The 2019 Toyota RAV4 is all new and the 2019 Subaru Outback is the final model year of its generation.
The Outback comes standard with all-wheel drive, which is optional on the RAV4.
If you're shopping for a small to midsize SUV, but you're also considering something a little unconventional, then there's a good chance the Toyota RAV4 and the Subaru Outback have both shown up on your shopping list. The RAV4 is all-new for 2019 and continues to be a class leader in compact SUVs and the Outback straddles the line between SUV and wagon with its quirky, rugged character.
Let's take a look at how these two compare in 2019 and find out which is better.
Despite often being cross-shopped, the RAV4 and the Outback are actually pretty different in size. The Outback is about 10 inches longer and two inches shorter than the RAV4 and the two cars are the same width. The body of the Outback has wagon proportions, but it sits higher up than a traditional wagon with 8.7 inches of ground clearance, which is slightly more than the RAV4's ground clearance. See the 2019 Subaru Outback models for sale near you
As for exterior design, the Outback looks good if you like the distinct styling of the Subaru brand. It kind of looks like a hiking boot, which is a good thing if you go for the rugged, outdoorsy aesthetic. The RAV4 has a bit of a more modern look to it, which can change quite a bit depending on which trim you select. For example, the off-roady RAV4 Adventure model has a special appearance package that actually makes it a little more in-line with the Outback aesthetically. See 2019 Toyota RAV4 models for sale near you
When it comes to the interior, you really can't go wrong with either of these cars. If a spacious interior is what you're looking for, then you'll likely be quite satisfied with both the RAV4 and the Outback. For their respective classes, the Outback and the RAV4 both have impressive amounts of space for both passengers and cargo. This makes them both more than suitable for small families or just anyone who wants a lot of space.
Despite being the longer car, the Outback actually has a little less cargo space than the RAV4 by about 2 cu ft. when the back seats are folded up. However, the Outback has more room when the back seats are folded down by about 3.5 feet. Either way, you're getting a space-efficient car with roominess that might surprise you.
Both cars also have pleasant and inviting interior designs with controls that are easy to use. Since the Toyota was just updated for 2019, it has a more modern-looking interior than that of the Subaru. The interior of the Outback certainly isn't bad, but the RAV4 is newer and it shows.
The 2019 Outback has two flat engines available and the RAV4 gives you a choice of a hybrid or non-hybrid inline-four engine.
2019 Subaru Outback Engines
2.5-liter flat-four; 175 horsepower, 174 lb-ft of torque; 25 miles per gallon in the city and 32 mpg on the highway
3.6-liter flat-six; 256 hp, 247 lb-ft of torque; 20 mpg city/27 mpg hwy
2019 Toyota RAV4 Engines
2.5-liter inline-four; 203 hp, 184 lb-ft of torque; 26 mpg city/35 mpg hwy (FWD), 27 city/34 mpg hwy (AWD)
2.5-liter hybrid inline-four; 219 total hp; 41 mpg city/37 mpg hwy
The RAV4 is better on gas, but it can't touch the performance of the available 6-cylinder engine in the Outback. Obviously, the fuel economy king between these two cars is the RAV4 Hybrid, which achieves stellar mpg while also delivering more-than-adequate performance. It's also worth noting that the RAV4 Hybrid comes standard with AWD as does every 2019 Outback. The non-hybrid RAV4 comes standard with front-wheel drive with optional AWD.
If you're looking for strong off-road performance, you're going to want either an Outback or a RAV4 Adventure. If you're not planning on doing much -- if any -- off-roading, then the more efficient RAV4 or RAV4 Hybrid might be more up your alley.
The RAV4 and the Outback both offer pretty impressive standard safety and connectivity technology. The RAV4 comes standard with the Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 safety tech suite, which includes road sign assist, lane tracing assist, a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, adaptive radar cruise control, lane departure alert with steering assist, and automatic high beams.
Newly standard for 2019 on the Outback is the EyeSight driver assistance tech suite, which includes adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, and lane-keeping assist. EyeSight is a little less fancy than the standard tech on the Toyota, but it's still a great set of features to have as standard on every model.
Both of these cars come with user-friendly infotainment systems that come standard with Apple CarPlay. The Subaru also comes standard with Android Auto, which isn't available in the 2019 RAV4.
The 2019 RAV4 has a starting MSRP of $25,650 and the Outback starts at $26,345. The most affordable RAV4 you can get equipped with AWD is $27,050. If you want the efficient RAV4 Hybrid, that model starts at $27,850. On the high end, the RAV4 gets into the mid-$30k range while an Outback equipped with the optional 6-cylinder engine can get into the high-$30k range.
If you're looking for an affordable car with standard AWD and some good off-roading capabilities, then you'll find a lot to love in the Subaru Outback. However, if you're not planning on doing a lot of off-roading and you just want a modern, efficient, affordable compact crossover, you can't go wrong with the RAV4. It's hard to say which one of these is better since they play to different tastes. Find a Toyota RAV4 for sale or Find a Subaru Outback for saleConclusion