Otherwise, the padded door panel tops, armrests, and dashboard fascia are RAV4 business as usual, as are the logical climate controls (yay!) and an inscrutable infotainment system (boo!).
Matte red accents on the cupholder trim and wireless charging pad provide a pop of color that livens up the cabin (though not quite to the level expected of our $42,050 tester). Inside, the RAV4 TRD Off-Road gets Toyota’s SoftTex faux leather upholstery, done up in black with red stitching and TRD logo embroidery. All TRD models get flow-formed, matte-black wheels mounted on Falken Wildpeak all-terrain tires, making the RAV4 a sporty-looking little crossover. A faster windshield and hatch angle give the RAV a sporty rally-car appearance, with more visual flair coming via our tester’s white contrast roof. While the Ford feels a bit old-school, the RAV4 is decidedly modern, with angular headlamps and a nearly trapezoidal grille that look plucked right from the Tacoma pickup. Toyota and Ford were both asked the same question – What does the ideal off-road crossover look like? – but their answers couldn’t be more different. The GOAT Mode terrain selector features settings for Eco, Sport, Normal, Mud/Ruts, Slippery, Sand, and Rock Crawl. To that, Badlands models add a twin-clutch locking rear differential, a liquid-cooled power takeoff transfer case, and a four-wheel-drive–lock function that keeps the rear wheels engaged to prevent loss of traction on slick surfaces. All Bronco Sports get an eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive with driveline disconnect. The 3,707-pound Bronco Sport Badlands comes standard with a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four, whose 250 horsepower and 280 pound-feet absolutely shames the RAV4’s 203 hp and 184 lb-ft. Still, why didn’t Ford give its newest baby Sync 4?
The Sync 3 infotainment system looks dated and lacks a physical home button, but otherwise, it’s easy to use, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto helping matters. The floating 8.0-inch center display makes room for a slim storage cubby beneath that’s perfect for a phone or wallet. Cross-hatch embossing appears on the dash top to reduce reflections, while funky orange accents pepper the cabin, accompanied by high-touch surfaces that get a surprisingly rich-feeling anodized texture.
Inside, the Bronco Sport uses clever design to dress up its litany of cheap plastic materials.