The short version
- Honda CR-V suits buyers who want a seven-seat option (petrol), a longer body, 91 RON fuel and 11 airbags on paper, and who will pay more for the hybrid.
- Toyota RAV4 suits buyers who want the lowest hybrid price ($45,990), the lowest claimed fuel use (4.5 to 4.6 L/100km), a 1,500kg tow rating in all-wheel drive, or a plug-in hybrid.
- Price: CR-V e:HEV from $58,900 drive-away on the current grades; RAV4 Hybrid from $45,990 RRP ($50,872 drive-away). At the top, $64,400 against $64,443 drive-away.
- Safety data: CR-V e:HEV RS four stars (2024) in our records; the RAV4 has no ANCAP data in our records.
- Fuel: RAV4 Hybrid 4.5 to 4.6 L/100km; CR-V e:HEV 5.5 to 5.7.
These are the two cars most mid-size SUV shoppers walk past on the way to a decision, and the comparison is messier than the badges suggest. Both sell as hybrids, both are five-seaters in their hybrid forms, and both sit at a price that overlaps almost exactly at the top. But their ranges are built differently: the CR-V is a petrol range with a hybrid on top, the RAV4 is hybrid first, with a plug-in above it. We compare current rows only, hybrid against hybrid where we can, and put a price basis next to every dollar figure. We have not driven either car, so this is all maker documents, ANCAP and our own records.
What each one costs
The two brands price differently. Honda sells on drive-away pricing, so its recommended retail figures in our records are estimates worked back from the drive-away prices, and they are labelled est. RRP. Toyota publishes recommended retail before on-road costs and we hold a drive-away figure on some grades. Read each table in its own basis.
The hybrid-to-hybrid picture is the one that matters. The cheapest current CR-V e:HEV LX AWD is $58,900 drive-away and the e:HEV RS AWD is $64,400. On the Toyota side, the RAV4 GX Hybrid 2WD starts at $45,990 RRP, or $50,872 drive-away. Put like against like on drive-away money and the gap closes as you go up: the RAV4 Edge Hybrid AWD is $60,616 drive-away, $1,716 above the CR-V LX AWD, and the RAV4 XSE Hybrid AWD is $64,443, which is $43 above the CR-V RS AWD. Those are close to the same car at the same money. The Toyota range just starts a long way lower.
Honda CR-V
| Grade | Price |
|---|---|
| VTi X+1.5L turbo petrol, run-out | $41,800 est. RRPas at 24 Jun 2026 |
| VTi X7 (7 seats)1.5L turbo petrol, run-out | $46,600 est. RRPas at 24 Jun 2026 |
| VTi L7 (7 seats)1.5L turbo petrol, current | $54,900 drive-away (VIC)as at 8 Oct 2026 |
| VTi L AWD1.5L turbo petrol, run-out | $49,800 drive-away (VIC)as at 10 Sep 2026 |
| VTi LX AWD1.5L turbo petrol, run-out | $57,500 drive-away (VIC)as at 24 Jun 2026 |
| e:HEV RS2.0L hybrid, run-out | $56,900 drive-away (VIC)as at 8 Sep 2026 |
| e:HEV LX AWD2.0L hybrid, current | $58,900 drive-away (VIC)as at 15 Oct 2026 |
| e:HEV RS AWD2.0L hybrid, current | $64,400 drive-away (VIC)as at 15 Oct 2026 |
Our record marks five of the eight CR-V rows as run-out stock, so what is left of those grades is shrinking. The three current grades are the VTi L7 and the two all-wheel-drive e:HEVs. Each price is Honda's drive-away figure where we hold one. The VTi X+ and X7 have none on record, so they show an estimated RRP.
