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The compact SUV segment has long been dominated by the Toyota RAV4, but 2026 has delivered an unexpected shake-up. Production changes tied to the arrival of an all-new generation have slowed Toyota's momentum, opening the door for one of its closest rivals to surge ahead in the sales charts.
That opportunity has been seized by the Honda CR-V. Benefiting from strong demand, growing hybrid adoption, and a reputation for practicality and reliability, Honda's best-selling crossover has overtaken the RAV4 to become America's top-selling SUV so far in 2026. While Toyota is expected to recover as production ramps up, the CR-V's success highlights just how competitive the segment has become, and suggests buyers are increasingly willing to look beyond the long-time market leader.
In order to give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from various automakers and other authoritative sources, including the EPA.
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The Honda CR-V dethrones the Toyota RAV4 as the best-selling SUV Its growth shows no signs of stopping
Credit: Honda
For quite a long time now, Toyota has stood head and shoulders ahead of the competition, with the RAV4 outselling every other SUV on the market by a large margin. However, with the new generation of the RAV4 hitting the market, retooling and other production obstacles have meant that its sales have slowed down dramatically. The usual runner-up, Honda's CR-V, has capitalized on this slowdown, claiming the crown as the best-selling SUV in 2026, at least so far.
Honda CR-V sales Q2 2026Model
June 2025 (MTD)
June 2026 (MTD)
% Change
Q2 2025 (YTD)
Q2 2026 (YTD)
% Change
Honda CR-V
29,905
38,859
29.9%
212,561
226,114
6.4%
No automaker has been immune to the turbulence in the market this year, which is why any kind of growth at all should be celebrated. Overall, Honda has managed to record a decent increase in sales of the CR-V at the end of the second quarter compared to last year. The momentum seems to be pretty strong right now as well, with the brand selling almost 10,000 more units in June of this year compared to June of last year.
Honda says the CR-V's sales represent the best half for the SUV ever, as well as Q1 being the crossover's best first quarter ever. As mentioned, this June has also been the best June in the CR-V's history. What is also really impressive to note is that 55 percent of the CR-V's sales this year have been for hybrid models, meaning that electrified models now make up a larger portion of sales than non-hybrid models.
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The CR-V is a well-rounded package, and it isn't surprising that it is so popular
It feels more refined and well-rounded than its rivals
Credit: Honda
Credit: Honda
Credit: Honda
Credit: Honda
Credit: HondaClose
Credit: Honda
Credit: Honda
Credit: Honda
Credit: Honda
Credit: Honda
As far as two-row SUVs go, we think that the CR-V is easily one of the best options on the market for the average buyer. It puts reliability, practicality, and comfort above all else, but it also comes with enough character that it doesn't blend into the background. Despite the current generation of the CR-V being older than some of its closest rivals, it still feels like the most well-rounded crossover you can buy.
A trim lineup that pushes you towards hybrid modelsModel
Starting MSRP
LX
$30,920
EX
$33,150
EX-L
$35,400
Sport Hybrid
$35,630
Sport-L Hybrid
$38,725
TrailSport Hybrid
$38,800
Sport Touring Hybrid
$42,550
The RAV4 has become a hybrid-only affair, but the CR-V is still offered with both hybrid and non-hybrid powertrain options. Honda has structured its trim lineup uniquely, though, where the lower trim levels come with a non-hybrid setup and higher trims get the hybrid setup. Not only does this give buyers more choice, but it allows buyers looking for lower car payments to opt for the non-hybrid models, which makes the hybrid models feel like a better deal overall.
The CR-V doesn't out-price its competition, but it beats them in all the places that matter. It is more practical than a lot of other options, with a spacious back seat and cavernous cargo area. It also comes with a long list of standard features. Hybrid models also offer unrivaled fuel economy, especially if you stick with front-wheel drive. Finally, and possibly most importantly, Honda's reputation for reliability and quality does a lot to promote the crossover.
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Despite the drop in sales, the RAV4 is still in second place Toyota is slowly but surely regaining momentum
Credit: Toyota
Credit: Toyota
Credit: Toyota
Credit: Toyota
Credit: ToyotaClose
Credit: Toyota
Credit: Toyota
Credit: Toyota
Credit: Toyota
Credit: Toyota
While the CR-V is now pretty firmly in first place in terms of sales for the year, so far, Toyota isn't impossibly far behind. The RAV4 has begun to claw back some sales and is still firmly in second place. However, with a lot of buyers moving over to other competitors, we think that the RAV4 will have a harder time achieving the growth that it used to have.
The rest of the top five best-selling SUVs so farModel
Units sold at end of Q2 2026
Toyota RAV4
153,995
Nissan Rogue
135,970
Ford Explorer
126,925
Chevrolet Equinox
124,375
While the Toyota RAV4 has started to turn things around, its sales still sit tens of thousands of units lower than that of the Honda CR-V. Where the two used to be neck-and-neck, with the Toyota often coming out ahead, the RAV4 entering a new generation has presented Honda with the opportunity to absorb some of the RAV4's sales.
Almost more important is the growth that a lot of the RAV4's other rivals have experienced. With fewer RAV4s available, buyers have had to shop around, and many have opted to try things aside from the usual options. This means that crossovers like the Nissan Rogue and Chevrolet Equinox are now posting numbers that are pretty close to those of Toyota's popular SUV.
The Honda CR-V has taken the lead, and other rivals have seen some strong growthThe dip in sales that the RAV4 has experienced is obviously not permanent. With the SUV entering a new generation, there were always going to be a couple of obstacles in the production process. What is important is how rivals have capitalized on their rival bowing out for a couple of months. This has obviously been fantastic for Honda, with the CR-V being the most obvious alternative, and it has put their crossover in the top spot. Other rivals have also seen some really strong growth too, though, and it will be interesting to see how the market develops now that more buyers than usual have had a taste of some of the other compact SUVs on the market.