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We tested the two best-selling SUVs in America — and the winner is clear

The Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4 are the top-selling SUVs in America. Here's how they compare.

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When it comes to the US auto market, consumers have declared bigger is better.

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Pickup trucks and SUVs continue to be a dominate force in the industry as sales of passenger cars fall. Cheaper gas prices have made larger vehicles more alluring to consumers — a trend likely to continue as the Trump administration preps to roll back fuel-emissions standards.

Compact and midsize crossover SUVs are particularly hot, accounting for 35% of all cars and trucks sold in the US.

With that in mind, we took the two most popular crossover SUVs, the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4, for a spin.

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The vehicles are fairly easy to compare — they fall within the same price bracket and have dominated the compact-SUV segment over the last several years.

Here's our verdict.

Behold, the Honda CR-V, America's best-selling crossover SUV. It has posted seven years of sales gains at the company. It starts at $24,000, but the more luxurious Touring model pictured here costs $33,695.

Next is the Toyota RAV4, a close second to the CR-V when it comes to sales of crossover SUVs. But it's gaining steam — Toyota sold 352,169 RAV4s in 2016, an 11.6% increase from the year before. The vehicle starts at $24,350, but I drove this Premium model, priced at $36,150.

The CR-V isn't anything special to look at, but it certainly isn't boring. Powerful LED lights and chrome trimmings give an otherwise straightforward SUV a refreshed look. At 180.6 inches long with a 104.7-inch wheelbase, it's a little bigger than a traditional compact SUV but still fits nicely in the segment.

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The RAV4 is comparably boring. Nothing is wrong with the way it looks, but nothing about it makes it pop. If it looks bigger and boxier than the CR-V, that's because it is — it's 183.5 inches long with a 104.7-inch wheelbase.

Step inside, and the Honda CR-V has a relatively futuristic cockpit for a $34,000 vehicle. You can take calls, control your music, and turn on cruise control without moving your hands from the wheel. I particularly liked the sound bar, which you lightly swipe to control volume.

Still, the setup on the RAV4 is easier to use. There are fewer buttons on the wheel, and they're a lot bigger. It may not have as refined a look as the CR-V, but it's easier to navigate while driving.

From a driver's perspective, the CR-V's seats are extraordinarily supportive — I described them in my first review as "insanely comfortable." But I have no complaints about the RAV4's seats either. When it comes to comfort, you'll be fine either way.

The RAV4 might not be as pleasant to sit in, but it's roomier in the back. That makes sense, considering it's larger than the CR-V. It's something to keep in mind if you plan on regularly cramming several kids in the vehicle.

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As per usual with cars today, it's hard to definitively win when it comes to infotainment. I have yet to find an in-vehicle system that's consistently enjoyable to use. Each of them seems to come with bugs and design flaws.

The CR-V's layout is slightly better. All the settings are displayed in a neat sidebar ...

... while the RAV4 puts all the settings directly on the screen. In both cases, it's easy enough to find everything. Toyota still gives you the option of using physical buttons, but I didn't find myself taking advantage of that. Both vehicles offer Sirius XM radio.

Each system has its navigation hangups, but there's still a clear winner. Honda's navigation system is cluttered with notifications about upcoming eateries that are overly distracting.

Toyota's navigation system is much cleaner and easier to read. But it doesn't have Apple CarPlay. That leads me to declare Honda the winner in infotainment, simply because I don't like the idea of being forced to use automakers' systems, which tend to outlive the car. But if you've tried Apple CarPlay or Android Auto and find the systems lacking, the RAV4 is your best pick.

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When it comes to cargo ...

... you're fine either way.

Honda's Touring option is a fine drive. It's not great, but it's certainly not bad. It comes with a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine and a continuously variable transmission. It has decent pickup at 190 horsepower and 179 pound-feet of torque. While the CR-V isn't exactly zippy — 0-60 mph in 7.6 seconds — it has enough juice to weave in and out of highway lanes.

The CR-V may not be a dream to drive, but it's easier to handle than the RAV4. The Toyota we tested came with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and a six-speed automatic transmission. It has less power (176 horsepower with 172 pound-feet of torque) and is a shade slower (0-60 mph in eight seconds). Couple that with its larger size, and you can see why the RAV4 tends to feel sluggish.

When it comes down to it, the CR-V has better handling. That may not matter, depending on how you tend to use your car. If you typically drive around the neighborhood, the RAV4 is sturdy and durable. I never felt an uneven road or pothole.

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But highway driving is a lot more pleasant in the CR-V. That's important — where crossovers compromise on space, they should make up in the driving experience. The CR-V is far nimbler than the RAV4. If I'm going on a multi-hour road trip, I'm picking the Honda.

Speaking of road trips, the CR-V beats on mileage. It gets 28 mpg in the city and 34 on the highway. I drove this car from New York to Boston and didn't need to get gas until an hour into my trip back.

The RAV4 has respectable mileage for a vehicle its size — 22 mpg in the city and 28 on the highway. That's not bad by any means, but it's worse than the CR-V.

As you can probably tell by now, the CR-V is the clear winner, which is likely why it has held such a dominant position in the SUV market.

The CR-V wins on driving experience alone, which is what matters when you're buying a car designed to lug family around and survive longer road trips. It's sturdy but has enough verve that you're not trudging along in the middle lane.

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But it beats on the little things, too, like comfort, infotainment, and the easy access to features.

When it comes to autonomous tech, it's hard to see a clear winner because both offer a similar suite of options: adaptive cruise control, pre-collision braking, and lane-departure warning. Honda's Sensing package has one bonus feature: lane-keep assist.

But both cars execute well when it comes to safety tech.

The real difference is that the CR-V provides the true crossover experience. It offers plenty of space while still being easy and fun to drive. The RAV4 isn't a waste of money and won't let you down, but the CR-V gets higher marks in more categories.

The market has sided with the clear winner in the crossover space.

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