Toyota RAV4 hybrid
| Grade | RRP and drive-away |
|---|---|
| GX HybridFWD | $45,990 RRPas at 6 Sep 2026$50,872 drive-away (VIC)as at 6 Sep 2026 |
| GX HybridAWD | $49,340 RRPas at 6 Sep 2026no drive-away price on record |
| GXL HybridFWD | $48,990 RRPas at 6 Sep 2026$53,998 drive-away (VIC)as at 6 Sep 2026 |
| GXL HybridAWD | $52,340 RRPas at 6 Sep 2026no drive-away price on record |
| XSE HybridAWD | $58,340 RRPas at 6 Sep 2026$64,443 drive-away (VIC)as at 6 Sep 2026 |
| Edge HybridAWD | $55,340 RRPas at 6 Sep 2026$60,616 drive-away (VIC)as at 6 Sep 2026 |
| Cruiser HybridFWD | $56,990 RRPas at 6 Sep 2026$63,034 drive-away (VIC)as at 6 Sep 2026 |
| Cruiser HybridAWD | $60,340 RRPas at 6 Sep 2026no drive-away price on record |
Toyota RAV4 plug-in hybrid
| Grade | RRP |
|---|---|
| XSE PHEVFWD, electric range 154km electric | $58,840 RRPas at 6 Sep 2026 |
| XSE PHEVAWD, electric range 144km electric | $63,340 RRPas at 6 Sep 2026 |
| GR Sport PHEVAWD, electric range 144km electric | $66,340 RRPas at 6 Sep 2026 |
The weekly line is a finance estimate on an assumed rate, not a quote. The plug-in range is the electric range as quoted, and our record does not name its test cycle. The CR-V has no plug-in hybrid.
Safety: one rating, one gap
This is the section where our data is lopsided, and we would rather say so than paper over it. The CR-V e:HEV RS and the petrol CR-Vs carry a four-star ANCAP rating from 2024 in our records. The two newer all-wheel-drive e:HEV rows hold no ANCAP data, and we do not carry a rating across to a row that has none. The RAV4 has no ANCAP result in our records on any grade. When the sixth-generation car launched we reported that ANCAP listed it without a rating, and the previous generation's result does not transfer. Check ancap.com.au for the latest before you sign.
| ANCAP | CR-V e:HEV RS | CR-V e:HEV RS AWD | RAV4 Hybrid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4 stars (2024) | no data | no data |
| Adult occupant | 88% | no data | no data |
| Child occupant | 88% | no data | no data |
| Vulnerable road user | 76% | no data | no data |
| Safety assist | 68% | no data | no data |
| Airbags | 11 | no data | 8 |
What each car is listed with is closer. The RAV4 lists eight airbags; the CR-V RS lists eleven, and we hold no airbag count for the AWD e:HEVs. Autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, lane keep assist and a driver attention monitor are standard on every CR-V e:HEV and RAV4 row in our records. Pedestrian detection on the AEB is listed on all RAV4 rows and the CR-V RS, and shows no data on the two AWD e:HEVs.
Fuel and powertrain
The CR-V e:HEV pairs a 2.0-litre petrol with electric drive for 135kW and 335Nm. The RAV4 hybrid uses a 2.5-litre petrol for 143kW, with 0 to 100km/h in 8.4 seconds in 2WD and 7.8 in AWD; Honda's documents hold no 0 to 100 time, so we show none. The fuel numbers favour the Toyota: 4.5 L/100km in 2WD and 4.6 in AWD, against 5.5 and 5.7 for the Honda. On the all-wheel-drive cars that is 1.1 L/100km, or 165 litres over 15,000km, about $330 a year at an assumed $2.00 a litre. In CO2 it is 105 against 131 g/km.
Two more differences. Our record lists 95 RON for the RAV4 and 91 RON minimum for the CR-V e:HEV, so the Toyota may cost more per litre as well as using fewer of them; check the fuel flap on the car you are buying. And on the claimed numbers a tank takes the CR-V e:HEV AWD about 1,000km (57 litres at 5.7) and the RAV4 hybrid AWD about 1,196km (55 litres at 4.6), which is arithmetic on a claim, not a range test.
The petrol CR-V is a different car again: a 1.5-litre turbo with 140kW and 240Nm, claiming 7.1 to 7.7 L/100km depending on grade. The RAV4 PHEV is 201kW in 2WD and 227kW in AWD, with 154km and 144km of electric range respectively and a claimed 0.7 L/100km that assumes you start with a full battery. Toyota publishes no urban or extra-urban figure for it.
| CR-V e:HEV AWD | RAV4 Hybrid AWD | CR-V petrol AWD | RAV4 PHEV AWD | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power | 135kW | 143kW | 140kW | 227kW |
| Torque | 335Nm | no data | 240Nm | no data |
| 0 to 100km/h | no data | 7.8s | no data | 5.8s |
| Fuel, combined | 5.7 | 4.6 | 7.4 | 0.7 L/100km |
| CO2 | 131 g/km | 105 g/km | 169 g/km | 17 g/km |
| Fuel grade | Unleaded (91 RON) minimum | 95 RON | 91 RON | 95 RON |
| Fuel tank | 57L | 55L | 57L | 55L |
Price your own commute in the CR-V e:HEV RS AWD, the RAV4 Edge Hybrid AWD and the petrol CR-V VTi L AWD: one-way distance, trips a week and road mix.
