2026 Toyota RAV4 vs Honda CR-V Hybrid vs Subaru Forester Hybrid: Specs Compared

The new, sixth-generation Toyota RAV4 is here, and it’s one of the most important new cars of the year. Sure, it’s not as exciting as, say, the GR Corolla, but it’s the best-selling Toyota model by a significant margin—and one of the best-selling cars in the world. The 2026 RAV4 will need to fend off competition from a growing list of rivals to retain the top spot, however, including the Honda CR-V and Subaru Forester.

Like the RAV4, the CR-V and Forester were recently redesigned to remain attractive in a crowded and highly competitive segment. And, also like the RAV4, the CR-V and Forester are available with hybrid power; Subaru actually gets some of its gasoline-electric technology from Toyota. It’s going to be a close fight. While we wait to take the new RAV4 for a spin, here’s how these three SUVs stack up on paper.

The new RAV4 is hybrid-only, so we’re comparing it to the gasoline-electric variants of its two main rivals. Unlike Toyota, Honda and Subaru still offer non-electrified versions of their compact SUVs. The 2026 RAV4’s system is built around a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, and its full output checks in at 226 horsepower when buyers select front-wheel drive. The optional all-wheel-drive system bumps that number up to 236 hp.

Whether it’s front- or all-wheel drive, the RAV4 is more powerful than its rivals. Honda’s hybrid system puts 204 hp under your right foot, while Subaru’s is rated at 194 hp. And, of course, RAV4 buyers can select a plug-in hybrid drivetrain that’s rated at a stout 320 hp; that’s not accounted for in the table below, though, because Honda and Subaru don’t offer plug-in counterparts.

In terms of sizing, the RAV4, the CR-V, and the Forester land very close to each other. That’s hardly a surprise: They were developed to fulfill the same basic mission, and there aren’t a million ways to shape a compact SUV that ticks the “space,” “value,” and “safety” boxes. The RAV4 stands out as the shortest of the three by a couple of inches, though its wheelbase is slightly longer than the Forester’s, while the CR-V’s is the longest. However, the difference in size between the three models represents a rounding error at best, and drivers are unlikely to notice it.

Note that, because the 2026 RAV4 is so new, we’re still missing a few key data points. We notably don’t know what it weighs. For context, the CR-V Sport Touring weighs 3,926 pounds, and the range-topping Forester Touring Hybrid tips the scale at 3,946 pounds. Toyota also hasn’t given us the new RAV4’s trunk space. You’ve got 34.7 cubic feet of space to fill behind the Honda’s second row, and 27.5 cubes in the Subaru.

If “space taken up by screens” is high on your list of priorities when you’re shopping for a car, there’s a good chance you’ll like the new RAV4. Its 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster is bigger than the CR-V’s and the same size as the Forester’s. It comes standard with a 10.5-inch touchscreen for the infotainment system, which lands between the Honda’s and the Subaru’s, and it’s optionally available with a 12.9-inch display. Toyota integrated the climate control system’s buttons into the touchscreen, though it left a handful of hard buttons on the center stack. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility come standard, regardless of which SUV you end up putting in your driveway.

On paper, the 2026 Toyota RAV4 has what it takes to remain at the top of its segment, and near the top of the list of America’s best-sellers. It’s pretty stylish, too, and it will launch with a wide selection of trim levels to ensure there’s an option for every buyer. We’ll reserve our final judgement until we get the chance to spend some time behind the wheel, however. Stay tuned: Sales will start in the coming months.

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