Chevrolet Equinox vs Toyota RAV4: Which Used Buy Wins?
As used buys (July 2026), the Chevrolet Equinox typically lists for $26,973 against $31,999 for the Toyota RAV4 (same model years — 2024–2026 — national medians from live listings). the Toyota RAV4 leads on NCAP safety (4.7★ vs 4.5★ average). Overall medians mix very different trims — at the cheapest common trims it's the LS at $21,998 vs the LE at $30,336; see the trim-by-trim tables for a fair match. Every figure below is live market data, not book values.
Head to head
Trim-by-trim prices (last 4 model years)
A fair comparison matches equivalent trims, not overall medians. Like for like: at the cheapest common trims, the Chevrolet Equinox LS ($21,998) faces the Toyota RAV4 LE ($30,336); the most common trims on the market are the LT (1LT) (29.1% of Chevrolet Equinox listings) and the XLE (50.7% of Toyota RAV4 listings); at the top of the market, the ACTIVE ($33,509) faces the XSE ($39,450). Share = portion of the model's trim-labeled used listings (a supply-side popularity signal: what the market actually stocks and sells most). “Cheapest”/“Priciest” mark the ends of the quotable trim range — trim ladders don't map one-to-one across brands, so this is not a factory base-model claim.
| Chevrolet Equinox | Toyota RAV4 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trim | Typical price | Share | Trim | Typical price | Share |
| LSCheapest | $21,998 | 6.0% | LECheapest | $30,336 | 19.8% |
| LT (1LT)Most popular | $22,980 | 29.1% | XLEMost popular | $31,327 | 50.7% |
| RS (3LT) | $24,995 | 3.0% | ADVENTURE | $32,500 | 4.6% |
| PREMIER (1LZ) | $25,500 | 3.4% | XLE PREMIUM | $35,577 | 14.0% |
| 1LT | $26,991 | 27.7% | SE | $35,617 | 2.1% |
| 2LT | $30,839 | 7.3% | LIMITED | $39,238 | 4.2% |
| RS | $32,031 | 10.5% | XSEPriciest | $39,450 | 4.6% |
| ACTIVEPriciest | $33,509 | 3.2% | — | ||
Rows are aligned by price position (both sides sorted cheapest-first), not by equivalent equipment — trim names never map one-to-one across brands. Full per-trim detail (price ranges, mileage) is on each model's price page: Chevrolet Equinox prices · Toyota RAV4 prices.
Used price by model year
| Year | Chevrolet Equinox typical | Toyota RAV4 typical | Difference | Chevrolet Equinox MPG | Toyota RAV4 MPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $31,348 | $40,294 | Toyota RAV4 +$8,946 | 26–27 MPG | 41–42 MPG |
| 2025 | $26,973 | $34,108 | Toyota RAV4 +$7,135 | 26–27 MPG | 28–38 MPG |
| 2024 | $23,590 | $31,999 | Toyota RAV4 +$8,409 | 26–28 MPG | 28–38 MPG |
| 2023 | $22,072 | $31,990 | Toyota RAV4 +$9,918 | 26–28 MPG | 28–38 MPG |
| 2022 | $19,895 | $29,582 | Toyota RAV4 +$9,687 | 27–28 MPG | 28–38 MPG |
| 2021 | $17,716 | $26,724 | Toyota RAV4 +$9,008 | 27–28 MPG | 28–38 MPG |
| 2020 | $16,899 | $25,296 | Toyota RAV4 +$8,397 | 24–28 MPG | 27–30 MPG |
| 2019 | $15,149 | $23,900 | Toyota RAV4 +$8,751 | 24–32 MPG | 28–30 MPG |
| 2018 | $13,449 | $19,990 | Toyota RAV4 +$6,541 | 24–32 MPG | 24–26 MPG |
| 2017 | $10,495 | $18,786 | Toyota RAV4 +$8,291 | 18–25 MPG | 24–26 MPG |
| 2016 | $9,495 | $17,194 | Toyota RAV4 +$7,699 | 18–26 MPG | 24–26 MPG |
| 2015 | $8,488 | $15,498 | Toyota RAV4 +$7,010 | 19–26 MPG | 24–26 MPG |
| 2014 | $7,995 | $14,256 | Toyota RAV4 +$6,261 | 19–26 MPG | 24–25 MPG · 76 MPGe |
| 2013 | $7,000 | $13,422 | Toyota RAV4 +$6,422 | 19–26 MPG | 25–26 MPG · 76 MPGe |
| 2012 | $6,995 | $10,997 | Toyota RAV4 +$4,002 | 19–26 MPG | 22–24 MPG · 76 MPGe |
| 2011 | $6,499 | $9,999 | Toyota RAV4 +$3,500 | 19–26 MPG | 21–24 MPG |
| 2010 | $5,995 | $9,848 | Toyota RAV4 +$3,853 | 20–26 MPG | 21–24 MPG |
| 2006 | $4,723 | $7,050 | Toyota RAV4 +$2,327 | 18–19 MPG | 21–24 MPG |
Typical price = national median asking price of live listings for that model year (July 2026); MPG = EPA combined range across rated versions.
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper to buy used — Chevrolet Equinox or Toyota RAV4?
Comparing the same model years (2024–2026), the Chevrolet Equinox is cheaper: it typically lists for $26,973 versus $31,999 for the Toyota RAV4 (national medians, July 2026).
Which is safer — Chevrolet Equinox or Toyota RAV4?
By NCAP overall crash-test rating the Toyota RAV4 averages 4.7 of 5 stars across rated years versus 4.5 for the Chevrolet Equinox. Always check the specific model year's rating in the table above.
Which is more reliable — Chevrolet Equinox or Toyota RAV4?
NHTSA lists an average of 2.3 recalls per model year for the Chevrolet Equinox and 6.0 for the Toyota RAV4 — an edge for the Chevrolet Equinox. Recall and complaint counts scale with sales volume, so treat them as context and check any specific car's VIN history.
Which trims should I actually compare?
Like for like: at the cheapest common trims, a Chevrolet Equinox LS typically lists for $21,998 vs $30,336 for a Toyota RAV4 LE; the most common trims on the market are the LT (1LT) ($22,980, 29.1% of Chevrolet Equinox listings) and the XLE ($31,327, 50.7% of Toyota RAV4 listings); at the top of the market, the ACTIVE ($33,509) faces the XSE ($39,450). Overall medians hide this trim mix — use the trim tables above for a fair match. Trim names never map one-to-one across brands, so "cheapest" means the least expensive trim with a real market share, not the factory base.
https://vehisales.com/research/compare/chevrolet/equinox/vs/toyota/rav4.
Dig deeper
Chevrolet Equinox — live listings & specs Toyota RAV4 — live listings & specs Chevrolet Equinox prices by year Toyota RAV4 prices by year Chevrolet Equinox MPG by year Toyota RAV4 MPG by year
See also: All model comparisons · Best used cars by budget · Used car prices by model.