Compare the2023 Toyota Rav4VS 2023 Subaru Impreza

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Model Availability
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Toyota Rav4 have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Subaru Impreza doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

The Rav4 has a standard Secondary Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Impreza doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Rav4 Adventure/Limited AWD/TRD Off-Road’s standard Downhill Assist Control allows you to creep down safely. The Impreza doesn’t offer Downhill Assist Control.

The Rav4 Limited/TRD Off-Road offers an optional Bird’s Eye View Camera to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Impreza only offers a rear monitor and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the front or sides.

Both the Rav4 and the Impreza have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive, blind spot warning systems and rear cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Toyota Rav4 is safer than the Subaru Impreza:

	Rav4	Impreza
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.7 inches

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Toyota Rav4 is safer than the Subaru Impreza:

	Rav4	Impreza
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	83	165
Chest Movement	.5 inches	1 inches
Abdominal Force	138 lbs.	293 lbs.
Hip Force	246 lbs.	400 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	146	363
Spine Acceleration	49 G’s	79 G’s
Hip Force	508 lbs.	715 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	36 G’s	49 G’s

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Toyota Rav4 is much safer than the Impreza Sedan:

	Rav4	Impreza
Overall Evaluation	ACCEPTABLE	POOR
Structure	GOOD	POOR
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	120	245
Head Peak Forces	no contact	55 G’s
Neck Tension	134 lbs.	290 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	MARGINAL
Shoulder Deflection	.47 in	1.89 in
Shoulder Force	178 lbs.	357 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	1.34 in	2.01 in
Torso Deflection Rate	7 MPH	10 MPH
Pelvis	ACCEPTABLE	ACCEPTABLE
Pelvis Force	1093 lbs.	1116 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Torso	GOOD	MARGINAL
Shoulder Deflection	.94 in	2.09 in
Shoulder Force	290 lbs.	424 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	.83 in	1.69 in
Torso Deflection Rate	8 MPH	13 MPH
Pelvis	GOOD	GOOD
Pelvis Force	692 lbs.	825 lbs.

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, and daytime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Rav4 the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2023, a rating granted to only 53 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Impreza last would have qualified as a “Top Safety Pick” in 2022.

Warranty

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the Rav4 for 2 years and 25000 miles. Toyota will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Subaru doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Impreza.

There are almost 2 times as many Toyota dealers as there are Subaru dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Rav4’s warranty.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are better in initial quality than Subaru vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota above average in initial quality. With 19 more problems per 100 vehicles, Subaru is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Subaru vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota above average in long-term dependability. With 34 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Subaru is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Subaru vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota first in overall reliability. Subaru is ranked 7th.

Engine

The Rav4’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 51 more horsepower (203 vs. 152) and 39 lbs.-ft. more torque (184 vs. 145) than the Impreza’s 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Toyota Rav4 is faster than the Subaru Impreza (automatics tested):

	Rav4	Impreza
Zero to 60 MPH	8 sec	9.3 sec
Quarter Mile	16.2 sec	17.2 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	87.6 MPH	83 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Rav4 LE AWD/XLE/XLE Premium’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. The Impreza doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

The Rav4 has 1.3 gallons more fuel capacity than the Impreza (14.5 vs. 13.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Transmission

The Toyota Rav4 comes standard with an automatic transmission, for driver comfort, especially in the city. Automatic costs extra on the Impreza.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Rav4’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Impreza:

	Rav4	Impreza	Impreza Sport
Front Rotors	12 inches	10.9 inches	11.6 inches
Rear Rotors	11.1 inches	10.8 inches	10.8 inches

The Rav4 stops shorter than the Impreza:

	Rav4	Impreza
60 to 0 MPH	120 feet	127 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Rav4 has larger standard tires than the Impreza (225/65R17 vs. 205/55R16). The Rav4 XLE Premium/Adventure/Limited’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Impreza (235/55R19 vs. 225/40R18).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Rav4 LE/XLE has standard 17-inch wheels. Smaller 16-inch wheels are standard on the Impreza. The Rav4 XLE Premium/Adventure/Limited’s 19-inch wheels are larger than the 18-inch wheels on the Impreza Sport.

