Should I buy a 2023 Toyota RAV4 hybrid or Nissan X-Trail hybrid?

For a long time, the world of hybrid medium SUVs has been a one-horse race, with the Toyota RAV4 hybrid dominating sales ever since it arrived in Australia in 2019.

Despite lengthy customer delays for hybrid models, the RAV4 still managed to top its segment last year, with an almost 20 per cent market share in the medium SUV space.

Hybrid variants also far outsold full-petrol variants, with 26,457 sales compared to 8298 last year. That continues to be the case in 2023, with Toyota already selling 2913 hybrid RAV4 models in the first two months of the year. 

However, the RAV4’s miracle run could be coming to an end, with more than a few viable alternatives starting to appear in its rear-view mirror. 

One of the most intriguing rivals is the hybrid version of Nissan’s new-generation X-Trail.

The two medium SUVs share a similar price point, cabin size and target market, but utilise vastly different hybrid systems to differing levels of success. 

So, should Toyota be worried about the fresh-faced Nissan?

To find out, we’re comparing the flagship versions of both cars – the 2023 Toyota RAV4 Edge Hybrid and the 2023 Nissan X-Trail Ti-L e-Power hybrid.

We’ll investigate how both of them perform in key areas like interior practicality, value for money, driver feel and, the all-important factor in this segment, fuel economy. 

Is the RAV4 hybrid still the superior purchase, or can the X-Trail hybrid dethrone the segment mainstay?

Toyota’s RAV4 Edge Hybrid sits at the top of the RAV4 range priced from $56,650 before on-road costs.

Toyota offers the option of hybrid power across the RAV4 range, but the outdoor adventure-themed RAV4 Edge is the only variant that comes with all-wheel drive only, with front-drive available on other models in the range.

It’s powered by a 2.5-litre, four-cylinder non-turbo petrol engine with front and rear electric motors, with combined outputs of 163kW. Because of the way the Toyota hybrid system 'splits' power, and can vary hybrid system outputs, the RAV4 sends power to the wheels via an e-CVT continuously variable automatic transmission.

As standard, the Edge Hybrid gets a nine-speaker JBL sound system, 'Softex' faux leather trim, 19-inch alloy wheels, heated and ventilated front seats, a sunroof, ambient interior lighting and slightly different styling to the rest of the range, with different bumpers and a chunkier grille for a more off-road-ready look.

The only option available for the Edge is premium paint, for the Mineral Blue you see here attracts a $675 surcharge. That sees the total price (in Melbourne) ring up to $62,670 drive-away.

The Nissan X-Trail Ti-L e-Power is the most expensive X-Trail money can buy starting at $57,190 before on-road costs.

There are only two hybrid X-Trail grades available, both offering all-wheel-drive capabilities, a single-speed automatic transmission and five seats (you can’t have seven seats on the hybrid models). 

The slightly more affordable Ti e-Power grade starts at $54,190 plus on-road costs.

Of course, given it’s the flagship, my X-Trail Ti-L is fully loaded with all of Nissan’s safety, convenience and comfort features.

On the Ti-L, you get equipment like nappa leather seats with heating in the front and rear, a 10-speaker Bose sound system, 20-inch alloy wheels, a heated steering wheel, a panoramic sunroof and a power tailgate.

My test car was also wearing a two-tone colour scheme consisting of champagne-hued metallic paint with a gloss black roof and accents, adding $1200 to the purchase price.

In total, my test car came to $63,031 drive-away for a Melbourne postcode – only $360 more expensive than Kez’s RAV4 hybrid in drive-away form. 

Much like the Toyota RAV4 hybrid, the X-Trail hybrid is all-wheel drive and doesn’t require plugging in to charge, but that’s pretty much where the similarities end.

Unlike the RAV4 hybrid, the X-Trail’s petrol engine exists solely to power the car’s battery, which in turn runs the front and rear electric motors.

In some high-load situations, the generator can bypass the battery and power the electric motors directly, but the engine has no connection to wheels or driveline.

Although the 1.5-litre, three-cylinder petrol engine has measurable outputs of 106kW and 250Nm, those don’t actually count towards driving the car. Rather, the X-Trail’s combined system output is 157kW from the front and rear electric motors, but a combined torque figure isn’t supplied. 

Nissan’s way of thinking with its e-Power hybrid is that by minimising peaks and troughs of engine demand, and creating steadier conditions for the petrol engine, it can deliver peak efficiency.

The RAV4's interior, like the exterior, gets a few little touches for an optical off-road look that adds some orange highlights to help break up the sea of dark finishes.

