Ford Everest vs Toyota RAV4

What's the difference?

To answer the question we posed at the beginning, the Everest Tremor is very much a worthy addition to the range, but it succeeds in being an attention-grabber too. While the new Prado will certainly garner plenty of would-be buyers, and Ford will do well to keep its #1 spot in the large SUV sales race in 2025, the Everest Tremor keeps the Blue Oval in contention.

It succeeds by expanding the breadth of the Everest line-up, its more serious off-road elements - new suspension, bash plates, etc - elevate it beyond what the Sport and Trend can offer buyers. So it creates an opportunity to find new buyers to attract to the Ford showroom and draw at least some attention away from the Prado.

The Toyota RAV4 Cruiser Hybrid 2WD model reaffirms why the RAV4 is so popular in Australia. It offers families space, convenience and features in a well-priced and handsome package. The cabin noise might be an ick for some but for everything else this model offers it could be overlooked.

Ford wanted to make sure the Tremor stood out from the Platinum, Sport and Trend models, with a tougher, more purposeful look. So they made a number of small but significant design changes.

For starters, the new suspension, wheel and tyre combination adds 29mm of ride height, so it sits taller. The Tremor also gets a unique front end, with what Ford calls an ‘off-road grille’, that includes integrated auxiliary lights into each side.

The 17-inch alloys are unique to the Tremor, too, which further differentiates the looks. There’s also unique ‘Tremor’ badging in orange and black Ford badging at the rear.

But it isn’t just about style, there’s genuine functionality to the design, with the steel bash plate underneath and recovery hooks to get you out of trouble if you need it (or help someone else out).

The Tremor is only available in four colours, and notably only 'Arctic White' is included in the price, with 'Shadow Black', 'Meteor Grey' and the unique-to-Tremor 'Command Grey' adding $700 to the price.

Inside there’s unique Tremor seats, with 'Medium Dark Grey Urban' stitching and 'Precision Grey' inserts, plus all-weather floor mats. They’re subtle elements, but they do really make the Tremor feel unique in the Everest line-up.

In anticipation of the next-gen model, there hasn't been any design changes for the RAV4 - it remains a good-looking family SUV despite being a little heavy-handed with its angles.

Some external design highlights include garage friendly dimensions and a host of black accents across the body, including 18-inch alloy wheels that help to create an edgy kerb-side appeal.

Head inside and the RAV4 Cruiser offers a premium cabin-feel with its leather upholstery and large tech screens that headline the dashboard.

As always, there is a sense that design is based on functionality rather than style, which is typical of Toyota, but the simplicity makes the cabin relaxing to be in.

You’re not overwhelmed by touchpads or gadgets as can be the case in other new cars and there is a certain charm about that.

Obviously there’s no change to the space inside the Tremor compared to the rest of the Everest range, so it is still a spacious seven-seat SUV. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t a major development when it comes to the space offered by Ford in its large SUV.

Namely, the launch of the new Prado and the revelation that the new hybrid system compromises the packaging in the rear of the seven-seat models, meaning the third-row seats can’t fold down into the floor and a raised riser drawer has been added.

While Toyota claims the Prado has 906L of space with the third row folded down, that’s a statistical advantage only due to the nature of the packaging.

By contrast, the Everest doesn’t have a draw and instead it’s a flat, deep floor with the third row folded down flush with the floor.

So while the Everest boot measures 898L, in practical, real-world terms the Ford is better and more usable. 

As a kicker, with the third-row seats up, the Everest claims 259L compared to the Prado’s 182L, so all around the Everest is a more practical choice for those who need to carry a lot.

As for the rest of the interior, the new seats look good and offer nice space and support up front, while the second row is good for a couple of adults or three smaller kids and the third row is what you’d expect in an SUV - tight but usable for shorter trips.

The multimedia system is unchanged, too, so it’s the same easy to use 'Ford SYNC' set-up with a tablet-style touchscreen.

One notable new feature for the Tremor is a 400W inverter with a household outlet in the second row, which is handy for road trips or camping.

The RAV4 continues to impress with its practicality.

