Dan Edmunds, with CARandDRIVER, wroteWe came away mighty impressed with the new sixth-generation 2023 Honda CR-V after sampling an EX-L some weeks back. But that review used the word incremental, because while the vehicles interior space and driving environment had unquestionably improved, no new ground was obviously broken. The output and fuel efficiency of the powertraina turbocharged 1.5-liter inline-four engine and continuously variable automatic transmissionhadnt budged.
That characterization absolutely does not apply to the new hybridized CR-V, which features a comprehensively reworked hybrid powertrain and a whole new attitude that starts with the fact that it Is not positioned as a stand-alone hybrid model. If you want your 2023 CR-V to be a hybridand you dolook for the Sport or Sport Touring badge. Besides superior fuel economy, these two models deliver the sportiest and smoothest driving of the lot. The Sport duo can also be identified on dealer lots by their black touches, including grille and grille bar, roof rails, alloy wheels, and mirror housings.
The qualitative difference is apparent even after shutting the door and driving a few hundred feet. The hybrid gives off a sense of structural rigidity and outright calm you dont expect, as if it Is a much more expensive machine. Like all 2023 CR-Vs, the hybrid models benefit from a stiffer body shell, made so via the addition of structural adhesive alongside the usual spot welds.
In pure dollar terms, the new hybrids make a ton of sense. The Sport is akin to a hybrid version of the EX, and we figure that the $1340 price difference will pay back in less than three years, depending on annual mileage and local fuel cost. But that misses a few points: You also get crisper handling, more power, improved drivability, and better noise, vibration, and harshness, not to mention a couple more rear USB-C ports and a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shifter.