Toyota RAV4 vs Lexus NX

The 2026 Toyota RAV4 presented a more robust and squared-off design compared to its predecessor, aligning with Toyota's SUV and truck lineup. It featured three distinct styles—Core, Rugged, and Sport—across seven trim levels, each with unique front fascia designs. The Core models maintained a familiar RAV4 look with a cheese grater-like upper grille and a robot pout lower grille. The Rugged grade, paired with the Woodland trim, embraced a boxy aesthetic with a skid plate-like lower grille and standard all-terrain tires, AWD, and a roof rack. The Sport style, including the first-ever RAV4 GR Sport, showcased a large rear spoiler and a single large mesh grille, emphasizing a sporty appearance. Inside, the RAV4 boasted a streamlined cockpit with a standard 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a choice between a 10.5-inch or 12.9-inch touchscreen. The interior offered practical storage solutions, although the migration of climate controls to the touchscreen was a minor inconvenience.

The 2026 Lexus NX retained a fresh appearance with its second-generation design, featuring integrated styling elements like chunky fenders, LED daytime running lights, and the signature spindle grille. While not as classically handsome as some competitors, the NX's design was cohesive and refined. The NX was available in non-hybrid NX 350, hybrid NX 350h, and plug-in hybrid NX 450h+ variants, with trim levels including base, Premium, Luxury, and F Sport Handling. The F Sport Handling grade added sporty elements like adaptive dampers and black 20-inch wheels. Despite its extroverted styling, the NX maintained strong sales, although the base NX 350's interior didn't quite match the luxury expectations. The F Sport Handling model featured sport seats and aluminum pedals, but the overall interior felt more akin to high-end Toyota RAV4 versions. The NX 350 Luxury grade offered leather upholstery and standard heated and ventilated front seats, enhancing the luxury experience.

The 2026 Toyota RAV4 introduced a more robust and efficient hybrid system, with the RAV4 Hybrid offering front-wheel drive for the first time. It featured a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine paired with two electric motors, generating 226 horsepower, a 23 hp increase over the previous gas-only RAV4 with FWD. AWD models added a third motor, boosting output to 236 hp. The electric motor provided quick power off the line, while the carryover four-cylinder engine, rated at 183 hp, contributed to the overall performance. The RAV4's electronic continuously variable automatic transmission was smoother, and the vehicle excelled as a quiet and pleasant driver. The Woodland trim, part of the Rugged style, offered standard AWD, all-terrain tires, and increased ground clearance, making it suitable for light off-road adventures. Toyota expected the RAV4 to achieve 44 mpg combined with FWD and AWD, with the Woodland trim rated at 39 mpg combined.

The 2026 Lexus NX offered a range of powertrain options, with the NX 350 featuring a turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine producing 275 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque. This engine, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, provided a 6.6-second zero to 60 mph time, although the transmission's sluggishness made achieving this time challenging. The NX 350h hybrid and NX 450h+ plug-in hybrid models offered more compelling options, with the NX 350h generating 240 hp and the NX 450h+ delivering 304 hp. The F Sport Handling upgrade included adaptive dampers and 20-inch wheels, but the ride quality was firm and unengaging. Despite Lexus' efforts, the NX struggled to match the performance and ride quality of competitors like Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz. The NX's core strengths lay in quietness and refinement, although wind noise at highway speeds detracted from the overall experience.

The 2026 Toyota RAV4 maintained the same dimensions as its predecessor, with a 105.9-inch wheelbase and unchanged interior passenger space. Cargo volume increased slightly, offering 37.8 cubic feet with the rear seats up and 70.4 cubic feet with them folded down. The RAV4's interior featured clever storage solutions, including a dashboard shelf for small devices and a center console with flexible storage options. Deep door pockets accommodated large water bottles, and the RAV4 comfortably seated four passengers, although five passengers felt a bit cramped. Rear legroom measured 37.8 inches, trailing larger competitors like the Honda CR-V and Volkswagen Tiguan.

The 2026 Lexus NX offered competitive passenger space for a compact luxury SUV, although it came with some compromises. Rear-seat headroom was comparable to rivals like the Acura RDX, Audi Q5, and Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class, but legroom was slightly less generous. Front-seat legroom was closer to the Audi and Mercedes, while the Acura offered more. The front seats felt somewhat constrained, with limited headroom and hindered outward visibility due to the deep dashboard and large exterior mirrors. The rear window was small, but the digital rearview mirror helped mitigate this issue. The F Sport Handling spec included sport seats with extra bolstering, providing reasonable comfort. Cargo space measured 22.7 cubic feet with the rear seats up and 56.3 cubic feet with them folded, trailing most competitors. The NX's 2,000-pound maximum towing capacity was also below class-leading standards.

The 2026 Toyota RAV4 featured a new 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and an enhanced 10.5-inch touchscreen, with a larger 12.9-inch touchscreen available on top trims. The new Arene operating system offered improved responsiveness, quicker loading times, and crisper graphics. Customizable tiles on the touchscreen allowed users to access frequently used information easily, and the Voice Assistant responded to a broader range of "Hey Toyota" prompts. A built-in dash cam recorded and saved clips from exterior cameras, triggered by aggressive driving, adding a layer of safety and convenience.

The 2026 Lexus NX came standard with a 9.8-inch infotainment touchscreen on base and Premium trims, while a 14-inch display was optional on the Premium grade and standard on higher trims. All NX models featured a 7-inch digital instrument cluster, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity, and six USB ports. Wireless device charging, a head-up display, and a 17-speaker Mark Levinson audio system were available. Data connectivity packages offered features like cloud-based navigation, digital key functionality, and emergency assistance. The 14-inch touchscreen in the test car was well-placed, but fan speed adjustment via a touch slider was awkward. The voice recognition system responded to "Hey Lexus" prompts but had limitations in controlling certain functions like SiriusXM satellite radio.

The 2026 Toyota RAV4 came equipped with Toyota Safety Sense 4.0, a comprehensive suite of driver-assistance features. The system included automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-departure alert, lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control with limited hands-free driving, blind-spot monitors, rear cross-traffic alerts, and a safe-exit alert. The limited hands-free driving system allowed brief self-piloting on highways, with a driver monitor ensuring attention. The RAV4's safety enhancements aimed to maintain its strong safety record, with crash-testing results from the IIHS and NHTSA pending.

The 2026 Lexus NX featured the Lexus Safety System+ 3.0 suite, including forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-centering assist, and traffic-sign recognition. The NX's electronic door handles were integrated with a Safe Exit Assist feature. Additional driver-assist features included park assist, front cross-traffic alert, lane-change assist, and a 360-degree camera system. The NX received a 2025 Top Safety Pick rating from the IIHS, with a lower "Acceptable" score in the moderate overlap front crash test. NHTSA safety ratings for the current-generation NX were not yet available.