2024 Honda CR-V Hybrid vs 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport

The 2024 Honda CR-V Hybrid presented a more affordable option for those seeking an electrified SUV experience. With a base price of $48,909, including destination and other fees, the EX-L Hybrid trim offered a sporty exterior with black 18-inch wheels and blacked-out trim. However, the interior remained relatively basic. The Touring Hybrid, priced at $50,909, featured Canyon River Blue paint and no optional accessories. Its conservative styling, with a technical face resembling an angry robot, was expected to age well, although the SUV appeared visually heavy over its front wheels. The best viewing angle was from the rear quarter, where Volvo-adjacent taillights and a tidy design gave it an upscale appearance. Inside, the Touring boasted leather seats with orange contrast stitching and numerous quality details, such as a soft-touch dashboard and metal mesh air vent covers, contributing to a sophisticated cabin feel.

In contrast, the 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport emphasized a sportier aesthetic within the Range Rover family. It stood taller than most vehicles on the road, yet its shorter wheelbase and chopped top lent it an athletic appearance. Large front air intakes and fake vents added to its sporty look, though it appeared somewhat tall and narrow from certain angles. The SV Edition Two, the highest-performance model, featured 23-inch carbon-fibre wheels and a carbon-fibre hood with an exposed patch. Despite its subtle exterior, the interior was adorned with red leather upholstery, sport seats with light-up “SV” inserts, and illuminated steering-wheel paddle shifters. The minimalist aesthetic was maintained with a touchscreen, stubby shifter, and engine start button. The high console, dash, and door panels created a cockpit-like feel, though it made the front seats feel cramped. Material quality was up to luxury standards, although the use of reflective piano black plastic was excessive.

The 2024 Honda CR-V Hybrid featured a fourth-generation Honda two-motor hybrid drive system, combining an Atkinson-cycle 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine with two electric motors. This setup delivered 204 horsepower to all four wheels, with the gasoline engine sometimes acting as an onboard generator. Despite the complexity, the system worked transparently, with only low-speed electric vehicle noise and engine droning on hills being noticeable. The CR-V Hybrid was relatively quiet on the road, offering a compliant ride and predictable handling. However, it fell short of its fuel efficiency claims, achieving 8.7 L/100 km on a mountainous test loop compared to the expected 6.4 L/100 km. The steering was unusually heavy, even in Normal mode, but the vehicle was easy to drive with hints of fun.

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport offered multiple powertrain options, all with an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard four-wheel drive. The Dynamic SE model featured a 3.0-litre turbocharged inline-six engine with 395 hp, while the plug-in hybrid variant offered 454 hp. The Autobiography model increased output to 543 hp, and the SV Edition Two boasted a twin-turbo BMW V8 with 626 hp, making it the most powerful Range Rover ever. The SV Edition Two could accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 3.8 seconds, with a top speed of 290 km/h. The sport-tuned air suspension and four-wheel steering provided agile handling, while the Terrain Response system and air suspension ensured off-road capability. The SV Edition Two had slightly reduced ground clearance but maintained impressive approach, departure, and breakover angles.

The 2024 Honda CR-V Hybrid excelled in form and function, offering quality materials, intuitive controls, and comfortable seating. The 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat provided excellent support, while heated front and rear seats and a heated steering wheel enhanced comfort. The CR-V’s wide-opening rear doors and roomy back seat made it ideal for families, with generous legroom and adjustable backrest angles. The cargo area offered 1,028 litres of space, expandable to 2,030 litres with the rear seats folded, making it one of the most spacious in its class.

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport, positioned between the Velar and full-size Range Rover, offered ample room for a midsize SUV. It featured 20-way power-adjustable front seats with heating, ventilation, and memory, and reclining rear seats. The cargo space measured 835 litres behind the second row, expanding to 1,860 litres with the seats folded. While lacking a split tailgate, the power-operated liftgate and air suspension’s “access height” setting facilitated loading. The Sport’s towing capacity was competitive, with turbo-six and V8 models rated at 3,500 kilograms.

The 2024 Honda CR-V Hybrid came equipped with a 9-inch infotainment display, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and wireless smartphone charging. The Touring trim added navigation and a 12-speaker Bose audio system. While the voice recognition system was basic, the walk-away automatic locking feature provided peace of mind.

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport featured a 13.7-inch digital instrument cluster and a 13.1-inch touchscreen for infotainment, with wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa integration. The minimalist design had functional drawbacks, requiring screen widgets for climate control and drive mode selection. The Pivi Pro infotainment system was responsive, with natural-language voice recognition. The SV Edition Two included “Body and Soul Seats” with embedded transducers, offering a unique, albeit somewhat gimmicky, experience.

The 2024 Honda CR-V Hybrid included Honda Sensing, a suite of advanced driving assistance systems, such as forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and adaptive cruise control. The system performed well, though it occasionally faltered in long curves. The CR-V earned a Top Safety Pick award from the IIHS for 2024, a downgrade from the previous year due to a poor rating in the updated moderate overlap front test.

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport offered standard driver-assist features, including automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, and blind-spot monitoring. The 360-degree camera system and digital rearview mirror aided parking, though the parking sensors were overly sensitive. Safety ratings from the IIHS and NHTSA were not available at the time of writing.