2023 Toyota RAV4 vs 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport

The 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport exuded a “modernist” and “reductive” design philosophy, focusing on simplicity that diverged from the typical luxury SUV statement of some competitors. For those craving attention-grabbing aesthetics, the Range Rover Sport offered limited options: a Firenze Red paint and diamond-turned, multi-spoke 23-inch wheels. However, a future SVR edition promised a louder design with a twin-turbocharged V8 engine, vivid colors, and bold exterior details.

Our evaluated model came in subdued Eiger Gray, complemented by silver 23-inch wheels and a Black Exterior Pack—striking an elegant, understated look without the optional black-painted roof. The interiors were equally opulent in a Deep Garnet over Ebony theme accented with aluminum and shiny black trims, epitomizing subtle luxury.

Available in SE P360, SE Dynamic P400, and Autobiography P440e trims, our SE Dynamic P400 test vehicle, priced at $98,420, featured heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, a Cold Climate Pack, a Technology Pack, and a full-size spare tire.

Key design highlights included premium LED headlights in Land Rover's slimmest profile yet, flush-mounted door handles, and surface LED taillights. The aerodynamically optimized design boasted a drag coefficient of 0.29. The interiors featured sustainable Ultrafabrics, with Windsor leather upholstery offering unparalleled smoothness and an enticing aroma.

In contrast, the 2023 Toyota RAV4 adhered closely to its 2019 design, emphasizing a robust, rugged look especially in the Adventure and TRD Off-Road trims with a distinct two-part grille. The Adventure trim pushed the Toyota badge closer to the center of a bolder grille, added a faux skid plate, blacked-out wheels, and accentuated wheel arches with black cladding.

Inside, the Adventure trim featured orange accents, including seat stripes and contrast stitching, injecting a bit of liveliness into the otherwise straightforward console. Though less luxurious, it provided practical elements like a frameless rearview mirror and a more rugged design philosophy.

RAV4 trim levels ranged from the less expensive LE under $30K to the feature-rich Limited. Off-road enthusiasts had the Adventure and TRD Off-Road trims to consider, though the Adventure trim prioritized appearance over true off-road capability.

The 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport aimed to balance refinement, comfort, and driver engagement, though it achieved this balance unevenly. The SUV needed to excel both on rugged terrains and winding roads—often conflicting goals.

Land Rover did an admirable job of attempting this dual personality. The SE and SE Dynamic trims featured a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder engine with mild-hybrid technology, producing 355 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque in the SE P360, and 395 hp and 406 lb-ft in the SE Dynamic P400.

A plug-in hybrid (PHEV) variant, available exclusively in the Autobiography P440e model, produced 434 hp and 406 lb-ft and offered an estimated 51 miles of electric-only range. Early 2023 models included a 523-hp twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8 for select versions, such as the P530 First Edition. The 2024 model year was set to introduce a fully electric version.

Our SE Dynamic P400 test model’s 395 hp inline-six offered robust performance, credible for Land Rover’s 5.4-second 0-60 mph claim. The vehicle featured an eight-speed automatic transmission and Intelligent All-Wheel Drive, with a towing capacity of 7,716 pounds. Fuel efficiency was decent for this class, with an EPA estimate of 21 mpg combined and our test averaging 22.3 mpg, peaking at 25.1 mpg on a highway trip.

The Range Rover Sport flaunted advanced vehicle architecture for added rigidity, and adaptive air suspension provided ride comfort and competent handling. However, it didn’t match the precision of sportier rivals like BMW, Audi, or Mercedes-Benz.

Off-road, the Range Rover Sport shone, showcasing its 11.1-inch maximum ground clearance, excellent approach, breakover, and departure angles, and a 35.4-inch wading depth. Features included Terrain Response, All Terrain Progress Control, hill start and descent control systems, and sturdy off-road capabilities.

In comparison, the 2023 Toyota RAV4 featured a standard front-wheel-drive setup, with Adventure and TRD Off-Road trims boasting AWD by default. All trims had the option for AWD, adding a Snow Mode, while both RAV4 Hybrid and Prime models offered AWD exclusively.

The RAV4 used a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine producing 203 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. While competent, the engine was neither particularly quick nor quiet, landing its performance in the "adequate" range.

The Adventure trim's 19-inch wheels with all-season tires and standard suspension underlined its posuer nature compared to the genuinely off-road-capable TRD Off-Road trim, featuring 18-inch wheels, Falken All-Terrain tires, and a TRD-tuned suspension.

The 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport retained the Range Rover Command Driving Position, offering a high, commanding view with a low dashboard and upright windshield. The air suspension could kneel for easier access, and the front seats were luxurious and plush with 20-way adjustments and optional features like a massage function and heated steering wheel.

However, rear seating was less accommodating. Despite more reported legroom, the back seat was tight for taller passengers, and door openings were narrow. Storage within the cabin was practical but not exceptional, with multiple bins and compartments.

Cargo capacity stood at 31.9 cubic feet behind the rear seats, expandable to 53 cubic feet with the seats folded. The cargo area featured controls lowering the air suspension for easier loading and a full-size spare tire under the floor.

The 2023 Toyota RAV4, seating five, provided 37.7 inches of headroom in the front (37.7 inches) and more in the back (39.5 inches). It offered 41 inches of front leg room but less rear legroom at 37.8 inches. This placed the RAV4 mid-pack compared to competitors like the Honda CR-V and Subaru Forester.

The RAV4 boasted practical storage options, including a full-length shelf along the glove compartment and sizable door pockets. Its cargo space surpassed the Range Rover Sport, with 37.5 cubic feet behind the second row and 69.8 cubic feet with the seats folded.

The 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport featured a 13.7-inch digital display and a 13.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system with haptic feedback. Standard features included wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Amazon Alexa, and SiriusXM. Unfortunately, Wi-Fi access required an additional data plan.

The Pivi Pro infotainment promised personalization but proved confusing and frustrating. Simple tasks like finding a Starbucks confounded the system, and commands often required alternative devices or platforms like Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.

The Range Rover Sport also offered sophisticated Meridian audio systems with up to 29 speakers, an Active Noise Cancellation system, and a wireless smartphone charging pad.

The 2023 Toyota RAV4 finally upgraded its technology, adding a standard 8.0-inch touchscreen, with a 10.5-inch screen in Limited and TRD Off-Road trims. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, OTA updates, and voice command were now standard.

Our Adventure tester had the upgraded multimedia system with a 10.5-inch screen and an 11-speaker JBL Premium audio system, adding robust audio capabilities compared to its 6-speaker base stereo. A 7-inch driver-information display was standard.

The 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport came packed with advanced safety features, including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning and assist, automatic high beams, a driver monitoring system, front and rear parking sensors, and a surround-view camera system.

However, its adaptive cruise control was sluggish and steering assist struggled with maintaining precision on freeway curves, especially with inconsistent lane markings in urban areas.

The 2023 Toyota RAV4 featured the TSS 2.5 suite of driver-assistance systems, offering comprehensive safety features like lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, automatic emergency braking, high-beam LED headlights, and pedestrian detection. It also had adaptive cruise control capable of operating at lower speeds.

The RAV4 performed well in safety evaluations, earning a 2023 Top Safety Pick+ from the IIHS, evidencing its excellent crashworthiness and safety technology.