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RAV4 vs CRV

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51K views 30 replies 22 participants last post by  CBR74  
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#1 ·
I'm sure this topic has been done to death, but I'm trying to decide between the Honda CR-V and the Toyota RAV4.

My main concern is mechanical type issues. Particularly:

I know both are good, reliable vehicles. I generally like the CR-V better, but the V-6 on the RAV4 makes acceleration feel effortless (I like the available 3rd row also).

So, make a case. Why is the RAV4 better? Since this is RAV4 forum, most people here will be in favor if the RAV4 - that's why I am asking the same thing from a CR-V forum. I'm after solid reasoning for important mechanical things like the 4WD system, not just opinions.
 
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#3 ·
Thanks for the links. I looked over them, but unfortunately they really didn't address what I'm really after. The 3rd row I already knew about and figured that's about what it was. The appearance is a taste thing (personally I like the appearance of the CR-V better - it has cleaner smoother lines)

What I really am interested in is which one has more maintenance? Which one has the better 4WD/AWD system (and why)? Which one is easier to repair? Which one is cheaper to repair? How about tires? If I replace a tire due to a flat do I have to replace all of them? Some 4WD systems are that way I know. The Rav4 manual implies no (within reason), but also states that all the tires should be all the same type and manufacturer. And I'm sure there are other similar questions that could be asked.
 
#4 ·
I've never owned a CRV so I can't address anything about it. We have two RAV4's, both front wheel drive V-6's. One has been perfect and the other a huge pain in the ass but taken care of under warranty. The V-6 in the RAV made the decision for us, after several four bangers in a row we were sick of them. One or two MPG means squat to me when I need to pass on a two lane road. Had the four cylinder been $5,000 less I still wouldn't have it.
Not the technical information you're seeking but there it is nonetheless.
 
L
#6 ·
My husband has a 2002 CRV and I have a 2008 RAV4. We still love his CRV after 250,000 kms. No problems at all so far (touch wood). Brakes are still great on the CRV as well. I would recommend it although personally I do not find the new CRV's as comfortable as the RAV4. That is the main reason we purchased the RAV4 since I am the principal driver. My husband does love the V6 in my car as we use it for all of our long trips and passing is a breeze. I would say to go for whichever one you like the best, as they are both comparable and I don't think you can go wrong with either.
 
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#8 ·
4WD doesn't help in situations like that... Only hope there is good winter tires or even chains.
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Yeah that's pretty extreme. But we were out in a 2005 4WD Tundra Double Cab that day not far from there (almost went through that, actually) and it performed quite admirably. But you still have to use common sense (like keeping the momentum up to reach the top of the hill).

My husband does love the V6 in my car as we use it for all of our long trips and passing is a breeze. I would say to go for whichever one you like the best, as they are both comparable and I don't think you can go wrong with either.
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See that's part of the problem. I like different aspects of each. I like the overall look and polish of the CR-V but, like you mention, the power of the V6 might just be irresistible. And I agree that I don't think I can go wrong with either.

Here is my quick review after 115,000 miles with my RAV4. I'm now over 120,000 miles .... http://RAV4World.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=28824
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I don't have a hard time at all believing either of these vehicles can top 200k miles. I saw a report from the CR-V people of one having 330k and still going strong. And I'm sure the RAV4 is just as reliable (just haven't seen a report of it).

I've never owned a CRV so I can't address anything about it. We have two RAV4's, both front wheel drive V-6's. One has been perfect and the other a huge pain in the ass but taken care of under warranty. The V-6 in the RAV made the decision for us, after several four bangers in a row we were sick of them. One or two MPG means squat to me when I need to pass on a two lane road. Had the four cylinder been $5,000 less I still wouldn't have it.
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Sorry to hear about that one - I guess every company produces a bad one now and then. The 4 cylinder in the CR-V might just sway me away. I certainly wouldn't buy a 4 cylinder RAV4 (which incidentally, only appears to be available with a 4 speed transmission, in comparison the CR-V's 5 speed). But in my test drives, the V6 in the RAV4 seemed to just want to go, but the 4 cylinder in the CR-V needed to be pushed - it had the power, but you had to push it to get it.

One thing I noticed is that the engine compartment on the CR-V seems very open and reasonable to work on, but the V6 RAV4 seems a bit crowded (but still not too bad).
 
