2024 Toyota RAV4 vs 2024 Mazda CX-50

The 2024 Mazda CX-50 aimed to be a more rugged option compared to its CX-5 sibling. It wasn’t just a matter of adding plastic cladding; Mazda lowered it by 1.4 inches, widened it by 3 inches, and lengthened it by 5.7 inches, including a 4.6-inch wheelbase stretch. These dimensions gave the CX-50 broader-shouldered proportions, accentuated by square wheel arches and faux air vents beneath the headlights and taillights. Introduced just a year before, the CX-50 looked fresher than the long-standing CX-5.

Available in eight trim levels, from the 2.5 S Select to the 2.5 Turbo Premium Plus, the styling features didn’t vary much across the board. For instance, lower trims came with 17-inch wheels, while the higher trims flaunted 20-inch wheels. Our test car, the 2.5 Turbo Meridian Edition, took the rugged image further with all-terrain tires on 18-inch wheels, a black hood graphic, and enhanced rocker-panel trim. The optional Apex Package added a roof platform and splash guards. Although it lacked additional off-road suspension settings or drive modes, it still stood out with earthy color options like Polymetal Gray Metallic or Zircon Sand Metallic paired with Terracotta leather upholstery. The interior’s design was equally admirable, featuring an infotainment screen perched on a little shelf, reminiscent of BMW. Material quality and fit and finish were highly impressive for a non-luxury brand.

In contrast, the 2024 Toyota RAV4 tried to project toughness through a permanently angry facade and aggressive lower gray body cladding. Fake front and rear skid plates further exaggerated its off-road look, especially in the TRD Off-Road model, which added utility-style roof racks and a hint at performance with dual exhaust outlets. Our test RAV4 in an unremarkable Army Green color carried a base price of $38,295 plus a $1,350 destination charge. Featuring a digital rearview mirror and various option packages, it ended up costing $41,925.

The RAV4 offered a range of trims from the $28,675 LE to the $38,295 TRD Off-Road, with hybrids being slightly pricier but more fuel-efficient. Upper trims certainly offered a more refined interior. The TRD Off-Road version's cabin was marked by practicality, robust materials, and an overall no-nonsense layout. It came with oversized rubberized control knobs and easy-clean surfaces, ideal for a more utility-focused vehicle, albeit not very luxurious.

For the 2024 Mazda CX-50, all models were equipped with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine. Lower trims featured a naturally aspirated version producing 187 horsepower and 186 pound-feet of torque. Higher trims with a turbo engine reached 256 horsepower and 320 lb-ft of torque on premium fuel, and 227 hp and 310 lb-ft on regular fuel. All models came with a six-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. Driving modes included Normal, Sport, and Off-road, with a Towing mode available on turbo models increasing the towing capacity to 3,500 pounds from the standard 2,000 pounds.

In actual driving, the CX-50 shared engines with the CX-5 but felt considerably different. Whereas the CX-5 favored sporty dynamics, the CX-50 aimed for a balanced daily driving experience. In particular, our Meridian Edition—with its all-terrain tires and roof platform—felt noisy and offered limited grip on regular roads. Unless one needed the off-road features, skipping this trim in favor of a quieter ride might have been the better choice.

By comparison, the 2024 Toyota RAV4 only needed a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine to produce 203 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque, peaking at high revs. Equipped with an eight-speed automatic transmission, the RAV4's front-wheel drive could be upgraded to a torque-vectoring all-wheel drive system. The TRD Off-Road model, which we tested, featured exclusive off-road suspension tuning, an underbody skid plate, and all-terrain tires on 18-inch matte-black TRD alloy wheels.

The TRD Off-Road included Multi-Terrain Select with Normal, Snow, Mud & Sand, and Rock & Dirt driving modes, but retained the same 8.6 inches ground clearance as other RAV4 models. Despite some off-road capability demonstrated by churning through mud and navigating gravel roads, it wasn’t exceptionally robust, suffering minor damage when maneuvering over challenging terrain.

Nevertheless, the off-road suspension managed daily driving commendably, absorbing bumps and imperfections. The RAV4's steering and brakes felt well-tuned, and the all-terrain tires performed reasonably well on the road. Fuel economy for the TRD Off-Road version was an official 28 mpg combined, with our tests averaging 26.6 mpg. For those concerned with fuel efficiency, the 37 mpg Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Woodland Edition was a better option.

