2026 Toyota RAV4 vs. Jeep Cherokee vs. Honda CR-V: Hybrid SUVs Compared

• The Jeep Cherokee is reborn as a hybrid-only crossover for 2026.
• It enters a competitive set of SUVs that is dominated by the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4. 
• We stack them all up on paper to see how each compares.

We do expect the upcoming RAV4 to improve on its predecessor's efficiency, but a few miles per gallon here or there won't be a deal-breaker for most prospective buyers. The good news is that Jeep won't be coming into the segment on the back foot compared to the two stalwarts from Honda and Toyota. 

Interiors compared 

We've had hands-on experience with all three of these cars and their interiors. The CR-V will be the most familiar by far because it isn't all-new, and the 2026 model gets the tiniest of refreshes. That's no bad thing in most cases, however. Its control layout with an array of buttons is the most basic, but by far the most intuitive of these three SUVs. The CR-V also has the most spacious interior and the best back seat for adults.

Toyota's brand-new RAV4 feels the smallest in both the first and second rows. Most of its climate controls are located in the center screen, a move we don't really love. The positive is the much-improved tech suite — both the driver's display and the infotainment screen are bright, crisp and quick to respond to inputs, much more so than before. The new RAV4 also has more cubbies for small items, and the overall interior quality is a big step up from its predecessor.

The Cherokee splits the difference between the two. It feels larger than the RAV4 but isn't as cavernous as the CR-V when it comes to room for passengers. The Jeep also slightly lags behind the CR-V when it comes to cargo room. While the Honda has 36.3 cubic feet of space to use, the Jeep runs it close with 33.6 cubic feet of free air. Toyota hasn't released its cargo space figures yet, but the last RAV4 had 37.5 cubes to work with, and the new one will likely come very close to matching that figure.

The Jeep has a set of large screens — one for the driver and one for the central touchscreen — and both are snappy to respond and easy to read. The materials used on the seats feel nice and comfortable, but the leathers on the doors and dash aren't quite as nice to touch. It's safe to say we need more time in all three SUVs to declare a clear winner, but one thing's for sure: If you need space for passengers and cargo, the Honda's a fan favorite.

Safety equipment

The 2026 RAV4 Hybrid will be the first to get version 4.0 of Toyota's Safety Sense suite of driver assistance systems. Toyota hasn't told us exactly what 4.0 will come with, but we expect everything from the previous RAV4. That car came with features like pre-collision braking with pedestrian detection, road-sign recognition, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning and blind-spot detection. 

Honda Sensing is standard on all hybrid CR-Vs. Some of the highlights of the safety system are pre-collision braking, lane keeping assistance, lane departure warning, forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control, road-sign recognition and blind-spot monitoring.

All Cherokees will come with a standard suite of driver aids. The most notable systems the Cherokee comes with are blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, rear park assist, rear automatic emergency braking, front automatic emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, and drowsy driver detection. 

Pricing and trims 

The new RAV4 will be available as a hybrid in LE, XLE, Limited, Woodland, SE and XSE trims — there is also a GR Sport model, but that car will be a plug-in hybrid only. Toyota hasn't revealed how much the new RAV4 will cost. The last RAV4 hybrid started at around $34,000, and we don't expect Toyota to bump the price up too much. 

The CR-V Hybrid comes in four trim levels for 2026: Sport, TrailSport, Sport-L and Sport Touring. The cheapest way to get a hybridized CR-V is by going for a front-wheel-drive Sport model, which starts at $37,080, but all-wheel drive is a $1,500 option. Top-spec Sport Touring models are all-wheel-drive only and cost $43,700. 

The new Cherokee will come in a few trims at launch, namely the base Cherokee, Laredo, Limited and Overland models. There will be a more trail-rated Cherokee Trailhawk that comes with even more off-road goodies later on down the line. Prices start at $36,995 for the base car and go up to $45,995 for the top-spec Overland model. Jeep says the new Cherokee will hit dealerships near the end of this year.