Compact SUV rivals
The RAV4 leads on efficiency and power, the CR-V on cargo space and the Equinox on price. The 2026 RAV4 is hybrid-only at 226 horsepower; the CR-V holds 39.3 cubic feet behind the rear seats; dealer comparisons put the Equinox around $28,800 to start, the lowest of the three.
The RAV4 leads on efficiency and power, the CR-V on cargo space and the Equinox on price. The 2026 RAV4 is hybrid-only at 226 horsepower; the CR-V holds 39.3 cubic feet behind the rear seats; dealer comparisons put the Equinox around $28,800 to start, the lowest of the three.
Delaney Chevrolet (opens in a new tab), a Chevrolet dealer, summarizes the split this way: the CR-V has class-leading cargo room and strong hybrid efficiency, and the RAV4 leads on horsepower and now runs only on Toyota's latest hybrid system, rated at 226 horsepower in front-wheel drive and 236 with all-wheel drive, with a plug-in hybrid at 324 horsepower and up to 50 miles of electric range. The CR-V comes with a 190-horsepower 1.5-liter turbo or a 204-horsepower 2.0-liter hybrid. SoCal Chevy (opens in a new tab) reaches the same ranking: RAV4 for fuel economy, CR-V for cargo and interior space, Equinox for value.
Delaney Chevrolet lists the CR-V at 39.3 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 76.5 maximum on gas models, dropping to 36.3 behind the seats on hybrids because of battery placement, and the Equinox at 29.8 behind the rear seats and 63.5 maximum with 104.3 cubic feet of passenger volume. Beadle Chevrolet (opens in a new tab) puts the CR-V Hybrid's maximum at 71.8 cubic feet, still ahead of the Equinox. U.S. News (opens in a new tab) lists the RAV4 at 37.8 cubic feet behind the second row and 70.4 folded, so the order is CR-V, then RAV4, then Equinox.
Starting prices are the least settled number here. Bob Stall Chevrolet (opens in a new tab) puts the Equinox at about $28,800 against roughly $32,370 for the CR-V and $33,350 for the RAV4, with a standard 11.3-inch Google built-in screen and more than 15 standard safety features on the Chevrolet. Beadle Chevrolet lists the CR-V at about $31,550 and the RAV4 LE Hybrid at about $31,900. The sources agree the Equinox is cheapest and disagree on whether the RAV4 or CR-V is next, so compare the same trim and drivetrain at a dealer rather than the headline figure. All of these are Chevrolet dealers, so their enthusiasm for the Equinox's price should be weighed against the fact that the gas Equinox trails both hybrids on fuel economy, as they admit.
The CR-V, at 39.3 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 76.5 maximum on gas models, according to Delaney Chevrolet (opens in a new tab).
The Chevrolet Equinox, per dealer comparisons such as Bob Stall Chevrolet (opens in a new tab), which put it near $28,800.
The Toyota RAV4, at 226 to 236 horsepower as a hybrid and 324 horsepower as a plug-in, per Delaney Chevrolet.
Lineup overview
The 2026 Honda CR-V uses two distinct powertrain families. LX, EX and EX-L use a 190-horsepower 1.5-liter turbo engine, while Sport Hybrid, TrailSport Hybrid, Sport-L Hybrid and Sport Touring Hybrid use a 204-horsepower hybrid system. Real Time AWD is available broadly and standard on TrailSport Hybrid and Sport Touring Hybrid.
The sixth-generation 2026 Toyota RAV4 is exclusively electrified, with hybrid-electric and plug-in hybrid powertrains. Hybrid output is 226 combined horsepower with front-wheel drive or 236 with all-wheel drive. Toyota lists 324 combined horsepower for current PHEV grades and up to 3,500 pounds of towing on selected AWD configurations.
The 2026 Equinox is a five-passenger compact SUV offered in LT, ACTIV and RS trims. Every trim uses a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine rated at 175 horsepower. The transmission changes with drivetrain: front-wheel-drive configurations use a continuously variable transmission, while available all-wheel drive is paired with an eight-speed automatic.
Side-by-side matrix
Every figure below is the published family range across all trims — open each full record before applying a number to one specific vehicle.
| Decision field | Honda CR-V | Toyota RAV4 | Chevrolet Equinox |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine options | 1.5L turbo (gas) / hybrid system | HEV / PHEV | 1.5L turbo I-4 |
| Horsepower range | 190 / 204 hp | 226–324 hp | 175 hp |
| Drivetrain | FWD / AWD | FWD / AWD | FWD / AWD |
| Seating | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Maximum towing | 1,500 / 1,000 lb | 3,500 lb | 1,500 lb |
| Trim count | 7 trims | 7 trims | 3 trims |
Starting MSRP by trim is not yet independently verified across every vehicle in this record — pricing changes often enough mid-model-year that this page cites manufacturer configurators rather than publish a number that could go stale. Every other field above is sourced and dated per vehicle.
Trim ladders
LX → EX → Sport Hybrid → EX-L → TrailSport Hybrid → Sport-L Hybrid → Sport Touring Hybrid
LE → XLE Premium → Woodland → SE → XSE → Limited → GR SPORT
LT → ACTIV → RS
Where each one wins
Ranked directly from the sourced figures above — nothing here is an opinion.
3,500 lb, ahead of the Honda CR-V's 1,500 / 1,000 lb, the Chevrolet Equinox's 1,500 lb. Maximums require the specific powertrain and equipment noted in each full record.
7 trims against the Toyota RAV4's 7, the Chevrolet Equinox's 3. More trims means finer-grained equipment choices, not necessarily better equipment at any one price.
Technology and what changed
Honda lists wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility across the 2026 trim comparison.
Yes. Toyota identifies Toyota Safety Sense 4.0 as standard on the redesigned 2026 lineup.
Open the evidence
Nearby comparisons
Sources
Honda 2026 CR-V overview · Honda CR-V specifications and trim comparison
Toyota 2026 RAV4 specifications · Toyota reveals the all-new RAV4 · Toyota 2026 RAV4 launch details · Toyota current PHEV pricing and power
Chevrolet 2026 Equinox trim comparison · Chevrolet Equinox model information · Chevrolet Equinox vehicle release