Toyota says the RAV4 is America's best-selling small SUV, and Honda says the CR-V has been the country's best-selling CUV over the last 28 years. Their hybrid versions are the heart of both lineups. Toyota went hybrid-only with the all-new sixth-generation 2026 RAV4, which offers a hybrid or a plug-in hybrid and no gas-only model. Honda says hybrids account for more than half of CR-V sales, and its 2027 CR-V carries over with prices up $400 per trim and a destination charge that rose from $1,395 to $1,550.
This comparison pits the regular RAV4 Hybrid against the CR-V Hybrid. The RAV4 plug-in hybrid is a pricier, different proposition.
RAV4 Hybrid vs. CR-V Hybrid at a glance
| Metric | 2026 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid | 2027 Honda CR-V Hybrid |
|---|---|---|
| Starting MSRP | $31,900 (LE FWD) | $36,030 (Sport 2WD) |
| Top trim | $43,300 (Limited AWD) | $42,950 (Sport Touring AWD) |
| Hybrid output | 226 hp FWD / 236 hp AWD | 204 hp, 247 lb-ft |
| EPA combined, FWD | 43 mpg | 40 mpg |
| EPA combined, AWD | 38–42 mpg | 35–37 mpg |
| Max towing | Up to 3,500 lb (select AWD) | Not listed in Honda's 2026/2027 releases |
| Cargo space | Up to 37.8 cu ft (Toyota) | About 36 cu ft behind rear seat (Car and Driver) |
| NHTSA overall | Not yet rated | 5 stars |
| IIHS award | Not yet rated | None |
Prices exclude destination: $1,595 delivery, processing and handling for the RAV4, $1,550 for the CR-V. EPA figures from fueleconomy.gov. Safety ratings as published by NHTSA and IIHS in early October 2026.
Price and value
The RAV4 Hybrid lineup runs LE ($31,900 FWD, $33,300 AWD), SE ($34,700 FWD, $36,100 AWD), XLE Premium ($36,100 FWD, $37,500 AWD), Woodland AWD ($39,900), XSE AWD ($41,300) and Limited AWD ($43,300), plus a $1,595 delivery, processing and handling fee. The CR-V Hybrid starts higher, at $36,030 for the Sport 2WD, and continues through Sport AWD ($37,530), TrailSport AWD ($39,200), Sport-L ($39,125 2WD, $40,625 AWD) and Sport Touring AWD ($42,950), plus $1,550 destination.
That $4,130 gap at the entry point is the headline, and it holds with AWD: a RAV4 LE AWD costs $4,230 less than a CR-V Sport Hybrid AWD. A RAV4 XLE Premium, with heated SofTex seats, a power liftgate and front and rear parking assist with automatic braking, still costs less than the cheapest CR-V Hybrid. At the top of each range, the two are within $350 of each other.
Efficiency and performance
Toyota's fifth-generation hybrid system gives the FWD RAV4 226 net hp and AWD models 236 hp, with a dedicated rear electric motor powering the rear wheels. Honda's two-motor hybrid makes 204 hp and 247 lb-ft. The RAV4 also wins on EPA estimates. FWD models are rated 47 mpg city, 40 highway and 43 combined, against 43/36/40 for the 2WD CR-V Hybrid. With AWD, the LE and SE are rated 42 mpg combined, the XLE 41, the XSE and Limited 41, and the Woodland 38. AWD CR-V Hybrids are rated 37 mpg combined, and the TrailSport 35.
Toyota rates AWD RAV4s for up to 3,500 pounds of towing on grades such as the XLE Premium, though the LE AWD is rated for 1,750 pounds. Honda's pricing and launch releases don't list a CR-V Hybrid tow rating, so confirm it with a dealer if you plan to pull a small trailer. Ground clearance is 8.1 inches on most RAV4s and 8.5 on the Woodland.
Space, tech and safety
Space
Toyota quotes up to 37.8 cubic feet of cargo capacity for the RAV4, and its redesigned rear seatback folds flat. Car and Driver lists about 36 cubic feet behind the CR-V Hybrid's rear seat. Expect little practical difference for everyday family use.
Technology
The RAV4 is the more modern design. Every model gets a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, the LE has a 10.5-inch touchscreen and upper trims such as the XSE and Limited get 12.9 inches. Toyota says the RAV4 is the first Toyota with its new Audio Multimedia system, built-in 5G connectivity and the Arene software platform, and every RAV4 has Toyota Safety Sense 4.0. The 2026 CR-V refresh made a 9-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and a wireless phone charger standard, with a 10.2-inch digital instrument display on the TrailSport, Sport-L and Sport Touring hybrids. Honda Sensing is standard on every CR-V.
Safety
Here the CR-V has the edge, mostly because it has been tested. NHTSA rates the 2027 CR-V Hybrid five stars overall, with four stars for frontal crashes, five for side and four for rollover. The IIHS rates the CR-V Good in the small overlap and updated side tests and for headlights, and Acceptable for vehicle-to-vehicle and pedestrian front crash prevention. It is rated Poor in the updated moderate overlap test, where rear-passenger restraints and dummy kinematics were rated Poor, and it holds no IIHS award. The 2026 RAV4 Hybrid appears in NHTSA's database but was not yet rated in early October 2026, and the IIHS had not published ratings for the new generation.
Ownership
Toyota covers the RAV4 for 3 years/36,000 miles, the powertrain for 5 years/60,000 miles, hybrid components for 8 years/100,000 miles and the hybrid battery for 10 years/150,000 miles, transferable between owners. ToyotaCare covers factory-scheduled maintenance for one year or 10,000 miles, plus two years of roadside assistance. RAV4 Hybrids are built in Kentucky and Ontario, while CR-V Hybrids come from Honda's plants in Ohio and Indiana.
Which should you buy?
Buy the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid. It costs less to get into, makes more power, earns better EPA ratings in every comparable configuration and brings a newer generation of screens, software and driver assistance. The XLE Premium at $36,100 is the value pick.
Choose the CR-V Hybrid if you want a design with a full set of published NHTSA and IIHS results today. The Sport Hybrid 2WD, at $36,030 and 40 mpg combined, is the value choice in that range. RAV4 shoppers who put a premium on safety data should check NHTSA and IIHS for new results before signing.
How we rated it: this comparison is based on manufacturer specifications and pricing from Toyota and Honda, EPA estimates from fueleconomy.gov and NHTSA/IIHS results available in October 2026. Drive Edition has not road-tested these vehicles.