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The 2013 Honda CR-V ranks 3 out of 20 Affordable Compact SUVs. This ranking is based on our analysis of 29 published reviews and test drives of the Honda CR-V, and our analysis of reliability and safety data. With an EPA-estimated 23/31 mpg city/highway, the CR-V also uses less fuel than a number of SUVs in the class. Most test drivers are particularly pleased with the CR-V's handling, saying that its small turning radius and car-like ride make the CR-V one of the most nimble SUVs in the segment.

While the redesigned RAV4 comes with more standard features than many affordable compact SUVs, it's also priced higher than some of the highest-ranking models in the class, as well as the outgoing 2012 model. After you add an automatic transmission, the base CX-5 starts at $955 less than the new RAV4, while the base Ford Escape rings in with a base price that's $850 lower. The CR-V closely matches the RAV4's list of standard features and costs $520 less.

With ample passenger and cargo capacity and a full complement of family-friendly amenities, the 2013 CR-V is equipped to meet these responsibilities with a cheerful smile. Fuel economy is exceptional, while precise handling and intuitive controls ensure a thoroughly pleasant overall driver experience.The 2013 CR-V earned a perfect five stars for overall protection in government crash tests, scoring five stars for both frontal- and side-impact protection. In testing by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the CR-V received the best possible rating of "Good" in the frontal-offset, side impact and roof strength tests.

In testing, the 2013 Toyota RAV4 needed 9.1 seconds to hit 60 mph (8.8 seconds with 1 foot of rollout as on a drag strip). This is quicker than the CR-V (9.4 seconds), but considerably behind the Ford Escape 2.0 (7.4 seconds). The story was similar in the quarter-mile, where the RAV used 16.8 seconds and crossed the line at 81.6 mph: a dead heat with the CR-V, but a whopping 1.3 seconds behind the hot-rod Escape.

The 2013 Honda CR-V hits all the right marks for cost-conscious families?with its interior layout and safety ratings both best-in-class?although it doesn't feel as sprightly as former CR-V models. Somewhere smaller than the Pilot SUV and Odyssey minivan yet packing a lot more utility and space than the Civic--or even the Accord--the 2013 Honda CR-V is the zenith of compact-crossover space efficiency and versatility, and it's one of the safest vehicles on the market.Cutting right to the chase, and to what families want and need: The 2013 CR-V has what we think is the best rear seat-folding arrangement of any vehicle in this class; and that's combined with impressive back-seat comfort and good ride comfort in general.

The 2013 Toyota RAV4 excels at mass-market talents like gas mileage and interior room--but for turbocharged fun in a crossover, you'll have to look elsewhere.The RAV4's tailgate is its sore thumb: the taillamps are pointy and shelf out, all in the name of meeting safety regulations. There's some discord in the cockpit too--not in the clash of lines and surfaces, but in the plastics that form them.No matter where you're sitting, the RAV4 provides more space than the Escape; it's on par with the CR-V, though the back bench is less supportive and its flip/fold mechanism one step shy on slickness.

Safety

Top Safety Pick

Good