The 2024 Mazda CX-50 offered passenger space comparable to the Mazda CX-5, providing slightly less headroom but more legroom in both rows. Rivals like the Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, Kia Sportage, and Subaru Forester slightly outdid the CX-50 in headroom, but it did provide two more inches of rear-seat legroom than the Toyota RAV4. Cargo space in the CX-50 measured 31.4 cubic feet with the seats up and 56.3 cubic feet with them folded down, which fell short of the CX-5 and most competitors but surpassed the Subaru Forester's figures with seats upright. Despite options like a power liftgate, the cargo area of the CX-50 wasn’t particularly accommodating for dirty or bulky items. The Meridian Edition also had a roof platform that wasn’t very practical for shorter users.

Toyota's 2024 RAV4 emphasized practicality and utility in its interior, from plenty of storage spaces to oversized control knobs. Our TRD Off-Road trim test model sported SofTex artificial leather upholstery and an 8-way power-adjustable driver’s seat. Winter-specific features like heated and ventilated seats, a heated steering wheel, and rain-sensing wipers required the optional Weather package. The RAV4 could comfortably carry four adults, although the rear seat's lower stance affected leg support despite decent legroom and intuitive layout enhancements such as rear air vents and USB charging ports.

The RAV4 boasted a spacious cargo area with a power liftgate, offering 37.6 cubic feet of storage that expanded to 69.8 cubic feet when the rear seats were folded. These dimensions were quite competitive for its class and noticeably larger than the Mazda CX-50’s cargo capacity.

The 2024 Mazda CX-50 featured a standard 10.25-inch infotainment screen, operated via a rotary controller and various buttons, instead of being a touchscreen. It included wireless Apple CarPlay but required a cable for Android Auto, despite the presence of front and rear USB ports. Higher trims came with wireless charging, SiriusXM satellite radio, and a 12-speaker Bose audio system. Though the rotary controller offered physical feedback, the infotainment felt outdated, lacking sophisticated graphics and features. It was sufficient for buyers who preferred simplicity.

Conversely, the 2024 Toyota RAV4 was fitted with the Toyota Audio Multimedia system, featuring an 8-inch or an available 10.5-inch touchscreen. It included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, and five different connected service plans. The first two, Service Connect and Safety Connect, were free for ten years, while Remote Connect and Drive Connect were complimentary for one year. Wi-Fi Connect offered a three-month free trial with 3GB of data.

The multifaceted Drive Connect offered cloud-based navigation, a digital voice assistant, and concierge services. However, its interface faced criticisms, such as the lack of a multi-panel home screen, awkward transitions between car modes, and hard-to-read fonts during daytime. Our experiences with the digital voice assistant were mixed, though it performed admirably for most commands.

The 2024 Mazda CX-50 earned recognition as a Top Safety Pick from the IIHS, scoring well in all crash tests, except for the vehicle-to-pedestrian front-crash prevention nighttime test, where it received a "Basic" rating. Standard headlights weren’t highly rated, receiving an “Average” score. At the time of publication, complete NHTSA ratings weren’t available, but it received a five-star frontal crash rating and a four-star rollover rating.

Standard safety features on the Mazda CX-50 included automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, lane-departure warning, driver attention monitoring, and emergency lane-keeping with road-keep assist. Optional features included rear automatic braking, traffic-jam assist, and a 360-degree camera system.

Meanwhile, the 2024 Toyota RAV4 came with Toyota Safety Sense 2.5 (TSS 2.5), but the base LE trim lacked blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert. While TSS 2.5 was generally adequate, its performance was inconsistent. Adaptive cruise control and lane-centering assist worked better on straighter highways but weren’t as dependable on twisty roads. Overall, the system performed well, with minor issues like inaccurate lane-departure warnings.

Despite a comprehensive safety suite, the RAV4 lost its Top Safety Pick award from the IIHS, primarily due to the aging design of the current-generation model. It received “Marginal” in small overlap frontal-impact and “Acceptable” in the latest side-impact tests.