Not really a like-for-like comparison as the CRV, particularly the current model, si a lot bigger than the RAV-4. Your colleague should get a test drive of each and decide which better suits his/her needs and which is preferable to drive.

We ran several RAV4's over the past 8 years from the old 3door model to the newer versions, mostly diesel and we love the 2.2 140bhp engine.

Our last one was the 140bhp diesel XTR and it was a brilliant family car. We had a black one which had pretty shoddy paintwork and marked easily. Silver wore the best and the MPG on the m-way at a steady pace was 52MPG!!! Amazing for the size and weight.

Over typical medium trips it would do low to mid 40's and on a long journey it was average mid if not high 40's. We travel a lot with 2 kids and we would regularly fill the boot full up with all the gear you need even for a 1 year old. You can move the back seats forward with still ebough leg room. We never needed to use the back seat, we got everything in the boot.

It was an excellent family car, plenty of sapce, superb MPG, would go anywhere pretty much within reason, no bad in the winter as it has temporary 4x4 but most importantly, all season tyres as standard and it was totally reliable, every one we had and we had 5 in total.

My answer to this question when I was faced with such a choice was simple.

Nissan X trail.