2026 Hyundai Tucson vs. 2026 Toyota RAV4

U.S. News gives the Tucson a Safety score of 9.7 out of 10, nearly perfect and well clear of the RAV4's 8.7, praising the Tucson's neutral handling and impressive ride comfort, and declares the Tucson the winner of the matchup, calling the RAV4 second-best despite putting up a good fight. Kelley Blue Book says the Tucson Hybrid now undercuts the Toyota RAV4 in price while achieving up to 38 mpg combined, with 231 hp versus the gasoline-only Tucson's 187 hp, and comes with what KBB calls an unbeatable warranty of 10 years/100,000 miles of powertrain coverage.

Which to choose, and why

U.S. News names the Tucson the winner

U.S. News (opens in a new tab) gives the Tucson a Safety score of 9.7 out of 10, nearly perfect and well clear of the RAV4's 8.7, praising the Tucson's neutral handling and impressive ride comfort, and declares the Tucson the winner of the matchup, calling the RAV4 second-best despite putting up a good fight.

The Tucson Hybrid now costs less and comes with a longer warranty

Kelley Blue Book (opens in a new tab) says the Tucson Hybrid now undercuts the Toyota RAV4 in price while achieving up to 38 mpg combined, with 231 hp versus the gasoline-only Tucson's 187 hp, and comes with what KBB calls an unbeatable warranty of 10 years/100,000 miles of powertrain coverage.

Questions buyers ask

Which is safer, the Hyundai Tucson or Toyota RAV4?

U.S. News (opens in a new tab) says the Tucson, with a 9.7/10 Safety score versus the RAV4's 8.7.

Which has a longer warranty, the Hyundai Tucson or Toyota RAV4?

Kelley Blue Book (opens in a new tab) says the Tucson, with 10 years/100,000 miles of powertrain coverage.

Side-by-side matrix

The published fields that can change the decision.

Hyundai Tucson: 5 records · Toyota RAV4: 6 records.

Decision field	Hyundai Tucson	Toyota RAV4
Exact EPA records	5	6
Model / option labels	5	5
Drive layouts	All-Wheel Drive, Front-Wheel Drive	All-Wheel Drive, Front-Wheel Drive
Engines / propulsion	1.6L 4-cyl SIDI; Hybrid, 1.6L 4-cyl SIDI; PHEV, 2.5L 4-cyl SIDI & PFI	2.5L 4-cyl SIDI & PFI; Hybrid
Transmissions	Automatic (AM-S6), Automatic (S8)	Automatic (AV-S6), Automatic (variable gear ratios)
Fuel types	Regular, Regular Gas and Electricity	Regular
EPA classes	Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD, Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD	Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD, Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD
Combined efficiency	26–38 MPG/MPGe	38–43 MPG/MPGe
Electric range	32 miles	Not listed
Annual fuel / energy estimate	$1700–2500 per year	$1500–1700 per year

Head to head

Hyundai Tucson vs. Toyota RAV4: size, power, capability and price.

Measure	Hyundai Tucson	Toyota RAV4
Starting price (KBB base)	$31,050	$33,350
Top trim price (KBB base)	$42,525	$44,750
Horsepower	187 hp	183 hp
Torque	178 lb-ft	163 lb-ft
Curb weight	3,572-3,800 lb	3,920 lb
Length	182.3 in	181-182 in
Wheelbase	108.5 in	105.9 in
Cargo volume	80.3 cu ft	70.4 cu ft
Towing capacity	2,700 lb	1,750-3,500 lb
Seating	5 seats	5 seats
Basic warranty	5 years	3 years

Figures are ranges across each model’s trims from Kelley Blue Book records (2026 model year); prices are KBB base prices.

The Hyundai Tucson starts $2,300 lower: $31,050 against $33,350 before options and fees.
On peak horsepower, the Hyundai Tucson leads: 187 hp against 183 hp.
On peak torque, the Hyundai Tucson leads: 178 lb-ft against 163 lb-ft.
The Hyundai Tucson is lighter, comparing lightest trims: 3,572 lb against 3,920 lb.
On length, the Hyundai Tucson leads: 182.3 in against 182 in.
On wheelbase, the Hyundai Tucson leads: 108.5 in against 105.9 in.
On cargo volume, the Hyundai Tucson leads: 80.3 cu ft against 70.4 cu ft.
On maximum towing capacity, the Toyota RAV4 leads: 3,500 lb against 2,700 lb.
Both list the same seating capacity: 5 seats.
On basic warranty, the Hyundai Tucson leads: 5 years against 3 years.

Background on each vehicle

What public sources say about the Hyundai Tucson and the Toyota RAV4.

2026 Hyundai Tucson

The Hyundai Tucson is a compact crossover SUV produced by the South Korean manufacturer Hyundai. It is named after the city of Tucson, Arizona, U.S. The second-generation model was marketed as the Hyundai ix35 in several markets, including Europe, Australia and China, before reverting to Tucson for the third-generation.

