The New BMW 3 Series Breaks Cover Soon
The electric variant comes first, followed by a range of gas-powered cars.
Electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids are a great way to conserve fuel if you have a way to charge at home, but traditional hybrids are better choices for many people. The Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4 are two fantastic options in their class, offering far superior fuel economy than gas-only competitors, and generous standard tech and safety features.
Honda last redesigned the CR-V in 2023 and introduced a new TrailSport trim for the 2026 model year. The hybrid variant feels quicker and is generally better to drive than the gas model, and it comes in four trims for 2026: Sport, TrailSport, Sport-L, and Sport Touring. The Toyota RAV4 is all-new for the 2026 model year, and it’s offered in six trims: LE, SE, XLE Premium, Woodland, XSE, and Limited.
These two hybrid SUVs are very closely matched, and either would make an excellent choice for buyers in the market for a compact family hauler, but there are a few key differences to note. Here’s how the two compare.
The base 2026 Toyota RAV4 LE starts at $33,350, including a $1,450 destination charge, while the 2026 Honda CR-V Hybrid Sport costs $37,080 with the same fees tacked on. Both SUVs come standard with hybrid powertrains and front-wheel drive, but the Toyota outperforms the Honda on fuel economy. The EPA rates the RAV4 at 47/40/43 mpg city/highway/combined, while the Honda manages a lesser-but-still-impressive 43/36/40 mpg. That, combined with its higher starting price, puts the CR-V behind the RAV4 in the value department, but it’s important to note that fuel economy can vary significantly in real-world driving scenarios.
As we talked about in our car seat comparison a few weeks ago, interior dimensions don’t tell the whole story, but they still matter in a world where most people can only afford one do-it-all vehicle.
2026 Honda CR-V Interior Dimensions
2026 Toyota RAV4 Interior Dimensions
Toyota currently doesn’t list headroom for the RAV4 without a moonroof, so that’s a difficult comparison, but it’s hard to imagine it would outdo the CR-V’s measurements there. The two SUVs are fairly evenly matched otherwise, with the CR-V offering more space in some areas. That makes them very similar in real-life, and from experience, we can say that they both feel pretty spacious inside.
While the two offer decent interior space, neither would be the most comfortable vehicle for a family of five and all the gear that comes with them. Three across in the second row feels tight for adults and can be downright punishing with one or more car seats. Additionally, while the cargo space dimensions aren’t bad, it’s good to remember that the slightly taller ride heights of both SUVs can make it difficult to load and unload heavier items, especially for people with limited mobility.
Toyota spent considerable time and resources updating its infotainment system over the last few years, and the results are impressive. Its new software is brighter, easier to use, and much more responsive than earlier iterations, representing a complete turnaround from what was once one of the most ancient-feeling, frustrating systems on the market. The 2026 RAV4 comes standard with a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster and a 10.5-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Other standard features include an integrated dashcam system, SiriusXM radio, Bluetooth, and more. Higher trims step up to a 12.9-inch touchscreen, and top trims add a nine-speaker JBL audio system.
The 2026 Honda CR-V also offers some impressive tech features, but it’s slightly behind the RAV4’s generous equipment list. Honda equips a 9-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth, and front/rear USB ports. Honda’s infotainment system has also seen recent improvements, but it lacks the polish and usability of Toyota’s new interface. Higher trims add a 10.2-inch digital gauge cluster but retain the smaller 9-inch display.
Touchscreen size isn’t the most important factor for many people, with some preferring smaller, less intrusive displays. That said, it’s hard to ignore the refinement and responsiveness of Toyota’s infotainment system. A large screen only matters if the driver can quickly and easily make changes to settings and other features, and Toyota has that nailed down. Infotainment systems can be just as distracting as smartphones in some situations, so the easier the interface, the better for most people.
Both SUVs come with an impressive number of advanced driver-assistance systems. The CR-V offers automatic emergency braking, forward collision warnings, lane keep assist, lane departure warnings, blind spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alerts, adaptive cruise control, and traffic sign recognition. Toyota equips forward collision warnings, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane keep assist, lane departure warnings, automatic high beams, traffic sign recognition, adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alerts, and parking sensors.
While generously equipped with safety tech, the CR-V did not earn a Top Safety Pick designation from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The safety ratings organization gave it a Poor score in the updated moderate overlap front crash test, and its crash prevention systems only earned Acceptable marks. The IIHS also dinged it for having difficult-to-reach and use LATCH car seat anchors.
The Toyota also missed an IIHS Top Safety Pick, though it sidestepped a Poor rating. It earned a Marginal score in the updated moderate front overlap crash test, an Acceptable score in the updated side test, and an Acceptable rating for its front crash prevention systems.
Those are surprising results for two vehicles that previously held strong IIHS scores, but the ratings organization has made its testing criteria much more challenging in recent years, knocking several vehicles out of Top Safety Pick contention that were previously perennial favorites.
It’s easy to pick and choose specs to determine which vehicle is better, but the reality is that both are solid SUVs. That said, the Honda’s hybrid powertrain is more engaging and makes it more fun to drive than the Toyota, and that matters to a wide swath of the car-buying public. Its styling is also more traditional and coherent than the RAV4’s, and while that’s a bit subjective, it also means the CR-V will likely look less out-of-date as time goes on. If neither vehicle interests you, the Hyundai Tucson Hybrid or Kia Sportage Hybrid are excellent alternatives.
