2020 Ford EcoSport vs Toyota RAV4
Technically, the Ford EcoSport and Toyota RAV4 are in two different classes. The EcoSport is a subcompact sport utility vehicle while the RAV4 is a compact. But how wide is that divide? Not so great that we can’t reasonably compare them. The RAV4 is 20 inches longer than the EcoSport, three inches wider, and two inches taller. But there’s plenty that makes them similar. We’ll walk you through it all in this comparison guide.
Price: 2020 Ford EcoSport
Far and away, affordability is the biggest advantage the EcoSport has over the RAV4. Because a 2019 Ford EcoSport starts at $19,995 while the RAV4 is $25,650 minimum. What accounts for the difference, besides the 350 extra pounds of metal on the RAV4? The standard equipment on the Ford EcoSport includes cloth upholstery, four-way manually adjustable front seats, MyKey, rearview camera, Ford’s SYNC connectivity system with 4.2-inch display screen, two USB ports, and six-speaker audio system. The standard engine is a 123-horsepower turbo EcoBoost engine getting 27 city miles and 29 highway miles per gallon. The engine is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission and comes with front-wheel drive, with all-wheel available on the upgraded engine.
For the Toyota RAV4, standard features include cloth upholstery, Entune infotainment system with 7-inch touch screen, USB port, Siri Eyes Free, Apple CarPlay, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi hot spot, and six-speaker audio system. Its standard engine is the 203-horsepower inline-4 getting 26 city miles and 35 highway miles per gallon. The engine is paired to an eight-speed automatic transmission and comes with standard front-wheel drive.
Front Passenger Room: 2020 Ford EcoSport
To be perfectly clear, the Toyota RAV4 has more rear head- and legroom. The RAV4 is the bigger sport utility vehicle after all. But what’s surprising, when you start comparing numbers, is that the driver and front-seat passenger are better off in the smaller EcoSport than they are sitting in the RAV4. Why? Because in the EcoSport, there’s a tenth of an inch more headroom up front and almost a significant two inches more legroom. In the other interior dimensions, the RAV4 takes the cake. But if you value your own comfort and leave the back seat for car seats or pets, the EcoSport is going to treat you better.
Infotainment Technology: 2020 Ford EcoSport
Ford’s SYNC 3 infotainment system is one of the best in the automotive business. Lightning-fast responses to input are definitely a plus. And then there’s the intuitive ease of it all. Physical knobs for tuning and volume make fine-tuning a breeze, so you can keep your eyes on the road. If you want the SYNC 3, step up to anything but the base trim.
Toyota’s Entune system found in the RAV4 also benefits from being easy-to-use, in large part thanks to plenty of physical buttons and knobs for fast adjustments. But onscreen graphics look dated and the navigation system looks even older. This category is close, but the Ford EcoSport has the slightly better system.