The Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V are giants among mainstream compact SUVs—as in sales giants. Both are hugely popular in the United States, and not only are they the bestselling models for their respective brands, but the RAV4 is third and the CR-V is fourth in overall sales so far this year.
The Honda has earned a spot on our annual 10Best list every year since it was redesigned for 2023, making it our favorite compact SUV—and we like the CR-V Hybrid even more than the regular nonhybrid version. For 2026, Toyota finally gives its most popular model a big makeover, with the RAV4 now entering its sixth generation. This time, it's only offered with a hybrid powertrain (including a plug-in hybrid variant).
Are the RAV4's changes enough to close the gap between it and the 10Best-winning CR-V? We'll have to wait until we can actually get behind the wheel and test both SUVs, but for now, we can look at their spec sheets and see how they compare on paper. Toyota hasn't yet released every detail about the 2026 RAV4—including interior dimensions, fuel economy, and pricing—so we'll update this story as that info comes out.
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Design and Dimensions
The redesigned RAV4 keeps its extroverted exterior styling, only now it has more diverse faces. Toyota breaks up the trims into three distinct styles: Core, Rugged, and Sport. The latter is highlighted by a new PHEV-only GR Sport model, but it also includes the familiar SE and XSE trims. Core consists of LE, XLE, and Limited. Rugged is just the off-road-friendly Woodland trim, which has standard all-wheel drive, all-terrain tires, and a higher ride height. It also boasts the biggest dimensions of any RAV4. The Woodland measures 181.8 inches long, 67.8 inches tall, and 74 inches wide.
Meanwhile, the CR-V Hybrid is a little longer (184.8 inches from stem to stern), a little shorter 66.6 inches tall, and a little thinner from hip to hip (73.4 inches). The Honda has a longer wheelbase too, with its 106.3 inches stretching beyond the Toyota's 105.9 inches. To go up against the most outdoorsy RAV4, the CR-V adds its first TrailSport variant, which boasts all-terrain tires and rugged styling cues. Unlike the RAV4, you can't get 20-inch wheels on a CR-V, but overall we like the Honda's sophisticated looks.
Powertrains and Fuel Economy
The Toyota RAV4 Hybrid still has a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that pairs with two or three electric motors. The third e-motor constitutes all-wheel drive and helps combine for 236 horsepower (up from 219 hp); the hybrid front-drive RAV4 packs 226 ponies. We're not including the plug-in hybrid model in this spec comparison, but it now makes a heady 320 horsepower. The CR-V Hybrid isn't nearly as powerful as the RAV4 PHEV, and it falls short of the regular RAV4 Hybrid too. The Honda features a 2.0-liter four-cylinder and two electric motors that together generate 204 horsepower. Along with a unique direct-drive transmission, there's a choice between front- or all-wheel drive.
While the hybrid CR-V can tow up to 1000 pounds, the RAV4 Hybrid can pull more, peaking at up to 3500 pounds. Toyota hasn't yet released the new RAV4's official fuel-economy ratings, but for reference, the outgoing hybrid model peaked at 39 mpg combined (we expect the new FWD model to meet or exceed that figure). Meanwhile, the CR-V Hybrid is rated at 40 mpg combined (FWD models) and 37 mpg combined (AWD models).
Interior and Features
Despite its distinctive outward appearance, the new RAV4's interior includes a simple dash design. There's a standard 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster and either a 10.5- or 12.9-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. You still get a volume knob, but Toyota has gotten rid of the prominent HVAC knobs. There are hard buttons that control the temperature, but fan speed as well as heated/ventilated seats are now accessed through the touchscreen. There appears to be useful cubby space, though, with a shelf facing the front-seat passenger and dedicated storage spots on the center stack. Those who want fancier features can opt for a nine-speaker JBL sound system and a head-up display.
Inside the CR-V, the layout is also simple, but the design looks a little more upscale. While the Toyota has larger digital display, the Honda has more user-friendly switchgear, including sizable HVAC knobs. Every hybrid CR-V also has wireless charging, a 9.0-inch touchscreen with Google built-in software (wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are also standard). The base model is stuck with a four-speaker stereo, but those who spring for the fanciest CR-V get a 12-speaker Bose system.
Pricing and Availability
The 2026 Honda CR-V Hybrid starts at $37,025; all-wheel drive pushes that price to $38,525. The all-wheel-drive-only TrailSport starts at $40,195, and the top-of-the-line Sport Touring has a $43,645 initial ask. While Honda's compact SUV is now rolling into dealerships, you'll have to wait until sometime later this year to get your hands on a new RAV4.
Like we mentioned earlier, Toyota hasn't yet released pricing for the 2026 RAV4 lineup. Still, if we had to guess, we'd wager the RAV4 Hybrid's base price will be around $34,000—add, say, $1500 for AWD. Stepping up to the tougher-looking Woodland trim will likely put the price closer to $40K. The RAV4 Limited should be the priciest hybrid model, so expect it to start in the neighborhood of $42K.
Eric Stafford’s automobile addiction began before he could walk, and it has fueled his passion to write news, reviews, and more for Car and Driver since 2016. His aspiration growing up was to become a millionaire with a Jay Leno–like car collection. Apparently, getting rich is harder than social-media influencers make it seem, so he avoided financial success entirely to become an automotive journalist and drive new cars for a living. After earning a journalism degree at Central Michigan University and working at a daily newspaper, the years of basically burning money on failed project cars and lemon-flavored jalopies finally paid off when Car and Driver hired him. His garage currently includes a 2010 Acura RDX, a manual '97 Chevy Camaro Z/28, and a '90 Honda CRX Si.