Suspension and Handling

The Rav4 has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Rav4 flat and controlled during cornering. The Impreza base model’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Rav4 is 2.1 inches wider in the front and 2.6 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Impreza.

The Rav4 Adventure handles at .81 G’s, while the Impreza 2.0i Limited 5-door pulls only .80 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Rav4 Adventure executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Impreza 2.0i Limited 5-door (27.5 seconds @ .62 average G’s vs. 27.9 seconds @ .6 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Rav4 LE/XLE has a 3.3 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Impreza (8.4 vs. 5.1 inches), allowing the Rav4 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Rav4 XLE Premium/Limited/Adventure/TRD Off-Road’s minimum ground clearance is 3.5 inches higher than on the Impreza (8.6 vs. 5.1 inches).

Passenger Space

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Rav4’s rear seats recline. The Impreza’s rear seats don’t recline.

Cargo Capacity

The Rav4 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Impreza 5-door with its rear seat up (37.6 vs. 20.8 cubic feet). The Rav4 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Impreza 5-door with its rear seat folded (69.8 vs. 55.3 cubic feet).

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Rav4 Limited’s available liftgate can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Impreza doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its trunk, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

Towing

The Rav4 has a 1500 lbs. towing capacity. The Impreza has no towing capacity.

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the Rav4 uses the Vehicle Stability Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Impreza doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Ergonomics

When two different drivers share the Rav4 Limited, the memory seats make it convenient for both. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position. The Impreza doesn’t offer memory seats.

The Rav4’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Impreza has a lever-type parking brake that has to be strenuously raised to engage properly. It has to be lifted up more and a button depressed to release it.

The power windows standard on both the Rav4 and the Impreza have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Rav4 is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Impreza prevents the driver from operating the rear windows just as it does the other passengers.

The Rav4’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Impreza’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

If the windows are left open on the Rav4 the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. (This window function must be activated by your Toyota service department.) The driver of the Impreza can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Rav4 XLE/Adventure/Limited/TRD Off-Road’s optional wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield. The Impreza’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

The Rav4’s LED headlights produce a whiter, brighter light (up to 3x) using five times less power than the Impreza’s standard halogen headlights. LED lights also light instantly and last over twenty times longer than halogen.

Consumer Reports rated the Rav4’s headlight performance “Good,” a higher rating than the Impreza’s headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Rav4’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Impreza’s headlights are rated “Marginal.”

The Rav4 has a standard automatic headlight on/off feature. When the ignition is on, the headlights automatically turn on at dusk and off after dawn. The Impreza has an automatic headlight on/off feature standard only on the Premium/Sport/Limited.

Both the Rav4 and the Impreza offer available heated front seats. The Rav4 Limited also offers optional heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Impreza.

Optional air-conditioned seats in the Rav4 (except LE/XLE/Adventure) keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Impreza doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

On extremely cold winter days, the Rav4 XLE/Adventure/Limited/TRD Off-Road’s optional heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the vehicle heater warms up. The Impreza doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

The Rav4 XLE/Adventure/Limited/TRD Off-Road’s standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. The Impreza doesn’t offer dual zone air conditioning.

Both the Rav4 and the Impreza offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Rav4 has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Impreza doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Toyota Rav4 XLE Premium/Limited/TRD Off-Road offers an optional wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Impreza doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

The Rav4 Adventure/TRD Off-Road has a 115-volt a/c outlet in the cargo area, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Impreza doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

Model Availability

The Rav4 is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Impreza doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Economic Advantages

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Rav4 is less expensive to operate than the Impreza because it costs $45 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Rav4 than the Impreza, including $49 less for a water pump, $98 less for a muffler, $31 less for a starter and $250 less for front struts.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Toyota Rav4 and the Subaru Impreza, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Toyota Rav4 outsold the Subaru Impreza by almost 13 to one during 2022.

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