Space, seats, boot and towing
The CR-V is the longer car by 104mm (4,704mm against 4,600mm) and has 10mm more wheelbase (2,700mm against 2,690mm). The RAV4 is the wider on its upper grades, at 1,875mm on the XSE and Edge against the CR-V's 1,866mm, and it stands 1,685mm tall against 1,691mm for the AWD CR-V. Boot figures run the Toyota's way in our records: 705 litres for the RAV4 hybrid (655 for the PHEV) against 581 for the CR-V e:HEV and 589 for the five-seat petrol. Those are maker figures measured by each maker's method, so treat the gap as a guide and take your pram or golf clubs to the showroom.
The CR-V has one thing the RAV4 does not: seven seats. The petrol X7 and L7 carry a third row, and with it up the boot is 150 litres. The e:HEV hybrids are five-seaters, so the seven-seat CR-V and the CR-V hybrid are different buyers' cars.
| CR-V e:HEV AWD | RAV4 Hybrid AWD | RAV4 Hybrid 2WD | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Length | 4,704mm | 4,600mm | 4,600mm |
| Width | 1,866mm | 1,875mm | 1,855mm |
| Height | 1,691mm | 1,685mm | 1,685mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,700mm | 2,690mm | 2,690mm |
| Ground clearance | 208mm | no data | no data |
| Boot, seats up | 581L | 705L | 705L |
| Kerb weight | 1,828kg | 1,790kg | 1,745kg |
| Towing, braked | 750kg | 1,500kg | 800kg |
| Towing, unbraked | 600kg | 750kg | 750kg |
| Tow ball download | 75kg | 150kg | 80kg |
Ground clearance is no data for the RAV4 and 208mm for the AWD CR-V. Towing is a clear split for hybrid buyers. The CR-V e:HEV is rated at 750kg braked with a 75kg tow ball download, and 600kg unbraked. The RAV4 hybrid is 800kg braked in 2WD and 1,500kg in AWD, with 750kg unbraked. The petrol CR-V is no slouch, at 1,500kg braked in the five-seat AWD, but if you want a hybrid and a heavier trailer, the RAV4 AWD is the one rated for it.
Pick a trailer, add passengers and gear, and see whether the CR-V e:HEV RS, the RAV4 GXL Hybrid and the RAV4 Edge Hybrid stay inside their limits.
Will they fit your garage? Choose a garage size and see each car's clearance in length, width and height.
Equipment by grade
Four states: Standard, Optional (with a printed price), No (the document says it is not fitted) and No data. A No data pill is a gap in our record, not a missing feature. We compare the two top CR-V e:HEVs with a spread of RAV4 hybrids, because the Toyota range has a rung for almost every price.
| Feature | CR-V e:HEV LX AWD | CR-V e:HEV RS AWD | RAV4 GXL 2WD | RAV4 Edge AWD | RAV4 Cruiser AWD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 360-degree camera | Standard | Standard | No data | Standard | Standard |
| Head-up display | No data | Standard | No data | No data | Standard |
| Wireless phone charging | Standard | Standard | Standard | Standard | Standard |
| Heated front seats | Standard | Standard | No data | Standard | Standard |
| Ventilated front seats | No data | Standard | No data | No data | Standard |
| Power tailgate | Standard | Standard | No | Standard | Standard |
| Panoramic roof | No data | Standard | No data | No data | Standard |
| Memory driver seat | Standard | Standard | No data | No data | Standard |
| Premium audio | Standard | Standard | No data | No data | Standard |
| Wireless CarPlay and Android Auto | No data | No data | Standard | Standard | Standard |
Screens are a visible difference: 9 inches on every CR-V against 10.5 on the RAV4 GX and GXL and 12.9 on the rest. Speakers: 8 on the lower petrol CR-Vs and 12 on the LX and RS, against 6 on every RAV4 hybrid except the Cruiser, which has 9. Wheels run from 17 to 19 inches on the CR-V and 17 to 20 on the RAV4. One practical point: the AWD e:HEVs carry a tyre repair kit and no spare, while the RAV4 carries a space-saver.
