2021 Audi Q3 vs 2020 Toyota RAV4

The 2020 Toyota RAV4 had a bold and angular appearance, a significant departure from its traditionally cute and utilitarian design. This redesign aimed to reflect the SUV's proven durability. The Adventure trim, introduced in the previous year, enhanced off-roading capabilities with a torque-vectoring all-wheel-drive system, multiple driving modes, and downhill assist control. The new TRD Off-Road trim for 2020 took these capabilities further with smaller, lighter matte-black 18-inch alloy wheels, all-terrain tires, and a special TRD suspension setup. The TRD Off-Road trim was distinguishable by its unique wheels, tires, and badges, and featured a Lunar Rock gray paint with an extra-cost white roof. Inside, the TRD logos on the front-seat head restraints, rubber floor mats, and a rubber cargo mat prepared the cabin for dirt, while quality construction and soft-touch materials contrasted with some inexpensive-looking plastic.

The 2021 Audi Q3 featured a massive corporate grille that complemented its stout, chunky styling, presenting an idea of utility and dynamic handling. The cabin echoed this modern aesthetic with a dash design that framed the center touchscreen, making it a standout feature. When the interior debuted with the redesigned Q3 in 2019, it was a standout design, but newer Volkswagen interiors had started to catch up. Despite this, the Q3's cabin still felt modern and refined. The 2021 Q3 came in Premium and Premium Plus trims, with the Premium trim offering leather upholstery, 12-way power-adjustable front seats, heated front seats, dual-zone climate control, a panoramic sunroof, and an 8.8-inch touchscreen infotainment system. The Premium Plus trim added features like remote start, pushbutton start, wireless device charging, and a hands-free power liftgate.

The 2020 Toyota RAV4 was powered by a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine producing 203 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. The RAV4 Hybrid model, which was not available in the TRD Off-Road trim, delivered 219 horsepower and up to 40 mpg in combined driving. The non-turbo, non-hybrid powertrain of the test vehicle felt energetic, especially in Sport mode, though a turbocharged engine would have been preferable for high-altitude driving. The 8-speed automatic transmission generally performed well but occasionally struggled with gear selection. The TRD Off-Road model featured a torque-vectoring AWD system with fuel-saving driveline disconnect technology, multi-terrain select settings, and 8.6 inches of ground clearance. The RAV4 TRD Off-Road handled various terrains with ease, from slick muddy spots to urban environments with crumbling infrastructure. The test vehicle averaged 23.4 mpg, slightly below the EPA estimate of 27 mpg in combined driving.

The 2021 Audi Q3 came equipped with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 184 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and Quattro AWD. The S-Line trim offered a more potent version of the same engine, delivering 228 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. The more powerful engine provided a lively performance with solid power for passing, especially in Sport mode. The Q3 also featured Audi’s Drive Select with Auto, Comfort, Dynamic, and Off-Road modes, though the Off-Road mode was best suited for light dirt trails. The base engine had some turbo lag, particularly noticeable under hard acceleration or when making passing moves on the highway. The Q3 offered nimble handling and a comfortable ride, striking a balance between engagement and refinement.

The 2020 Toyota RAV4 offered easy ingress and egress with seating hip points that were just about perfect. The driver's seat was 8-way adjustable, while the front passenger seat lacked a height adjuster but still provided good thigh support. The TRD Off-Road trim featured SofTex upholstery, which could trap sweat on hot days, but the Weather Package added heated and ventilated front seats and a heated steering wheel. The rear seat provided generous legroom for adults and ample space for kids, with air conditioning vents and USB ports for added comfort. Interior storage was generous, with a dashboard shelf and cargo space of 37.6 cubic feet behind the back seat, expandable to 69.8 cubic feet with the seat folded down. The test vehicle also had a robust roof rack with crossbars and an optional hands-free power liftgate.

The 2021 Audi Q3 offered 48 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded and 23.7 cubic feet behind the rear seats. While the space behind the seats was decent for a subcompact luxury SUV, the overall cargo space was subpar for the class. However, the Q3 made up for this with its passenger space. The front seats were comfortable and provided plenty of deep cargo pockets for personal items. The rear seats offered impressive headroom and legroom, making it comfortable for four passengers on a road trip, though packing light was advisable.

The 2020 Toyota RAV4 featured a user-friendly technology suite. Depending on the trim level, the infotainment system came with a 7- or 8-inch touchscreen display, though the 8-inch system in the TRD Off-Road trim suffered from glare. The system included Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Amazon Alexa, SiriusXM satellite radio, and multiple connected services packages with generous free trial periods. A 4G LTE WiFi hotspot was free for three months or 2GB of data usage. The system was easy to use, with menu shortcut buttons and knobs for stereo volume and tuning, and separate climate controls. Upgrades included an embedded navigation system and a JBL premium sound system. The TRD Off-Road’s infotainment system impressed with its superb voice-recognition technology. The optional Technology Package added wireless smartphone charging, a 360-degree surround-view camera, and a digital rear-view mirror with adjustable camera height and angle.

The 2021 Audi Q3 came standard with an 8.8-inch touchscreen infotainment system running Audi’s MMI system, which featured logical, ergonomic menu navigation, standard Android Auto, and wireless Apple CarPlay. The upgraded system included a 10.1-inch touchscreen with navigation. Other available features included wireless device charging, satellite radio, and a Bang & Olufsen 15-speaker premium audio system. The Audi Virtual Cockpit was also available, replacing the conventional instrument cluster with a customizable digital display that could present the navigation map across nearly the entire screen.

The 2020 Toyota RAV4 came standard with Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 (TSS 2.0), which included advanced driving assist safety features such as Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection, radar adaptive cruise control, lane departure alert with steering assist, front and rear parking assist with automated braking, and blind spot assist with rear cross-traffic alert. These systems operated with impressive accuracy and smoothness, encouraging drivers to keep them turned on. Toyota also included a free 1-year subscription to Safety Connect services, which offered automatic collision notification, an activated SOS emergency assistance button, and enhanced roadside assistance. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) awarded the 2020 RAV4 a Top Safety Pick rating for models equipped with full LED, curve adaptive headlights.

The 2021 Audi Q3 came standard with Audi Pre Sense and Pre Sense Front, which included forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and pedestrian detection. Lane-departure warning was also standard. Optional driver assistance features included blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, and traffic-sign recognition. Additional available features included a 360-degree camera system, front-and-rear parking sensors, and self-parking assist for parallel and perpendicular parking spots.