Front seat space is generous, and the driver's seat features power adjustment, but there's no memory function. The passenger seat retains manual adjustment.

Seats are trimmed in a leather-look trim called Softex, and the front seats score heating and ventilation.

Front seat storage sees some clever touches from the larger Kluger adapted to the RAV4, so there's an open storage shelf in front of the front seat passenger, plus a smaller version of the same to the right of the steering column. A wireless charge pad at the base of the centre stack, and a pair of deep cupholders, with a generously proportioned upper section mean there are plenty of storage options.

The door bins aren't huge but can easily accommodate bottles, while the lidded centre console is perhaps a little compact compared to how much storage there is elsewhere.

Overhead, front seat occupants can soak up the sun via a small powered sunroof. Unlike the panoramic roof in the petrol RAV4 Edge, however, this one doesn't extend to the rear row of seats and has a manual blind.

Rear seat travellers get a decent amount of room, albeit not really class-leading in terms of features or dimensions. The basics are covered with air vents through the back of the centre console, a compact door pocket in each door, a single map pocket, and a pair of USB ports to meet the demands of rear seaters' entertainment needs.

There are a few things missing from others in the class, like inbuilt window shades, rear seat heating, and third-zone climate control – all three of which feature in the X-Trail.

The 60:40 folding rear seat makes expanding cargo space easy, although the releases are on the seats themselves and can't be dropped from inside the boot. The boot itself measures 542L, which is decent, but is the runner-up here.

Boot access is via powered tailgate, with access from the remote or a button on the rear of the car, but not via a foot-swipe. A retractable cover has provision to stow itself under the floor, although the need to clip out sections of the boot floor makes this a little fiddly.

The boot carpet itself can be flipped 180 degrees, with a wipe-clean plastic backing to help keep muddy or dirty items from doing too much damage inside the boot.

The interior of the top-spec Nissan X-Trail hybrid feels comfortable yet premium, with enough practicality to serve growing families. 

In the front seat, the dashboard is finished in a combination of black and brown leather, accented with a faux wood grain that lends an upmarket look. 

The nappa leather seats are lovely and supple without sacrificing on support and offer electric adjustment with memory settings for both the driver and passenger, plus heating for the front and rear (although, unlike the RAV4, there’s no ventilation). 

The same smooth leather adorns the steering wheel, which is also heated.

Front-seat storage is ample, with two cupholders, large bottle holders in the doors, a segmented centre console storage compartment with butterfly-opening lid and a wireless phone charger.

The centre console also features a floating design that allows for a sizeable under-console storage space perfect for a small handbag. 

The entire area is accommodating, and the sense of space is greatly enhanced by the massive glass sunroof, which opens up impressively wide and is equipped with an effective automatic cover. It’s larger and far more impactful than the RAV4’s comparatively shrunken sunroof. 

I particularly loved how the sunroof and associated cover could both be partially or fully opened, meaning I could enjoy the wind in my hair while keeping the sun out of my tiny back-seat occupant’s eyes.

Thoughtful design inclusions carry through to the back seat, where rear occupants are treated to more than just one map pocket and an armrest. Instead, they score their own heated seats, climate controls and in-built sunshades. 

The doors also open to an almost 90-degree angle, making loading and unloading children and large objects a breeze.

As in the RAV4’s back seat, I also appreciated that the ISOFIX tether points on the rear outboard seats were easily accessible and not buried out of sight. There are three top-tether points over the back of the rear seat too.

The back seat folds in a 40:20:40 split, still allowing for boot access through the middle of the backrest, even with two child seats installed. 

The X-Trail hybrid’s boot allows for 575L of cargo space, which is 10L less than full-petrol five-seat X-Trail models, but still larger than the RAV4’s 542L boot. 

Nissan’s ‘Divide and Hide’ storage system allows for endless configuration and the boot is equipped with a power tailgate (unlike the RAV4’s, it offers hands-free access), a retractable fabric cargo blind, a 12-volt outlet and four tie-down points.

Although larger than the RAV4’s boot, the X-Trail’s boot sacrifices some underfloor storage due to the placement of the hybrid system’s battery, which creates a bump under the floor.

As a result, there’s nowhere to store the cargo blind when it’s removed and no room for a temporary spare wheel, with a tyre repair kit provided instead. 

The 2023 Toyota RAV4 gets an infotainment upgrade, with the Edge picking up a new 10.5-inch touchscreen and a 12.3-inch digital driver display. Right now, though, demand is so high that even Toyota itself couldn't supply us a car with the current infotainment system, so instead the smaller 8.0-inch infotainment and 7.0-inch instrument displays are shown here.

