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Honda has released some fresh updates about the upcoming 2023 CR-V. Read to find out how it fares against the 2023 Toyota RAV4.
Japanese car giants now sell more cars than any other brand, and they have established themselves as the most successful car brands in the US. What do most Americans look for? This question has irked car companies for decades, and finally, when most businesses have an answer, Honda and Toyota, the long-time loggerheads, are sitting atop the market with their best-sellers, the CR-V and RAV4. Both the CR-V and the RAV4 have completed at least 25 years of production and have stood the test of time with ease.
However, both the Honda CR-V and the Toyota RAV4 are excellent crossovers with excellent capabilities, plenty of features, decent safety, and others. While Honda and Toyota both have a huge lineup of vehicles ranging from compact cars to luxury minivans, crossover SUVs have been the staple for both businesses.
Albeit Toyota has kept the fifth generation RAV4 fresh with regular design updates, Honda didn’t incorporate any serious design changes into the fifth generation CR-V, making the CR-V look older in front of its rival.
Last month, Honda finally teased the 2023 CR-V, which marks the arrival of the CR-V’s sixth generation. This was followed by various other updates, including interior design updates and a trailer. Honda has fully redesigned the CR-V inside-out, and we are certain this masterstroke will bring plenty of money for Honda.
Related: Everything You Need To Know About The 2023 Honda CR-V
Although the Honda CR-V has been redesigned, it gets the same engine as the previous model year. Hence, all the regular 2023 CR-V models are powered by a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-pot capable of making 190 horsepower and 179 lb-ft of torque. However, Honda has tuned the engine and the CVT gearbox. The engine and CVT gearbox feel more refined, and peak torque is now achieved at 300 rpm lower. Hence, it will accelerate faster than the previous generation. Although we don’t know its exact acceleration times and mileage, we expect it to hit 60 mph in 7.9 seconds and have a fuel economy of around 28 MPG in the city and 34 MPG on the highway.
The Toyota RAV4 comes with a larger 2.5-liter naturally aspirated engine mated to a CVT gearbox. The unit generates 203 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of net torque. Having a naturally aspirated engine, the RAV4 takes longer to accelerate from 0-60 mph and offers lower fuel economy. It is capable of doing a 0-60 mph sprint in about 8.2 seconds and has a fuel economy of 27 and 25 MPG in the city and on highways. Toyota's naturally aspirated engine does very well daily. It's smooth but takes some time to produce power.
Related: TRD-Tuned Toyota RAV4 Woodland Edition Wants To Follow Your 4Runner Off-road
Just like the previous years, Honda has based the CR-V on its ACE platform. However, they have designed the CR-V from the ground up, giving it a sportier look. The 2023 Honda CR-V maintains a subtle balance between being rugged and sophisticated. The upright and wide black grille, new LED headlights, 18-inch 10-spoke alloy wheels, and new signature tail lamps give it a strong character. In addition, the CR-V has grown longer by 2.7 inches and the wheelbase grew by 1.6 inches, which will improve its ride quality and handling. Overall, the CR-V comes dressed with a richer outlook.
On the other hand, the 2023 Toyota RAV4 comes unchanged from the outside. The Toyota RAV4 looks sharp and sporty. It looks very muscular because of the contoured body lines and aggressive front bumper, but it doesn’t look as premium as the CR-V. The RAV4 has 0.4-inches more ground clearance, which makes it a better performer off-road. In addition, the RAV4 is shorter than the latter by 3.3 inches, making it easier to drive and park in the city.
The 2023 Honda CR-V cabin looks very similar to the one of the Honda Civic, but it’s more spacious and comfortable. Thanks to its longer body and a larger wheelbase, its cabin will offer more passenger volume and better cargo capacity. The CR-V’s cabin looks fresh, modern, and sporty. Honda has improved the materials and incorporated a metal-honeycomb mesh dashboard design. This design hides the AC vents and gives the cabin a sporty look.
Furthermore, the cabin comes with more features now. The driver gets a new 7-inch digital instrument cluster and a 7-inch touchscreen as standard. The higher models feature a larger 9-inch touchscreen along with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, wireless charging, and a 12-speaker Bose audio system. Power-adjustable front seats with heating and cooling functions and 8-way adjustable rear seats will also come.
The 2023 Toyota RAV4 will feature the same interior as that of the previous model year. The Toyota RAV4’s cabin layout is straightforward but beautiful. The RAV4’s cabin is equally good as that of the CR-V’s when it comes to ergonomics. However, it offers manually adjustable seats, unlike the Honda CR-V. Furthermore, 2023 RAV4’s cabin is smaller than the CR-V's by 7 ft3. Hence, its front seats offer 0.6-inches less headroom and 0.3-inches less legroom. At the back, the seats provide 2.6 inches of less legroom.
The RAV4 keeps an edge with a larger available 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 10.5-inch touchscreen. Standard cargo capacity is similar on both vehicles (around 37.5 ft3), but the CR-V rules here with 76.5 ft3 of total cargo space.
Both Honda and Toyota enjoy a good reputation for building strong, reliable, and safe vehicles. Both the SUVs come with numerous safety and driver assist features.
The 2023 Honda CR-V is based on the ACE platform, while the 2023 Toyota RAV4 is constructed on the TNGA (GA-K) platform. Both are built on unibody chassis, providing impeccable strength and improved driving dynamics.
Both the SUVs are equipped with a blind-spot monitor, rear cross-traffic alert, front and rear park assist, collision avoidance system, emergency brake, steering assist, and a rearview camera. However, the new CR-V keeps an edge in the competition with newly added features such as a 120-degree FOV radar cruise control, an ultra-wide rearview camera, a driver attention monitor, and a pedestrian detection system.
Related: These Are The Most Reliable 2018 SUV Models
Both the Honda CR-V and the Toyota RAV4 are excellent performers, and it's no wonder they are the most popular SUVs in the US for the value they provide. While the Rav4 is the best selling crossover in the US, things might paint a different picture with the new CR-V. Both are stylish inside-out, provide adequate power, and are safe. However, the new Honda CR-V keeps an upper hand with better power and performance, a sleeker exterior, a sportier and roomier interior, and more standard equipment.
Sourav hails from Siliguri, a city very close to the Himalayas in the northern part of West Bengal, India. Anything that has to do with wheels fascinates him. He has a soft spot for Lexus and BMW. He rides a Royal Enfield Thunderbird and is often seen with his group of friends in nearby hill stations. He also loves doing photography and making music. After working with CARHP and CAR INDIGO for more than 15 months, he joined HotCars to continue in automotive writing. He's currently crushing upon the Triumph Tiger 1200.