Source: Hyundai Tucson (Wikipedia)

Safety. There are dual-stage frontal impact airbags, torso side-impact airbags built into the front seats, and curtain airbags for side-impact protection for front and rear passengers. The 2009 Hyundai Tucson was rated by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA): Frontal Rating (Driver): Frontal Rating (Passenger): Side Rating (Driver): Side Rating (Passenger):

Powertrain. The Hyundai Tucson received accolades from Canadian Car of the Year Best New Crossover award for 2005. It was named as one of the most reliable vehicles from the 2009 Consumer Reports reliability survey.

NHTSA rated the 2025 Hyundai Tucson overall 5 of 5 stars, front crash 5 of 5 stars, side crash 5 of 5 stars, rollover 4 of 5 stars.

Recent recalls (12 campaigns across the latest model years)

June 2026, Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel. Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Tucson, Tucson Hybrid, Tucson Plug-In Hybrid Electric (PHEV) vehicles. Due to a software error, the instrument panel display may fail. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle… Consequence: An instrument panel display that fails to show critical safety information, such as the speedometer or warning lights, increases the risk of a crash.
May 2026, Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking. Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Santa Cruz, Tucson, Tucson Hybrid, and Tucson Plug-In Hybrid Electric (PHEV) vehicles. Software in the front cameras may cause the forward collision avoidance system to activate prematurely and unexpectedly apply the brakes. Consequence: Unexpected braking increases the risk of a crash.
April 2026, Air Bags:Sensor:Side Impact. Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2025 Elantra N, 2026 Tucson, Tucson Hybrid, Tucson Plug-In Hybrid Electric (PHEV), and Elantra vehicles. The B-pillar impact sensors may have been misassembled, which can delay air bag deployment. Consequence: Air bags that do not deploy as intended increase the risk of injury in a crash.

Owners filed 283 complaints with NHTSA for the 2025 Hyundai Tucson, most often about forward collision avoidance (148), electrical system (63), unknown or other (57).

2026 Toyota RAV4

The Toyota RAV4 is a compact crossover SUV produced by the Japanese automobile manufacturer Toyota. Having sold over 15 million units worldwide as of 2025, the RAV4 is the best-selling SUV of all time. The car is credited with popularizing compact crossover automobiles, often credited as the first modern compact crossover SUV.

Source: Toyota RAV4 (Wikipedia)

Safety. The second-generation RAV4, known as the XA20 series, went on sale in July 2000. Like the previous model, the XA20 was available in three- and five-door configurations and was constructed on a platform that shared Carina and Corolla elements. Development began in 1995, with a design freeze in the first half of 1998.

Powertrain. In September 2019, Teknikens Värld ran both the petrol and hybrid versions of the RAV4 on the moose test, where both vehicles failed. The testers noted "dangerous behavior" on the cone course, and that the electronic stability control "engaged very late", causing both vehicles to hop up on their outer tyres multiple times during the test.

NHTSA rated the 2025 Toyota RAV4 overall 5 of 5 stars, front crash 4 of 5 stars, side crash 5 of 5 stars, rollover 4 of 5 stars.

Recent recalls (4 campaigns across the latest model years)

April 2026, Seats:Critical Fasteners. Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2025 RAV 4 vehicles. The front seat brackets for the seat rails may be welded improperly. Consequence: Improperly welded seat brackets can prevent the seat from adequately restraining an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
October 2025, Back Over Prevention:Display Function. Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2022-2026 Toyota, Lexus, and Subaru Solterra vehicles equipped with a Panoramic View Monitor (PVM) system. Please see the recall report for a complete list of models. A software error may cause the rearview… Consequence: A rearview camera that fails to display an image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
September 2025, Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel. Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Toyota Venza, 2023-2025 RAV4 Prime, RAV4, Highlander, GR Corolla, Crown, 2024-2025 Lexus TX, LS, Toyota Tacoma, Grand Highlander, and 2025 Lexus RX, Toyota Crown Signia, Camry, RAV 4 Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV), and… Consequence: An instrument panel display that does not show critical information can increase the risk of a crash or injury.

Owners filed 87 complaints with NHTSA for the 2025 Toyota RAV4, most often about unknown or other (23), electrical system (15), engine (13).

Open both dossiers

Resolve the exact engine, drive and EPA ID.

01 · 2026Hyundai Tucson5 configurations →02 · 2026Toyota RAV46 configurations →

Comparison answer desk

13 answers for this exact pairing.

Q01Which is more efficient: the 2026 Hyundai Tucson or the 2026 Toyota RAV4?

Efficiency

The 2026 Toyota RAV4 lists the higher combined-efficiency midpoint in this snapshot (40.5 vs. the 2026 Hyundai Tucson's 32 MPG/MPGe).