Diagsheet

Compact SUVs · model years 2014 to 2025

Toyota RAV4 vs Honda CR-V: problems and reliability

On the 7 measures below that do not grow with sales, the CR-V looks better on 3 and the RAV4 on 2, with 2 too close to call.

Toyota RAV4

Toyota RAV4

3,827 complaints · 23 recalls

Honda CR-V

Honda CR-V

8,663 complaints · 21 recalls

Newest report Sep 24, 2026 · checked Sep 27, 2026

Counts are not adjusted for sales. The more cars of a model there are on the road, the more complaints it draws, so the raw totals above say a lot about sales. Everything below compares shares of each model's own complaints, the mileage problems start at, recalls per model year and each model's years against its own median.

Scorecard

Measure, 2014 to 2025RAV4CR-V
Complaints that report a crash8.0%4.0%
Complaints that report a fire3.9%0.4%
Complaints that report an injury4.7%2.7%
Median miles when problems are reported23,00020,000
Recall campaigns per model year1.91.8
Do-not-drive recalls00
NHTSA investigations16

The shaded side is lower (for miles, higher). Values within about a tenth of each other count as too close to call.

What owners complain about

The system RAV4 owners complain about most is electrical; for the CR-V it is engine. Complaints citing electrical make up 22% of all RAV4 complaints, against 14% on the CR-V. The CR-V leans the other way on collision avoidance: 15% of its complaints, against 2.9% for the RAV4.

Toyota RAV4Honda CR-V

Engine18%21%
Electrical22%14%
Fuel and propulsion11%13%
Steering6.7%17%
Collision avoidance2.9%15%
Brakes7.1%7.7%
Transmission and drivetrain7.2%6.5%
Airbags8.8%3.5%
Structure8.2%2.6%
Speed control4.0%3.2%

Share of each model's complaints that cite each system, from NHTSA's own component codes. One complaint can cite several systems, so the shares add up to more than 100%.

The most reported problems

The most reported problem on the RAV4 is stalling (9.0% of its complaints). On the CR-V it is sticky steering (9.7% of its complaints), against 0.0% on the RAV4.

ProblemRAV4CR-V
Engine stalls or loses power while driving9.0% 344most in 2019 · 30k mi8.5% 734most in 2018 · 26k mi
Brakes grind, pulse or wear early7.4% 282most in 2016 · 14k mi8.0% 696most in 2018 · 17k mi
Airbag warning light or recall8.8% 335most in 2021 · 23k mi3.4% 294most in 2019 · 19k mi
Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails6.7% 258most in 2019 · 38k mi4.5% 390most in 2017 · 12k mi
Battery dies or the car will not start6.3% 241most in 2020 · 29k mi4.5% 386most in 2017 · 23k mi
Engine overheats or leaks coolant8.0% 308most in 2020 · 47k mi1.9% 161most in 2017 · 83k mi
Brakes on its own (automatic emergency braking)0.4% 169.3% 809most in 2018 · 23k mi
Steering sticks, feels notchy or jerks09.7% 839most in 2023 · 34k mi

Share of each model's own complaints, with the count beside it. "Most in" links to the symptom sheet for the model year with the most reports of it, and the mileage is the median from reports that gave one.

When problems start

CR-V owners report problems earlier. Half the CR-V complaints that give a mileage come before 20,000 miles; for the RAV4 the halfway point is 23,000. 73% of RAV4 reports and 78% of CR-V reports come before 50,000 miles. Older model years have had longer to reach high mileage, so a window that runs to recent years pulls both medians down.

Toyota RAV4Honda CR-V

Under 25k51%55%
25k to 50k22%22%
50k to 75k14%11%
75k to 100k5.5%5.6%
100k to 150k5.7%4.0%
Over 150k1.8%1.2%

Share of the complaints that state a mileage: 1,478 for the RAV4 and 3,853 for the CR-V.

Worst and best years

The 2019 RAV4 draws 3.0 times the complaints of a typical RAV4 year for its age. The 2018 CR-V draws 4.3 times the complaints of a typical CR-V year for its age.

