The Toyota RAV4 offers stiff competition to its rivals in the same segment. The Subaru Forester, Mazda CX-5, Ford Escape, Volkswagen Tiguan, Chevrolet Equinox, Hyundai Sante Fe Sport, Jeep Compass, Nissan Rogue and Honda CR-V are others we are comparing the Toyota RAV4 with, from the year 2016.

The Toyota RAV4 is an efficient utility vehicle with updated safety systems, secure handling and lots of passenger space, while the Ford Escape is a quick and quiet SUV to drive, but ranks less on comfort and utility.

• The Honda CR-V is functional, with its elevated height giving a good command of the road and enjoys lots of space and features, but has poor performance scores.
• The Hyundai Santa Fe Sport, with a sliding second-row seat, is a good buy because it is bigger than other models listed here and with a long menu of standard features, together with optional packages offered moves it into a higher specification realm.
• The Mazda CX-5 is stylish and athletic with an exalted gas mileage and superior safety features, but the infotainment center is a major drawback.
• The Subaru Forester is good value for money with fantastic all-weather capacity and safety ratings and is a perfect utility vehicle with high ground clearance and a standard AWD.
• The Chevrolet Equinox is smaller, lighter and more popular than before and offers three fuel-efficient, four-cylinder engines, including a turbodiesel option, but with plenty of leg and headroom, what is lacking is cargo space.
• With its upscale interiors, the Volkswagen Tiguan stands for refined driving. It features an AWD, large and well-placed controls with solid driving dynamics, but is not suited for families who need space.
• Finally, the Jeep Compass has an appealing styling and is attractively priced, but its poor crash-test scores and unsophisticated ride quality are its negatives.

All these five seaters are priced between $20,000 and $26,500 approximately, with the Jeep Compass and the Volkswagen Tiguan at either end of the spectrum. The Toyota RAV4 is relatively a good buy of the lot. It is better to always every deal and then make a smart choice.