BAIC B40 Plus vs Toyota RAV4

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — compare price, performance, fuel economy or electric range, safety and the details that shape long-term ownership.

BAIC B40 Plus in South Africa

BAIC B40 Plus

Honor Edition Petrol 8-Speed Automatic Current
ZAR 699,500 ex-showroom
⚡ 165 kW 🔧 380 Nm ⛽ 9.0 km/l
VS
Toyota RAV4 in South Africa

Toyota RAV4

2.5 HEV GR-S CVT Hybrid CVT Current
ZAR 941,800 ex-showroom
⚡ 137 kW 🔧 221 Nm ⛽ 21.3 km/l
+ Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

BAIC B40 Plus vs Toyota RAV4: the short answer

RAV4 has a modest catalogue-index lead, while B40 Plus remains close.

RAV4 starts ZAR 89,500 cheaper B40 Plus from ZAR 699,500 · RAV4 from ZAR 610,000

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification B40 Plus RAV4
Maximum Power B40 Plus165 kW @ 5500 rpm RAV4137 kW @ 6000 rpm
Maximum Torque B40 Plus380 Nm @ 1750-4500 rpm RAV4221 Nm
Engine Size B40 Plus1998 cc RAV42500 cc
Combined Fuel Economy B40 Plus9.0 km/l RAV421.3 km/l
Ground Clearance B40 Plus210 mm RAV4186 mm

Strongest published figure in that row; no road-test winner is implied.

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

B40 Plus

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Fewer listed safety features
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: Published Performance
Specification evidence leader

RAV4

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
Best suited to: Published Efficiency Published Practicality

Which One's Right for You?

B40 Plus

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures

RAV4

  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use
  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec B40 Plus RAV4
Model Introduced Year 2021 2026
Generation Current B40 Plus Honor Edition within the locally served first B40 Plus generation, using body-on-frame construction and an electronic part-time 4WD system. All-new sixth-generation RAV4 introduced in South Africa in July 2026
Facelift History The B40 Plus launched in South Africa in October 2021. The current Honor Edition debuted locally in May 2025, adding electric seat adjustment and a sunroof to the City Hunter-based specification; BAIC now presents it as the sole current B40 Plus derivative. Full model change for 2026 with HEV, PHEV and GR-Sport derivatives
Facelift Launched Since 2025 Full model change for 2026 with HEV, PHEV and GR-Sport derivatives
Facelift Version Ending Current Current South African 2026 specification
Body Style Five-door body-on-frame off-road SUV SUV
Model Year 2021 2026
Production Status active active
Segment Off-road SUV SUV
Vehicle Type SUV SUV
Tare Mass Kg - 1725-1740 kg
Spec B40 Plus RAV4
Length 4630 mm 4645 mm
Width 1925 mm 1880 mm
Height 1871 mm 1680 mm
Wheelbase 2745 mm 2690 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 210 mm 186 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) 190 mm 125 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 75 l 55 l
Boot/Cargo Space 532 l 732 l
Kerb Weight 2110 kg 1560 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 2535 kg 2230 kg
Payload Capacity 425 kg 460 kg
Towing Capacity 1500 kg 1000 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Number of Rows 2 rows 2 rows
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius Not Officially Disclosed 5.6 m
Front Headroom 1010 mm 991 mm
Rear Headroom 1000 mm 947 mm
Front Legroom 1045 mm 1031 mm
Rear Legroom 900 mm 882 mm

In depth: how these cars differ

This B40 Plus and RAV4 comparison uses the exact derivatives selected above for South Africa. The catalogue index covers performance, efficiency, safety equipment, practicality and ownership cover only where comparable source-backed fields are present.

Performance index: B40 Plus 71 vs RAV4 56.

Efficiency index: B40 Plus 41 vs RAV4 84.

Safety-equipment index: B40 Plus 57 vs RAV4 94.

Practicality index: B40 Plus 67 vs RAV4 68.

Ownership-cover index: B40 Plus 62 vs RAV4 not separately scored.

These figures are Hagalu catalogue-comparison indicators, not customer ratings, crash-test scores, resale guarantees or a substitute for a road test. Each page shows its weighted source coverage beside the result.

Specification Evidence Index

A transparent comparison of published catalogue fields. This is not a road-test score, owner rating or editorial review rating, and it appears only when every vehicle clears the same comparable-data threshold.

Evidence / 100
Evidence-index readout

RAV4 leads by 14 points

RAV4 has a modest catalogue-index lead, while B40 Plus remains close.

Evidence leader 75 /100
Lead 14 points
Data 74% source coverage
75
#1 Evidence leader

RAV4

74% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Safety 94 Check Performance 56
Performance 56
Efficiency 84
Safety 94
Practicality 68
Leads by 14 points
61
#2

B40 Plus

92% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Performance 71 Check Efficiency 41
Performance 71
Efficiency 41
Safety 57
Practicality 67
Ownership 62
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance B40 Plus +15 Efficiency RAV4 +43 Safety RAV4 +37 Practicality RAV4 +1

Moderate difference in the source-backed catalogue index.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

RAV4

Performance 56/100
Efficiency 84/100
Safety 94/100
Practicality 68/100

B40 Plus

Performance 71/100
Efficiency 41/100
Safety 57/100
Practicality 67/100
Ownership 62/100

What the evidence means

Evidence index Toyota RAV4 leads the specification evidence index with 75 pts vs 61 pts for B40 Plus

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, RAV4 leads. However, B40 Plus may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

B40 Plus vs RAV4 questions

There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the models and available derivatives in South Africa on price, safety equipment, space, powertrain and ownership cover. The category indicators summarise published catalogue data; they are not a road test or customer rating.

Compare the published consumption or mileage rows for the exact derivatives using the same unit and test basis. A catalogue figure is useful for like-for-like comparison, but traffic, speed, load, weather and driving style can change actual fuel use.

Compare only equipment explicitly listed for each derivative, including airbags, stability control and driver-assistance systems. Confirm the exact trim with the manufacturer, and treat any independent crash-test result separately because equipment and ratings can differ by market.

A reliable five-year total cannot be calculated from catalogue data alone. Add the exact purchase and finance cost, fuel or electricity, insurance quotes, scheduled servicing, tyres and expected resale value. Check whether the selected derivative includes a service or maintenance plan.

Use the seating, boot or load-space, ISOFIX and safety rows as a first check. Then test the exact cars with your child seats, passengers and typical luggage, because published dimensions do not show every access or comfort difference.

Compare the published power, torque and 0–100 km/h rows when they are available for both exact derivatives. Vehicle weight, gearing and power delivery also matter, so catalogue outputs alone do not establish real-world overtaking or response.