for me, the third row is what is the difference. I need that availability a few times a month. I also prefer the looks of the Highlander, I think it is more refined.

I don’t think the Highlander will be a problem to park as one of the knocks on it is that it is shorter than competitors. I am okay with that.

 

If your scale is close, there looks like an extra 4 in of wheelbase with the HL, an increase of at least 2 in over 2019 model.

 

NVH is very important for me. Looks, innovative specs and such will fade eventually as everyone is accustomed to it. With time newer vehicles from competitors will be released and soon enough time will come (rather sooner than later) when fresh 2020 will be viewed as dated, boring and mediocre in specs. However, it's NVH that will be carried along during lifetime of ownership and that is what creates a pleasant or not so pleasant driving experience even many years down the road IMHO.
That been said, what worries me is that if same engineer is to blame for rather pathetic NVH in RAV4, then how can we be sure that he will do the job right with Highlander?! If an engineer made a mistake or a flaw and end result in RAV4 was that it was found too noisy, harsh etc, then I would NOT want same engineer to work on Highlander. Now I'm worried lol.

 

You have to remember the Rav4 is built to a price, put in car play and all that other junk and the savings have to come from somewhere . I used to own a 2014 rav4 XLE and when I checked out the 2019 rav4 XLE in a showroom , in that trim it appeared and felt cheaper, larger vehicle, more adventurous styling comes at a price, either the price goes up or the trims goes down a level. Highlander for 2020 appears to be more an evolutionary step and so less expensive in concept , so quality should be very similar with the bonus of a stiffer structure giving even better NVH, it will be good don't worry about that.

 

From the Autoblog article with the chief engineer (emphasis added by me):

Saeki says that the goal of the RAV4 was also to create something different than the segment norm. However, in that case, it went in a completely new direction than the previous RAV4 to achieve it. He says he "deconstructed" the RAV4, moving from a more car-like direction to one that's sportier and/or more SUV-like. We go into that more in our 2019 Toyota RAV4 first drive.

By contrast, the new Highlander continues to have a strong emphasis on comfort, reduced NVH and a creating a premium feel. The goal was to instill a sense of safety and assurance with customers, 48 percent of which are female who mostly likely have family members riding with them. Something sportier and SUV-like are therefore not priorities.

It sounds like they intentionally made a decision to not focus as much on NVH in the RAV4 (which is reflected in some of the reviews), while with the Highlander, the focus was on improving NVH and giving a more upscale feel.