2023 Honda CR-V Reviews, Pricing & Specs

Equipped with a blunt nose and grille, long hood, and stretched wheelbase, the new sixth-generation 2023 Honda CR-V adopts a cleaner and slightly meaner look in comparison to the model it replaces. It doesn’t display as much personality as the fifth-gen CR-V it replaces, but the more conservative styling is certain to age well.

The CR-V EX-L has 18-inch alloy wheels in a multi-spoke design and dark-tinted rear privacy glass. Open a door, and the leather-wrapped seats, steering wheel, and shift knob serve as upgrades over the cloth upholstery that is standard in lower grades. The dashboard is modeled after what you’ll find in the latest Civic, with metal mesh trim that incorporates the air vents and serves as a line of demarcation between the upper and lower portions of the dashboard.

The interior exudes quality and simplicity. The CR-V EX-L comes with a larger touchscreen infotainment system with added features, a power-adjustable front passenger’s seat, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, and a power rear liftgate. The EX-L also gets front and rear parking sensors.

Prices in Canada start at $34,240, not including $2,081 in fees. This is for the CR-V LX-B with front-wheel drive (FWD); Honda Canada has introduced some B sub-trims that come without blind spot monitoring or rear cross-traffic alert so that CR-Vs can continue to be built and sold amid ongoing semiconductor shortages. The Sport grade starts at $41,490 (or $550 less as a B trim with no blind spot monitoring). A CR-V EX-L with standard all-wheel drive (AWD) costs $43,390 before fees. The Touring Hybrid, which is the only hybrid trim offered in Canada, is priced at $48,890 before fees.

For the 2023 model year, the CR-V gas-only models get the same turbocharged 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, which carries over from the previous-generation CR-V. It generates power specs of 190 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 179 lb-ft of torque between 1,700 rpm and 5,000 rpm, which is plenty for a compact SUV.

Unfortunately, this turbo-four relies on a continuously variable transmission (CVT) to power the front or all four wheels. When you’re accelerating hard, like when you’re merging into a fast-moving stream of highway traffic, passing slower vehicles, or climbing a mountain grade, the CVT isn’t shy about making its presence known. “Waaahhhhhh,” it drones as engine revs climb, aurally erasing the joy you might derive from the turbo engine’s meaty torque band.

That common trait of a CVT is the single unrewarding thing about driving the new 2023 CR-V. Otherwise, it’s an exceptionally well-executed and dynamically satisfying vehicle to drive, especially with regard to its ride and handling. Honda has honed the suspension, steering, and brakes to near perfection, and the CR-V’s relatively modest all-season tires are happy to play along, up to a point.

No matter where or how you drive the new CR-V, it quells unwanted body motion, supresses impact harshness, and communicates just enough information to keep you informed and engaged. These traits allow the CR-V to handle speed bumps and humps with ease, soak up broken and uneven pavement, and even put a smile on your face when rounding cloverleaf highway ramps or mountain hairpin curves. But then you push down on the accelerator pedal and the CVT replaces the rewarding dynamics with droning racket, that smile fades.

Perhaps we’re making too much fuss over the CVT, but it draws an inordinate amount of attention to itself because the new CR-V is otherwise incredibly refined for the segment and price. At least the transmission helps the CR-V to achieve impressive fuel economy numbers. Natural Resources Canada says our test vehicle should see fuel efficiency of 8.4 litres per 100 kilometres in combined driving, and we averaged 8.1 L/100 km on a mountainous evaluation route.

Honda claims the new CR-V is the roomiest one yet, but it doesn’t feel that way from the power-adjustable driver’s seat, which adjusts six ways as standard and 10 ways in upper trims. You sit relatively low behind the steering wheel, so the CR-V feels more like a car than a high-riding SUV. Outward visibility is excellent, and the redesigned seats cradle you in comfort. Heated front seats and dual-zone climate control are standard equipment; heated rear seats are offered on the EX-L and Touring Hybrid trims. Ventilated seats are not available.

The CR-V’s second row feels more spacious than the first row. From this vantage point, Honda’s compact crossover feels more like a midsize model, and adults enjoy a high seating position with plenty of thigh support and rear legroom. Taller passengers might find headroom in short supply, but with several seatback recline positions, the issue is easy to resolve. Our EX-L test vehicle had air conditioning vents for the rear seat passengers, but USB charging ports are only equipped for the second row on the Hybrid.

You won’t have any trouble finding places to stash things in the CR-V. The bin underneath the centre armrest is bigger than what you’ll find in rivals, according to Honda. Each door armrest has a small tray, each door panel has a storage bin, and there is a tray forward of the shifter that contains an available wireless charging pad. The only concern is that most of these storage locations are lined in hard plastic, so items placed there may cause unwanted noise including scrapes and rattles.