The infotainment we have here is a little bit basic. It’s simple to use, but the graphics feel a bit old hat, the 360-degree camera is low quality, and the maps aren’t the easiest to use.

You do get Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, however, plus digital radio. Newer cars get a solid operating system overhaul. We’ve tried it out in the Corolla Cross, and the system is quicker to respond, with better graphics and added features like Toyota Connect for remote access from your smartphone.

The X-Trail Ti-L grade gets Nissan’s full buffet of infotainment, including wireless Apple CarPlay, wired Android Auto, Bluetooth connectivity, a 10-speaker Bose sound system, AM/FM/DAB digital radio, satellite navigation and a wireless phone charger.

I found the wireless Apple CarPlay occasionally dropped out and was a bit fussy to reconnect, but this was far outweighed by the convenience of not having to carry cables around with me. 

The infotainment system is all managed out of an attractive, well-positioned 12.3-inch touchscreen with bright graphics, straightforward functionality, and very few native menu options. 

In addition to the touchscreen, there’s also a 12.3-inch driver display and 10.8-inch head-up display – the latter of which is missing from the RAV4. 

The dual screens certainly elevate the cabin and make it feel slightly more modern and high-tech than those adorning the RAV4’s dashboard. 

The RAV4 holds a five-star ANCAP rating based on results from 2019.

It scored 93 per cent for adult occupant protection, 89 per cent for child occupant protection, 85 per cent for vulnerable road user protections, and 83 per cent for its safety assist technologies.

Every RAV4 is fitted with seven airbags, including dual frontal, side chest-protecting and side head-protecting airbags, plus a driver's knee airbag.

Both the RAV4 and the X-Trail receive a five-star safety rating from ANCAP, but the X-Trail’s is more recent from 2021.

It scored 91 per cent for adult occupant protection, 90 per cent for child occupant protection, 74 per cent for vulnerable road user protection, and 97 per cent for its safety assist technologies.

Every X-Trail is fitted with seven airbags, including dual frontal, side chest-protecting and side head-protecting airbags, plus a centre airbag for front-seat occupants.

The list of standard safety and driver assist tech in the RAV4 includes autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian and daytime cyclist detection, front and rear parking sensors, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane centring and lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise control, traffic sign recognition, and auto high beam.

While the car we've tested here doesn't have it, for MY23 autonomous emergency braking adds junction assist, and an SOS call function that can contact emergency services in the event of an emergency on all models in the range. Another new upgrade is a higher quality 360-degree camera for the RAV4 Edge, including an underfloor view to see what's in the area under the car.

Toyota offers adjustability for some of the driver assist functions, like the lane centring, which I find obtrusive in its most sensitive setting, but which behaves much more naturally when dialled back. If you've got a RAV4, it's worth getting your car set up right to make the most of the safety tech.

The low-resolution 360-degree camera we tested is a bit of a disappointment, with gaps at the corners of the car and little in the way of detail to see what's around the vehicle. The aforementioned upgrade to this system was a good call by Toyota, especially alongside the sharp, clear Nissan system.

Like the RAV4, the X-Trail has AEB with pedestrian and cyclist detection and junction assist, a rear cross-traffic alert, front and rear parking sensors, adaptive cruise control, traffic sign recognition, blind-spot monitoring and lane-departure warnings. 

However, the X-Trail has a few safety features that the RAV4 doesn’t, including a centre airbag, a tyre pressure monitoring system and a driver attention alert, plus the blind-spot monitoring system offers active intervention.

Nissan’s ProPilot system is also included on the top-spec Ti-L, combining active cruise control with lane-keeping assist to keep you centred in your lane and maintain a safe distance from the car in front.

This is a useful and effective remedy for the monotony of longer drives and works well in all traffic conditions, but still requires oversight and some occasional intervention. 

Other driver assistance features range from gimmick to game-changer. 

Similar to the RAV4, the X-Trail features an intelligent rear-view mirror that, when engaged via a tab on the bottom of the mirror, displays a camera feed of what’s behind the car in case your visibility is compromised by passengers or a fully loaded boot. 

A far more helpful feature is the intelligent around-view monitor on the X-Trail, which offers a clear, remarkably precise bird’s-eye view of the X-Trail when parking and manoeuvring.

Along with this overhead view, the infotainment screen also supplies a handy kerb-view camera feed to assist in parallel parking.

Toyota’s capped-price service program is among the cheapest available. Each RAV4 service for the first five visits costs just $260, at 12-month or 15,000km intervals.

