The RAV definitely was released before the CRV. The first article I read on the RAV4 was in Consumer Reports shortly before purchasing mine (in May of 1996). It spoke about Honda trying to rush production of their CRV to compete with the RAV4, not vice versa. At that time, the only vehicles on the market they had to compare it to were the Geo Tracker/Suzuki Sidekick, the Subaru Outback and (don't ask me why) the Jeep Wrangler.
I think that article would have been in like the April or May 1996 issue of Consumer Reports, if anyone wants to try to dig it up.