The sixth generation of the Honda CR-V It’s been rolling along American roads for a few months now, and now it’s finally Europe’s turn we were able to test it where it comes ashore with two hybrid versions (4×2 and 4×4) and a plug-in version.
The CR-V is the brand’s most important car as it is the best-selling model worldwide.. That’s why they played it safe with the 2024 model, with a strong image, good design and above-average workmanship, but also with a price that makes you salivate.
A practical interior and a larger exterior
This new SUV falls into the D segment, where it will deal with very powerful models, which we will talk about in a moment. Its body is 4,706 mm long which means that it grows by a full 80 mm, but becomes slightly wider.
The new platform allows for a larger wheelbase of 40 mm, which is noticeable in the interior, which is slightly more comfortable and comfortable He even gained a little more than an inch and a half in weight at his knees. It may seem like a small thing, but I assure you that it is noticeable..
And that’s it If you sit in the back seats, you’ll enjoy plenty of space as long as you don’t sit in the middle seat., higher and harder than the lateral ones. Plus, you don’t have anywhere to put your feet, so it’s nothing special.
However, When you sit on the sides, you’ll enjoy a seat that reclines more than 10 degrees in eight positions (one of which is ideal for a nap). and a backrest shape that fits your back, regardless of your size.
Only if you are taller than 1.80 can you see the blanket too close to the pony. because part of the glass roof mechanism is placed in this part of the roof and therefore loses a few centimeters. In any case, you shouldn’t worry about that.
As for the front part, The center console is wide and houses the new buttons for the transmission which can also be found in other models of the brand, such as the Honda e:NY1, which we have already tested.
The posture behind the wheel is natural and the handling is quite good.. Climate control is physical and the screen offers organized controls, although you can’t say they are the joy of the garden, which on the other hand doesn’t seem bad to me at all.
Honda has opted for a so-called “minimalist silhouette”, which means something like that They follow the path that Mazda took some time ago: fewer wrinkles and visual complications. A more aerodynamic silhouette was achieved, which fits wonderfully with the new powertrains.
A hybrid and a plug-in version that are very similar
This is one of the most important innovations The CR-V is launching a plug-in hybrid version with a range of 82 km. It’s the first time we’ve had something like this in Europe, although it’s also the first time the self-charging hybrid version has hit the market.
Well, there’s actually a trick: it’s “the first time a hybrid version of this type has come onto the market,” they say The electric motor drives the front wheels, while the thermal engine acts solely as a generator to charge the 1.06 kWh battery..
And I was able to test exactly this one, whose full name is Honda CR-V e:HEV, with a more than satisfactory end result, as I will tell you in the next section.
At the moment I’m concentrating on the petrol engine. All versions, whether e:HEV or e:PHEV, are a 2.0 direct-injection four-cylinder with 148 hp and 189 Nm. As you just read, it drives 184 hp and 335 hp electric motor that drives the wheels. Therefore, you need to take these last numbers into account.
While the PHEV states 0.8 l/100 km (6.2 without loading the 17.7 kWh battery), the e:HEV consumes 5.9 liters, a good value in any case. The overall ranges aren’t that bad: 828 km for the plug-in and 966 km for the hybrid.
The result: a lot of sovereignty and low consumption
The protagonists of the test are the Honda CR-V e:HEV 4×2 (There is a CR-V e:HEV 4×4; the PHEV is always 4×2). Overall, it’s a satisfactory car that impressed me right from the start.
Behind the steering wheel I see a completely digital clock board that is easy to read. As with the central screen, avoid excess dimensions and colors, although you can configure it with four different views. The classic with two watches is the most practical.
You also have good all-round visibility. Honda claims to have increased the viewing angle by 4.4 degrees. A fact that I don’t appreciate but at least I recognize that the work on the A-pillar, which is less significant, was worth it.
In this section They also took into account the gap between the mirror and the A-pillar itself so you can see a little better. It’s a small thing that is curiously appreciated.
And with that I made my way to the streets around Porto. The CR-V e:HEV moves quietly and smoothly around town, where the battery silently powers the new hybrid SUV. Only when I need a little more power does the engine start: I notice it as a distant and well-isolated vibration.
And that is one of the disadvantages of this type of powertrain NVH levels sometimes ruin the driving experience: This already happened with the previous generation and also with competitors like the Toyota RAV-4, although it has been greatly improved recently. Maybe I notice it a little better than the Nissan X-Trail e-Power.
When driving at highway speeds At 120 km / h, consumption increases slightly and values over seven liters can be seen because the petrol engine ensures that the performance level is maintained.
But in this kind of layout The CR-V tells me I’ll experience a pleasant test: very little ambient noise, lots of linear stability Suspensions that keep everything in order…
I drive onto a side road, where a suspicion that I couldn’t confirm on the highway is confirmed: the braking feel and braking performance are very good. and they don’t feel artificial like other hybrid models.
I also like the direction. It has more weight than I expected, but guides the Japanese model precisely and you won’t get tired from driving.
In this type of terrain I find that sometimes, especially when the nose sinks due to a bump or braking, there is a slight delay in the suspension regaining its position as is the case with some models with softer settings.
I think it has to do with them Shock absorbers that the brand defines as “reactive amplitude”: they harden or soften depending on the vibration frequency of the road conditions. The PHEV doesn’t have this, but rather an adaptive system that I wasn’t able to test.
At the end of the day I learned a very interesting fact: on a route where I drove calmly but didn’t pay attention to low fuel consumption, The computer showed me a surprising 5.7 liters over a distance of 122.7 km.
A higher price than the previous one… and its competitors
The CR-V range is simple, which we appreciate. In addition, in the cheapest version it is equipped with a brutal equipment that does not lack heated leather seats, a sunroof or a complete ADAS package with everything you need… and much more.
About the latter, There is one thing that really bothered me.: When you turn the turn signal to the right, the camera view on this side is activated on the central screen to make it easier for you to check the blind spot.
It’s great… until you have to follow the navigation, doubt an exit, turn on the turn signal, lose the map and, with a bit of luck, do everything right. If not, you will know the surroundings, you will lose interest in using the little orange light that some people don’t know exists, and you will look for a way to disable it forever in the menu.. .
The prices of the new Honda CR-V which can be reserved now and will be delivered from October are the following (excluding promotions such as the 2,000 euros for financing with Honda Finance):
- e:HEV Elegance 4×2: 51,545 euros
- e:HEV Advance: 4×4: 56,565 euros
- e:PHEV Advance Tech 4×2: 61,760 euros
With this data it is clear Honda has decided to put its model one step ahead of its competitors. The first thing that comes to mind is the Nissan X-Trail e-Power, which uses a similar hybrid system and costs 45,000 euros.
On his part A heavyweight like the Toyota RAV4 falls further: you can get one for just over 40,000 euros. Renault, in turn, offers its new Espace (at 4.72 m it almost corresponds to the dimensions) from 42,000 euros for the five-seater version and Mazda offers the CX-60 (4.76) from 51,000 euros mild hybrid).
So do I buy it or not?
If you try out the car and decide on a 2024 CR-V, I couldn’t blame you. You get a very well-equipped car with very good road characteristics and no real weaknesses worth mentioning.
Of course, all of this comes at a price, which in this case, however justified, is high: Do the math, and if it suits you, you’re definitely not wrong.