Toyota offers a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty to private buyers, and adds two years of engine and driveline warranty if you stick to the recommended service schedule, and up to 10 years' warranty on the high-voltage hybrid battery if you keep up with what Toyota calls "annual hybrid health checks".

Commercial users, so taxis, ride-share, and similar miss out, however, with Toyota implementing a five-year/160,000km cap on warranty coverage for those buyers.

Toyota claims an official fuel consumption figure of 4.8 litres per 100km. At first, in mostly urban use, my consumption was sitting at 5.4L/100km, and by the end of the day that crept to 5.8L/100km.

As an added little cost saving, the RAV4 hybrid is capable of running on regular 91-octane unleaded.

The Toyota RAV4 Edge Hybrid will cost $1460.49 per year for comprehensive insurance based on a comparative quote for a 35-year-old male driver living in Chatswood, NSW. Insurance estimates may vary based on your location, driving history, and personal circumstances.

Nissan offers capped-price servicing for the X-Trail for six years at a total cost of $3051, or an average of $508.50 per year – almost double the cost of an annual service for the RAV4 hybrid.

Additionally, Nissan places service intervals at 12 months or 10,000km, which is slightly shorter than the industry average of 15,000km between services.

Nissan offers a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty to private buyers, but places a 200,000km cap for commercial use for taxis, hire cars, ride-share and delivery vehicles.

The Nissan X-Trail Ti-L e-Power will cost $1189.13 to insure based on a comparative quote for a 35-year-old male driver living in Chatswood, NSW. Insurance estimates may vary based on your location, driving history, and personal circumstances.

Interestingly, that's a marginally cheaper quote than the one I received for the regular petrol X-Trail Ti-L, which will cost $1306.07 to insure per year, and it’s also cheaper than some of its competitors, including the RAV4 hybrid and the Subaru Forester hybrid, which returned a quote of $1276.34.

Unfortunately, unlike the RAV4 hybrid, Nissan recommends using 95-octane premium unleaded petrol.

All-wheel-drive versions of the RAV4 hybrid have a claimed mixed-use fuel consumption rating of 4.8 litres per 100 kilometres. In the spectrum of the medium SUV market, that's a solid figure and stands out as one of the most efficient in its class before you go down the well of plug-in hybrids and their lower-still ratings.

While Toyota rates urban consumption at 5.0L/100km and highway driving at 4.8L/100km, our town use was often higher, hovering around the mid to high sixes, while highway driving dropped into the low fives.

After a week of driving, the final figure settled at 5.8L/100km, with no real attempt made to hypermile or concentrate on getting the best result.

The RAV4 is also happy to accept 91-octane regular petrol, so there's no need to dig deeper for premium unleaded.

Nissan claims fuel economy of 6.1L/100km for the X-Trail hybrid over a mix of freeway and urban driving, but my week of driving was predominantly conducted around town in terrible traffic. 

The lowest figure I saw was 5.3L/100km during a clear freeway run with little traffic, but for the most part it sat between 7–8L/100km around town, and I even saw as high as 9.0L/100km in bumper-to-bumper traffic. 

After a week, it settled on 7.3L/100km – not bad for a medium SUV, but not particularly impressive for a hybrid. 

Of course, this could improve over a longer term of testing, but I'm still not convinced it will be as effortlessly efficient as the RAV4. 

It also requires premium petrol with a minimum octane rating of 95, which is a noteworthy added cost over and above the RAV4 hybrid, which only requires 91 unleaded.

The key difference between Toyota's well-known hybrid system and Nissan's newer approach to hybridisation is that the RAV4's petrol engine or electric motors can power the car, either separately or in combination depending on driving conditions.

That means it's possible to scoot around car parks or in and out of driveways without troubling the petrol engine. At a certain point, though, usually somewhere around the 25–35km/h mark, the petrol motor will chime in to assist, and it's here that the accelerator response can feel a little numb, making the RAV4 feel less alert around town.

It's no great detriment, but it does take some getting used to, particularly when the electric-only driving phase is actually quite alert.

Still, Toyota's hybrid approach is cool, calm and collected most of the time. There can be a bit of under-bonnet ruckus if you accelerate hard, breaking the silence, but so often the system works in a way that's unobtrusive.

Even at freeway speeds, the hybrid system can shut down the petrol engine and maintain speed in electric power alone. It's a neat trick.

On the road the RAV4 feels its size, which is to say it's not too big or cumbersome for narrow streets or tight driveways, but it has enough stability and presence to confidently take to the freeway without any undesirable behaviours.

Ride quality is a touch softer than that of the X-Trail, and over road patches and potholes the RAV4 is a little more forgiving, but at the same time a little less alert. It's the duller of the pair when it comes to hustling through bends – not that either of these cars is a born corner-carver.

