If your shortlist is CR-V, RAV4, and Forester, you are shopping the strongest gas-only compact SUV category in Canada. Hamilton buyers see this trio the most — QEW commuters, families upgrading from CR-V or Civic, and cottage-bound buyers who want standard AWD without the hybrid premium. The real decision is which one handles your daily drive, your fuel bill, your rear-seat and cargo needs, and your winter. This page is the same-trim, same-term comparison Henry runs with Hamilton buyers cross-shopping all three.
Photo: Honda Canada. Honda CR-V shown for comparison context.
For most Vaughan shoppers, the Honda CR-V is the safest all-round pick. The Toyota RAV4 fits a different priority, and the Subaru Forester fits a third. Use the table below to test your own priorities against what each model actually delivers on a back-to-back test drive.
You want the most balanced compact SUV: roomy rear seat, Honda resale, the calmest highway ride, and the only one of these built in Canada. Best fit for Hamilton families who want a gas compact SUV with no hybrid premium and a real Canadian-built story.
You want 203 hp from the gas 2.5L 4-cyl, the most cargo behind the rear seat, and Toyota's familiar switchgear. RAV4 for the Canadian market is also built in Woodstock, Ontario — alongside CR-V as one of the only two gas compact SUVs in this comparison that are Canadian-built. Best fit for families who want Toyota resale and Canada-built reassurance.
You want the standard symmetrical AWD with the most ground clearance (220 mm / 8.7 in) and X-Mode for cottage gravel and ski-hill parking lots. Best fit for active buyers who want the most off-road-capable compact SUV and don't mind it being imported from Indiana.
| Question | Honda CR-V | Toyota RAV4 | Subaru Forester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best role | Gas-only compact SUV with Canadian build and Honda resale | Gas-only compact SUV with Toyota familiarity and the largest cargo hold | Standard AWD gas compact SUV with the best ground clearance and X-Mode off-road |
| Powertrain | 1.5L turbo 4-cyl, 190 hp, 179 lb-ft (honda.ca) | 2.5L 4-cyl, 203 hp, 184 lb-ft (toyota.ca) | 2.5L boxer flat-4, 182 hp, 176 lb-ft (subaru.ca) |
| Transmission | CVT (continuously variable transmission) | 8-speed automatic | Lineartronic CVT |
| Drivetrain layout | FWD standard; Real Time AWD available on LX, Sport, EX-L | FWD standard; AWD available on most trims | Symmetrical AWD standard on every Forester |
| Fuel economy — combined (L/100 km) | About 8.4 combined AWD / 7.8 combined FWD (honda.ca) | About 8.5 combined AWD / 7.8 combined FWD (toyota.ca) | About 8.8 combined (subaru.ca) |
| Standard AWD | AWD optional (LX/Sport/EX-L have it; LX FWD is base) | AWD optional (most trims) | AWD standard on every Forester trim |
| Ground clearance | About 198 mm (7.8 in) (honda.ca) | About 213 mm (8.4 in) on Adventure / TRD Off-Road trims (toyota.ca) | About 220 mm (8.7 in) standard — best in class (subaru.ca) |
| Cargo behind rear seats / with seats folded | 1,113 L behind / 2,259 L seats folded (honda.ca) — middle of the three | 1,360 L behind / 2,087 L seats folded (toyota.ca) — biggest behind rear seats | 838 L behind / 2,101 L seats folded (subaru.ca) — smallest behind rear seats but hatch-style practicality |
| Seating | 5 passengers | 5 passengers (gas); 5 in Hybrid Limited, 7 optional | 5 passengers |
| Warranty | 3 yr / 60,000 km comprehensive, 5 yr / 100,000 km powertrain (honda.ca / owners.honda.ca) | 3 yr / 60,000 km comprehensive, 5 yr / 100,000 km powertrain (toyota.ca) | 3 yr / 60,000 km comprehensive, 5 yr / 100,000 km powertrain (subaru.ca) |
| Built where | Honda CR-V (gas LX, Sport) is built at Honda of Canada Manufacturing in Alliston, Ontario (hondacanadamfg.ca — Plant 2) | Toyota RAV4 is built at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada in Woodstock, Ontario (toyota.ca) — Canadian-built | Subaru Forester is built at Subaru of Indiana Automotive (SIA) in Lafayette, Indiana and imported to Canada (subaru.ca) |
| Off-road trims | No dedicated off-road trim; Real Time AWD handles typical Ontario winter and cottage road duty | Adventure / TRD Off-Road trims add 8.4 in clearance and AWD with terrain select | Wilderness trim raises clearance to 9.2 in (234 mm) and adds Yokohama Geolandar A/T tires — best off-road in class |
| Who should test-drive it first? | Families who want a gas-only compact SUV with Honda long-term ownership and Canadian build | Families who want Toyota familiarity and the biggest cargo hold behind the rear seat | Active buyers who want standard AWD and the best off-road clearance |
Spec notes were checked against the official 2026 Canadian sources honda.ca, hondacanadamfg.ca, toyota.ca, and subaru.ca on June 29, 2026. Trim availability, towing, and fuel-economy numbers vary by configuration — confirm with the dealer before signing. Photo: Honda Canada.