Warranty and servicing
Both cars carry five-year new vehicle warranties. Honda gives eight years on the e:HEV battery; Toyota's hybrid battery cover is listed at 10 years in our record, which Toyota ties to servicing at a Toyota dealer past the first five. Read Toyota's terms before you count on it. Service intervals differ: the CR-V every 12 months or 10,000km and the RAV4 every 12 months or 15,000km, so a high-kilometre driver visits the Honda dealer more often.
Honda lists a $199 capped first service in a five-year program on the CR-V rows that hold it, and we hold no capped servicing cost for the RAV4. Honda also lists five years of premium roadside assistance. So on servicing cost we cannot call it, and we would rather say that than guess.
| CR-V e:HEV RS | RAV4 Hybrid | |
|---|---|---|
| New vehicle warranty | 5yr / unlimited km | 5yr / unlimited km |
| Hybrid battery warranty | 8 years | 10 years |
| Service interval | 10,000km | 15,000km |
| Capped service, first year | $199 | No data |
| Capped-price program | 5 years | No data |
Running costs, finance and tax
Fuel is where these two part ways. The RAV4 hybrid claims 1.0 to 1.1 L/100km less than the CR-V e:HEV, which is 150 to 165 litres a year at 15,000km, before you account for the premium-fuel note above. Servicing is a question mark on the Toyota side. Insurance, tyres and registration depend on you.
On tax, every grade of both cars is under the 2026-27 luxury car tax threshold of $80,809 for cars that are not fuel efficient, so LCT does not apply. The electric car FBT exemption covers battery electric cars only. For the RAV4 plug-in hybrid, the check we run on the XSE PHEV 2WD comes back not exempt: Plug-in hybrids lost the FBT exemption on 1 April 2025. Neither hybrid qualifies either.
Luxury car tax and FBT figures current as of 24 October 2026
Thresholds, rebates and rules on this page change each financial year. We check them against the ATO, but always confirm the current position with the relevant authority before you sign.
What the CR-V e:HEV RS AWD and the RAV4 Edge Hybrid AWD cost a week on finance. The rate is an assumption you can change, not a quote.
And the same two on a novated lease at your income.
So which should you buy?
- You want the lowest hybrid price: the RAV4 GX Hybrid, from $45,990 RRP. The cheapest current CR-V e:HEV is $58,900 drive-away.
- You want the lowest fuel use: the RAV4 Hybrid, at 4.5 to 4.6 L/100km against 5.5 to 5.7.
- You need seven seats: the petrol CR-V X7 or L7. No RAV4 has a third row, and the CR-V hybrid is a five-seater.
- You tow with a hybrid: the RAV4 in all-wheel drive, at 1,500kg braked against 750kg for the CR-V e:HEV.
- You want a plug-in: the RAV4 PHEV, with up to 154km of electric range. The CR-V has none.
- You want a published ANCAP result: the CR-V RS, four stars from 2024 in our records. The RAV4 has no ANCAP data in our records, so check before you sign.
- You want the bigger screen and boot: the RAV4 on our figures: up to 12.9 inches and 705 litres, against 9 inches and 581 litres.
- You buy at the top of each range: a near tie on price, $64,400 against $64,443 drive-away, so decide on the list above.
Want every grade side by side?
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Keep reading
The cars: Honda CR-V range and Toyota RAV4 range, or all Honda and Toyota models. Other head-to-heads: CR-V vs CX-5, CR-V vs Forester, RAV4 vs CX-5, Forester vs RAV4, RAV4 vs Tucson and bZ4X vs RAV4 PHEV. Guides with a third car in the mix: Tiggo 7 Super Hybrid vs CR-V and Tiggo 7 Super Hybrid vs RAV4. From the news desk: the RAV4 PHEV grades, the RAV4 PHEV recall and the RAV4 in the July sales figures.