Toyota RAV4 vs Jetour T2 i-DM

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — we cover price, performance, petrol economy, safety and what it'll actually cost you to own each one long term.

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
VS
Jetour T2 i-DM in South Africa

Jetour T2 i-DM

T2 i-DM Plug-in Hybrid 3-Speed Automatic Current
ZAR 779,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 100 kW 🔧 220 Nm ⛽ 76.9 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance RAV4
Fuel Economy T2 i-DM
🛡 Safety RAV4
📦 Practicality RAV4
🔑 Ownership Not enough comparable data
RAV4 starts ZAR 169,900 cheaper RAV4 from ZAR 610,000 · T2 i-DM from ZAR 779,900

Key Specs Side by Side

The specs that matter most — highlighted where one car leads.

Spec RAV4 T2 i-DM
Maximum Power 137 kW @ 6000 rpm 100 kW @ 5200 rpm
Maximum Torque 221 Nm 220 Nm @ 2500 rpm
Engine Size 2500 cc 1499 cc
Combined Fuel Economy 21.3 km/l 76.9 km/l
Ground Clearance 186 mm 190 mm
Boot / Load Bay 732 l 580 l
Airbags Driver Knee, Front Side, Rear Curtain, Front Curtain Front, front side, and front/rear curtain airbags
Kerb Weight - 2138 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Warranty 3 years / 100 000 km 7-year/200,000 km warranty

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

RAV4 and T2 i-DM are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance RAV4 +5 pts
Efficiency T2 i-DM +14 pts
Safety RAV4 +1 pts
Practicality RAV4 +5 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Catalogue-index leader

RAV4

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
Best suited to: Published Performance Published Practicality

T2 i-DM

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Fewer listed safety features
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: Published Efficiency

Which One's Right for You?

RAV4

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

T2 i-DM

  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec RAV4 T2 i-DM
Model Introduced Year 2026 2026
Generation All-new sixth-generation RAV4 introduced in South Africa in July 2026 Current South African launch specification
Facelift History Full model change for 2026 with HEV, PHEV and GR-Sport derivatives Not listed by current South African source page.
Facelift Launched Since Full model change for 2026 with HEV, PHEV and GR-Sport derivatives 2026
Facelift Version Ending Current South African 2026 specification Current
Body Style SUV SUV
Model Year 2026 Current
Production Status published Active
Segment SUV SUV
Tare Mass Kg 1725-1740 kg 2138 kg
Vehicle Type SUV SUV
Gross Combined Mass Kg - 4038 kg
Spec RAV4 T2 i-DM
Length 4645 mm 4785 mm
Width 1880 mm 2006 mm
Height 1680 mm 1875 mm
Wheelbase 2690 mm 2800 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 186 mm 190 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 55 l 70 l
Boot/Cargo Space 732 l 580 l
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 2230 kg 2438 kg
Towing Capacity 1000 kg 1600 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 5.6 m 5.7 m
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load) - Not Officially Disclosed
Kerb Weight - 2138 kg
Payload Capacity - 300 kg
Number of Rows - 2 rows
Front Headroom - 1000 mm
Rear Headroom - 970 mm
Front Legroom - 980 mm
Rear Legroom - 810 mm

Source-backed Catalogue Index

A transparent specification index shown only when every vehicle clears the minimum comparable-data threshold.

Weighted / 100
Catalogue-index readout

RAV4 leads by 0 points

RAV4 and T2 i-DM are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Index leader 73 /100
Lead 0 points
Data 61% source coverage
73
#1 Index leader

RAV4

61% source coverage 3 strong categories
Best at Safety 93 Check Performance 50
Performance 50
Efficiency 84
Safety 93
Practicality 71
Leads by 0 points
73
#2

T2 i-DM

66% source coverage 2 strong categories
Best at Efficiency 98 Check Performance 45
Performance 45
Efficiency 98
Safety 92
Practicality 66
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance RAV4 +5 Efficiency T2 i-DM +14 Safety RAV4 +1 Practicality RAV4 +5

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Catalogue-index leader

RAV4

Performance 50/100
Efficiency 84/100
Safety 93/100
Practicality 71/100

T2 i-DM

Performance 45/100
Efficiency 98/100
Safety 92/100
Practicality 66/100

How to Read This Comparison

🏆 Toyota RAV4 leads the catalogue index with 73 pts vs 73 pts for T2 i-DM

In Hagalu's source-backed catalogue index, RAV4 leads. However, T2 i-DM may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

Buyers Also Looked At These

Other comparisons that people in the same boat tend to check out.

Questions Buyers Usually Ask

There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the exact South African derivatives 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.

Hagalu does not publish a guaranteed resale winner. Depreciation depends on age, mileage, condition, derivative, colour, supply and demand. Compare several current used-market listings and obtain trade-in valuations for equivalent examples before relying on a resale estimate.

Check the exact derivatives for drive type, ground clearance, tyres, approach and departure angles, wading depth and low-range gearing where officially disclosed. SUV styling or all-wheel drive alone does not prove that a vehicle is suitable for demanding off-road use.

Calculate each exact derivative using your monthly distance and a current fuel or electricity price, then add finance, insurance, scheduled service, tyres and licence costs. Hagalu does not claim a fixed monthly saving without those buyer-specific inputs.

It is worth more only when the exact price difference buys equipment, space, performance or ownership cover that matters to you. Compare like-for-like lifecycle states and derivatives; a current offer and a historical last-listed price are not directly equivalent.

In Depth — Breaking It All Down

This RAV4 and T2 i-DM comparison uses the exact South African derivatives selected above. The catalogue index covers performance, efficiency, safety equipment, practicality and ownership cover only where comparable source-backed fields are present.

Performance index: RAV4 50 vs T2 i-DM 45.

Efficiency index: RAV4 84 vs T2 i-DM 98.

Safety-equipment index: RAV4 93 vs T2 i-DM 92.

Practicality index: RAV4 71 vs T2 i-DM 66.

Ownership-cover index: RAV4 not separately scored vs T2 i-DM 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.