10 Biggest News Stories of the Week: Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4 Hybrids Charge Past Subaru Solterra EV
Among small SUVs, the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4 are giants. They both consistently rank among the top-selling vehicles in the U.S. — and it’s unlikely that the addition of fuel-sipping hybrid versions to their respective model lineups will make car shoppers love them any less. With the two compact crossovers constantly battling it out to be America’s SUV sweetheart, it’s only natural that we wound up pitting the 2021 CR-V Hybrid and 2021 RAV4 Hybrid against each other in a head-to-head hybrid showdown.
Related: 10 Biggest News Stories of the Month: Subarus Rein in Mustang Mach-E
Skip the suspense: Like the RAV4 outsells the CR-V on dealer lots, Toyota also edged out Honda in our comparison test, which included back-to-back driving loops by two Cars.com reviewers, followed by a 165-mile drive to see which gets better real-world gas mileage. The RAV4 Hybrid bested the CR-V in nine of 18 categories — including the particularly relevant fuel-economy test — and tied it in two others. Still, both emerged as winners of sorts, as our comprehensive accounting of the head-to-head comparison rose to first place among Cars.com’s most popular news articles of the past week. Follow the link below to our No. 1 article of the week for the full story.
Elsewhere on our weekly countdown, another eco-conscious car sparked interest, though it didn’t have quite enough juice to compete with the Honda and Toyota hybrids. Our report on the all-new, all-electric Subaru Solterra SUV, slated for arrival in 2022, charged into fourth place this week. Beyond what can be deduced from its silhouette in a released teaser image, not a heckuva lot is yet known about the Solterra. These things we do know: Its name is a portmanteau of the Latin words for sun and earth;, it was co-developed by Toyota (which owns 20% of Subaru) and inspired by the Toyota bZ4X Concept; it’ll be all electric and all-wheel drive; and that it’s expected to show up next year. Get the full Solterra scoop by following the link below to our No. 4 news story of the week.
Also new to the countdown this week is our rapid-fire roundup of the things we like and don’t like, about the new-for 2022 Kia Carnival minivan. In the plus column are its robust V-6 engine, versatile Slide-Flex seating system, abundant family-friendly features and safety tech, and a starting price that’s highly competitive with major rivals like the Chrysler Pacifica and Toyota Sienna. Wanna know where the Carnival fell short for us? Follow the link below to this week’s fifth-place finisher.
Beyond that, we have headlines on the Volvo XC60, Toyota Land Cruiser, Jeep Wrangler, Hyundai Santa Fe and much more, so be sure to peruse the entire countdown for all the latest car talk. Here are the top 10 news stories Cars.com readers couldn’t get enough of in the past week:
1. Hybrid Head-to-Head: 2021 Honda CR-V Hybrid Vs. Toyota RAV4 Hybrid
2. Here Are the 10 Cheapest New Cars You Can Buy Right Now
3. Now Is a Good Time to Sell Your Extra Used Car; Here’s Why
4. Subaru Solterra Electric SUV to Arrive in 2022
5. Is the 2022 Kia Carnival a Good Car? 5 Pros and 3 Cons
6. Is the 2021 Volvo XC60 Recharge a Good Car? 5 Pros and 2 Cons
7. 2021 Toyota Land Cruiser Heritage Edition Review: Right Place, Wrong Timing
8. The 470-HP Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon 392 Is Completely Bonkers
9. Is the 2021 Hyundai Santa Fe a Good Car? 5 Pros and 4 Cons
10. 2022 Kia Carnival Review: Almost Magic
Related Video: 2021 Honda CR-V Hybrid Vs. 2021 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid
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