2024 Honda CR-V vs. 2023 Toyota RAV4: Which SUV Should You Buy?

The mid-90s were a crazy time in the US. Pokémon was all the rage, teased hairdos were still in style, and the world had scarcely even heard of a band called NSYNC yet. Meanwhile, the battle of Honda vs. Toyota was about to ramp up in a big way, with the release of two flagship crossover SUVs: the CR-V, and the RAV4.

Over time, some things have changed. When was the last time you saw someone with teased hair, anyway?

One thing that hasn’t changed, though, is that America loves SUVs. Both the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4 routinely top best-selling lists year in and year out, but which one is the best midsize SUV today? Which one should you spend your hard-earned cash on? Let’s see if we can’t get to the bottom of it.

Trim Levels

First off in our midsize SUV comparison, let’s take a look at the different varieties available.

The 2024 CR-V has a streamlined 6 trims (up from 5 since last year):

LX

EX

EX-L

Sport Hybrid

Sport-L Hybrid

Sport Touring Hybrid

Thus far, Toyota hasn’t officially announced a 2024 model year of RAV4. This means that it’s likely it’ll be largely identical to the 2023 RAV4, which has a decidedly less streamlined trim selection:

LE

XLE

XLE Premium

Limited

Adventure

TRD Off-Road

Hybrid LE

Hybrid XLE

Hybrid XLE Premium

Hybrid Limited

Hybrid Woodland Edition

Hybrid SE

Hybrid XSE

Prime SE

Prime XSE

For those not keeping track, the CR-V has 3 gas and 3 hybrid models, whereas the RAV4 is sporting 6 gas, 7 hybrid, and 2 plug-in renditions. (Also worth noting: the RAV4 Prime is technically considered an entirely different nameplate, depending on who you ask.)

The obvious takeaway here is that the RAV4 offers a fair bit more customization when it comes to selecting a trim, and there are two ways to look at this. New vehicle buyers or lessees may indeed benefit from having more than double the variety. But, if you’re in the vast majority of Americans who are looking for the best used midsize SUV, you’re entering a potential whirlwind of option paralysis if you’re shopping for an RAV4, and finding the one you want will likely turn into a “needle in a haystack” situation compared to the relative simplicity of buying a CR-V.

Fuel Economy and Hybridization

Regardless of trim, we’re sure you’ll be wondering which is the best midsize SUV on gas. Both vehicles offer two engine types: a full-on combustion engine, and a hybrid electric. Precise EPA fuel economy estimates vary slightly by trim and supplementary packages.

	2024 Honda CR-V	2023 Toyota RAV4
Gas FWD (city/hwy/comb):	28 / 34 / 30	27 / 34 / 30
Hybrid FWD (city/hwy/comb):	43 / 36 / 40	N/A
Gas AWD (city/hwy/comb):	27 / 32 / 29	27 / 33 / 29
Hybrid AWD (city/hwy/comb):	40 / 34 / 37	41 / 38 / 40

So, in terms of which midsize SUV gets the best gas mileage, it’s pretty much even steep regardless of the powertrain you end up going with. The RAV4 Hybrid AWD has a slight advantage over the CR-V Hybrid AWD, but the RAV4 Hybrid is unavailable in FWD, which gives the CR-V Hybrid the overall edge in a city driving setting.

It’s also worth noting that, while you may be able to save money at the pump by choosing the plug-in RAV4 Prime editions, you’ll still be paying thousands more upfront than you would for the most expensive 2024 Honda CR-V, so it will likely take a couple of years of ownership to see the mileage benefits.

Dimensions and Interior Space

While the RAV4 is a fraction of an inch taller, the CR-V is longer and wider. So, how does this translate to the passenger experience?

