The most popular crossover ever is now in its 6th generation. The CR-V, Tucson, Sportage, Escape, were all catching up to it. So, Toyota moved the goal posts to keep the Rav4 ahead of the competition. But there’s a new contender aiming to dethrone the king of crossovers. So, can the new Jeep Cherokee do it?
Performance
Engine – The big news with both crossovers is that they both come with standard hybrid powertrains. Neither have a gasoline-only option. The Toyota Rav4 is available with a plug-in hybrid powertrain but that’s not the one I had the chance to review.
At the heart of the Rav4 is a 2.5L naturally aspirated 4-cylinder engine that is augmented by a couple of electric motors. It produces a combined output of 236 hp (175 kW), a healthy bump over the previous generation. But just like the previous generation, the Rav4 doesn’t provide that “kick” to the backside when mashing your foot on the throttle pedal. There’s no build up of torque or a gradual surge of power. It just goes.
The Jeep Cherokee is powered by a 1.6L turbocharged 4-cylinder engine, which is also augmented by a couple of electric motors, however the system output is only 210 hp (156 kW). But because it is turbocharged, the Jeep feels faster than it actually is. There’s a surge in torque and power as you push on the throttle pedal, even if it isn’t all the way down. This new Cherokee definitely tries to make the boring commute to work a bit more exciting.
Their hybrid systems, though, function in the same way. Off the line, the engine, in conjunction with the electric motors, help these crossovers reach the desired speeds. Then, once you let off the throttle, the engine shuts off briefly and it’s just the electric motors that provide power until their small hybrid batteries are nearly depleted.
But, the Rav4 has an EV drive mode. Don’t confuse this though with the plug-in hybrid’s EV mode. This EV mode only operates at speeds of up to 40 km/h or so. You can accelerate faster while just using electricity in this mode but it automatically gets shut off if you go past the 40 km/h or so mark or if you press too hard on the throttle pedal. Furthermore, if you plan on towing your snowmobiles or a small boat, both are capable of pulling up to 3,500 lbs, except for the base LE trim of the Rav4 Hybrid.
Fuel Economy – The main reason why you’d be looking at one of these crossover SUVs is their fuel economy. Of the two, the 2026 Toyota Rav4 can achieve better economy figures, but that depends on which trim you opt for. The base LE trim can achieve as low as 5.1 L/100km (46 MPG) in a city and 6 L/100km (39 MPG) on a highway, while the Woodland trim gets 5.7 L/100km (41 MPG) in a city and 6.7 L/100km (35 MPG) on a highway. The Jeep Cherokee Hybrid is rated for 6.1 L/100km (38.5 MPG) in a city and 6.7 L/100km (35 MPG) on a highway. But the best part is that it is possible to get better fuel economy figures than what they’re rated for. In the Rav4, I managed to get 5.4 L/100km (43.5 MPG) while in the Jeep, I averaged 5.2 L/100km (45 MPG).
Transmission – Both crossovers utilize eCVTs. Neither transmissions try to fool you into thinking that they’re something else. They don’t replicate virtual gears and instead just allow the engine to drone like a dentists drill every time you mash on the throttle pedal.
Braking – Both crossovers use blended regenerative braking with the physical brakes to help slow down and also replenish some battery charge. The brake pedals have long travel in both but neither have a weird transition between regenerative braking and the physical brakes taking over. They both feel smooth and easy to modulate in city traffic.
Handling – Being family crossovers, both SUVs are easy and comfortable to drive. They both have light and lackluster steering that doesn’t encourage you to push them through corners. But it makes parking in tight downtown stalls a breeze. However, while both have AWD systems, they are very different in their design.
The Toyota utilizes an AWD-e system. This means that the engine provides power only to the front wheels while the back wheels are powered by a separate electric motor. There is no physical connection between the front and rear wheels. The Jeep Cherokee Hybrid on the other hand has a more traditional AWD system. Power is primarily sent to the front wheels for better fuel economy. But once the front wheels slip, a driveshaft sends power to the rear wheels for added traction. Does this really matter in everyday driving? Not really. But if you find yourself often on muddy or gravel roads, the Jeep with its more traditional AWD system will probably get stuck less often than the Rav4.
Comfort
Ride Comfort – As for the ride quality, it’s the Jeep Cherokee that is smoother over bumps in the road. It’s geared a bit more towards luxury and it shows. I wouldn’t say that the ride of the Rav4 is harsh but the suspension doesn’t soak up bumps quite as well as the suspension in the Jeep.
However, I found the front seats in the Jeep to be a bit less comfortable than those in the Toyota. My butt felt numb sooner in the Cherokee than in the Rav4 when commuting to and from work. But perhaps it may be different for you and your body type so make sure you sit in each at the dealerships to find out which seat is more comfortable for you.
Interior Space – Inside, both crossovers provide almost the same passenger space. Front occupants are treated to the most space. Legroom and headroom was not an issue in either car for my above average height of 6’4”. In the back seats, again, both had similar amounts of headroom and legroom sitting behind my driving position.
