Toyota RAV4 vs Honda City

What's the difference?

The RAV4 is undeniably better than the last generation, and brings with it a level of driving refinement the most popular car in the world should have.

It also levels up its tech without falling into the overcomplicated, messy systems newcomers to the market think will impress buyers. While the base GX is a sound option, the few extra mod cons in the GXL are worth the extra cash.

But its lack of ANCAP rating is surely a point of anxiety for Toyota, and while the safety systems seem sound, we can’t definitively say this RAV4 is as safe as Toyota claims it is.

If you’re willing to trust Toyota on that, you’ll find a very enjoyable car that’s uncomplicated and efficient. But if those five stars from ANCAP matter to you, give it a few months and see how the new RAV4 performs before you put your money down.

Small sedan sales are on the wane, and as a result, the cars that remain in the market often aren’t the best in a brand’s lineup.

This is the case with the Honda City. While it’s got plenty of space for passengers and it’s economical, the performance of the drivetrain in terms of composure leaves a lot to be desired.

The underdone steering, too, makes the car uncomfortable for passengers more often than not, while the buggy, hard-to-use multimedia system is unforgivable in an almost-$22,000 car.

Put it this way… the larger, newer, more refined base model Honda Civic is tantalisingly close in price to the top-spec City, and we know which side of the dealership we’d be walking towards.

Each RAV4 in the range is more visually distinct than before, but most variants feature a similar honeycomb grille that’s a departure from the ‘safe’ design language Toyota is known for.

The outlier is the Edge variant, which gets a more traditional front-end treatment as well as its 20mm wider wheel tracks to go along with the intended purpose of light off-roading.

Despite the fact Toyota has clearly tried not to change the new RAV4 too much in too many ways compared to the last generation (and why would you when it was already so popular), the new design feels a little more adventurous.

It includes elements of Toyota’s latest design language including the ‘c-shaped’ headlights and more streamlined tail-lights but retains the overall size and shape of the RAV4.

The RAV4 is 4600mm long, 1855mm wide and 1680mm tall, a very similar size to before and as such its interior feels similarly spacious.

Inside, the layout is tidy with a little more visual distinction for controls than the last-gen RAV4.

Updated, sleeker buttons and controls replace the ageing fixtures and large screens make the mid-size SUV feel much more up to modern standards.

The City does a good job of disguising the fact that it’s a micro-sized sedan; at first glance, the revised front bar and grille that’s meant to mimic the one on the new Civic does such a good job that some people will need to look at the bootlid badge to find out it’s not a Civic.

A high waistline and a solid yet stylish sweep over the roof keep the City from looking overly twee, and even though the 16-inch wheels look a bit narrow, the overall impression is one of a larger car.

The interior, too, is spacious and airy, while the controls and steering wheel give the City an upmarket feel. There’s a little too much grey plastic inside, and hard plastics aren’t difficult to spot, but the City presents well, on the whole.

But despite the sleeker look inside the new RAV4, Toyota hasn’t fallen into the trap of shoving as many digital features into the system as possible.

Many newcomer brands create confusing digital environments by having menus upon menus filled with options and features, but Toyota has avoided this by retaining a simple, almost siloed system.

In the multimedia display, navigation, media, phone and settings are the key shortcuts visible down the side of the screen, though a customisable home screen allows you to make the system your own.

It’s far preferable to the many sub-menus and confusing layouts some manufacturers (especially newcomers) use, and means you’re able to focus on driving.

There are also still plenty of physical controls for the key functions of the car, no need to go into digital settings to sort your drive mode or climate.

The new system, dubbed 'Arene' by Toyota, is a much-needed update for the RAV4, bringing it into the current decade when it comes to tech.

Its voice command system is still a little too keen to interrupt, but the general function is extremely easy to get acquainted with.

The interior is also physically extremely sensible, with good vision and light thanks to a low dashboard and large windows, well-considered ergonomic positioning, comfortable seats and storage options.

The centre console storage bin lid is also able to be opened from either side, or removed and flipped between a hard plastic surface or cushioned elbow rest, though a bit of non-slip surface on the plastic side wouldn't go astray.