D
#9 ·
The things we liked better about the Rav was the lockable 4wd up to 40 kmh, DAC, and the ease of folding down the rear seats. And the awesome v6 power and mileage. 128000 km and no problems at all. You might want to check out the Hyundai tucson as an alternative also.
 
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#10 ·
nouse4aname said:
ItFinallyWorks said:
[*]4WD performance (I was recently in a storm near where this happened: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJFMywIKzSI)
Click to expand...
4WD doesn't help in situations like that... Only hope there is good winter tires or even chains.
Click to expand...
No matter what kind of 4WD car you have, nothing is going to stop on ice. Winter tires and chain do help. In that situation, stepping on the brake will only make the situation worst. They probably better off stepping on the gas and steer away. I think both the CR-V and RAV4 4WD system is just as good. Only thing the rav4 is a plus is the manual lock for speed under 25 mph.
 
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#11 ·
avs said:
nouse4aname said:
ItFinallyWorks said:
[*]4WD performance (I was recently in a storm near where this happened: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJFMywIKzSI)
Click to expand...
4WD doesn't help in situations like that... Only hope there is good winter tires or even chains.
Click to expand...
No matter what kind of 4WD car you have, nothing is going to stop on ice. Winter tires and chain do help. In that situation, stepping on the brake will only make the situation worst. They probably better off stepping on the gas and steer away. I think both the CR-V and RAV4 4WD system is just as good. Only thing the RAV4 is a plus is the manual lock for speed under 25 mph.
Click to expand...
Yeah, that's true - the car won't make you invincible. But like I said earlier, our 2005 Tundra Double Cab did quite nicely in that(without chains or snow tires too) There's actually another part of that video that shows a truck getting stuck and sliding back down the hill without anyone - pretty amazing.

Only thing is that manual lock might (with proper care, of course) prevent slipping since the Honda 4WD system can only react to slips - not prevent them in the first place. Once that friction is lost, its hard to regain. I can see the CR-V starting to slip, trying to transfer power to the back, that slipping and everything sliding, while the locked RAV4 transfers the power there in the first place and doesn't slip at all.

I'll probably end up with the RAV4 because of the much better engine (Colorado Springs is 7000 ft - a pilot friend tells me we lose 30%, might explain why the CR-V had to work so hard to get up to speed on the interstate). Also, the fact that I can control the 4WD system better, might be a good thing.
 
A
#12 ·
ItFinallyWorks said:
avs said:
nouse4aname said:
ItFinallyWorks said:
[*]4WD performance (I was recently in a storm near where this happened: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJFMywIKzSI)
Click to expand...
4WD doesn't help in situations like that... Only hope there is good winter tires or even chains.
Click to expand...
No matter what kind of 4WD car you have, nothing is going to stop on ice. Winter tires and chain do help. In that situation, stepping on the brake will only make the situation worst. They probably better off stepping on the gas and steer away. I think both the CR-V and RAV4 4WD system is just as good. Only thing the RAV4 is a plus is the manual lock for speed under 25 mph.
Click to expand...
Yeah, that's true - the car won't make you invincible. But like I said earlier, our 2005 Tundra Double Cab did quite nicely in that(without chains or snow tires too) There's actually another part of that video that shows a truck getting stuck and sliding back down the hill without anyone - pretty amazing.

Only thing is that manual lock might (with proper care, of course) prevent slipping since the Honda 4WD system can only react to slips - not prevent them in the first place. Once that friction is lost, its hard to regain. I can see the CR-V starting to slip, trying to transfer power to the back, that slipping and everything sliding, while the locked RAV4 transfers the power there in the first place and doesn't slip at all.

I'll probably end up with the RAV4 because of the much better engine (Colorado Springs is 7000 ft - a pilot friend tells me we lose 30%, might explain why the CR-V had to work so hard to get up to speed on the interstate). Also, the fact that I can control the 4WD system better, might be a good thing.
Click to expand...
The 4 cyl on the rav4 and cr-v is almost the same except the rav4 has .1 of a liter more. The .1 liter difference is not going to help you that much in higher altitude. You need to look for a car with force induction. Look into the subaru forester XT, Mazda CX-7 2.3L or Acura RDX. They all come with turbo as option.
 
