Adventure and TRD Off-Road trims, which were all-wheel drive (AWD) by default. All trims could be upgraded to AWD, which added a Snow Mode. The non-hybrid RAV4s featured a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine producing 203 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque, mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. While this setup was reliable, it didn’t excel in acceleration, and the engine noise was noticeable but not excessively loud. The TRD Off-Road trim had some real off-road capabilities with its 18-inch Falken All-Terrain tires and a TRD-tuned suspension, but the Adventure trim, with its 19-inch all-season tires, didn’t offer much beyond cosmetic enhancements for off-road enthusiasts.

Mazda introduced two new powertrains for the 2024 CX-90, making it the first Mazda SUV to offer a plug-in hybrid option. The PHEV powertrain paired a 2.5-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine with a 17.8-kWh battery and a 68-kW electric motor, producing a combined output of 323 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque. It offered an electric-only driving range of 26 miles and an overall efficiency of 56 MPGe across a total driving range of 490 miles. The Turbo I6 engine in the Turbo S trims delivered 340 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque with premium fuel. This engine produced an impressive exhaust note and offered a range of driving modes, including Normal, Sport, and Off-Road. The CX-90 Turbo S exhibited a thrilling driving experience, although the eight-speed automatic transmission occasionally felt inconsistent. Both models maintained Mazda's reputation for delivering exceptional handling and dynamics, even in a larger three-row SUV.

The 2023 Toyota RAV4 was designed to seat five people. It offered practical dimensions with 37.7 inches of headroom in the front row with a moonroof and 39.5 inches in the back. The legroom measured 41 inches in the front and 37.8 inches in the second row. While the RAV4 provided ample headroom, it slightly lagged behind competitors like the Honda CR-V in rear seat legroom and width. The storage solutions in the RAV4 were commendable, including a shelf running along the glove compartment and generous door pockets. It provided 37.5 cubic feet of cargo space behind the second row and 69.8 cubic feet with the rear seats folded, placing it in the middle of the pack in terms of cargo capacity.

The 2024 Mazda CX-90 accommodated a variety of seating configurations across its trims. The lower-level trims could seat up to eight passengers with three-across setups in the second and third rows. Most trims offered a seven-seat configuration, with the Turbo S trims providing a more luxurious six-seat arrangement. The cargo space varied slightly with these seating configurations, offering up to 75.2 cubic feet in the two-seat third-row models and 74.2 cubic feet in the three-seat third-row models. Even in the most spacious setup, the CX-90 offered more cargo capacity than the outgoing CX-9 but still fell short when compared to larger competitors like the Honda Pilot. The interior of the CX-90 was well-designed, with numerous clever storage solutions, a spacious center console, and comfortable captain's chairs in higher trims.

Toyota upgraded the RAV4’s infotainment system for 2023, featuring a standard 8.0-inch touchscreen and a larger 10.5-inch screen in higher trims like the Limited and TRD Off-Road. The system supported wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and it included over-the-air updates. Our RAV4 Adventure model came with an 11-speaker JBL Premium audio system, a significant upgrade over the base six-speaker stereo. The RAV4 also featured a 7-inch driver-information display as standard, with a 12.3-inch display available in the Limited trim and optionally on the TRD Off-Road.

Mazda’s approach to technology in the 2024 CX-90 emphasized safety and minimal driver distraction. The Mazda Connect infotainment system used a rotary control knob and hard buttons instead of a touchscreen, which aimed to reduce driver distraction. However, the system’s complexity and quirks sometimes caused more distraction than convenience. Luckily, the CX-90 included personalization software that used facial recognition to adjust settings automatically to the driver's preferences, easing some of the system’s frustrations. Additionally, the CX-90 came with standard Android Auto and Apple CarPlay (wireless in higher trims), which did support touchscreen controls, providing some respite from the rotary knob system.

For 2023, the Toyota RAV4 came equipped with an array of standard safety features, including lane-departure warning with steering assist, automatic emergency braking, automatic high-beam LED headlights, and a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection. Adaptive cruise control was also standard, while blind-spot monitoring was available on the base LE model and standard on higher trims. The new TSS 2.5 suite of advanced driver-assistance systems was included, adding Full-Speed Range Dynamic Radar Cruise Control. This RAV4 received a 2023 Top Safety Pick+ award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), underscoring its strong safety credentials.

The 2024 Mazda CX-90 also placed a premium on safety with its standard i-Activsense suite of advanced driver assistance systems. This included features such as blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, smart brake support, and rear cross-traffic alert. In higher trims, the CX-90 added cruising and traffic support, combining lane-centering with adaptive cruise control for hands-on driver support. Although the 2024 CX-90 had not yet been crash-tested by the IIHS or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), it was expected to perform well given the strong safety record of its predecessor, the CX-9.