Toyota RAV4

Every RAV4 model year

Honda CR-V

Every CR-V model year

Toyota RAV4Honda CR-V

Each model year against its own model's median. RAV4: 2014 0.4, 2015 0.7, 2016 0.6, 2017 0.8, 2018 1.0, 2019 3.0, 2020 2.5, 2021 1.7, 2022 0.8, 2023 1.1, 2024 1.6. CR-V: 2014 0.7, 2015 1.0, 2016 0.6, 2017 3.2, 2018 4.3, 2019 2.5, 2020 0.9, 2021 1.0, 2022 0.9, 2023 2.3, 2024 2.4.2014 RAV4: 0.4 times its median2014 CR-V: 0.7 times its median'142015 RAV4: 0.7 times its median2015 CR-V: 1.0 times its median'152016 RAV4: 0.6 times its median2016 CR-V: 0.6 times its median'162017 RAV4: 0.8 times its median2017 CR-V: 3.2 times its median'172018 RAV4: 1.0 times its median2018 CR-V: 4.3 times its median'182019 RAV4: 3.0 times its median2019 CR-V: 2.5 times its median'192020 RAV4: 2.5 times its median2020 CR-V: 0.9 times its median'202021 RAV4: 1.7 times its median2021 CR-V: 1.0 times its median'212022 RAV4: 0.8 times its median2022 CR-V: 0.9 times its median'222023 RAV4: 1.1 times its median2023 CR-V: 2.3 times its median'232024 RAV4: 1.6 times its median2024 CR-V: 2.4 times its median'241x

Each bar is that model year's complaints for each year on the road, divided by the same figure for a typical year of the same model (the dashed line). Measuring each model against itself takes the sales gap between the two out of the picture, so they can share a scale. Years too new to judge are left out.

Recalls and investigations

The two draw recalls at about the same rate: 1.9 campaigns per model year for the RAV4 and 1.8 for the CR-V. A recall counts once however many cars it covers, so this figure does not grow with sales the way complaint totals do.

Toyota RAV4

23 recall campaigns and 1 NHTSA investigation across these model years. Most recalled: equipment (4), tires (3) and airbags (3).

  • 23V-734 (electrical) covers 5 model years
  • 19V-503 (equipment) covers 3 model years

Investigations

  • PE21005: Battery hold down bracket thermal events (closed, led to a recall)

Honda CR-V

21 recall campaigns and 6 NHTSA investigations across these model years. Most recalled: fuel system (5), airbags (4) and equipment (3).

  • 23V-858 (fuel system) covers 10 model years
  • 26V-332 (airbags) covers 6 model years

Investigations

  • EA24002: Inadvertent automatic emergency braking (open)
  • EA23003: Momentary increased steering effort (closed, led to a recall)
  • PE22011: Rear differential seizure (closed)

Whether a particular car is included depends on its VIN. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Crashes, fires and injuries

A larger share of RAV4 complaints report a crash: 8.0%, against 4.0% for the CR-V. Fire reports: 148 for the RAV4 and 32 for the CR-V. Complaints on file report 5 deaths in the RAV4 and 5 in the CR-V for these model years.

Toyota RAV4Honda CR-V

Report a crash8.0%4.0%
Report a fire3.9%0.4%
Report someone hurt4.7%2.7%

Share of each model's complaints in which the owner reported it. These are owners' own accounts as filed with NHTSA, and one report on its own doesn't prove a defect.

Questions

Is the Toyota RAV4 or the Honda CR-V more reliable?

On the 7 measures below that do not grow with sales, the CR-V looks better on 3 and the RAV4 on 2, with 2 too close to call. NHTSA complaint totals cannot settle it alone: the RAV4 has 3,827 complaints and the CR-V 8,663 for model years 2014 to 2025, and those totals follow how many of each were sold.

Which has more recalls, the RAV4 or the CR-V?

The RAV4 has 23 recall campaigns and the CR-V 21 across model years 2014 to 2025. The two draw recalls at about the same rate: 1.9 campaigns per model year for the RAV4 and 1.8 for the CR-V.

What are the most common problems on the RAV4 and the CR-V?

The most reported problem on the RAV4 is stalling (9.0% of its complaints). On the CR-V it is sticky steering (9.7% of its complaints), against 0.0% on the RAV4.

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