Here’s a breakdown of the overall interior measurements and capacities:

	2024 Honda CR-V	2023 Toyota RAV4
Headroom (front/rear):	40.0 in. / 38.2 in.	37.7 in. / 39.5 in.
Shoulder room (front/rear):	57.9 in. / 55.9 in.	57.8 in. / 56.4 in.
Hip room (front/rear):	55.6 in. / 52.6 in.	54.3 in. / 47.7 in.
Leg room (front/rear):	41.3 in. / 41.0 in.	41.0 in. / 37.8 in.
Total passenger volume:	106.0 cu. ft.	98.9 cu. ft.
Minimum cargo volume:	39.3 cu. ft.	37.6 cu. ft.
Maximum cargo volume:	76.5 cu. ft.	69.8 cu. ft.

The CR-V is the roomiest midsize SUV in almost every measurable way, with sizeable differences in front headroom and rear legroom. It provides an overall more comfortable interior for people to spread out, making the Honda arguably the best SUV for a family of four. In total, it has over 7 cubic feet more passenger space.

Not only that—the rear cargo volume in the CR-V is significantly larger. Even with the rear seats up, it has an advantage of almost 2 full cubic feet, which may not seem like a lot, but it absolutely makes the difference between fitting an extra suitcase, or a few more bags of groceries. The 60/40 split-bench rear seats offer the versatility to carry larger loads while still allowing for a backseat driver as well.

Safety

There’s no doubt that both are well-designed, well-appointed, and fuel-efficient. Perhaps the most important question of all though, is which is the safest family SUV of the two?

In our midsize SUV rankings, again, we have to give it up to both, because they both have an impressive assortment of passive and active safety features, as well as their own great blend of ADAS.

The CR-V benefits from the full complement of Honda Sensing features, most of which are standard across all trim levels. It’s a similar story to the RAV4, which boasts Toyota’s Safety Sense 2.5, but there are some notable differences. Here’s the breakdown:

	2024 Honda CR-V	2023 Toyota RAV4
Adaptive cruise control:	Standard	Standard
Collision mitigating braking:	Standard	Standard
Road departure mitigation:	Standard	Unavailable
Lane keeping assist:	Standard	Standard
Lane departure warning:	Standard	Standard
Forward collision warning:	Standard	Standard
Traffic jam assist:	Standard	Unavailable
Traffic sign recognition:	Standard	Standard
Driver attention monitor:	Standard	Unavailable
Rear seat reminder:	Standard	Unavailable
Blind spot information:	Available	Available
High beam assist:	Standard	Standard

In our CR-V vs. RAV4 safety analysis, the CR-V has a more comprehensive ADAS suite, which makes it the best SUV for teen drivers and adults alike.

The CR-V also boasts higher overall safety scores. When rating the 2023 Toyota RAV4, the IIHS awarded it the Top Safety Pick, which is absolutely impressive. While the 2024 CR-V hasn’t had enough time on the market to be rated, we can look at the previous year—the 2023 Honda CR-V came out on top yet again, winning the IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award. Basically, the RAV4 gets a silver medal, and the CR-V takes the gold, making it the safest midsize SUV of the two, according to the experts.

Critic Reviews

So far, it’s looking like a close call, but for our money, the 2024 Honda CR-V is looking like the top midsize SUV. Don’t just take our word for it, though. Let’s see what some other experts have to say.

In their review, the pros at Edmunds gave the 2024 CR-V an 8.1/10, placing it in the #2 spot overall in their small SUV rankings. The 2023 RAV4 was given a 7.7/10, putting it near the back of the pack at #9.

Motortrend also ranked the 2024 CR-V in their #2 spot, with a rating of 8.5/10, compared to the 2023 RAV4, which earned an 8.3/10.

Perhaps the most impressive though is the fact that Car and Driver gave the 2024 CR-V a perfect 10/10 score. The 2023 edition also walked with an Editor’s Choice and a C/D 10best award. Meanwhile, they gave the 2023 RAV4 an 8.5/10 rating—respectable, but not quite up to snuff.

Need Help Finding Your Next Ride?

Here at Roper Honda, we have some of the most reliable SUVs and cars on the market. We also have new vehicle promotions always running, as well as weekly pre-owned specials, so no matter what you’re in the market for, there’s a way to save.

If you’re looking for a new CR-V for sale near Joplin, give us a call at (417) 625-0800 to learn more.