Access and comfort for both rows is excellent. The heat and cool functions for the front seats are perfect for all seasons and the two-position memory function on the driver’s side is handy if you often share driving duties with your partner.  

The rear row seating is well-padded and middle seaters will love the legroom the lower transmission tunnel offers. Head- and legroom is good in both rows, even for taller adults.

Amenities and storage are also great throughout the car.

Front rowers enjoy a decently sized middle console which I can squeeze my small handbag into, a glove box, two cupholders, two drink bottle holders, a phone tray and two shelves in the dashboard. You also get a sunglasses holder!

In the rear you get a single map pocket, two cupholders and two drink bottle holders, which is enough for my little family of three.

In terms of technology, you get a bunch and the usability is great.

The 10.5-inch touchscreen multimedia system looks really nice and is now the same system that Lexus uses, which is a big plus as it’s much easier to use than the previous Toyota one. The next-gen model should see this upgraded to a 12.3-inch system, which is more in line with its rivals.

You also get built-in satellite navigation, wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto. CarPlay maintains a strong connection.

There's a multitude of charging options throughout, including a USB-A port, four USB-C ports, a 12-volt socket and a wireless charging pad.

Rounding out the cabin is a boot that offers plenty of space with its 580L capacity and you get a temporary spare tyre, as well as, a retractable cargo cover.

However, the quality of the cargo cover isn't the best and it would be easier to use if it had a handle to grip onto.

The Cruiser model comes with a powered tailgate, which is always handy but the 'warning' alert as it opens or descends is very loud. Truck-reversing-beeping loud. Everyone will know when you open the boot!

The model line-up for the RAV4 consists of five variants with each available in front- or all-wheel drive.

The model on test for this review is the Hybrid Cruiser 2WD, which sits second-from-the-top in the line-up and is priced from $51,410 MSRP.

This price tag nudges it to the top of its rivals, the GWM Haval H6 Ultra Hybrid ($45,990 MSRP) and Nissan X-Trail e-Power ST-L ($50,490 MSRP) but the standard equipment for the Cruiser highlights its overall good value.

Premium features include leather-appointed upholstery, electric front seats with heat and ventilation functions, two-position memory function for the driver's seat, a sunroof and carpet mats.

Technology has had a good look in recently with the 10.5-inch touchscreen multimedia system now powered by the Lexus system (much easier to use) and a customisable 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster.

Other tech includes built-in satellite navigation, a nine-speaker JBL sound system, USB-A port, four USB-C ports, a 12-volt socket, a wireless charging pad, digital radio, digital rear view mirror, and a 'Toyota Connect' app with over-the-air updates.

Practical items include keyless entry and start, rain-sensing wipers, dusk-sensing LED headlights, dual-zone climate control, a powered tailgate and directional air-vents in the rear.

For the grade level and compared to its rivals, the Cruiser more than holds its own.

The Everest Tremor is only offered with the 184kW/600Nm 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel, a complete reversal from the Ranger Tremor, which was only available with Ford’s 2.0-litre twin-turbo diesel.

The V6 is paired to a 10-speed automatic transmission and comes standard with Ford’s permanent 4WD system, which features a rear diff lock for more challenging off-road adventures.

Ford said it made this decision to provide Everest Tremor buyers with more grunt, befitting its place at the top of the range, and provide the full 3500kg towing capacity. Although, in this day-and-age, the extra choice would have been nice, as the 2.0-litre engine is an impressive unit for its size.

All RAV4 models have a continuously variable automatic transmission and the same hybrid combination of a 2.5L four-cylinder petrol engine and electric motor which combine to produce up to 160kW of power and 221Nm of torque for front-wheel-drive models. 

The combo delivers decent power for an SUV of this size.

Ford claims the Everest Tremor uses 9.5L/100km of diesel, but thanks to our largely off-road first drive we couldn’t give that a real-world evaluation.

The Everest is fitted with an 80-litre fuel tank, which means a theoretical driving range of more than 840km, which is what you need for a serious off-road adventure.

The Toyota hybrid powertrain produces the lowest official combined fuel cycle figure compared to its rivals at just 4.7L/100km and the best theoretical driving range of up to 1170km courtesy of its 55L fuel tank.

