Toyota Sienna vs Honda CR-V Hybrid

The 2024 Honda CR-V Hybrid, starting at a base price of $33,700 for the Sport Hybrid, was praised for its affordability as an electrified SUV. However, its sporty black 18-inch wheels and blacked-out exterior trim didn’t mask its relatively basic interior. Upgrading to the leather-lined Sport-L Hybrid would set buyers back $36,700, while the top-tier Sport Touring Hybrid, priced at $39,850, aimed for luxury. Our Honda CR-V Sport Touring Hybrid test vehicle was showcased in Canyon River Blue with no optional accessories, totaling an MSRP of $41,175, destination charge included. Its conservative styling, featuring a "technical face" reminiscent of an angry robot, carried a visual heft over the front wheels that some found disproportionate. Notably, the Sport Touring’s tusks framing the lower air intake were not a flattering design choice. From a rear-quarter view, the CR-V looked upscale with Volvo-like taillights and neat design. Honda’s restraint in SUV styling cues shone through, although the exclusive 19-inch gloss black wheels, while stylish, lost their visual impact with darker paint colors. Inside, the Sport Touring impressed with leather seats highlighted by orange contrast stitching and numerous details that portrayed quality. Features such as the satisfying sound of slamming doors, soft-touch upper dashboard pad, and intricately knurled metallic trim on knobs contributed to a sophisticated cabin atmosphere, setting a high bar in the compact SUV segment. Toyota’s 2024 Sienna, available in trims like LE, XLE, XSE, Woodland Edition, Limited, and Platinum, turned heads with its distinctive style. Despite discontinuing the “swagger wagon” commercials, the Sienna maintained its cool vibe. With strong contenders like the Kia Carnival vying for style points, the Sienna's sleek front and rear fascias, and vibrant color options like deep blue, red, or green, kept it ahead in the design game. Our XSE tester, renowned for its sportiness, sported a black metallic mesh front grille, black heated side mirrors, and 20-inch dark wheels – definitely living up to the “swagger wagon” moniker. The Woodland Edition stood out with colors like Cement and Midnight Black Metallic, designed for mild off-roading with roof rails, crossbars, a tow hitch, and an extra half-inch ground clearance, totaling 6.9 inches. Standard Sienna models featured cloth seats, three-zone climate control, and accommodating eight passengers. Our XSE trim with the optional Premium package, a $4,000 upgrade, introduced two captain’s chairs that replaced the second-row bench, leather-trimmed heated and cooled front seats, and a leather-trimmed power steering wheel with ADAS controls, enhancing comfort and luxury for the driver. Horizontal design lines inside contributed to a spacious feel. The nifty satin-trimmed fixed center console offered easy access to cup holders and the shifter. While luxury wasn’t the primary focus, the functional interior catered perfectly to family needs, even featuring a built-in vacuum cleaner in upper trims.

The 2024 Honda CR-V Hybrid’s performance varied across trims, with non-hybrid versions like the LX, EX, and EX-L offering a 190-horsepower turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine and a CVT powering the front wheels, with AWD as an option. The hybrid trims – Sport, Sport-L, and Sport Touring – came with a fourth-generation Honda two-motor hybrid drive system, combining an Atkinson-cycle 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with two electric motors. These motors included a propulsion motor and a generator/starter motor, with the latter recharging the battery. At 204 horsepower, this complex powertrain offered a unique driving experience, with most noticeable quirks being low-speed EV acoustic warning noise and engine droning uphill. Despite an EPA rating of 37 mpg for the Sport Touring, our test vehicle returned only 32.4 mpg on a mountainous Southern California loop, comparable to the non-hybrid CR-V EX-L’s 29.1 mpg from the previous year. The hybrid system, while complex, seemed barely worth the trade-off. The CR-V’s on-road performance remained strong, with quiet ride quality, predictable handling, impressive grip, and brakes that endured heavy usage. Steering, however, required significant effort, even in Normal mode. Ultimately, while easy to drive and hinting at fun, the CR-V Hybrid fell short in off-road capability and thrill-inducing drives. Every 2024 Toyota Sienna came equipped as a hybrid, integrating a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with two electric motors, producing a combined 245 horsepower. AWD models added an electric motor to drive the rear wheels. Despite sport-tuned suspension and a Sport mode button, the Sienna wasn’t a performance powerhouse. Its sluggish acceleration and a CVT that didn’t do the powertrain any favors were notable downsides, especially during highway merges or uphill drives. The transmission, while smooth, contributed to a relatively slow and occasionally loud driving experience. Around town, however, the Sienna offered a pleasant ride with Normal or Eco modes proving more suitable. EV mode was useful for low-speed areas, though the grabby brakes caused a few drink spills. The light, accurate steering and excellent visibility further improved urban driving. For those seeking more driving excitement, alternatives like the Honda Odyssey, Kia Carnival, or Chrysler Pacifica with their V6 engines might have been more appealing.

