The Honda CR-V, one of the most popular SUVs in North America and many other regions of the world, is getting a significant reboot. With this 2023 model, the SUV formally enters its sixth generation. It features slick new design cues and a stronger emphasis on hybrid powertrains.
The CR-V has a bigger mesh grille that gives it a more rugged appearance. The larger grille is further highlighted by the redesigned, thinner headlights, and the sportier front and rear fascias that are now standard on high-end Sport and Sport Touring hybrid models.
The new CR-V is 2.7 inches longer and nearly a half-inch wider than its predecessor. The wheelbase grows 1.6 inches longer, and while that doesn’t sound like much, the changes make the sixth-generation CR-V the largest of them all. Rear-seat passengers enjoy more legroom, and so do the luggage at the back thanks to 26.3 cubic feet of cargo space. With the rear seatbacks folded, space increases to 76.5 cubic feet.
The CR-V has the same upscale design with a standard 7-inch touchscreen positioned in the center of the dashboard. The driver is greeted by a 7-inch digital instrument panel, and a 9-inch infotainment screen is available on higher-trim versions.
Standard upholstery colors are gray and black cloth, while leather is also an option. Honda goes as far to state that the CR-V’s center console offers the most storage of any vehicle in its class.
All models come equipped with the Honda Sensing suite of driver-assistance and safety features as well as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard features.The suite brings a new wide-angle camera with a 90-degree field of view and a radar system with a 120-degree field of view for 2023 model. The Honda Traffic Jam Assist with low-speed braking and sign recognition is an option, while blind-spot monitoring is a standard feature. Honda’s Real Time AWD technology has been updated and now offers a variety of driving modes based on the terrain. For the first time, the CR-V offers hill descent control.
The 2023 Honda CR-V will be available in four versions at launch. The EX will come first, then the EX-L, both of which have the a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine producing 190 horsepower (142 kilowatts). The final two CR-V trim levels, Sport and Sport Touring, both come with an upgraded 2.0-liter four-cylinder hybrid powerplant. Compared to the previous model, the 2023 CR-V actually produces fewer horsepower (204 instead of 212), but torque is higher at 247 pound-feet.