Behind the front seats, the second row passengers don’t have a massive amount of amenity, but are far from cramped. The vents, armrest with cupholder, bottle storage in the door and document holder on the backs of the seats are all quite standard, though the outboard seats are heated in the top spec Cruiser.

Behind that, a huge 705L of space in the boot includes a netted pocket if you opt for the Edge grade, plus there's a proper spare wheel under the boot floor. Wins all round.

Up front, the City is a great fit even for taller drivers, and its height-adjustable seat also means that the, err, less vertically inclined pilot can find a comfortable position behind the tilt-and-reach adjustable wheel.

A regular gear shifter and manual handbrake means the two cupholders are squashed under the centre console, but there are bottle holders in all four doors, as well as two more cupholders in the rear centre armrest in the VTi-L.

The VTi-L also gains two extra 12-volt accessory power points in the rear to complement the USB and a third 12V point up front, while the keyless entry system is not something you’d usually find on a car at this price point.

Sadly, the City’s multimedia system lets the side down - big time. Try as we might, we couldn’t connect a phone to our tester, no matter what we did, and it’s just utterly unintuitive to use in most situations.

It’s a bit of a rude shock, actually; most manufacturers have media systems sorted, but there’s simply not a even a half-decent one in any Honda that’s currently on sale. And there's no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, though you can find those mirroring systems in the larger Civic.

Rear seating has adequate headroom – just – for taller teens, and there isn’t a lot of compromise required from front seaters to comfortably accommodate four people. Five? That’s getting crowded, but it can be done.

Two ISOFIX baby seat fixtures are present, along with three top-tether mounts. Boot space measures 536 litres - which is actually 12 litres bigger than that of the new Camry - while both rear seats fold flat(ish) to increase load capacity further.

A good point; the seats can be unlatched via boot-mounted buttons. A bad point; you still have to reach in and push the seats down by hand. A space saver spare nestles under the boot floor, as well.

The top shelf VTi-L is the best of a two-model lineup, and costs $21,590 plus on-road costs. It comes with an 88kW 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and a continuously variable transmission driving the front wheels, as well as LED daytime lamps, a part-leather interior, push-button start and smart key, climate control air conditioning, 16-inch alloys and a 7.0-inch touchscreen multimedia system with sat nav and Bluetooth phone and audio streaming.

It also has a leather-bound steering wheel and gear shifter, and map pockets on both seat backs.

It does miss out on a lot of other stuff, though, including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability, automatic lights (remember when a car last beeped at you to turn off the lights? Me neither...) and automatic wipers, and it also misses out on driver aids like auto emergency braking (AEB).

It starts to look a bit dear when you look at similarly priced cars - even from the next size sector up - that do offer inclusions like AEB and automatic headlights, though the small sedan is a bit of a rarity in the Aussie market now.

Its only like-for-like rivals in the space are the Mazda2 sedan and the Hyundai Accent sedan. Other potential competitors like the Ford Fiesta sedan and, more recently, the Toyota Yaris sedan have been deleted from local line-ups after years of declining sales, while the subsequent rise of the compact SUV will continue to have an impact on the so-called 'light car' market.

The 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine with series-parallel hybrid is less powerful than before, but Toyota says it did this for better efficiency and has made up for it with improvements to the battery and electric motors.

The figures are now 143kW and 221Nm (in 2WD and AWD variants), the power down from 160kW in the last generation. All RAV4s still use a continuously variable transmission (CVT).

Basically, lower numbers, but performance on par with the current RAV4 Hybrid according to Toyota.

The i-VTEC four-cylinder 1.5-litre single cam engine is naturally aspirated, and it makes its 88kW at a high 6600rpm, while its modest 145Nm of torque peaks at 4600rpm.

It means the CVT gearbox needs to work pretty hard to get the best from the engine, which has been superseded by a twin-cam version in other markets.

The new RAV4’s efficiency is of much interest, obviously, and with figures claimed at 0.2L less per 100km over the last RAV4, it’s another case of incremental improvements.

The 2WD comes with a claimed 4.5L/100km, the AWD with 4.6L. During testing we saw numbers as low as 6.8L and 6.9L, respectively, and that was giving it the beans in some pretty twisty mountain roads.

Keep in mind the RAV4 needs 95 RON minimum now, rather than the 91 RON it could deal with before.