Functionality was a strong suit for the Honda CR-V Hybrid. The quality materials, intuitive control layout, comfortable seating, and spacious cargo area met and exceeded expectations. All CR-V Hybrids came with a 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, offering excellent support. The front passenger seat, while not as adjustable, provided similar comfort. Sport and Sport-L trims featured manually adjustable seats, while the Sport Hybrid boasted power operation. Heated front seats and a heated steering wheel enhanced comfort, with dual-zone climate control standard on all hybrids. Accessibility was a highlight, especially in the back where doors opened nearly 90 degrees, simplifying the installation of child safety seats. Adults found the back seat equally comfortable, with generous legroom, adjustable backrest angles, soft seatback material, air conditioning vents, and USB-C charging ports. Storage areas were abundant, although the glove compartment was smaller than expected, and the driver’s seat lacked a front seatback pocket. The Sport Touring’s hands-free power rear liftgate revealed 34.7 cubic feet of cargo space, less than the Sport and Sport-L’s 36.3 cu-ft. Still, with the rear seats folded, it expanded to 76.5 cu-ft, making the CR-V one of the most spacious in its class. The 2024 Toyota Sienna excelled in form and function, although some seating features needed mastering. The lower storage pass-through in the front was perfect for bulkier items, complemented by four cupholders and bonus holders in the front doors. A shelf above the glovebox, housing the wireless charging pad, catered to smaller items. Powered sliding doors in the second row, operable via the interior handle or a button on the B-pillar, added convenience. The second-row captain’s chairs could slide 25 inches, providing up to 40 inches of legroom, rivaling front seats. Upper trims even featured an ottoman for extra comfort, though these seats couldn’t be removed, limiting maximum cargo space. Second-row amenities included cup holders and net pockets, while window shades protected passengers from sunlight. The third row, accessible with ease, provided ample space when the second row was not fully rearward. With the seats moved forward, adults enjoyed 39 inches of legroom, the best in the class, with reclining third-row seats and various cup holders enhancing comfort. Every Sienna featured tri-zone climate control, with our XSE tester offering a fourth zone for the front passenger. The rear liftgate, activated by a kick motion, revealed 33.5 cubic feet of cargo space. Stowing the third row was straightforward but didn’t lock the seats into place once flattened. Nonetheless, with the third row down, the storage expanded to 75 cubic feet, reaching 101 cubic feet with the second row folded.

Technologically, the Honda CR-V Sport Hybrid included a 7-inch digital instrumentation panel and a matching 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system, which didn’t particularly impress. Even the available 9-inch touchscreen felt only marginally better. Advanced features such as wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless smartphone charging, and an upgraded sound system were reserved for the Sport-L and Sport Touring trims. Subscription-based connected services, including a Wi-Fi hotspot, were exclusive to the Sport Touring. Pairing an iPhone to the test vehicle’s Bluetooth was quick and simple, and wireless Apple CarPlay worked seamlessly. The Sport Touring's infotainment system included navigation and a 12-speaker Bose premium audio system, producing remarkable sound. However, the voice recognition system was basic, functioning through prompts displayed on the screen. Conversational commands, like those used with smartphone assistants, sometimes stumped Honda’s technology. A standout feature was the walk-away automatic locking, which provided peace of mind by locking the vehicle doors once the key fob moved away from the SUV. The 2024 Toyota Sienna lagged behind with its dated infotainment technology. It included a 9-inch touchscreen with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, favoring physical buttons for frequently used functions like audio, navigation, phone, and home page. The backup camera's grainy quality was unworthy of a vehicle from 2024. While the analog gauges were outdated, a 7-inch digital display provided essential information like speed, fuel economy, and audio. Those prioritizing screen quality might have considered alternatives to the Sienna. Standard tech included a Wi-Fi hotspot, SiriusXM satellite radio, and an optional 12-speaker JBL stereo system. The available rear-camera mirror, streaming a wide-angle video feed to the rear-view mirror, was a notable upgrade if, hopefully, featuring better resolution than the backup camera. Navigation was standard on most trims, though many drivers likely preferred Google Maps. USB ports, in both -A and -C configurations, were scattered throughout the cabin. Our tester included a 1500-watt inverter with a 120-volt outlet for the second row and rear cargo area, which needed activation via a button near the driver’s seat. Optional tech upgrades included an 11.6-inch rear-seat entertainment system and a 10-inch color head-up display, enhancing the Sienna’s appeal for tech-savvy families.

Safety was a strong point for the 2024 Honda CR-V Hybrid, with Honda Sensing as standard across all trims. This suite included forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, lane-centering assist, adaptive cruise control, traffic jam assist, and a driver monitoring system. Additional features included a rear-seat reminder, automatic high-beam headlights, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, and front and rear parking sensors with low-speed automatic braking on the Sport-L and Sport Touring. In practical tests, Honda Sensing performed reliably on various terrains and traffic conditions, with only minor issues like hesitation on curvy freeways and skid mark confusion. The adaptive cruise control and lane-centering assist were particularly noteworthy for their smoothness and precision. Although the 2024 CR-V hadn’t been rated by NHTSA at the time of writing, it boasted impressive ratings from IIHS, earning a Top Safety Pick+ award for 2023. The Toyota Safety Sense suite was standard on all 2024 Sienna models, featuring lane departure alert, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, road sign recognition, full-speed adaptive cruise control, and automatic high beams. Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert were also included. Most safety systems functioned effectively, with adaptive cruise control reducing commuting stress. However, lane-keeping assist occasionally caused side-to-side movement, easily toggled off via a steering wheel button. The Sienna was well-equipped with airbags, including side curtain airbags for all three rows. Reminders to check the rear seats and seat belt notifications for rear passengers added to the safety package. NHTSA rated the 2024 Sienna with four out of five stars for frontal crash and rollover protection, and five out of five stars for side crash protection. IIHS awarded the Sienna top marks for crashworthiness and child restraint systems, although its front crash prevention was rated as “Average.”