T
#13 ·
If you are looking for total cargo space, the RAV4 has the CRV beat. The RAV4 has underfloor storage in the rear cargo room (for the ones without the third row) that can swallow a family of 4's groceries for a week with room to spare, and the rear seats fold perfectly flat with the cargo area unlike the CRV, who's rear seats tumble forwards and thus will cut into the length of the cargo space.

Not to mention the full-sized spare, which means that your tyres will likely last longer with the 5 tyre rotation (beyond the fact it makes DIY tyre rotations a breeze because you don't need two jacks), and the fact that if you have a flat in rough terrain, your handling isn't compromised.

avs said:
The 4 cyl on the RAV4 and cr-v is almost the same except the RAV4 has .1 of a liter more. The .1 liter difference is not going to help you that much in higher altitude. You need to look for a car with force induction. Look into the subaru forester XT, Mazda CX-7 2.3L or Acura RDX. They all come with turbo as option.
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The RAV4's engine's peak hp rating is 800rpm lower than the CRV's, and the max torque rating is also 400rpm lower (beyond the fact that the RAV4's 2.5L engine has more torque in the first place) for the base 4 cylinder engines. That means the RAV4 has more power in the lower RPM range, and thus should see better real life fuel economy.
 
#14 ·
I just bought a 2011 Rav 4 Limited, but not a V6. The one real complaint i have is the sideways opening rear door - hate that. Other than that, the car has been pretty good. I'm not too impressed with fuel economy either but it is an SUV.

The third row seating is kind of useless imo, they are really for kids or emergency type situations, not really designed as a permanent solution
 
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Z
#15 ·
For all general users are concerned. 4WD and AWD are virtually the same. AWD is more or less full time/computer controlled 4WD. I'm not familiar with CRV's 4WD but I would assume it's technically "always on" or computer controlled.

In terms of the AWD/4WD system, the Rav4 works really well for me. Handles snow with ease (well with better tires) and even comes with downhill assist control for those steep rocky slopes.

In terms of reliability, both have proven to work flawless with minimal problems.

Cost of fix I would say both will be very expensive to fix. If you remove the AWD/4WD, it's much cheaper but don't kid yourself that fixing one is significantly cheaper than the other.

Other than the other posts, I'm not going to say anything you haven't specifically requested to know. I bought the Rav4 for reasons that may not apply to you.
 
#16 ·
Mechanically both are at the same high level I would expect. Buy which ever one has the right combination of style and features. We liked the Rav4 over the CRV because it was less expensive and we've had good experiences with Toyotas in the past.

One thing I didn't see mentioned and is worth asking your insurance agent is how the premiums compare. When we went to add my daughter's Honda Civic to our insurance, AAA told us they charged higher premiums on Hondas because their parts and repair costs were higher than Toyotas. In addition, Hondas are more likely to be stolen (at least around here). Guess what? Two weeks ago the Honda was stolen, which is why my daughter is now driving the old family Sienna and my wife now has a brand new Rav4!
 
#17 ·
Wow, I've never heard that Honda Civics were more likely to be stolen! Did your daughter's Civic have any anti-theft features like immobilizer keys or some kind of alarm?
 
C
#18 ·
ItFinallyWorks said:
I'm sure this topic has been done to death, but I'm trying to decide between the Honda CR-V and the Toyota RAV4.

My main concern is mechanical type issues. Particularly:

I know both are good, reliable vehicles. I generally like the CR-V better, but the V-6 on the RAV4 makes acceleration feel effortless (I like the available 3rd row also).

So, make a case. Why is the RAV4 better? Since this is RAV4 forum, most people here will be in favor if the RAV4 - that's why I am asking the same thing from a CR-V forum. I'm after solid reasoning for important mechanical things like the 4WD system, not just opinions.
Click to expand...
I live in Boulder, and remember that recently. the funniest is that idiot in the big white Phord who though he was a man and could make it up the hill, and then came down backwards. You'll note a Highlander seems to have made it as I didn't see it coming down backwards.
 