After covering a mix of open-road and urban driving this week, the on-test figure is 5.5L/100km, which proves Toyota does hybrids well.

Given its off-road focus, Ford prioritised unsealed roads for our first experience with the Everest Tremor and we tackled some genuinely rugged terrain outside of Melbourne.

In addition to the new Bilstein suspension, new springs and new tyres, the Everest Tremor adds the 'Rock Crawl' mode to its array of seven drive modes.

It must be noted, though, that all the examples we drove on the launch were fitted with the Rough Terrain Pack, so had the extended underbody protection, which certainly helped at various times.

Having said that, the Everest Tremor acquitted itself with ease across a variety of terrain. In '4 Low' the Tremor was capable of navigating across rocks, through mud and water, and then through some extremely deep ruts.

In fact, the non-Tremor Everests Ford had on the launch were directed to avoid some of the obstacles as they would likely have struggled to conquer them. However, it must be said, that despite the extra ride height, the extended underbody protection was heavily relied on as we often found the belly of the Tremor scraping on the deeper ruts.

While Ford was keen to focus on its off-road capability, CarsGuide was able to spend an extended period driving the Tremor around Melbourne city and suburbs. Despite its size and off-road prowess, it has very nice on-road manners and felt comfortable and easy to live with in the urban environment.

The RAV4 Hybrid Cruiser 2WD is stupidly easy to drive which is one of its best qualities.

The driver is front and centre for design, so you don’t have to take your eyes off the road to twiddle with climate controls or changing your music. That makes the driving feel… well, cruisy.

Power delivery is mostly smooth and offers decent punch when you need to put your foot down. However, it can be laggy off the mark from a cold-start, so take care when crossing traffic.

Suspension feels well-tuned for our Aussie roads, even the regional ones, but never feels floaty. This is well-grounded but you do get some roll in corners.

A drawback is the cabin is annoyingly loud once you hit the open-road and there is a wind-whistle near the driver that drove me nuts.

There are also a lot of squeaky/rubbing noises when you hit bumpy roads. However, it is a refined experience around town, when engine noise is all but nil. The urban environment is where it shines. 

The steering is direct with a tight 11.4m turning circle, which makes the RAV4 easy to park. It also helps that the 360-degree view camera set-up is top-notch, which is not always the case for Toyota, and you get front and rear parking sensors too. 

The RAV4 has a maximum five-star ANCAP rating from testing done in 2019 and has seven-airbags but doesn’t have a front-centre airbag yet. 

It has high individual scores for protection, scoring 93 per cent for adult, 89 per cent for child, 85 per cent for vulnerable road-user, and 83 per cent for its safety assist systems.

The RAV4 has AEB with car, pedestrian and cyclist functions, operational from 10-80km/h (180km/h for car) but it is usual to see the system operational from 5.0km/h.

Standard crash-avoidance safety kit includes blind-spot monitoring, an SOS call button, emergency steering assist, driver attention alert, a rear occupant alert, rear and forward collision warning, rear cross-traffic alert and lane departure alert.

There's also lane keeping aid, traffic sign recognition, an intelligent seatbelt warning, adaptive cruise control with stop/go functionality, a 360-degree view camera system as well as front and rear parking sensors.

You also get a digital rear view mirror, which is great when you have compromised vision out the back window.

There are ISOFIX child seat mounts and three top tethers in the rear row. You might be able to get three seats across but two will fit best.

Ford is offering a ‘Pre-Paid Service Plan’ to cover the first five years or 75,000km worth of servicing across the Everest line-up (as well as Ranger).

This costs $1516, which averages out to just over $300 per year, but it’s worth noting that pre-paying locks in that price. Which is important, because Ford has been increasing the prices since it introduced this deal in 2022.

The RAV4 is offered with a five-year/unlimited km warranty, but you add two more years if you service exclusively with Toyota and on schedule.

There is a five-year capped-priced servicing program and it costs just $260 per service, which is very competitive for the class.

Servicing intervals are reasonable at every 12-months or 15,000km whichever occurs first.