Toyota RAV4 Hybrid vs. Other Hybrid SUVs in Breinigsville, PA

The 2024 Toyota RAV4 is the bestselling SUV in America — and shoppers in Breinigsville are quickly catching on that the hybrid is the best version. That’s evident when you compare it to its competitors on the market. Let’s take a look at how the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid compares to its biggest competition like the Honda CR-V Hybrid and Ford Escape Hybrid.

2024 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid vs 2024 Honda CR-V Hybrid

The Honda CR-V Hybrid is more expensive yet falls behind in performance

Right out of the gate, the Honda hybrid SUV has some work to do to justify a near-$2,500 higher starting price.[1] It’s hard to justify that higher price on the 2024 CR-V Hybrid. To start, the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid comes standard with all-wheel drive; if you want AWD on the CR-V, it’ll cost you at least $3,000 more, as you’ll need to upgrade to a pricier trim level.

When comparing AWD models, the CR-V Hybrid’s fuel economy lags behind that of the RAV4 Hybrid: 37 mpg combined compared to 39 mpg combined.[2] Even worse, that’s while producing less power: only 204 hp compared to 219 hp from the RAV4.

The Honda CR-V Hybrid comes with less impressive tech

Even with its lower starting MSRP, the 2024 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid has a superior set of standard tech features. RAV4 Hybrid LE and XLE models have an 8-inch touch screen, which can be upgraded to a 10.5-inch unit on higher trims. Wireless Apple CarPlay^®, wireless Android Auto^™, and a Wi-Fi hotspot are all standard as well, and a standard 7-inch digital gauge display can be upsized to 12.3 inches.

On the other hand, the base CR-V Sport Hybrid has only a standard 7-inch touch screen with wired smartphone connectivity. You need to pay more for the larger 9-inch display with wireless connectivity. It’s still smaller than the RAV4’s, and the CR-V’s own 7-inch digital gauge cluster can’t be upgraded at all.

2024 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid vs 2024 Ford Escape Hybrid

The Ford Escape Hybrid isn’t as powerful

Another competitor to the RAV4 Hybrid is the Ford Escape Hybrid, but it’s a similar story as the CR-V. While the Escape manages to match the RAV4’s fuel economy at 39 mpg combined, it does so by sacrificing performance, producing only 192 horsepower.[2]

The Escape can be had as a plug-in hybrid for extra efficiency, but it falls even further behind Toyota’s own version, the RAV4 Prime, which puts out 302 hp and gets 42 miles of electric range.[3] The Escape PHEV has 210 hp and 37 miles of electric range.

In other words, for the same efficiency, the Escape Hybrid feels more sluggish than the RAV4 Hybrid — and to make matters worse, it doesn’t come with standard AWD. The RAV4 also has better highway efficiency, so if you’re often on I-78 or PA-222, you may find yourself saving more on gas.

The Ford Escape Hybrid’s interior doesn’t measure up

The RAV4 wins when it comes to space. It offers 37.6 cubic feet of cargo hauling room behind the rear seats, and 69.8 cubic feet with them folded. The Escape Hybrid offers 34.4/65.4 cubic feet instead.

Infotainment tech is comparable, but the RAV4 Hybrid offers an 11-speaker JBL^® sound system, which you’ll probably prefer over the Ford’s 10-speaker B&O system. And the RAV4 Hybrid comes with more standard safety technologies including adaptive cruise control and a more advanced automatic emergency braking system.

RAV4 Prime vs RAV4 Hybrid — What’s the Difference?

The RAV4 Prime is the plug-in hybrid version of the RAV4, which uses more powerful electric motors than the RAV4 Hybrid. This allows it to be driven on electric power alone for up to 42 miles, and earn an impressive fuel economy of 94 MPGe.[4] It’s also significantly more powerful than the RAV4 Hybrid, able to accelerate from 0-60 mph in just 5.7 seconds, making it faster than all the other SUVs mentioned on this page by far.

The RAV4 Hybrid does have a few advantages over the RAV4 Prime, though. Due to its less beefy powertrain, it’s lighter and thus slightly more efficient than the Prime when the latter is operated in hybrid mode. It has a little more cargo space and also starts at a much lower price, giving you more bang for your buck. Overall, they’re both excellent vehicles that offer different options for our electrified SUV customers.

Make sure to visit our Krause Toyota dealership in Breinigsville, Pennsylvania, to take a closer look at our inventory of new and used Toyota RAV4 Hybrid! You’ll be able to see in person why it’s the top hybrid SUV on the market today.

[1] Starting MSRP excludes manufacturer, distributor and dealer options, taxes, title and license and dealer fees and charges. Also excludes the Delivery, Processing and Handling of $1,095 for Cars (Corolla, Corolla HV, Corolla HB, GR Corolla, Camry, Camry HV, Prius, Prius Prime, Toyota Crown, Mirai, GR86, GR Supra), $1,350 for Entry SUV/Small SUV (Corolla Cross, Corolla Cross HV, RAV4, RAV4 HV, RAV4 Prime, bZ4X), $1,395 for Mid SUV/Van (4Runner, Venza, Highlander, Highlander HV, Grand Highlander, Grand Highlander HV, Sienna), $1,495 for Small Pickup (Tacoma), $1,850 for Large Pickup/Large SUV (Tundra, Tundra HV, Sequoia). (Historically, vehicle manufacturers and distributors have charged a separate fee for processing, handling and delivering vehicles to dealerships. Toyota's charge for these services is called the "Delivery, Processing and Handling" and is based on the value of the processing, handling and delivery services Toyota provides as well as Toyota's overall pricing structure and may be subject to change at any time. Toyota may make a profit on the Delivery, Processing and Handling.) The Delivery, Processing and Handling in AL, AR, FL, GA, LA, MS, NC, OK, SC and TX may vary. The published prices do not apply to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Dealer price will vary.

[2] EPA-estimated 27 city/35 highway/30 combined mpg rating for 2024 RAV4 LE FWD, XLE FWD, XLE Premium FWD and Limited FWD; EPA-estimated 27 city/34 highway/30 combined mpg rating for 2024 RAV4 LE AWD; EPA-estimated 27 city/33 highway/29 combined mpg rating for 2024 RAV4 XLE AWD and XLE Premium AWD; EPA-estimated 25 city/33 highway/28 combined mpg rating for 2024 RAV4 Adventure and Limited AWD; EPA-estimated 25 city/32 highway/28 combined mpg rating for 2024 RAV4 TRD Off-Road. EPA-estimated 41 city/38 highway/39 combined mpg rating for 2024 RAV4 Hybrid LE, Hybrid XLE, Hybrid XLE Premium, Hybrid SE, Hybrid XSE and Hybrid Limited; EPA-estimated 38 city/35 highway/37 combined mpg rating for 2024 RAV4 Hybrid Woodland Edition. Use for comparison purposes only. Your mileage will vary for many reasons, including your vehicle’s condition and how/where you drive. See www.fueleconomy.gov.

[3] EPA-estimated 42-mile all-electric driving range when fully charged for 2024 RAV4 Prime. Use for comparison purposes only. Your mileage will vary for many reasons, including your vehicle’s condition and how/where you drive. See www.fueleconomy.gov.

[4] EPA-estimated 94 combined MPGe rating for 2024 RAV4 Prime. MPGe is the EPA-equivalent of gasoline fuel efficiency for electric operation. EPA-estimated 38 combined gas-only mpg. Use for comparison purposes only. Your MPGe/MPG will vary for many reasons, including your vehicle’s condition and how/where you drive. See www.fueleconomy.gov.