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C
#19 ·
I was considering the CR-V as well. But, after reading the reviews where the RAV4 came out on top even comparing 4-cyl's, I had no choice but to pic the RAV. My factors were:
1. No V6 in the CR-V (that alone was enough).
2. Lockable F/R transfer case (need that here in CO-not a deal-breaker but very close).
3. The CR-V is flat-out FUGLY, I like the style of the RAV (close to a deal-breaker).
4. Toyota makes trucks, Honda doesn't, so it leads me to believe they know AWD better.
5. Tow rating of 3,500lbs with the tow package and V6 (that alone was enough).

so for me, there was no choice. And, after I bought mine, I read a review of the V6 RAV vs. the CR-V and there was no comparison, it flat smoked all the contenders by an even bigger margin than it had in 4-cly trim.

Definately altitude has a large effect here, I'd go with the RAV4 with V6 and AWD for CO, you can;t go wrong. But, if you get the Sport version w/SAP package, beware the run-flats suck in the snow, especially if it's packed.
 
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#20 ·
before i purchased my rav about 2 weeks ago, i did a month long study of all cars in a similar category-
the crv started out as the front runner because i am familiar with honda and knew the crv would be a great vehicle. i went to drive one- the interior was nice and clean, the dash was nice, the stereo was very good, seats comfortable, the inside of the doors looked cool. then i found out about the v6 and the sport package on the rav.
then i started taking notice to all the CRVs i had seen during the course of my investigation. i noticed all the CRvs on the road. soon the CRV began to become familiar to me in appearance- i got to really know the styling. unfortunately the more i saw of this car, the more i knew i could never own it. it's appearance actually gave me the creeps after a while- it looked like a big insect. despite all of the mechanical and interior positives, the appearance became an absolute deal breaker.
 
C
#21 ·
I think the CR-V is ugly as hell. First off, there's that front end that not even a mutha could love. Then, what's up with that whacky line at the top of all the side glass? It's like, they took the doors off a civic with a rounded roof line, and put them on the CR-V? To me, it's ugly as hell the way the top of all the side glass makes a semi-circle like that......on a rectangular vehicle. Yuck!

Even if all the mechanical things hadn't tipped me towards the Toyota, I think the looks alone might have. Beauty may only be skin deep, but UGLY is to the core, and the CR-V hit every branch of the ogly coming down from the top.....
 
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#22 ·
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#24 ·
I have had my RAV for just over 4 years, no major issues with it, mileage is 20-21 around town for the V6 AWD . I like Honda and also checked out the CRV before deciding the RAV was a better fit for my needs, more cargo room, bigger engine, interior equally as nice, better shifter I feel than the one on the dash, less noise. I have not been disappointed with my choice and I still find it fun to drive. :)
 
S
#25 ·
great thread. I am also seriously considering both vehicles but decided to wait until 2012 models are released. It's my understanding CRV will be rededesigned for 2012 and should be released by summer. I am not sure about Rav4 but I presume we'll see some indication of the new model shortly.

IMHO, I'd go with CRV if interior ranks high on your focus and can deal with being underpowered. If you are focused more on cargo and power, Rav4.

I am also considering other CUVs like the upcoming Ford Escape and Sprtage Turbo but I think Rav4 ranks highest on my books.
 
#26 ·
I am new...been lurking around since I decided to buy a new car. I sold my Subaru (have had 2 in the past 10 years) and spend a long time trying to figure out what to get. Yesterday I picked up my '11 RAV4 Sport V6 4WD. I am extremely happy. I test drove a CR-V and that thing had zero guts, not to mention the cheap feel of the interior. The 4 cyl RAV was way better. Speaking of maintenence...we have a '04 4RUNNER and couldn't be more impressed with the "lack" of services we have to do. We just replaced the brakes at 104k miles and don't have to do the spark plugs until 120k. The RAV will be the same. Just lube/oil/filter, EFI every 30k, and a few flushes etc around 90k. Compared to my Subaru...well let's just say I don't have to pull out my credit card every 5k miles for the Toyota. The best part is I got 4 years or 45k miles of service for just $450. ALL SERVICES. Add that to the deal on the car ($150 over invoice) and you have a very happy camper. Oh and my salesperson took me on the best test drive. He had me on drive pavement, deep snow, slamming on the brakes, flooring it on a hills...I was sold on it's handling. CR-V is gutless, ugly, and cheap feeling on the inside. Go with the RAV!
 
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