Price
Winner: 2018 Chevrolet Equinox
The 2018 Chevrolet Equinox has a lower base price than the 2018 Toyota RAV4. The Equinox starts at $23,580, which is average for its class. A fully loaded Equinox costs more than $40,000. All Equinoxes have front-wheel drive standard, and all-wheel drive is optional for $1,750 to $3,645, depending on the trim.
The 2018 Toyota RAV4 has a starting price ($24,410) that is higher than the average for its class. A top-of-the-line RAV4 Platinum trim comes in at $34,750. Most trim levels can be upgraded from front- to all-wheel drive for $1,400.
Reliability
Winner: To Be Determined
Neither vehicle has been given a reliability score yet. The 2018 Toyota RAV4 is part of a generation that has an above-average reliability rating (3.5 out of a possible five), according to J.D. Power.
Historically, the Equinox has gotten exceptional reliability scores (4.5 out of five in 2017). However, since the 2018 Equinox has been redesigned, we’re unable to use the reliability data from previous years.
Both the Equinox and RAV4 come with a three-year/36,000-mile basic warranty and a five-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty.
Seat Comfort
Winner: Tie
The 2018 Chevrolet Equinox’s (pictured right) seats provide adequate comfort, though the front row’s seats aren’t as comfortable as those in the previous generation. Still, they provide sufficient support. There is plenty of head- and legroom for second-row passengers.
Seats in the 2018 Toyota RAV4 (pictured left) are supportive, but the second row’s aren’t as comfortable as what you’ll find in other compact SUVs because of low cushions. The RAV4 offers average passenger space for its class.
Cargo Space
Winner: 2018 Toyota RAV4
The 2018 Toyota RAV4 has much more cargo space than the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox. With 38.4 cubic feet of cargo room behind the back seat, the RAV4 offers one of the highest cargo capacities in its class. Behind the second row, the Equinox has 29.9 cubic feet of cargo space, which is less than the previous generation.
With the second row of seats is folded, the RAV4 offers 73.4 cubic feet, while the Equinox only offers 63.5 cubic feet. Both vehicles have second-row seats that fold flat, and available power and hands-free liftgates.
Interior Quality
Winner: 2018 Chevrolet Equinox
The 2018 Equinox has a cabin filled with high-quality materials. Its thoughtful design and soft-touch plastics, including additional soft-touch surfaces in higher trims, help the Equinox win this category.
The 2018 RAV4’s interior design and quality don’t especially stand out from the competition. Black plastic and vinyl abound in the cabin, giving the impression of function and utility over form and beauty.
Interior Features
Winner: 2018 Chevrolet Equinox
The 2018 Chevrolet Equinox gives consumers more bang for their buck up front than the 2018 Toyota RAV4 when it comes to interior features. The Equinox comes standard with a six-speaker audio system, a USB port, Bluetooth, proximity key entry, push-button start, a 7-inch touch-screen infotainment system, a rearview camera, Chevy's Teen Driver system, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, voice command activation, and GM OnStar with 4G LTE and a Wi-Fi hot spot.
In the RAV4, you’ll find a 6.1-inch touch-screen infotainment display, a USB port, Bluetooth, voice recognition, six speakers, a rearview camera, and Toyota’s suite of safety technology standard. The RAV4 does not offer as many optional features as the Equinox.
Acceleration
Winner: 2018 Chevrolet Equinox
The 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder base engine in the 2018 Equinox is middling. However, when you opt for the 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbocharged engine, you’ll have access to 252 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. Buyers can also opt for a smaller 1.6-liter turbodiesel engine that produces 137 horsepower and 240 pound-feet of torque.
The 2018 RAV4 only has one engine option: a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. It makes 176 horsepower, which is sufficient to get you up to speed but not enough to impress.
Fuel Economy
Winner: 2018 Chevrolet Equinox
The 2018 Chevrolet Equinox’s engine choices have better fuel combined economy than the 2018 Toyota RAV4’s, overall. The RAV4 gets an EPA-estimated 23 mpg in the city and 29 mpg on the highway. The 2018 Chevrolet Equinox with the diesel engine achieves 28 mpg in the city and 39 on the highway, the best of any Equinox engine. The Equinox’s 1.5-liter gasoline engine achieves 26/32 mpg city/highway, while the 2.0-liter gasoline engine gets 22/29 mpg city/highway.
The RAV4 also has a hybrid trim that gets 34 mpg in the city and 30 mpg on the highway, an impressive city mpg improvement. However, the RAV4 hybrid is still less efficient than several Equinox trims on the highway, so that isn’t enough to steal this win from the Chevrolet.
Ride and Handling
Winner: Tie
Both the 2018 Equinox and 2018 RAV4 deliver smooth rides over a variety of terrain. There is little body roll, and wind noise is hushed.
The 2018 Chevrolet Equinox and 2018 Toyota RAV4 offer composed handling and a connected drive. Steering is precise. All-wheel drive models are more confidence-inspiring around corners.
Safety
Winner: 2018 Toyota RAV4
The 2018 RAV4 has many more standard safety features than the Equinox, including pre-collision alert with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning with steering assist, automatic high beams, and dynamic radar cruise control.
It has received a five-star overall safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and was labeled a Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
The brand-new Equinox has not been crash tested by the IIHS. It received a four out of five overall score from the NHTSA.
A rearview camera, GM’s Teen Driver monitoring system, and a number of OnStar emergency services come standard in the Equinox. Advanced features like automatic emergency braking cost significantly more in the Equinox than they do in the RAV4 (where they are standard on all trims).
Though the Equinox’s full crash test scores aren't in, the RAV4's superior NHTSA score, high IIHS scores, and much better standard features list make it pretty much impossible for the Equinox to beat.
The Winner Is …
2018 Chevrolet Equinox
The 2018 Chevrolet Equinox is a better SUV overall than the 2018 Toyota RAV4. The Equinox has a nicer interior, stronger and more fuel-efficient engines, more standard convenience features, and a lower starting price.
If safety features and cargo space are your focus, the RAV4 is superior. It is a quality SUV that delivers on the basics families desire. However, the Equinox is a more polished and complete crossover SUV, and thus earns a higher overall score in our compact SUV rankings.
More Shopping Tools From U.S. News & World Report
To learn more about the Chevrolet Equinox and Toyota RAV4, check out their reviews. Then, see how they stack up to the competition by exploring our compact SUV rankings. When it comes time to buy, use our Best Price Program to get the best deal on your new SUV purchase. You can compound your savings by heading to our Chevrolet deals page and Toyota deals page.
10 Best Holiday Car Deals in 2019
12 Best End of Year SUV Deals
12 Best Luxury SUV Leases in December 2019
12 Best SUV Leases Under $300 This December
12 Best Cars to Buy Now
12 Cheapest Lease Deals in December
12 Best End of Year Car Deals
2019 Best Cars for the Money
2019 Best Cars for Families
Equinox vs. RAV4: Which Compact SUV Is Best for You?
The Chevrolet Equinox and Toyota RAV4 are two of the more popular compact SUVs on the market today. They’re best at staying on the beaten path but can handle some light off-roading and have satisfactory cargo space. Whether you’re looking to upgrade from a subcompact SUV, downsize from a full-size SUV, or change from a minivan, the Equinox and RAV4 are worth taking for a test drive.
For 2018, the Equinox was fully redesigned, while the RAV4 comes in a new Adventure grade and has seen its towing capacity increase to 3,500 pounds.
This article compares the two SUVs to determine which is better overall, based on U.S. News scoring in individual categories. You may notice slight scoring variations in these categories versus U.S. News reviews. Each category’s score is constantly updated as new expert reviews and data become available.