CR-V's CVT and 1.5L turbo settle into low revs on the highway. RAV4's 8-speed auto is the most direct-feeling transmission of the three. Forester's CVT is the most fuel-efficient for steady-speed cruising but feels the least connected to the engine.
RAV4 has the largest cargo hold behind the rear seats (1,360 L) — most useful for Costco runs and strollers. CR-V has the most adult-friendly rear seat. Forester's tall hatch shape is the easiest for loading bikes and skis in and out.
All three handle Ontario winter with proper winter tires. Forester's standard AWD with X-Mode is the best for unplowed cottage roads — useful for Hamilton's escarpment-side side streets on heavy snow days. CR-V's Real Time AWD is the most responsive in fresh snow. RAV4's AWD with Multi-Terrain Select on Adventure trim is between the two.
On 20,000 km/year at Ontario fuel prices, the differences among these three are within $150/year of each other in typical driving. Forester tends to use the most fuel on the highway because of the boxer engine's packaging drag — small absolute difference, real at scale.
Trim-for-trim monthly payment is usually within $50 of each other across these three once you lock the same term and down payment. RAV4 tends to come in slightly higher because of Toyota's stronger residual value. CR-V is in the middle. Forester Touring is the priciest Subaru trim.
CR-V (gas LX and Sport) and RAV4 are both built in Canada — CR-V at HCM Alliston (Ontario) and RAV4 at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada Woodstock (Ontario). Forester is imported from Subaru of Indiana Automotive (Lafayette, IN). If buying Canadian matters to you, CR-V and RAV4 are the two.
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It depends on what you prioritize. Honda CR-V is the safest all-round pick if you want the calmest highway ride, the best resale, and a Canadian-built story. Toyota RAV4 is the strongest pick if maximum cargo behind the rear seat and Toyota familiarity matter most — also Canadian-built at Toyota's Woodstock plant. Subaru Forester is the strongest pick if standard AWD and the best ground clearance for cottage roads matter.
Real Time AWD is available on CR-V LX, Sport, and EX-L Navi trims in Canada. Base LX is FWD only. If you need AWD for cottage roads or winter driving, ask Henry which LX trim can be ordered with AWD.
Slightly, in terms of cargo behind the rear seats — Toyota.ca lists 1,360 L behind the rear seats for the RAV4 vs. Honda.ca's 1,113 L for the CR-V. The CR-V has more rear-seat legroom and a slightly larger cargo hold with the seats folded.
Subaru Forester has 220 mm (8.7 in) standard — the most of any of the three gas compact SUVs. The Forester Wilderness trim raises it to 234 mm (9.2 in). Honda CR-V is about 198 mm (7.8 in). Toyota RAV4 is about 213 mm (8.4 in) on Adventure / TRD Off-Road trims.
Yes — Honda CR-V (gas LX and Sport trims) is built at Honda of Canada Manufacturing in Alliston, Ontario (per hondacanadamfg.ca Plant 2). The CR-V Hybrid is also Alliston-built since 2024. If buying Canadian-built matters to you, CR-V qualifies.
Yes — Toyota RAV4 is built at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada (TMMC) in Woodstock, Ontario for the Canadian market. If buying Canadian-built matters, RAV4 is one of the few Toyota models that is. The Toyota Corolla and Corolla Cross are also Canadian-built.
In the compact SUV segment, CR-V and RAV4 typically trade places at the top of the resale rankings — both are stronger than Forester. Forester's resale is more dependent on trim level and mileage. The CR-V Hybrid and RAV4 Hybrid outperform their gas counterparts on resale, but you're asking about gas-only.
If fuel economy is a priority and you can accept the higher payment, yes. Honda Canada lists the CR-V Hybrid at as low as 6.4 L/100 km combined and the RAV4 Hybrid at about 5.8. Both are also Alliston-built. The gas-only versions save the hybrid premium and are simpler to maintain.
Yes for many Hamilton buyers — the price difference for the same trim and features often pays for the drive. Henry runs back-to-back test drives of all three on the same day if you call ahead. Phone (647) 523-6878 or text ahead to time it.
The CR-V vs RAV4 vs Forester question comes up all over the GTA. Henry runs the same comparison across cities — here are the other versions:
Send Henry the trim, payment, term, and trade-in details from your RAV4 or Forester quote. He will show the comparable CR-V number clearly so you can decide without guessing.