Introduction
What Car? says...
The Power of Dreams. As slogans go, surely Honda's counts as one of the best. We love to dream, after all, and when it comes to the Japanese manufacturer, that could mean a superbike, a thumping great motor for your speedboat, a supercar – or this Honda CR-V large SUV.
We’re not suggesting that the CR-V will have you dribbling into your pillowcase with desire as profusely as the Honda Civic Type R but as an SUV with a hybrid engine, it's a pretty hot property right now.
After all, there are some excellent large SUVs out there you might be considering, including the Citroën C5 Aircross, Ford Kuga, Hyundai Santa Fe, Peugeot 5008, Toyota RAV4 and Volkswagen Tiguan (or seven-seat Tiguan Allspace).
When you’re done reading, how would you fancy some money off your next new car, whatever make and model you decide is right for your needs? We can help you with that, too. Simply check out the great savings available right now with the free What Car? New Car Buying service. You'll find a selection of the best new large SUV deals.
FAQs
The current CR-V didn’t feature in the 2021 What Car? Reliability Survey, but the previous-generation car was ranked third in the large SUV table. Honda as a brand did less well, coming 14th out of 30 car makers, behind key rival Toyota in fifth, but ahead of Ford and Nissan in joint 27th. The CR-V comes with a three-year/90,000-mile warranty (as do all new Hondas). Read more here
The Honda CR-V is only available as a hybrid. It’s a regular hybrid, so you get a petrol engine teamed with an electric motor and a small battery that charges as you brake for moderate fuel economy benefits. If you want an all-electric Honda SUV, you’ll have to wait for the Prologue, which is due to be launched in 2024. Read more here
There’s only one engine available for the CR-V – the 2.0 i-MMD Hybrid. We think the best option is to go for front-wheel drive rather than four-wheel drive unless you really need the extra traction, and the SE trim. That trim (which is one step up from entry-level S) includes a good level of kit for the price, including a 7.0in infotainment screen with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Read more here
There’s no escaping it: the infotainment in the CR-V is not very good. Entry-level S trim models get a 5in screen that does very little except control the stereo. Even the 7in screen you get with all other versions has a low resolution, sluggish operating speed and overly complex menus – although it does come with smartphone mirroring, so you can bypass the Honda system. Read more here
The CR-V was given a top five-star safety rating by testing experts Euro NCAP. However, while it scores very highly, it’s worth noting that the Toyota RAV4 did even better. Standard equipment is impressive, including automatic emergency braking (AEB), lane-departure warning, traffic-sign recognition, lane-keeping assistance and more. Read more here
The CR-V has a 497-litre boot – and that’s pretty big. In fact, it’s enough to take nine carry-on suitcases below the parcel shelf, which is one more than the Land Rover Discovery Sport, but one less than the vast Hyundai Santa Fe. There’s a usefully flat floor when you fold down the rear seats, and handy features such as hooks in each corner for strapping down luggage. Read more here
| RRP price range | £32,815 - £40,910 |
|---|---|
| Number of trims (see all) | 5 |
| Number of engines (see all) | 1 |
| Available fuel types (which is best for you?) | hybrid |
| MPG range across all versions | 39.2 - 42.8 |
| Available doors options | 5 |
| Warranty | 3 years / 90000 miles |
| Company car tax at 20% (min/max) | £2,189 / £2,900 |
| Company car tax at 40% (min/max) | £4,377 / £5,800 |
| Available colours |
