Car Buyer Labs

Car Buying Advice, Tips, and Reviews

A red 2019 Chevy Equinox under a modern bridge or parking garage

The 2019 Chevy Equinox vs 2019 Toyota RAV4 – Make the Right Decision

If you’re in the market for a mid-sized SUV, it’s likely because you need a versatile vehicle that can accomplish a lot of different tasks. In addition, a mid-sized SUV, according to most vehicle purchasers, will need to provide all of the style and comfort of both a sedan and a full-sized SUV. There are a lot of choices on the market, but a large number of consumers execute their searches and find themselves performing an analysis of the 2019 Chevy Equinox vs 2019 Toyota RAV4. That’s because these are both very high-quality vehicles, and drivers of each are generally happy with their automotive investments.

We understand that a decision like this one is not only difficult, but it’s a big one – you’ll be driving whatever you choose for a few years, so you’ll need to be thorough with your 2019 Chevy Equinox vs 2019 Toyota RAV4 analysis. We’re going to break things down by way of digging into different components of each vehicle so that you can compare them side-by-side and hopefully move closer to a final decision. Ultimately, we hope that the choice you make provides you with years of driving comfort and pleasure.

The 2019 Chevy Equinox vs 2019 Toyota RAV4 – MSRP

The first place that a lot of auto buyers start with their decision is cost. As such, we’re going to begin our 2019 Chevy Equinox vs. 2019 Toyota RAV4 analysis with the MSRP. The Toyota RAV4 checks in with an MSRP of $25,500. The 2019 Chevrolet Equinox comes with an MSRP of $23,800. That’s a difference of $1,700, which depending on the intensity of your opinion, may be quite a bit or it may not matter all that much in the grand scheme of things. Depending on the specifics of any financing, should you go that route, that difference will come to be anywhere between $25 and $50 per month on loans of the same duration. 

The 2019 Chevy Equinox vs 2019 Toyota RAV4 – Powertrain and Engines

While the standard engine, and only one provided by the RAV4 (2.5L 4-cylinder with 203hp and 184 ft-lb of torque), has a little more raw horsepower than the standard Equinox engine (1.5L 4-cylinder with 170hp and 203 ft-lb of torque) the Equinox still finds a way to shine with the higher torque. The Equinox also has 3 engine offerings in case you are looking for a little more power or looking to really customize what you’ll have under the hood.

Once again, this is a close comparison between to two standard engines, although it appears that the 2019 Chevrolet Equinox offers a bit more in torque. As such, you will get a bit more power from the Chevrolet as opposed to the Toyota, so it will depend on what type of driving you have in mind as you move towards your decision.

More specifically, auto buyers want to know what’s going on with the engines in their new vehicles, and for good reason, as the engine more than anything else will define whether or not a vehicle is dependable and durable.

Overall, these standard specifications are basically equivalent. On average, the RAV4 gets a hair more in terms of miles per gallon on the highway, but the Equinox can hold a little more fuel so both will keep you away from the pumps about the same. Once you start getting into the Chevy Equinox’s multiple engines is where you’ll start noticing things like fuel economy changing.

Both engines can be equipped with all-wheel drive capabilities which will generally require a higher trim selection. Depending on where you are located this can be an absolute must-have for some car buyers so you can rest easy knowing that either of these great vehicles can deliver in inclement weather.

The 2019 Chevy Equinox vs 2019 Toyota RAV4 – Safety

The two-tone black and gray 2019 Chevy Equinox seats

Safety is always at or near the top of any auto buyer’s list when he or she is looking for something new. The 2019 Chevy Equinox vs 2019 Toyota RAV4 analysis is somewhat incomplete, unfortunately, because the 2019 Toyota RAV4 has not yet been tested by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, or the NHTSA.

The 2019 Chevrolet Equinox has been tested, however, and the NHTSA reports that the Front Crash, Side Crash and Overall categories receive a 5-star rating, out of 5. That’s five stars across the board for the 2019 Chevrolet Equinox, which is a perfect score. You can’t get any safer than that when it comes to crashes.

Even though no score is yet available for the 2019 Toyota RAV4, it does come standard with the following safety features:

  • 4-Wheel ABS
  • Engine Immobilizer
  • Post-Collision Safety System
  • Dual Front Side-Mounted Airbags
  • Lane Departure Warning Accident Avoidance System
  • Front And Rear Head Airbags
  • Stability Control
  • Emergency Braking Assist
  • Passenger Airbag Occupant Sensing Deactivation
  • LED Headlamp
  • Tire Pressure Monitoring
  • Traction Control
  • Ventilated Front Disc / Solid Rear Disc Brakes

 
The 2019 Chevrolet Equinox comes standard with all of these features except for the lane warning system and the emergency braking assist, both of which are available as options in higher trims though.

The Equinox also comes standard with Teen Driver Technology which will help new drivers learn safe driving habits. This technology turns on all available safety features, allows for speed limits to be set, and turns off entertainment features such as the radio until all passengers in the front have fastened their seatbelts. After the trip has concluded a report card will be provided that summarizes the trip and tells the driver and parents things that can be improved upon. These are only a few of the features within the 2019 Chevy Equinox’s Teen Driver Technology but it will certainly be a game changer for anyone with new drivers. Unfortunately, a comparable technology is not provided by the 2019 Toyota RAV4.

The 2019 Chevy Equinox vs 2019 Toyota RAV4 – Our Recommendation

Ultimately, buying a car is a personal choice, and everyone has different reasons for making different automobile purchasing decisions. When it comes to The 2019 Chevy Equinox vs 2019 Toyota RAV4 decision, one thing we can say is that regardless of which way you go, you’re getting a very good and durable vehicle that will perform for you for the long haul as long as you manage and maintain it properly.

However, you’re most likely not going to be purchasing two vehicles, and while these models are very close in comparison, we’d give the slight edge to the 2019 Chevrolet Equinox. It offers drivers a bit more in terms of engine power, customization options, technology and a more luxurious feel. The Equinox also has been assigned a perfect crash test score by the NHTSA and it comes standard with more convenience than the RAV4. As said, this was not an easy decision, but ultimately one has to decide, and that’s how we’d approach this decision if we had to make it.