Honda Civic vs Toyota RAV4

The sixth-generation Toyota RAV4 now comes with more choice, including three distinct design themes, three powertrain and drivetrain options, and seven trim levels. It has a hybrid drivetrain as standard, offering a claimed 44 mpg combined, along with more standard features, a quicker operating system, and improvements across the board to bolster its bestselling position.

Verdict: The good gets better, but the RAV4's lineup is confusing enough to need a Venn diagram.

It’s been almost half a decade since Honda introduced this latest Civic. That’s hard to believe, because this car has aged with remarkable grace. After a mild update for the 2025 model year, the 2026 Civic lineup carries over unchanged. It continues to offer sedans and hatchbacks, with or without hybrid power. Sporty Si and performance-tuned Type R variants are also available, but Honda still doesn’t offer the Civic with all-wheel drive. Does that matter? Seemingly not, because the Civic is Honda’s second-best-selling car (behind the CR-V), and one of the top-selling compact cars in America.

Verdict: You’ll pay a premium to buy a Honda Civic. In many ways, it’s worth the extra money. In others, not so much. Still, while there are better deals in the compact car class, few are as satisfying to drive, and that’s true even when the Civic is equipped with its base engine.