Which 2023 hybrid SUV has the advantage in the Cr-V vs. Rav-4 competition?

While this segment has many entries, two models currently sitting at the top of the heap in terms of hybrid crossovers are longtime competitors Toyotas RAV4 and Hondas CR-V. While Honda and Toyota each have an extensive vehicle line-up that stretches from compact cars to luxurious minivans, crossover SUVs have been the mainstays of Japans automotive giants.

Reliability & Quality in 2023 The Toyota RAV4 The Honda CR-V did not make it into the top three models for the Compact SUV segment in the J.D. The fifth-generation 2023 Toyota Rav-4 is four inches shorter than the rival 2023 Honda CR-V, which is now entering its sixth-generation. The rival 2023 Honda CR-V, while perfect for a tiny Bronx garage, is considered by some to be a bit short on certain areas it should not.

Toyotas hybrid 2023 Honda CR-V is roughly $2,600 cheaper to begin with than Toyotas hybrid 2023 RAV4 is, and comes standard with four-wheel drive. Its 2.5-liter, four-cylinder gives it 219 horsepower, which is 15 horsepower ahead of its rival, the 2023 Honda CR-V, even though that Honda hybrid is stronger than generations in the past. Toyota does not release the total torque numbers of the current RAV4 hybrid, but its larger 2.5-liter configuration is good for 219 horsepower, making it notably faster down the road.

All 2023 CR-V regular models are powered by the 1.5L turbocharged flat-four, which is capable of producing 190 horsepower and 179 pound-feet of torque. The Honda CR-Vs base engine is a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-pot that makes 190 horsepower and 179 lb-ft of torque. According to MotorTrend, an all-wheel-drive CR-V equipped with 190 horsepower would achieve the 0-to-60-mph sprint in about 7.8 seconds, whereas a Toyota RAV4 would achieve the same 0-to-60-mph sprint in about 8.0 seconds.1 You will find this same emphasis on smart engineering throughout our inventory of new Hondas.

From the drivers seat, the 2023 Honda CR-V Hybrid is slightly quieter interior-wise compared with the 2023 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, but they are both great. With the back seats folded, Honda claims greater overall cargo room, but the 2023 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid has a little more room when you are carrying stuff around every day. There is no storage underneath the cargo floor in the 2023 Honda CR-V Hybrid, whereas Toyotas RAV4 has storage underneath, as well as an emergency spare tire down (the Honda gets a canned flat-fix).

Looking under the wheels of those two best SUVs, you can see its rival, the 2023 Honda CR-V, has a larger one-inch wheel rims and tires as well.

In the land of hybrids, Toyota has been steadily perfecting its technology for around two decades as well, whereas Honda – not quite the new kid on the block – has been doing so for a shorter period.