By the slightest of margins there's a little more weight to the Toyota's steering, perhaps giving it an edge for open-road cruising, but hands the advantage to the X-Trail if you're more likely to be navigating smaller spaces.

For the most part, though, Toyota's hybrid is simply perfectly normal to drive. There are no specialised modes, and unlike the X-Trail no one-pedal driving mode like you'd find in an electric vehicle.

One of the major advantages of the X-Trial’s e-Power hybrid powertrain is that it provides an electric vehicle driving experience, most of the time. 

While other hybrids – like the RAV4 – tend to only run on electric power at low speeds or for short distances, the X-Trail e-Power can use electric power for longer.

It’s quick, quiet and smooth – gliding along without any gruffness from the engine, even in instances of heavy acceleration. The system is set up so that the electric motors turn the wheels at all times; the petrol engine is only there as a generator to keep the battery topped up.

The single-speed automatic transmission also allows for the kind of immediate, effortless acceleration I typically expect from a full-electric car.

The trade-off for all this peace and quiet is that when the engine noise does eventually make its appearance, it can feel somewhat disconcerting.

Given it’s not directly driving the car, the engine can rev at unexpected times, unrelated to pedal input, which is bizarre but not particularly bothersome. 

Another disconcerting noise associated with the X-Trail e-Power is the acoustic alert system that plays at low speeds (like when reversing) for pedestrian safety and can make you feel incredibly conspicuous when reverse parking. 

For a medium SUV, the X-Trail can feel large on the road, and this isn’t helped by the addition of the hybrid battery, which boosts the X-Trail’s kerb weight from 1672kg to 1911kg. 

While I initially felt the X-Trail was extremely composed over most surfaces, when directly compared to the RAV4 hybrid it felt a little clunkier over more pronounced bumps due to the extra heft from the hybrid system. 

The RAV4 is a little more cushioned and thus better prepared to tackle all terrains without transferring too much discomfort to the cabin. 

However, the X-Trail’s steering feels lighter than the RAV4’s and, for me, offered the superior handling experience. It is perfectly matched with the car’s size – it’s easy to manoeuvre yet surprisingly direct and accurate in its response.

As a result, while I was aware of the car’s larger footprint when moving around in smaller streets, the sharp handling meant it rarely felt cumbersome. 

Much like the RAV4, all-round visibility is perfectly accommodating, but that overhead camera is so impressive that you’ll feel constantly in command of your surroundings no matter what.

It’s worth noting that, like many full-electric cars, the X-Trail e-Power also allows for one-pedal driving, meaning that simply decelerating will slow the car.

However, Nissan’s e-pedal is a little different to other one-pedal driving set-ups I’ve experienced in that it doesn’t bring the car to a complete stop, so some brake intervention is required. 

Additionally, when you do go to put your foot on the brake pedal, it’s already half-depressed in line with the car’s deceleration. 

I personally found this arrangement wasn’t particularly intuitive or easy to manage in traffic, so I used it less than I would have liked to. 

Aside from the occasional quirky sound effects, I was impressed by how the X-Trail e-Power’s on-road performance felt predominantly electric, while Nissan’s efforts to soundproof the cabin and refine the driver experience make it feel like a more expensive car altogether. 

To put it bluntly, the Nissan X-Trail Ti-L e-Power is the better car, but the Toyota RAV4 is the better hybrid. 

Given they’re only a few hundred dollars apart in price, the X-Trail Ti-L e-Power certainly feels like the more expensive of the pair.

Nissan has created a cabin that is elegant and comfortable but without sacrificing on practicality, configurability and storage – although the lack of spare wheel does count against it.

Both cars offer plenty of features for your spend, but the X-Trail’s brilliance lies in its execution of these features – from the stunningly crisp surround-view camera to the expansive sunroof. 

But – and it’s a big but – although Nissan’s e-Power system offers a predominantly electric drive experience that’s beautifully sleek and silent, the RAV4’s hybrid system will deliver superior fuel economy. 

Given most shoppers buy a hybrid purely for the petrol savings, Toyota’s tried-and-tested hybrid system is the more reliably economical option. 

Add to that Toyota’s extremely affordable servicing costs and it’s clear the RAV4 will cost you less than the X-Trail in the long run. 

Of course, another major consideration is the waiting times on both cars.

If you’re in a hurry, the X-Trail hybrid is more likely to land in your driveway within months, while the RAV4 hybrid could be a matter of years.

That alone could be your deciding factor. Sometimes, time really is money.