SEEKING THE COMPACT CROWN

HONDA’S CR-V HAS REIGNED SUPREME. CAN TOYOTA, NISSAN, OR HYUNDAI LEAD AN SUV REVOLUTION?

- MIGUEL CORTINA

Think of compact SUVs, and chances are the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4 come to mind. They’ve dominated sales charts the past few years, and each has a long history of loyal customers who return to buy or lease the latest versions.

Although the RAV4 is the sales leader, with more than 430,000 units moved in 2020, the CR-V is no small player—Honda sold 333,000 last year. But as the segment grows more competitive, automakers are equipping their crossover SUVs with cutting-edge tech, cool designs, and spacious interiors. Take the Nissan Rogue and the Hyundai Tucson, for example; they aren’t as popular as the Honda and Toyota, but their latest generations are more attractive and tech-rich than ever.

To make this comparison as fair as possible, we asked the participating automakers to send us their top-trim models with all-wheel drive. The 2021 Nissan Rogue SL we received wasn’t the ladder-topping Platinum trim, but it was nevertheless decently equipped with the Premium package. Powered by a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine making 181 horsepower and 181 lb-ft of torque, the Rogue employs a continuously variable transmission to send power to all four wheels. Our test model carried a $36,805 price tag, a decent value for the features it included.

The 2022 Hyundai Tucson is all-new this year, and it was represented by the Limited version. Its 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine makes 187 hp and 178 lb-ft and is mated to an eight-speed automatic. At $37,580, it comes with a ton of technology, a bigger cargo area, and more passenger space than before.

As the second most popular crossover SUV, the Honda CR-V has many things to like, particularly its value. At $36,325, the CR-V was the least expensive model we tested, and that was despite being represented by the top-of-the-line Touring model. Its 190-hp 1.5-liter turbo-four engine is paired to a CVT.