A reader (who wishes to remain anonymous) recently sent me a message on Facebook, and he had a rather interesting inquiry about his upcoming purchase. Here’s how it goes: “Hi Leandre, just checking your input. We’re considering buying a hybrid car and our options are the Toyota Camry, RAV4, or Honda CR-V. Would you have any recommendation? Thank you!”
I was also told by our reader here that the vehicle they end up buying would be mainly used for city driving. He and his wife have a toddler, so that’s also something to consider. With all the stuff parents usually bring for their kids, ultimately, these little ones actually end up taking the most space in a car. If you know, you know.
Anyway, hello again, Mr. Reader! Interesting choices you have here, and way to go for choosing to switch to hybrid. Coincidentally, I actually just tried out both the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V back-to-back, so I have some insights I can share. But before that, let me just talk about the outlier in this trio: the Camry.
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I’m going to sound a bit biased here—because as a sedan guy, I really am—but the Camry should be the easy pick here. If you’re not keen on getting a relatively higher-riding yet still-not-flood-proof SUV, then you’re better off getting a sedan.
The Camry will most likely have a better ride and might be a bit more fun to drive than the other two. In my opinion it’s also styled pretty well, too, so even if it’s a few years old already, it won’t start looking dated anytime soon.
To summarize, if the regular passengers will just be you, your wife, and your kid...just go get the Camry, man. Your kid will love you for it. Heck, you’ll probably end up wanting to sit in the back with him, too.
But if size matters to you and you really want to get more for your money, then I concede—you’ll have to pick between the RAV4 and the CR-V. For context, the Camry Hybrid stickers for P2.442 million while the RAV4 Hybrid goes for P2.289 million for the base trim and P2.632 million for the higher variant. The CR-V RS e:HEV, meanwhile, comes with a P2.59 million asking price.
The CR-V and the RAV4 easily give you much more cargo and promise better utility than the posher and plusher Camry. ‘Premium’ might get toned down a bit once you get either of the two’s cabins, but that’s not exactly the deciding factor when choosing among hybrid cars.
Now, between the RAV4 and the CR-V, I’d easily go for the Honda.
I can tell you that both the driving dynamics and ride comfort of the CR-V are just miles, miles better than that of the RAV4. We weren’t able to test for actual space in the trunk, but rest assured the CR-V Hybrid’s second row is as roomy as it gets. If anything, it might be more spacious than the RAV4’s.
As shown earlier, the CR-V RS e:HEV is also more affordable than the top-of-the-line RAV4, so if we’re sticking to the top dogs in their respective lineups, the Honda wins. And in any case. whichever the variant, the interior of the Honda feels and looks better than the Toyota’s. Build quality feels superior, and personally, I think the CR-V’s dash is more pleasing to the eye.
As far as fuel economy goes, though, you can’t go wrong with either. The RAV4 does 17-18km/L in mixed conditions, no sweat—that’s with a lengthy drive across Marilaque and lots of idling in between. I’m sure in more favorable circumstances, you’ll easily get more. The CR-V fared a bit better as it was able to hit 20km/L in mixed conditions. I’m sure that won’t be that big of a difference for you, as both can still be called very fuel-efficient crossovers.
So that’s my say. If you do end up getting the Toyota, I won’t blame you, as there are a lot of factors still in play here. Styling, for one, is a huge point of consideration for most buyers. There’s also dealership accessibility and, of course, sheer brand loyalty. But if you do choose to buy the Toyota in the end, I hope it’s the Camry.
Jokes aside, I hope we were able to help you with our insights here. Have fun with your brand-new hybrid! Tell us all about it once you’ve finally purchased it.
