2023 Honda CR-V: the birth of a great vintage

The current generation saw the light of day in 2017 and when it arrived on the market, we quickly realized two things; that Honda had just delivered the best version to date... and that it was going to be hard to top when it was redesigned.

Now the time has come and incredibly, but not surprisingly, Honda has outdone itself by offering us an even more interesting model. Let's see, in a few points, how the company has improved its CR-V.

One more powertrain

The CR-V we know had a well-established and reliable powertrain, a 1.5-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder offering 190 horsepower and 179 lb-ft of torque. Rest assured, this engine will be back in 2023 with certain versions of the model.

The big news, however, is the arrival of the hybrid powertrain. It comes in the form of a 2.0-litre 4-cylinder engine, this time capable of producing 204 horsepower and 247 lb-ft of torque. Fuel economy ratings have not yet been made official, but this revised version of the system will be even more efficient than it was in the United States last year.

And Honda has big plans for this version as it anticipates that it will account for 50% of sales. It will follow the arrival of the regular model this summer, certainly before the end of this year.

50% of variants

Perhaps it's no coincidence that half of the 2023 CR-V lineup is hybrid in nature. In fact, the EX and EX-L models will be equipped with the 1.5-litre engine, followed by the Sport and Sport Touring variants with the 2-litre unit.

Aesthetically, it will be possible to recognize the hybrid models, which will have more aggressive touches at the back and front, a grille with black accents, and rectangular exhaust tips.

Interior design

One of the CR-V's strengths over the years has been the quality of its interior design. We're talking about the quality of what's on display, and in that regard, incredibly, the model takes another step forward. That's what we expected.

The thing we were less sure about was the cargo space. After all, the CR-V was pushing the envelope with a capacity of 1,110 liters behind the second row of seats and 2,146 liters with the second row folded. Well, we've achieved the impossible with capacities of 1113 and 2166 liters, respectively.

And when it comes to equipment, we'll of course be treated to versions that are better equipped than ever in every respect. That includes connectivity, where some models will offer wireless connection to Apple CarPlay and Androit Auto, as well as wireless charging for cellular devices, but also additional safety features such as rear-seat alert and driver attention monitoring.

And we're not talking about the improved comfort level yet, nor the model's structure, which promises to be stiffer than ever. We'll have a chance to come back to this once the new CR-V has been tested.