The underdone performance does offer a benefit at the petrol pump, with the City returning a claimed 5.9 litres per 100km on the combined fuel economy cycle.

A 320km test loop netted us a dash-indicated figure of 6.3 litres per 100km, which is impressively close.

The 40-litre fuel tank is happy to accept standard unleaded petrol, too.

Put it this way - the RAV4 doesn’t feel like it’s lacking power. Despite the lower output, the new generation car doesn’t seem to struggle with having enough pick-up to keep moving along, even in spirited driving.

The first time I properly took off it surprised me with how punchy the response was. And from there on the new RAV continued to impress.

It’s one of a few things that, dare I say, makes the RAV4 rather fun to drive.

Like its predecessor, it’s built on the 'TNGA' platform, which underpins pretty much everything Toyota builds these days.

It’s a well-sorted basis for a car, making even this relatively large family SUV feel nimble.

Some changes to the suspension help here, too. New geometry and spring and damper rates mean the RAV4 is sharper and better controlled than before.

That control comes with the trade-off that it’s not always cloud-soft, but given Australian preferences and the need to keep the rubber on our rough as guts roads, Toyota has the balance right here.

It also hasn’t seemed to matter massively whether the RAV4 is front- or all-wheel drive even in the wet on twisty Tassie roads. The 2WD requires a little more care being flung into corners but the mid-sizer holds its own well enough.

There’s clearly more ability in the RAV4 than it’ll make known, almost as to keep the driver behaving safely just in case, while being confident in knowing the RAV4 is more capable than many will ever find out.

It’s handled high speeds, sharp corners and unsealed roads to a higher degree than anyone would reasonably expect of a family SUV.

It helps that the steering, throttle and braking are all well-calibrated. Planting your foot brings urgency without a jolt, there’s no guesswork in the steering and the brakes won’t have you lurching at a tap but can pull you up rather rapidly if needed.

It’s easy to drive, which is pretty big compliment and surely one of the key goals for the engineering team.

Weighing just 1100kg, you’d expect the 1.5-litre powered City to have a bit of get up and go… but unfortunately it’s already gotten up and left by the time you drive off.

The 1.5-litre naturally aspirated engine is a carryover unit from the previous generation, and it feels like it, too. It’s also teamed with a CVT gearbox that isn’t a patch on more up-to-date trannies from the likes of Subaru and Toyota.

On any sort of incline, the CVT ups the revs of the engine to a point between bloody annoying and mildly painful, too. The VTi can be ordered with a manual gearbox, which has to be better than the CVT in this example.

The underdamped suspension tune is adequate for light duties around town, but the electric steering feel very odd underhand, especially at the very beginning of a turn.

There’s a big initial motion at the front wheels when you start to turn which then quickly tapers off, meaning that you have to be ultra precise with your steering to prevent the City from lurching into the corner and falling over its soft suspension.

On light throttle, with no hills and few corners, though, the City is just fine…

As mentioned, the City misses out on AEB and other driver aids, but does offer emergency brake assist and emergency flashing brake lights, as well as hill-start assist.

Full-length curtain airbags are offered along with dual front and front side 'bags, and there's a reversing camera. The City holds a maximum five-star ANCAP rating, which it has had since it was tested back in 2014.

Toyota’s standard five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty is not just disappointing compared to other mainstream brands, but should be much higher given the brand is the biggest in the country (and world) and trades on its reputation for reliability.

The warranty can be extended to seven years from delivery if you maintain your logbook servicing with Toyota dealerships, but even then it falls short of Nissan and Mitsubishi’s 10-year (also servicing-conditional) warranties.

Capped-price servicing costs $325 per service and is available for five years or 75,000km, with intervals every 12 months or 15,000km.

Toyota boast a long-established national network of around 300 dealers covering all states and territories including major cities and key regional and rural centres.

Honda sells the City with a five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty, while a no-catch seven-year, unlimited kilometre warranty is occasionally offered with its cars, along with premium roadside assistance for the life of the longer warranty.

Both warranties are also transferable to the next owner, should you sell your car before the warranty expires.

A fixed-price servicing regime is in place for the City, too, starting at $259 and peaking at $297. But Honda asks for the City to be serviced every six months or 10,000km, which does add to the cost of running the car.