Ford Kuga vs Toyota RAV4: which is the better used buy?

On the MOT measure, the Toyota RAV4: measured against cars of the same age, it comes out 2.7 percentage points ahead of the Ford Kuga on first-time MOT passes, across 46,770 DVSA-recorded tests covering every generation on the road. Its raw pass rate is the lower of the two (82.6% against 83.4%) because Toyota RAV4s on the road are older on average: cars of their age pass 77.7% of the time, against 81.2% for cars the age of the Ford Kuga fleet. A pass with rectification at the station counts as a pass here, and as a failure in DVSA's own initial-test measure. The MOT checks safety and emissions items, not the engine, clutch or gearbox, so this is one measure of how each car holds up rather than a full reliability verdict.

83.4% of Ford Kugas pass their MOT first time (32,869 tests in DVSA's records) and 82.6% of Toyota RAV4s pass their MOT first time (13,901 tests). The national first-time rate is 77.3%, but cars of the Ford Kuga's age average 81.2% and cars of the Toyota RAV4's age 77.7% — so the Ford Kuga runs 2.2 points better than its age group and the Toyota RAV4 runs 4.9 points better than its own. A pass with rectification at the station counts as a pass here, and as a failure in DVSA's own initial-test measure.

Ford Kuga: 2019–2020 Mk3 PHEVs are covered by DVSA recalls R/2020/224 (the high-voltage battery pack can overheat and vent hot gas, which can ignite vehicle components; built 1 July 2019 to 7 September 2020) and R/2020/317 (particle contamination can short-circuit battery cells; the remedy is a replacement battery pack; built January to September 2020). Check the registration before buying any 2019–2020 PHEV. The DVSA MOT table on this page rates 2019 registrations above all cars registered that year, so it is not named as a year to avoid. Toyota RAV4: The 2019 launch year carries the generation's DVSA safety recalls: R/2019/248 (the brake booster pump may stop working; built 26 April to 3 June 2019), R/2020/142 (the front lower suspension arms may have cracks; built 25 September to 25 October 2019) and R/2019/122 (the emergency calling system may not be enabled; early builds to April 2019). Owners of early cars also report phantom braking from the pre-collision system before its software update. A 2019 car should have evidence that any recall covering it was done. The DVSA MOT table on this page rates 2019 registrations above all cars registered that year, so it is not named as a year to avoid. Judge a RAV4 by its registration, service history and the checks below rather than by year.

On fuel it depends on the engine, and for a plug-in or electric version on whether you can charge at home. Ford Kuga: PHEV: 35–42 miles of official electric range depending on model year and wheel size; real UK use gives less than that, and less again in winter. Once the battery is flat it drives as an ordinary hybrid at roughly 39–49 mpg, so the economy you get depends almost entirely on whether you can charge at home. FHEV (non-plug-in): 40–47 mpg real-world UK mixed. Toyota RAV4: 48–50 mpg official WLTP combined for the 2.5 Hybrid (Toyota UK specification sheet). WLTP figures are official lab results; your own driving can return a different figure. For cars registered from April 2017, vehicle tax works the same way for both: the £200/year standard rate from the second year, hybrids included, plus the £440/year Expensive Car Supplement in years 2–6 on a car that listed at over £40,000 new — the price when new, not what you pay for it used. Any Ford Kuga or Toyota RAV4 registered between 1 March 2001 and 31 March 2017 pays a CO2 band instead, roughly £20–£790/year (2026/27 rates). Insurance differs mainly by driver and postcode rather than by model, so treat any model-level insurance figure with caution.