Toyota’s RAV4 Supply Shortage Is Opening The Door For These Rival SUVs To Steal Buyers In 2027
The Toyota RAV4 has been America’s best-selling non-pickup for years, but 2026 has been different. Retooling and supply shortages have knocked the RAV4 down to eighth place in overall sales through September, with just 253,644 units sold, its weakest showing since 2014. That’s a real opening, and five rivals are already moving into the gap.
The Honda CR-V, Nissan Rogue, Chevy Equinox, Ford Explorer, and Hyundai Tucson are all seeing some benefit from the RAV4’s stumble, whether through sales surges, price cuts, or buyers simply shopping elsewhere while dealer lots sit light on RAV4 inventory. Toyota could still rally in the fourth quarter. But right now, shoppers have more leverage, and more good options, than they’ve had in over a decade.
The Honda CR-V Is Already Outselling The RAV4 This Year
The CR-V has chased the RAV4 for years without catching it. Honda sold 403,768 CR-Vs in 2025 against Toyota’s 479,288 RAV4s, a gap that typically favored Toyota by a wide margin. That gap has effectively closed in 2026, and the numbers now favor Honda.
The CR-V starts at $30,920, about $980 less than the RAV4’s $31,900 base price, though the RAV4’s cheapest trim comes standard as a hybrid while a hybrid CR-V starts at $35,630. Maintenance costs favor Honda slightly too, with RepairPal pegging annual CR-V upkeep at $407 versus $429 for the RAV4. Gas-only CR-V models return a respectable 28/33/30 mpg city/highway/combined, and the off-road-oriented TrailSport trim adds 8.2 inches of ground clearance with standard all-wheel drive. It’s not a knockout difference, but it’s enough to tip undecided buyers toward Honda while RAV4 inventory stays tight.
Nissan’s Rogue Is Having Its Best Year In Recent Memory
No competitor has gained more ground than the Nissan Rogue, up 26.1% year-over-year through the first three quarters of 2026. That puts it comfortably in third place overall, trailing only the RAV4 itself. Nissan has also been cutting prices aggressively, particularly on higher trims like the Platinum, which suggests the brand is clearing space ahead of a bigger move.
That move arrives in 2027, when the Rogue gets Nissan’s e-Power hybrid system, essentially an electric drivetrain with an onboard gas generator rather than a conventional hybrid setup. The current 1.5-liter turbo-three is already winning over buyers in the meantime, and if the e-Power version lands as promised, the Rogue could be the compact SUV best positioned to make a real run at the segment lead next year.
The Chevy Equinox, Ford Explorer, And Hyundai Tucson Round Out The Field
Not every rival is cashing in evenly. The Chevy Equinox remains one of the few new SUVs still priced under $30,000, with its 1.5-liter turbo-four returning 27 mpg in front-wheel-drive form and roughly $2,500 a year in fuel costs. Oddly, Equinox sales are down 15% year-over-year, even after a record-setting 2025 that topped 300,000 units, suggesting it hasn’t captured displaced RAV4 buyers the way the CR-V and Rogue have.
The Ford Explorer is the priciest name here, but also the most affordable way into 300 horsepower in this class, backed by 7.6 inches of ground clearance and a Terrain Management System that appeals to buyers who’d otherwise look at a Wrangler. The Hyundai Tucson, meanwhile, has posted a 10% sales bump and remains a steady, well-equipped value pick with up to 80 cubic feet of cargo room seats-down. Its bigger swing comes in 2027, with a redesign bringing a longer wheelbase, an off-road-leaning XRT Pro trim, and a new LED light bar up front.
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