Pros

• Inside room and a considerable load capacity.
• The use of technology is easy to understand.
• An easy and pleasant ride.

Cons

• There is little room in the house to store small things.
• The hybrid engine can sometimes get in the way and move slowly uphill.

What does the CR-V do? Although it’s hardly a race car, the Honda CR-V drives more quickly and confidently than competing compact SUVs despite its smaller size. We tried a hybrid Sport Touring car from 0 to 60 mph in 8.0 seconds. That’s normal for the class, and the regular 1.5-liter engine should be able to do the same.

It’s easy to stop when the brakes work right, like in an emergency. We like how well the hybrid method works in cities, but getting up steep mountain slopes can take a lot of work. The CR-V stays steady and in control when it turns. Thanks to the responsive handling, you can get a good idea of what’s going on in front of you.

How does the CR-V make you feel? It’s easy to drive the CR-V. Its suspension is soft but not springy. You can see the bumps and cracks in the surface, but it does a great job of quickly healing and returning to its usual smooth ride without making too much of a mess.

Inside, the idea of luxury keeps going. Honda doesn’t offer a ventilated choice, but the front seats that are heated and already in place are soft and comfortable. The CR-V is well-insulated and doesn’t let air in or out while moving, so you won’t hear any road noise. Our only worry is that the hybrid engine might get too loud and annoying to listen to, especially when going uphill.

How is the inside? The inside of the CR-V is well-planned. There is a lot of room in both rows, and the big windows make the car feel airy, which we like in a small SUV. In addition, the presence of all that glass makes it simpler to see out the window. Even though it’s harder to see out the back, the CR-V has Honda’s great wide-angle rearview camera.

The CR-V’s doors open wide, and all the seats are set up so people can easily slide into them. Also, it’s easy to get comfortable because the front row seats can be moved far forward and backward, and the backs of the back chairs can be leaned back.

How does the tech work? The CR-V’s base 7-inch and optional 9-inch touchscreen could be better in their class, but the car’s operating system works well and is quick to touch and easy to use. For smartphones to work with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, they must be connected wirelessly. The Sport Touring has a tremendous built-in guidance system that gives excellent directions and advice, but the maps could be more detailed.

The top-of-the-line Sport Touring is the only type with a speech recognition system. It’s less advanced than systems from other brands. But the fancy new driving tools are excellent. Many of them come standard on all CR-V types, and the important ones, like adaptive cruise control and lane-centering steering, work great.

What’s the deal with the storage? With 39.3 cubic feet of space behind the back seats, the CR-V can hold much stuff for a small SUV. There is little depth to the cargo area, but it’s tall and wide enough to have big things. The good news is that, unlike the last generation, the CR-V can carry the same amount of weight whether it’s hybrid or not. There will be no loss of storage space to get better gas mileage.

Honda has gone backward regarding inner storage, which is a shame. The center tube of the old CR-V was cut out so that big purses could fit through it. Currently, this area is only big enough for a regular center bin. Installing child safety seats is easy because the doors are significant, the connection anchor points are close by, and there is enough room in the second row.

What kind of fuel economy does it have? The EPA says the best total gas mileage for a non-hybrid Honda CR-V is 30 mpg. With all-wheel drive, the hybrid only gets 37 mpg, which is still better than most cars because it saves even more gas. We played with the second one. It only got 33.3 mpg on our objective test trip. Of course, because it’s a highway-based route, most of its rivals also did poorly in Invoice Pricing tests. This is how the Kia Sportage Hybrid did: 34.5 mpg. We got better gas mileage when driving around town, where the CR-V’s hybrid engine shines.

Can you count on the Honda CR-V? For how much it costs, the CR-V is well put together. The ride is quiet and smooth, and the fact that there are no noises or rattles shows that it was well put together. Inside is a lot of rough plastic, but Honda does an excellent job of hiding it with soft materials and exciting design elements.

The CR-V is a little more expensive than many competitors, so search elsewhere if you’re looking for a cheap SUV. The price was fair, if not very appealing, given how well it was built. The warranty could be better in its class; many competitors offer better protection against rust, better roadside assistance, or free upkeep.

Now that crossovers aren’t as dull to look at as they used to be, Honda has chosen a stylish yet understated look for the CR-V that makes it look dull. This SUV wants to avoid standing out; it wants to blend in. But when you look at the CR-V next to its old model, you can see its new look brings it into the modern age.

It can be fun to drive for a short time because it’s easy to control and handles very well for a crossover. But being practical is more important. Buyers with many Excel spreadsheets should be interested in the CR-V. You should look elsewhere if you want a small family SUV with many new features and power.

Like we did with the model last year, we’d choose the EX-L. The EX-L is different from the EX because it has leather seats, a giant tablet, and a wireless phone charger. It also has a 1.5-liter supercharged engine that is more fun to drive and almost as fuel-efficient as the hybrid.

Honda’s line of CR-Vs

You can get the 2024 Honda CR-V in six trim levels: LX, EX, Sport, EX-L, Sport-L, and Sport Touring. The LX, EX, and EX-L models all have turbocharged gasoline engines. On the other hand, the Sport, Sport-L, and Sport Touring models all have a hybrid motor. All-wheel drive is a choice on the first five model levels, but it comes standard on the Sport Touring.