The real difference is in the trunks. Because of the battery placement in the Jeep, it only has 951 L (33.6 cu-ft) of cargo space behind the rear seats. The Rav4 has 1,070 L (37.8 cu-ft). With the rear seat backrests dropped, cargo capacity in the Jeep increases to 1,934 L (68.3 cu-ft) vs 1,993 L (70.4 cu-ft) in the Toyota.
Noise, Vibration, & Harshness – Generally speaking, both crossovers are quiet inside their cabins. But with the Jeep being slightly more focused towards luxury, the cabin is just slightly quieter than that of the Toyota. Granted, the all-terrain tires and roof mounted crossbars on this Rav4 Woodland don’t help its cause. As for the hybrid systems, both are smooth when it comes to turning the engine on or off. The transition is seamless.
Odds and Ends
Pricing – Generally, Toyota’s tend to be more expensive than thor competitors. But that’s not the case with this one. The 2026 Toyota Rav4 Hybrid starts at $37,500 CAD ($31,900 USD) which is not a bad price for a hybrid crossover SUV. This Woodland trim will cost you $47,000 CAD ($39,900 USD).
By comparison, the 2026 Jeep Cherokee Hybrid starts at $39,995 CAD ($35,000 USD) while this Limited trim costs $49,995 CAD ($40,000 USD).
Gadgets – As for convenience features, both are available with heated front and rear seats, ventilated front seats, heated steering wheels, panoramic sunroofs, wireless phone charging pads, power liftgates, dual-zone automatic climate controls, surround view monitor, and head-up displays. However, the Rav4 is available with more features such as dual-wireless phone charging pads and a rear camera mirror.
As for the infotainment systems, the Jeep Cherokee uses Uconnect 5 which is a relatively easy system to navigate around. It allows for some customizability and has crisp and clear graphics. But the built-in navigation system is not the best as it does not display live traffic and the map graphics look dated. But it does warn of known upcoming red light cameras.
In the Toyota Rav4, it receives an updated version of the latest Toyota infotainment system. It now features a dedicated home page that can be customized with different widgets, but there are only 5 to choose from. The rest of the system is pretty much the same as before with the navigation system resembling Google Maps.
Interior Design – The two crossovers couldn’t be anymore different on the inside. The 2026 Toyota Rav4 is entirely utilitarian. It has rubber floor mats that you can wash out with a hose. It has big buttons for the drive modes and it keeps temperature control buttons as well. But if you want to change the fan speed or the air direction, you have to use the touchscreen. The cabin also features a lot more plastics than the cabin of the Cherokee. The materials used are slightly better than the outgoing model but it still feels like a dark plastics factory when sitting inside the 2026 Rav4.
The Jeep Cherokee Hybrid on the other hand is a striking contrast. It has a much more luxurious interior with leather on almost every surface of the cabin. You also have options on different interior colours, such as this white interior, which make the cabin much more inviting. There are some physical buttons but others are touch sensitive controls such as the ones that control the climate temperature and the heated seats. These I don’t like very much. But one interior feature that some, or all, may not like is the steering wheel. Not only is it massive, it feels like it belongs on a bus, but it’s not fully round. It’s squared off. It’s a “squircle”, square circle.
Exterior Design – On the outside, the 2026 Toyota Rav4 follows the current Toyota design language that was set by the Prius. It features the “Hammerhead” style daytime running lights along with a squared-off front end. Around back, the taillights are slimmer than before and “RAV4” spelled out on the liftgate.
The 2026 Jeep Cherokee Hybrid has a bit more of a boxier shape. It almost looks like a smaller version of the Grand Cherokee with the same grille but more unique daytime running lights.
Safety – Both crossovers come equipped with a plethora of driver and safety aids. These range from automatic emergency braking to lane departure warning with lane keep, blind zone monitoring, parking sensors with automatic braking, and auto high beams to name a few. Most features are standard on both vehicles but if you want every safety and driver aid on your crossover, you have to opt for their respective top spec trims.
Warranty – Both crossovers are covered by a 3 year / 60,000 km new vehicle warranty and a 5 year / 100,000 km powertrain warranty. The high voltage battery and hybrid components are covered by an 8 year / 160,000 km warranty in both.
For more information on Canadian Toyota warranty, click here. For information on USA warranty, click here. (Scroll to bottom of page)
For more information on Canadian Jeep warranty, click here. For information on American warranty, click here.
Conclusion – So, where does that leave things? Well, in the past, it would’ve been a no-brainer. Go for the Toyota Rav4. It’s the safe, dependable, capable, efficient option. But with this new generation, it doesn’t feel like that big of a step forward compared to the outgoing model. It still is a great crossover SUV but it doesn’t stand out to me.
The Jeep Cherokee on the other hand is a breath of fresh air. It has a nice interior, a comfortable ride, and it’s just as efficient. It’s not perfect, but it’s a great attempt from Jeep to take on the king of hybrid crossovers.
Thank you to Toyota Canada for providing the 2026 Rav4. www.Toyota.ca
Thank you to Stellantis Canada for providing the 2026 Cherokee. www.Jeep.ca
2026 Toyota Rav4 Hybrid Gallery
2026 Jeep Cherokee Hybrid Gallery
