The Honda CR-V is on track to become America’s best-selling SUV for 2026, potentially ending the Toyota RAV4’s nine-year run at the top. Despite Toyota’s October sales recovery and record performance for its hybrid models, the RAV4 remains significantly behind Honda’s popular SUV.
Toyota RAV4 Sales Recover After a Difficult Year
Since 2017, the Toyota RAV4 has been the best-selling vehicle in the United States outside the full-size pickup segment. Toyota sold nearly 500,000 RAV4s in each of the past two years, making the SUV a major contributor to the automaker’s sales performance.
However, Toyota’s slow ramp-up of production for the latest-generation RAV4 has hurt sales throughout 2026. During the first half of the year, RAV4 sales fell 35%.
October brought signs of improvement. Toyota sold 39,888 RAV4s during the month, marking a 0.6% increase compared with October last year.
Despite the monthly recovery, year-to-date sales remain down 26.2%. Toyota has sold 293,552 RAV4s through October, compared with 397,797 during the same period last year.
The latest results suggest demand for the RAV4 remains strong, even as production challenges continue to limit sales.
Honda CR-V Sales Continue to Climb
While Toyota works to recover, Honda’s CR-V is enjoying a strong year. The automaker reported 34,815 CR-V sales in October, setting a new record for the month.
Although Honda’s October total remained below Toyota’s RAV4 sales, the CR-V posted a 9.8% increase compared with the same month last year.
Honda has sold 371,659 CR-Vs during the first 10 months of 2026, representing a 9.6% increase over the same period in 2025.
With Honda maintaining its sales momentum and Toyota still recovering, the CR-V is positioned to take the U.S. SUV sales crown for 2026.
Can Toyota RAV4 Regain the Lead in 2027?
Toyota would need a dramatic sales turnaround, combined with a significant slowdown at Honda, to reclaim the title before the end of 2026.
The outlook could change next year if the RAV4 returns to its previous sales performance. Toyota sold nearly 480,000 RAV4s in 2025, while Honda’s CR-V could approach 450,000 sales in 2026, potentially making it one of the model’s strongest years ever.
The RAV4’s production recovery will therefore be a key factor in determining whether Toyota can reclaim the top spot in 2027.
Toyota RAV4 Leads the Hybrid Sales Race
Despite losing ground in overall SUV sales, Toyota has a clear advantage in electrified RAV4 sales.
All 39,888 RAV4s sold in October were hybrid or plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) models. By comparison, approximately 53% of CR-V buyers, or around 18,500 customers, chose a hybrid version last month.
The difference reflects Toyota’s decision to make the latest-generation RAV4 available exclusively with hybrid or plug-in hybrid powertrains, while Honda continues to offer nonhybrid CR-V models.
RAV4 Pulls Ahead of Toyota Camry
The RAV4’s recovery has also reshaped Toyota’s internal sales race. Until recently, the Camry appeared poised to become the automaker’s best-selling model in 2026, reclaiming a title it had held for generations.
However, the RAV4 has now moved ahead of the Camry by approximately 5,000 units, making that outcome increasingly unlikely.
With the RAV4 recovering from production-related setbacks and the CR-V maintaining strong demand, 2026 is shaping up to be a significant year in the competition for America’s best-selling SUV.
