GMC Yukon vs Toyota RAV4

The 2022 GMC Yukon was a chrome lover's dream. Even the base SLE model featured enough shiny elements to give it a premium look. As you moved up the trim levels to the Denali, the chrome became even more prominent, with the front of the Denali almost entirely constructed of chrome. The vast, multi-dimensional grille resembled an industrial-sized cheese grater, giving the vehicle a unique and commanding presence. The Denali's 22-inch bright machined aluminum wheels, part of the optional Ultimate package, stood out against the dark Redwood Metallic paint. The off-road-oriented AT4 trim had its own distinct look, featuring a dark grille, skid plate, and horizontal red recovery hooks.

Inside, the Yukon offered a spacious and tastefully crafted cabin with standard seating for eight, or nine on the SLE with an optional front bench seat. Second-row captain's chairs were available on the SLT and AT4, and standard on the Denali, reducing passenger capacity to seven but easing access to the third row. Cloth seats were standard on the SLE, while all other trims came with perforated leather. The AT4 and Denali featured heated and cooled front seats. The Denali also offered four exclusive interior designs, with our test vehicle showcasing the Teak/Light Shale color combo, adding layers and textures for a premium look. The AT4 featured a Jet Black interior with Brandy accents and dark brushed aluminum details, including embroidered AT4 badging on the front-seat head restraints.

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. The design stuck closely to the 2019 introduction, especially with the Adventure and TRD Off-Road trims, which retained the two-part face. The Adventure trim shifted the Toyota badge closer to the center of the more aggressively styled grille, blacked out the wheels, and added a faux skid plate and beefier black cladding around the wheel arches. However, it was more of a poseur than a doer, wearing the jacket but not hitting the slopes.

Inside, the Adventure trim added orange accents, with seats sporting a stripe down the middle and contrast stitching, and orange plastic borders on the center console. Our RAV4 featured a frameless rearview mirror, lending a sense of premium to an otherwise basic interior. The LE and XLE trims had fabric seats, while the XLE Premium upgraded to synthetic leather (SofTex) upholstery. Manual and power adjustability varied by trim, culminating with heated and ventilated power-adjustable front seats with two-position memory for the driver. Heated rear seats and a heated steering wheel were available as part of various options packages. Dual-zone climate control was standard on all but the base trim.

The 2022 GMC Yukon offered three engine choices, including an economical diesel option. Standard on all trims except the Denali was a 5.3-liter V8 engine producing 355 horsepower and 383 pound-feet of torque. The Denali and AT4 featured a 6.2-liter V8 with 420 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque. Both engines employed direct injection and fuel-saving cylinder-deactivation technology. New to the lineup was a 3.0-liter turbodiesel four-cylinder engine, available on all trims except the AT4, producing 277 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque. This engine delivered excellent fuel economy, with a range of up to 648 miles on a tank. All engines were paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission, with most versions offering standard rear-wheel drive and optional four-wheel drive. The AT4 was only available with 4WD.

The Yukon's maximum towing capacity was 8,400 pounds with the 5.3-liter engine and the Max Trailering Package. Our test vehicle, a Yukon Denali, came with the 6.2-liter V8 and an 8,200-pound tow rating. The independent rear suspension provided better handling and a smoother ride, especially for third-row passengers. However, our test vehicle exhibited some unwelcome bouncing over rutted pavement under acceleration. The optional air ride adaptive suspension improved ride quality and off-road capability by raising the vehicle two inches for better ground clearance.

The 2023 Toyota RAV4 came standard with front-wheel drive, except for the Adventure and TRD Off-Road trims, which were all-wheel-drive by default. Any trim could be upgraded to AWD, adding a Snow Mode. The RAV4 Hybrid and Prime were offered exclusively with AWD. The single engine choice for the gas-powered RAV4 was a 2.5-liter four-cylinder producing 203 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. While the transmission was preferable to a CVT, it did not enhance acceleration, making the performance more "unobjectionable" than "exciting." The engine was also noisy, though not as loud as the Subaru Forester's boxer engine.

The RAV4 Adventure featured 19-inch wheels with all-season tires and the same MacPherson independent front suspension and multi-link rear suspension as other RAV4s. The TRD Off-Road trim had 18-inch wheels with Falken All-Terrain tires, a TRD-tuned suspension, and unique components like shocks and jounce bumpers.

The 2022 GMC Yukon provided ample first- and second-row passenger space, with significant improvements in third-row legroom, increasing from 24.8 inches to 34.9 inches. Cargo space behind the third row also increased from 15.3 cubic feet to 25.5 cubic feet. The extra space came from a nearly five-inch wheelbase stretch and six inches of additional length, along with a lower floor due to the independent rear suspension. The second-row seats folded flat, and power fold-and-tumble bucket seats were available for easier access to the third row. Our test vehicle featured power-folding second-row buckets and power fold-flat third-row seats.

A unique feature of our Denali test vehicle was the power-sliding center console, which revealed additional storage space and a hidden storage drawer. The power-retractable, illuminated assist steps made it easier to get in and out of the vehicle. The pushbutton transmission controls, located to the left of the infotainment touchscreen, took some getting used to but became second nature with practice.

The 2023 Toyota RAV4 seated five, with 37.7 inches of headroom in the front row and 39.5 inches in the back seats with the moonroof. Legroom measured 41 inches in the front and 37.8 inches in the second row. The back seat was narrower than competitors like the Honda CR-V and Subaru Forester. The RAV4 offered convenient storage options, including a shelf running the length of the glove compartment and generous door pockets. The front-row center cupholders were side by side, and the lever-style gear shifter added to the vehicle's ruggedness.

Cargo space in the 2023 RAV4 was 37.5 cubic feet behind the second row and 69.8 cubic feet with the rear seats folded, placing it around the middle of the pack in its segment.

The 2022 GMC Yukon came standard with a 12-inch reconfigurable driver information center, providing access to phone, audio, and navigation functions controlled via the steering wheel. The Denali test vehicle featured a 15-inch multi-color head-up display, the largest in its class, providing driving speed, speed limit, audio information, and safety aids. The 10.2-inch touchscreen infotainment system included Google Built-In, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, wireless phone charging, and an available WiFi hotspot. Our test vehicle had a Bose 14-speaker audio system, which was adequate but not exceptional. The rear-seat media system featured dual 12.6-inch LCD HD touchscreens, compatible with various media formats.

The 2023 Toyota RAV4 introduced 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. Our RAV4 Adventure tester had the upgraded multimedia system with 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 the TRD Off-Road.

The 2022 GMC Yukon came with GMC's Pro Safety suite, including automatic emergency braking, front pedestrian detection, forward-collision warning, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assistance, following distance indicator, and automatic high-beam headlights. GMC Pro Safety Plus added lane-change alert, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, and rear park assist. The Safety Alert Seat and adjustable rear camera mirror enhanced safety. The Yukon received a four-star overall rating from the NHTSA, with four stars for front crash protection, five stars for side crash protection, and three stars for rollover resistance. The IIHS had not tested the current-generation Yukon.

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.