2023 Honda CR-V: Car and Driver 10Best Trucks and SUVs

We expected Honda’s latest CR-V to be competent—they always are, in an anonymous sort of way—but this new sixth-generation model is far more impressive than that. It’s a well-rounded package that punches way above its weight on multiple levels.

That impression starts as soon as you close the door and start rolling, as the structure of the new CR-V immediately feels tight, hushed, and substantial. The body shell is more rigid, and there’s more sound insulation in the cowl, firewall, and instrument-panel areas. Hybrid versions take things a step further with thicker front side glass and an acoustically treated windshield.

Once you’re underway, the new CR-V delivers the kind of smoothness you expect from a more upmarket vehicle. The steering is willing and pairs with a chassis that cuts a steady arc through turns. The Sport trims’ thicker anti-roll bars inspire more confidence, but the ride remains calm even on the twisty and damaged-pavement sections of our 10Best loop.

The interior looks rich too, with an attractive styling theme shared with the Honda Civic, a 10Best Cars winner. The controls are all logical, and the infotainment interface feels familiar and approachable. Both rows of seats are spacious and comfortable, and there’s plenty of cargo capacity under the hatch.

Two powertrains are available. A 190-hp turbocharged 1.5-liter inline-four pairs with a continuously variable automatic transmission in the EX and EX-L models. It’s generally agreeable but can become slightly coarse when worked hard. The Sport and Sport Touring models feature a 204-hp hybrid system that combines a 181-hp electric motor with a 145-hp 2.0-liter engine and a second motor on the rear axle. The hybrid system behaves without fuss, never drones, and allows the electric motors to smoothly and steadily drive the vehicle forward.

The hybrid’s fuel-economy payoff is huge: 40 mpg combined, compared with 30 mpg for the turbo four. And the hybrid cost payback is just a couple of years or so—even less if you consider the higher content of the Sport trims. They’re our most recommended versions of this much-recommended vehicle.