Compare the2024 Honda HR-VVS 2024 Toyota Rav4 Hybrid

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the HR-V are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Rav4 Hybrid doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Honda HR-V has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Rav4 Hybrid doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the HR-V’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The Rav4 Hybrid doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

Both the HR-V and the Rav4 Hybrid have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors, available all wheel drive, blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does 40 MPH moderate front offset crash tests on new cars. In this updated test, results indicate that the HR-V is much safer than the Rav4 Hybrid:

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Honda HR-V is safer than the Rav4 Hybrid:

The Honda HR-V has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2024 model year. This distinction is based on its exceptional performance in IIHS’ rigorous battery of safety tests. Specifically, it earned a “Good” rating in the latest, more stringent moderate overlap front crash test, a “Good” result in the updated side impact test, and a “Good” score in the revised pedestrian crash prevention test. The Rav4 Hybrid was last only a “Top Safety Pick” in 2023 but no longer qualifies.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the HR-V’s reliability 19 points higher than the Rav4 Hybrid.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Honda vehicles are better in initial quality than Toyota vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Honda above average in initial quality. With 4 more problems per 100 vehicles, Toyota is rated below average.

The HR-V has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Rav4 Hybrid doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

For better stopping power the HR-V’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Rav4 Hybrid:

The HR-V stops much shorter than the Rav4 Hybrid:

The HR-V’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Rav4 Hybrid LE/XLE’s standard 65 series tires. The HR-V Sport’s tires have a lower 55 series profile than the Rav4 Hybrid’s optional 60 series tires.

The HR-V EX-L AWD handles at .80 G’s, while the Rav4 Hybrid Woodland Edition pulls only .78 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the HR-V’s turning circle is 1 foot tighter than the Rav4 Hybrid’s (35.1 feet vs. 36.1 feet).

The Honda HR-V may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 450 to 550 pounds less than the Toyota Rav4 Hybrid.

The HR-V uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Rav4 Hybrid doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The HR-V has standard Push Button Start that allows you to start the engine without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Only the Rav4 Hybrid XLE/SE/XSE/Limited/Woodland offers a Smart Key System.

The HR-V’s driver power window, power lock and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Rav4 Hybrid’s power lock switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

The HR-V’s variable intermittent wipers have an adjustable delay to allow the driver to choose a setting that best clears the windshield during light rain or mist. The Rav4 Hybrid LE’s standard fixed intermittent wipers only have one fixed delay setting, so the driver will have to manually switch them between slow and intermittent.

The HR-V is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Rav4 Hybrid doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Insurance will cost less for the HR-V owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the HR-V will cost $270 less than the Rav4 Hybrid over a five-year period.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Honda HR-V will be $1323 to $2139 less than for the Toyota Rav4 Hybrid.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Honda HR-V and the Toyota Rav4 Hybrid, based on reliability, safety and performance.