2021 Lincoln Aviator vs 2021 Toyota RAV4

The 2021 Toyota RAV4 featured a rugged-looking exterior reminiscent of a traditional SUV, with boxy fender flares, chiseled taillights, and a scowling front end. This aggressive styling set it apart from previous RAV4 generations and most other compact crossovers. Despite its bold exterior, the RAV4 was built on the Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) platform, shared with other Toyota models like the Camry and Sienna. The interior included functional touches such as large rubberized knobs and door handles, but material quality did not significantly improve with higher trims.

In contrast, the 2021 Lincoln Aviator boasted a sharp design with crisp lines and chrome accents, drawing inspiration from the larger Navigator. The interior was defined by comfort and warmth, featuring soft-touch materials and a 10.1-inch touchscreen. The Aviator's cabin included unique elements like a piano button shifter and soothing chimes for alerts. Trims ranged from Standard to Black Label Grand Touring, each adding more luxury and technology features, such as adaptive headlights, massaging seats, and a 28-speaker Revel Ultima sound system.

The 2021 Toyota RAV4 came with a single engine option: a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine producing 203 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive was standard, with all-wheel drive available. The engine achieved 40% thermal efficiency and was known for its high-revving nature. However, the transmission often hesitated, and the steering lacked feel, making the driving experience less dynamic. Off-road-focused models like the Adventure and TRD Off-Road offered features like a torque-vectoring rear axle and 8.6 inches of ground clearance, but the RAV4's overall off-road capability was limited.

The 2021 Lincoln Aviator offered a 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine in Standard, Reserve, and Black Label trims, producing 400 horsepower and 415 pound-feet of torque. The Grand Touring and Grand Touring Black Label trims featured a plug-in hybrid version of the same engine, boosting output to 494 horsepower and 630 pound-feet of torque. The hybrid could travel up to 21 miles on electric power alone. The Aviator's drive modes included "Excite" and "Conserve," and while it excelled on highways, it struggled with body roll in corners and maneuverability in tight spaces.

The 2021 Toyota RAV4 provided competitive headroom and good outward visibility, but legroom was slightly behind competitors. The front seats were comfortable, but the rear seats had flat, hard cushions. Cargo space was 37.6 cubic feet with the rear seats in place, and the wide aperture made loading easier. However, the cargo area's lip was higher than some competitors. The interior featured oversized knobs and steering-wheel controls, but storage space on the console was limited.

The 2021 Lincoln Aviator offered 18.3 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third-row seats, expanding to 41.8 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 77.7 cubic feet with all rear seats down. The second row, especially with captain's chairs, provided ample space and comfort, including a digital control panel for seat, climate, and audio controls. The Aviator's power-button door releases were a unique feature, but their reliability in case of a battery failure was a concern.

The 2021 Toyota RAV4 came standard with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Amazon Alexa compatibility, and SiriusXM satellite radio. Most trims had a 7-inch touchscreen, with higher trims offering an 8-inch or 9-inch screen. The infotainment system was user-friendly but not particularly flashy. The RAV4 lacked a head-up display in gasoline models, which was available in the RAV4 Prime.

The 2021 Lincoln Aviator featured a 10.1-inch touchscreen running the Sync 3 infotainment system, which was intuitive and had a sensible menu layout. The Aviator's screen was in a landscape format, making it more natural to use. Standard features included Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, with large icons for easy navigation. The Aviator also had a fully digital instrument panel and an optional head-up display with crisp graphics.

The 2021 Toyota RAV4 earned a "Top Safety Pick" rating from the IIHS and a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA. Standard safety features included forward-collision warning, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, automatic high beams, road-sign recognition, and Lane Tracing Assist. Higher trims added blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, reverse automatic emergency braking, and park assist.

The 2021 Lincoln Aviator came with the Lincoln Co-Pilot 360 package, which included automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring, and front-and-rear parking sensors. The Co-Pilot 360 Plus package added reverse automatic braking, self-parking functionality, and adaptive cruise control. The Aviator received top safety ratings from both the NHTSA and IIHS, earning a Top Safety Pick accolade.