The latest CR-V is mostly an improvement over its predecessor, although it remains to be seen how the hybrid will stack up.
The Honda CR-V was one of the original ‘soft roaders’ that convinced buyers that high-riding models didn’t need to feel like trucks to drive, or come with gas-guzzling running costs. Along with its long-standing Toyota RAV4 rival – plus a myriad of new ones along the way – the Honda has continued to evolve to serve the needs of growing families.
For its latest generation, the CR-V has firmly entered the age of electrification. While Honda has refrained from going the whole hog and making it fully electric like its Honda e:Ny1 sibling, a full-hybrid powertrain is now standard in the CR-V, with a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) also on offer.
All this technology doesn’t come for free, though, and the Honda CR-V has shot up in price. The Hybrid version now starts from $59,900. That’s $10k more than a Toyota RAV4 Hybrid.
Still, pricing aside, there’s a lot to like about the new CR-V. We’ve only driven the PHEV version so far in Europe which is not arriving in Australia anytime soon. The hybrid version is likely to feel very similar to drive, with the same 0-100km/h dash of just under 10 seconds.
Its interior feels more upmarket than before, although this increase in style and quality is tempered somewhat by its price hike, as the CR-V now finds itself competing with more upmarket models like the Audi Q3 and BMW X1. It’s a stronger showing for the Honda in the practicality stakes, however; there’s lots of rear seat space for passengers and an impressive 600-plus litre boot.
Let’s start with the Honda CR-V PHEV, because this is the only version we’ve been able to test so far. New for this generation, it gets a sizeable 18kWh battery pack that means in official WLTP testing it can travel up to 82km using electric power alone.
Like most PHEVs in its class, it doesn’t get fast charging, but a 7kW wallbox can top up the battery in around 2.5 hours.
Like the smaller Honda HR-V (a hybrid rather than a PHEV), the petrol engine doesn’t often send power straight to the wheels, instead acting as a generator to keep the battery topped up enough for its electric motor to propel the car – helping it feel more like an EV around town.
Honda’s ‘self-charging’ hybrid version of the CR-V gets a much smaller 1kWh battery, so it can only drive for short distances in traffic and around town before the petrol motor kicks in.
The Honda CR-V is smooth and easy to drive, making the SUV a relaxing companion. When the petrol engine does spring to life it’s also pretty smooth and quiet, unless you select its Sport driving mode, which plays an augmented engine sound through the speakers as you drive. Ultimately, though, the CR-V is rather down on power next to some of its rivals.
At speeds higher than the 50km/h urban limit, the CR-V begins to feel a bit sluggish. While we don’t expect it to behave like a sports car, this means it’s likely to use more fuel as the petrol engine steps in to compensate. We’ll note we’re referring to the PHEV here, and will leave our final thoughts on the hybrid for when we can drive that version.
The latest Honda Civic has been well received by critics and owners alike, so it’s little surprise to see the bigger CR-V SUV follow the same path inside. Its dashboard is almost a carbon copy of the Civic, which is no bad thing. We’re fans of the blend between its digital displays and physical buttons for items like climate control, making it easy to operate important functions on the move without having to prod a screen.
While Honda doesn’t have a reputation for interior design flair, this is the most striking offering in a CR-V so far, and stacks up well against rivals. The honeycomb-effect strip of air vents across the fascia looks classy and there are plenty of chrome accents to lift the ambiance.
Shared with the Civic, the CR-V features a 10.1-inch touchscreen that works better than the setup in the outgoing model, and looks less like it was fitted as an afterthought. It works well enough, but doesn’t boast the level of customisation or large size of some rivals. For instance, the all-electric BYD Atto 3 has a 15.8-inch tablet that can rotate between portrait and landscape modes.
Practicality has long been a key strength of the CR-V, which has traditionally had a very large boot thanks to its boxy shape and some clever storage and seating solutions. Rear knee room is even better for this generation, with 16mm more than before. Back seat passengers can also recline their seats through no less than eight positions to get comfy on longer trips, and there’s a flat floor and wide centre squab, which makes the middle seat more usable.
Despite the CR-V being offered with a HEV (hybrid) or PHEV (plug-in hybrid) powertrain, boot space is still impressive, with up to 635 litres of luggage volume behind the rear seats. This figure includes an underfloor storage area, which is perfect for stowing charging cables. It also outshines the RAV4, which has a boot measuring 580 litres.
Considering the smaller Civic obtained a five-star safety rating from Euro NCAP in 2022 under its stringent testing regime, we’d hope the bigger CR-V will perform similarly well or even better. The new Honda Civic is yet to be ANCAP rated. The CR-V is also Honda’s first model to come with its latest ‘Sensing 360’ suite of active safety features designed to “remove blind spots around the vehicle”.
In isolation, the latest Honda CR-V moves the game on for the brand, with more striking looks inside and out, along with electrified hybrid powertrains offering reduced running costs. It’s also very practical for families, with a spacious cabin and larger boot than most competitors.