2022 Toyota Highlander vs 2021 Honda CR-V

The 2021 Honda CR-V had a design that blended into the crowded compact crossover market. Its styling was nearly identical to its competitors, with only minor details like the grille and some chromed plastic features setting it apart. The CR-V was available in eight colors, but most were shades of gray, black, or white, with vibrant colors like Aegean Blue Metallic and Radiant Red Metallic being rare and limited to higher trims. Inside, the CR-V offered black, gray, and ivory cloth or leather, with higher trims featuring wood panels and more chrome for a modern look. However, competitors like the Kia Sportage and Hyundai Tucson offered more distinctive styling, especially at mid-tier trims.

In contrast, the 2022 Toyota Highlander had a modern and somewhat aggressive front-end design. Its flared fender arches and the third-row window design made it appear smaller than it was. Inside, the Highlander offered a spacious cabin with clever storage solutions. The XSE trim featured a bold red leather interior, unique exterior styling, ambient interior lighting, and a sport-tuned suspension. The Highlander was available in multiple trims, each adding more features and luxury, culminating in the Platinum trim with adaptive headlights, a panoramic sunroof, and a 360-degree parking camera.

The 2021 Honda CR-V was not designed for high performance but offered smooth and steady acceleration with its 190-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder engine. It could accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in about 7.8 seconds. All trims featured a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and standard front-wheel drive, with all-wheel drive as an option. The CR-V's handling and ride quality were decent, with a MacPherson strut setup in the front and a multi-link suspension at the rear. However, competitors like the Kia Sportage and Hyundai Tucson offered more engaging driving experiences with conventional transmissions and sport modes.

The 2022 Toyota Highlander came equipped with a 3.5-liter V6 engine producing 295 horsepower and 263 pound-feet of torque. It featured an eight-speed automatic transmission with a tap-shift function and available steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters. The Highlander offered drive modes including Sport, Normal, and Eco, as well as AWD modes like Mud/Sand and Rock. The V6 engine provided better pickup at higher speeds and a throaty exhaust note. The Highlander could tow up to 5,000 pounds and had a max payload of 1,685 pounds in FWD L and LE trims. The XSE trim's sport-tuned suspension reduced body roll while maintaining a comfortable ride.

The 2021 Honda CR-V was designed to fit five people comfortably and carry their gear. It offered 102.9 cubic feet of passenger volume and 75.8 cubic feet of total cargo volume with the rear seats folded. The CR-V's tailgate options varied by trim, with the Touring trim featuring a hands-free power tailgate. Roof rails were only standard on the top-of-the-line Touring trim.

The 2022 Toyota Highlander provided up to 84.3 cubic feet of cargo space with the second- and third-row seats folded. With all seats in use, it offered 16 cubic feet of cargo space. The Highlander featured quick-release latches for easy seat folding and pull-straps for lifting. Trims above the base L came with a power liftgate, with Limited and Platinum trims offering a hands-free version. The Highlander's interior was designed for convenience, with deep cargo pockets, multiple cupholders, and spacious second-row captain’s chairs. However, the third row was only suitable for short trips for adults.

The 2021 Honda CR-V's base LX trim had a 5-inch color screen with Bluetooth connectivity. Other trims featured a 7-inch high-definition touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration. The audio system varied by trim, with the Touring trim offering a 300-watt system with a subwoofer. Charging ports were available throughout the vehicle, with the Touring trim adding a wireless phone charger.

The 2022 Toyota Highlander came standard with a WiFi hotspot, five USB ports, and an 8-inch touchscreen supporting Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa. The XSE trim featured a wireless charging pad and a combination of USB and USB-C ports. A larger 12.3-inch touchscreen and an 11-speaker JBL premium stereo system were available on higher trims.

The 2021 Honda CR-V excelled in safety, earning a five-star NHTSA overall crash test rating and an IIHS Top Safety Pick award. It featured the Honda Sensing system, which included a multi-angle rearview camera, forward collision warning, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking, road departure mitigation, lane keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, and auto high-beam headlamps. Blind spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert was standard from the EX trim upwards.

The 2022 Toyota Highlander came standard with the Toyota Safety Sense suite, including forward collision avoidance, automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise control, traffic-sign recognition, and automatic high beams. Higher trims added blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, front and rear parking sensors, rain-sensing windshield wipers, a surround-view parking monitor, a head-up display, and adaptive headlights. The lane-departure warning and lane-keeping assist systems were very active, sometimes feeling overly corrective.