Access the CR-V EX-L’s cargo area using the power tailgate, and you’ll find 1,113 litres of space as long as you drop the rear load floor panel into its lowest position. Honda provides storage trays on either side of the load floor, providing locations to place items you’d prefer didn’t roll around during transport. Grocery bag hooks are also good for this purpose. Fold the back seat down, and the CR-V supplies 2,166 litres of cargo space. Those figures go down on the Hybrid to 1,028 and 2,030 litres, respectively.

Every 2023 CR-V has a 7-inch digital instrumentation panel that is a model of clarity, fitting in with the rest of the SUV’s idiot-proof layout and controls. With most trims, it pairs with a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system that has large stereo volume and tuning knobs, clearly marked main function buttons, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Choose the CR-V EX-L, and Honda adds a larger 9-inch touchscreen display and an expanded list of features. Highlights include wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, SiriusXM satellite radio, wireless charging, and an upgraded eight-speaker sound system. Unfortunately, to obtain a Bose premium sound system and a navigation system with a map that shows real-time traffic, you must get the top-of-the-line CR-V Touring Hybrid.

In our experience, you won’t miss these upgrades. Instead, pair your smartphone to the Bluetooth, stream your favourite music through the rather impressive mid-grade stereo speakers, and use your favourite navigation app to find your way. It would be nice if the EX-L’s larger display retained the tuning knob that is standard in lower grades, but Honda replaces it with tuning buttons that aren’t as pleasing to use.

Still, considering the EX-L’s as-tested price tag, the technology list is short. Undoubtedly, the new infotainment systems represent a significant improvement over the previous-generation CR-V, but many competitors offer a more robust package of features at a more accessible price.

Furthermore, Honda hasn’t innovated with the CR-V. Instead, the new tech simply brings the SUV up to par with its rivals without exceeding them in a meaningful way, and that’s mostly true when it comes to the new CR-V’s safety features, too.

Like with the new CR-V’s infotainment systems, Honda dramatically improves the driver assist systems compared to the previous-generation model.

Honda bundles the tech under the Honda Sensing umbrella, and it includes the collision warning and avoidance features you’ve come to expect as standard equipment. In other words, you get adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, lane-centring assist, and automatic high-beam headlights. Honda also includes blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, though a B series of trims has been added in Canada partway through the model year that omit these features due to the ongoing semiconductor shortage. New features include a seatbelt reminder system, rear-seat reminder system, driver monitoring system, and traffic sign recognition system.

New camera and radar units contribute to more accurate, refined, and smooth operation, and make it possible for Honda to expand the package with a new Traffic Jam Assist system. It combines the adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability and the lane-centring assist systems to provide added driving assist in low-speed situations.

In use, the new tech meets current standards, but there is room for improvement. Specifically, when the CR-V encounters exit ramps or situations where highways widen or contract by a lane, the lane-centring assist displays uncertainty about what it should do. This is not uncommon among the CR-V’s competitors, but some automakers do a better job with this feature.

Also, this implementation of lane-centring assist adds a leaden artificiality to the CR-V’s otherwise excellent steering, eliminating some of the fun of driving the SUV. Needless to say, we didn’t make using the feature a habit.

Honda also builds the CR-V to its latest Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) body structure standards, developed to deflect the energy of a collision away from the passenger compartment. In addition, new front airbag designs also help to reduce the potential for injury in certain kinds of crashes.

Honda expects the new CR-V to excel at occupant protection in a collision. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) rates the 2023 Honda CR-V as a Top Safety Pick+, its highest ranking. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has not yet crash tested the new model.

The 2023 Honda CR-V is more expensive than it used to be thanks to the price increase you would expect to accompany a full redesign with added standard tech. Additionally, the new hybrid model is only offered in Canada in a single grade, which is the top-of-the-line Touring Hybrid priced at nearly $50,000.

That aside, when you compare the new CR-V to many vehicles in this class, Honda’s prices are in line with where the market is.

Ultimately, Honda makes no major missteps with the new 2023 CR-V. Aside from its irritatingly loud CVT, only a conservative design and lack of technological innovation might be considered disappointing, and mildly at that.

Overall, thanks to its quality, comfort, utility, and enjoyable ride and handling, the new CR-V comes across as an excellent choice in a compact SUV and will certainly hold its own against top-selling and value-added alternatives such as the Nissan Rogue, Toyota RAV4, Hyundai Tucson, and Kia Sportage. You’ll want to keep it on your list, which means it will likely remain one of the best-selling vehicles in Canada.

Note: Images show a US model.