2023 Volkswagen ID.4 vs 2023 Toyota RAV4

Volkswagen made subtle styling changes to the 2023 ID.4, including a gloss black trim on the front bumper and a more squared-off rear bumper design aimed at improving aerodynamics. New wheel designs and colors were introduced, and the rear VW logo now lights up. Despite these updates, the ID.4 didn't look particularly SUV-like, lacking the upright profile and added ground clearance typical of traditional SUVs. This might have been a drawback for some buyers, although it was a common trait among many electric vehicles.

The ID.4 was based on VW’s MEB platform, designed specifically for EVs, offering modularity to support various models. The interior carried over the best qualities from recent VW gasoline-car interiors, featuring a minimalist design and an overall feeling of quality. Even the base ID.4 Standard model, aside from a manual driver’s seat, didn’t seem like much of a downgrade from the higher-level ID.4 Pro S. Leatherette upholstery with seat and door-panel inserts made partly from recycled fibers were standard for 2023.

The 2023 Toyota RAV4 was offered in six trim levels, ranging from the sub-$30K RAV4 LE to the ventilated-seat-sporting RAV4 Limited, with two off-road-friendly trims in the middle of the pricing spectrum. The 2023 RAV4 stuck closely to the design introduced in 2019, particularly with the Adventure and TRD Off-Road trims, which retained the two-part face. The Adventure trim featured a more aggressively styled grille, blacked-out wheels, a faux skid plate, and beefier black cladding around the wheel arches, although it was more of a poseur than a doer.

The Adventure trim also added orange accents to the interior, with seats sporting a stripe down the middle and contrast stitching, and orange plastic borders on the center console. The RAV4 sported a frameless rearview mirror, adding a sense of premium in an otherwise fairly pedestrian interior. Shoppers looking for a more premium feel might have considered the Toyota Venza, which offered a more car-like experience compared to the RAV4’s somewhat more rugged, truck-like nature. The RAV4 offered fabric seats in LE and XLE trims, with synthetic leather (SofTex) upholstery in XLE Premium and higher trims. Heated and ventilated power-adjustable front seats, heated rear seats, and a heated steering wheel were available in various options packages.

The 2023 Volkswagen ID.4 offered a new 62-kWh battery pack for the base Standard and S models, available only with RWD. The Pro, Pro S, and Pro S Plus trims retained the 82-kWh pack, available with either RWD or AWD. Single-motor RWD models were rated at 201 horsepower and 229 pound-feet of torque, while dual-motor AWD models upped the output to 295 hp and 339 lb-ft of torque, achieving zero to 60 mph in 5.7 seconds. The smaller battery pack reduced curb weight by 240 pounds, potentially improving acceleration and handling.

The ID.4 with AWD had acceleration comparable to hot hatchbacks like VW’s Golf GTI and Golf R, but it lacked the handling prowess. While comfortable and refined, the ID.4 allowed too much body roll to be truly entertaining on twisty roads. It was a great vehicle for long drives, but it didn’t excel on the nicest driving roads. The ID.4 used regenerative braking to recover energy while decelerating, but it didn’t offer one-pedal driving, which might have disappointed some EV fans.

The 2023 Toyota RAV4 came standard with front-wheel drive (FWD), except for the Adventure and TRD Off-Road trims, which were AWD by default. Any trim could be upgraded to AWD, adding a Snow Mode. The RAV4 Hybrid and Prime were offered exclusively with AWD. The 2023 RAV4 had a single engine choice for gas-powered models: a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine making 203 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. While the transmission was preferable to a CVT, it didn’t enhance acceleration, which was more “unobjectionable” than “exciting.”

The RAV4 Adventure had 19-inch wheels with all-season tires and the same suspension setup as other RAV4s, while the TRD Off-Road had 18-inch wheels with Falken All-Terrain tires, a TRD-tuned suspension, and unique components like shocks and jounce bumpers. The Adventure trim was more of a hopeful tagalong, not able to join its TRD Off-Road sibling on more challenging terrains.

The 2023 Volkswagen ID.4 offered more interior space than other affordable EVs, with more front-seat and rear-seat legroom than a Chevrolet Bolt EV or Nissan Leaf, and more headroom than the 2023 Kia Niro EV. It had 30.3 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats up and 64.2 cubic feet with the rear seats folded, more than most other entry-level EVs. However, it fell short of gasoline crossovers like the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4 in interior space. The ID.4 had a towing capacity of 2,200 pounds for RWD models and 2,700 pounds for AWD models.

VW made small changes to the interior for 2023, including a conventional lid for the center console, a better spot for a phone, and three-zone climate control with rear-seat controls and heated outboard rear seats.

The 2023 Toyota RAV4 was built to seat five, with 37.7 inches of headroom in the front row and 39.5 inches in the back seats with the moonroof. It offered less headroom for the driver and front passenger than the Honda CR-V or Subaru Forester, but more for those in the rear seats. Legroom measured 41 inches in the front and 37.8 inches in the second row, comparable to the CR-V’s front-row legroom but less than both the CR-V and Forester in the back. The back seat was also narrower than those competitors.

The RAV4 provided 37.5 cubic feet of cargo space behind the second row and 69.8 cubic feet with the rear seats folded, placing it around the middle of the pack. It offered plenty of convenient storage options, including a shelf running the length of the glove compartment and generous door pockets. Front-row center cupholders sat side by side, and the lever-style gear shifter added to the vehicle’s ruggedness.

For 2023, the Volkswagen ID.4 came standard with a 12.0-inch touchscreen, replacing the 10.0-inch screen on lower trims. The infotainment system received software updates to improve responsiveness, while wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto remained standard. The ID.Cockpit digital instrument cluster was also standard. Despite the updates, the user experience remained the same, with sharp graphics and natural-language voice recognition.

The downside was the haptic touchpads on the dashboard and steering wheel, which replaced conventional buttons and didn’t provide physical feedback, making them distracting. The voice recognition system made it easier to use voice commands for adjustments. The ID.Light feature, part ambient lighting system and part AI assistant, changed colors depending on the drive mode and flashed to indicate navigation directions.

The 2023 Toyota RAV4 received a new infotainment system, with an 8.0-inch touchscreen standard and a 10.5-inch touchscreen for Limited and TRD Off-Road trims. The latest software supported over-the-air updates, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity were standard. Voice command was also included.

The RAV4 Adventure tester had the upgraded multimedia system, including a 10.5-inch screen and an 11-speaker JBL Premium audio system. A 7-inch driver-information display was standard, with a 12.3-inch version available on the Limited trim and optional on TRD Off-Road.

The 2023 Volkswagen ID.4 received a five-star overall safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), with five stars in frontal and side crash tests and four stars in rollover crash tests. The 2022 model received the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest “Top Safety Pick+” rating, with top scores in all crash tests and high ratings for front crash prevention. The ID.4 also had a good complement of standard driver-assist features, including forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and VW’s Travel Assist 2.0. For 2023, it added standard Park Assist Plus, an automated lane-change feature, and a 360-degree camera system.

The 2023 Toyota RAV4 came standard with lane-departure warning with steering assist, automatic emergency braking, automatic high-beam LED headlights, and a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection. Higher-end driver-assistance features like adaptive cruise control were also standard. Blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert was available on the base LE model and standard starting with XLE. The RAV4 was equipped with the TSS 2.5 suite of advanced driver-assistance systems, including Full-Speed Range Dynamic Radar Cruise Control.

The 2023 RAV4 earned a 2023 Top Safety Pick+ award from the IIHS, with top scores in crash-testing and middling marks in updated side and moderate overlap front crash tests.