This Is Considered The Best Compact SUV In Terms Of Customer Satisfaction

As new cars continue to become less affordable for buyers, the importance of having a car that you're satisfied with is arguably greater than ever. Ownership surveys conducted by Consumer Reports include buyer satisfaction as a category, with the outlet asking new owners whether they'd choose their car again if they had to restart the car-buying process. The more owners that said yes, the higher the car's satisfaction level. In the compact SUV segment, a few models score particularly well in this regard. CR's members rank cars like the Subaru Forester, Honda CR-V Hybrid, and Subaru Crosstrek consistently highly, but one car stands out above the rest as earning particularly exceptional praise. That car is the Toyota RAV4 Plug-In Hybrid, which starts from $46,265 (including a $1,450 destination fee) for the 2025 model year.

However, praise for Toyota's compact SUV isn't universal. JD Power did not specifically rate the plug-in-hybrid variant of the RAV4, but gave the 2025 RAV4 overall an "average" score for driving experience, based on owners' evaluations. Meanwhile, JD Power's surveyed owners were particularly impressed with the Nissan Rogue and Buick Envision, giving both a "Great" rating for driver experience.

While the RAV4 Plug-In Hybrid earned the top spot in CR's survey, buying any of these highly rated compact SUVs remains a safe bet. Certainly, they're far more likely to leave owners happy than the likes of the Range Rover Evoque and Mercedes-Benz GLA, both of which are among the most likely cars for owners to get rid of within a year.

While RAV4 Plug-In Hybrid owners in 2025 remain consistently very happy with their new cars, anyone thinking of heading to a dealership to purchase their own might want to wait a while. A new generation of the car is set to hit dealerships for the 2026 model year, and we recently put the hybrid 2026 RAV4 through its paces. We found the improved plug-in-hybrid model to be a step above the outgoing generation, with its all-electric range increased from 42 miles to 52 miles thanks to a new, larger battery.

The electric motor gives a boost at low speeds, but even without battery power, the car is still rated for up to 41 mpg, depending upon its trim. For now, Toyota has yet to announce pricing details for the new model, but there's already plenty to like. Owners already rate the current RAV4 Plug-In Hybrid exceptionally highly, and so far there's nothing to indicate that buyers will like the upcoming 2026 model any less.