When one of North America’s best-selling SUVs undergoes a complete reboot, we also take notice in this country. The Honda CR-V may not be as glamorous as some performance SUVs or luxury crossovers from Europe or the US, but the sixth generation, which will go into production in 2023, should find many buyers here too..
The new model celebrated its premiere party in the USA today and even if not all data of the US version match the Euro model that will appear later, we don’t want to withhold from you the first pictures and data of one of the most important Hondas.
Behind a more ruggedly designed exterior lies a refined interior. And under the hood, the hybrid drive plays a bigger role.
The new face of the 2023 CR-V probably doesn’t come as a huge surprise. We got a taste of it back in May when pictures were posted online by China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. Now we get a better look at the larger grille and narrow headlights, which are strongly reminiscent of the new Civic. The higher-positioned Sport and Sport Touring hybrid models also get a more aggressive front and rear end.
The new CR-V is almost 7 centimeters longer and about one centimeter wider than its predecessor. The wheelbase increases by a good 4 centimeters. The passengers in the rear seats can look forward to more legroom. The load compartment has a capacity of 740 liters. With the rear seatbacks folded down, it increases to a maximum of 2,166 liters.
Inside, the CR-V is based quite heavily on the new Civic. It features the same layout with a standard 7-inch touchscreen in the center of the dashboard. The driver is greeted by a 7-inch digital instrument panel. In the higher-equipped models, the infotainment screen grows to 9 inches. The upholstery comes standard in gray and black fabric, leather is also available. According to Honda, the CR-V’s center console offers the most storage space in the segment.
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come standard, as do Honda’s Sensing Suite driver assistance and safety systems. For 2023, these include a new wide-angle camera with a 90-degree field of view and a 120-degree radar system.
Blind-spot monitoring is standard and Honda’s Traffic Jam Assist with Low-Speed Braking and Traffic Sign Recognition is also available. For off-road driving, Honda updates its Real-Time AWD system and offers driving modes for different conditions. Hill Descent Control is available for the first time in the CR-V.
In the US, the CR-V will have the well-known 1.5-liter four-cylinder turbo with 190 hp under the hood. There will also be a hybrid with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder. The revised unit produces slightly less than the previous model (204 instead of 212 hp), but the torque increases to 335 Nm. It should be the drive that is also installed in the Civic e: HEV in this country. Honda has also announced a CR-V with a plug-in hybrid for Europe.
On the other side of the Atlantic, the petrol CR-V will be launched in the summer. The higher equipment with a hybrid will follow at the end of the year. With us, the mid-range SUV should not open before 2023.
