2025 Honda CR-V Hybrid vs. Toyota RAV4 Hybrid vs Kia Sportage Hybrid

2024 Honda CR-V Hybrid vs. Toyota RAV4 Hybrid vs Kia Sportage Hybrid - Germain Honda of College Hills

If you’re in the market for an efficient and practical hybrid SUV, it’s hard to miss the CR-V Hybrid. One of the best-selling hybrids on the market, the CR-V maintains its popularity by offering lots of interior space, incredible safety features, and unrivaled levels of standard equipment. Not only that, but Honda’s legendary reliability has made the CR-V a smart choice for years. But the compact SUV segment is one of fierce competition, and the CR-V Hybrid has some challengers. To show how these vehicles stack up to the CR-V, we’ve put together this guide, which we think you’ll find helpful.

Honda CR-V Hybrid VS Toyota RAV4 Hybrid

Honda CR-V Hybrid
Toyota RAV4 Hybrid
2025 Honda CR-V Sport Touring Hybrid VS 2024 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Limited
$40,800 MSRP (excluding destination charges) $40,030
76.5 cubic feet ✓ Max Cargo Space 69.8 cubic feet
41.3 inches / 41 inches ✓ Legroom (front / back) 41 inches / 37.8 inches
19 inches ✓ Wheels 18 inches
Genuine Leather ✓ Seat Upholstery Leatherette
Bose – 12 speakers ✓ Stereo JBL – 11 speakers
Standard ✓ Rain-Sensing Wipers Optional
Standard ✓ Wireless Phone Charging Optional
Standard ✓ Active Noise Cancellation Not Available
3 years / 36,000 miles ✓ Roadside Assistance 2 years unlimited miles

Whether we’re talking about the hybrid or the conventional model, the RAV4 is the biggest rival to the CR-V. We’re comparing the top trims of both, partly because these trims have such similar pricing that they’re basically identical, and partly because it illustrates what kind of equipment is available. But the first couple of points aren’t specific to any particular trim. The CR-V is a little bit bigger than the RAV4, and you see this most in the cargo space and legroom. The front legroom might be pretty close, but back-seat passengers will absolutely see the difference between these two. People walking by on the sidewalk will notice the difference too, thanks the to bigger wheels that come with the CR-V.

To go with all of the extra space in the CR-V, you’ll also get genuine leather upholstery, something that even this top-spec version of the RAV4 doesn’t offer. Both vehicles do have premium stereos, but audiophiles will notice that the system in the CR-V comes from a more premium brand, and has one more speaker. Rain-sensing wipers and wireless phone charging come standard on this trim of the CR-V, which probably isn’t a big surprise, but what might be surprising is that Toyota charges extra for these options even on the top trim. But no matter how much you spend on a RAV4, you won’t get active noise canceling, which is standard on this and all trims of the CR-V Hybrid. Lastly, Honda gives you one more year of roadside assistance, a nice advantage to have.


Honda CR-V Hybrid VS Kia Sportage Hybrid

Honda CR-V Hybrid
Kia Sportage Hybrid
2025 Honda CR-V Sport Hybrid VS 2024 Kia Sportage Hybrid LX
$34,350 MSRP (excluding destination charges) $28,590
76.5 cubic feet ✓ Max Cargo Capacity 74.1 cubic feet
37.3 feet ✓ Turning Diameter 38.6 feet
18 inches ✓ Wheels 17 inches
Multi-angle ✓ Backup Camera Single angle
Standard ✓ Heated Seats Optional
Standard ✓ Blind Spot Information System Optional
Standard ✓ Cross Traffic Monitor Optional
Standard ✓ Traffic Jam Assist Optional
Standard ✓ Moonroof Requires Higher Trim
Standard ✓ Ambient Lighting Requires Higher Trim

Next up is the Kia Sportage Hybrid. Although the Sportage has been around for a while, a hybrid drivetrain is a recent addition to the option list. You can see that the Kia has a lower starting price, which might look like a pretty great deal, but let’s take a closer look at what that money gets you. The Sportage is a bit bigger than the CR-V on the outside, and this should mean it offers more space. But clever space management has always been one of those things that Honda does exceptionally well, and the CR-V actually offers more max cargo space. But that smaller size means a tiger turning circle, always an important quality for a compact SUV to have. And speaking of maneuvering out of tight spaces, the CR-V comes with a standard multi-angle backup camera, giving it one more advantage when it comes to parking.

Even from the outside, you can see that the CR-V is better equipped, thanks to the standard 18-inch wheels. Take a seat in both and you can literally feel the difference in equipment levels, thanks to the standard heated seats in the CR-V. The Kia falls especially short when it comes to safety equipment, with a number of things like a Blind Spot Information System, Cross Traffic Monitor, and Traffic Jam Assist all costing extra, while they come standard on the Honda. Lastly, the interior of the CR-V is well-lit, thanks to a standard moonroof and ambient lighting. Not only are these features not standard on the Sportage, moving up a trim still only gives you the option to pay more to get them.


Honda CR-V Hybrid Interior

Winner – Honda CR-V Hybrid

The CR-V Hybrid certainly has its competitors, but they simply can’t match the all-around strength of the CR-V Hybrid. This is why major automotive expert publications like Car & Driver1 and Kelley Blue Book2 have named it the best vehicle in its class. But to fully appreciate why the CR-V Hybrid is such a clear pick over the competition, it should be experienced in person. Let Germain Honda of College Hills help you with that today.