Those waiting for a new Honda CR-V Hybrid won’t be kept for long, as production of the SUV’s latest iteration has commenced in North America. Honda’s Canadian plant is the first to churn out the new CR-V, while Indiana and Ohio will follow suit in the coming months. Show For Honda, it’s a crucial milestone, with the CR-V being America’s best-selling crossover for the last 25 years. It could also be an important model in Honda’s electrification plans, with the brand pinning hope on the CR-V Hybrid to drive home change. Primed For EV Adopting Folks  The 2023 CR-V Hybrid follows the standard ICE version into production, but crucially, is expected to account for 50 percent of all CR-V sales. As such, the CR-V Hybrid is not only an essential piece of Honda’s American strategy but also one the Japanese carmaker is betting will lead customers into the EV age. When the 2024 Honda Prologue EV was revealed, it was announced that the company expects customers from the CR-V Hybrid to be the first to make the switch — so much so, that shorter two-year leases will be offered, just in time for hybrid drivers to shuffle into the GM co-developed all-electric crossover. More: 2023 Honda Accord Gives Us A Taste Of Its “Sleek Styling” And Built-In Google Tech “Knowing the importance CR-V hybrid is set to play to our overall electrification strategy, this is a proud moment for the Honda of Canada Mfg. team as we lead the start of global production of CR-V hybrid,” said Clement D’Souza, senior vice president of HCM. A New Electrified Powertrain CR-V Sport and Sport Touring models will be powered by a 2.0-liter Atkinson cycle four-cylinder engine coupled to a pair of electric motors. The three plants responsible for CR-V production in North America (Canada, Indiana, and Ohio) are said to have worked closely with the Anna Engine Plant (AEP) and the Honda Transmission Plant in Ohio (TMP-O). The CR-V Hybrid’s petrol engine is Honda’s first unit to combine high-pressure direct injection with multistage injection for a cleaner burn. It’s the largest-ever cylinder head made by AEP, and the engine requires new sound insulation that’s applied to the engine in three different places. On the transmission side of things, the associates at TMP-O had to prepare for increased output for both the 2023 CR-V and the upcoming new Accord. There was also an increase in parts sourced from local suppliers — 80 bits and pieces were ordered, versus the outgoing transmission’s 20. Finally, the hybrid motors themselves have changed in design, switching from coaxial motors to a two-motor parallel-axis system. High and low-speed lock-up ratios are also new, which combined with the other changes, improve gas mileage and the driving feel, creating a more relaxed driving environment at highway speeds. PHOTO GALLERYmore photos... It's easy to forget sometimes, but 30 years ago and prior, SUVs were completely different vehicles. Automakers designed them purely for the purpose of accessing certain areas that other vehicles simply couldn't reach. Then, automakers saw that SUVs were growing quite popular among people who didn't really need them, and eventually, SUVs started to get smaller and even more road-focused, and while it wasn't the first, the Honda CR-V was one of the pioneers of that trend. When the first CR-V debuted in 1995, Honda pitched it as an SUV that was much more at home on the road, than off it. Not that it can't handle itself with a little bit of help. Over the years, the CR-V has grown in size, but it has always remained affordable and extremely practical, and the new sixth generation car aims to carry the torch forward.
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2023 CR-V Overview
For 2023, the Honda CR-V enters its sixth generation. Even though it's a very similar shape to the previous one, this really is an all-new car. Underneath, it forgoes the previous car's CCA platform for the new Honda Architecture platform, a version of which also underpins the new Civic, and the new HR-V as well. While you could describe the previous car's styling as busy, this one cleans everything up, and it looks thoroughly modern and fresh as a result. The front end eschews the double-decker grille design in favor of Honda's new corporate face, with some new, slimmer LED headlights on either side. The side profile is also a fair bit cleaner, with a sharp crease above the door handles, while the rear looks similar to the previous one, but has a new taillight design and an overall cleaner look. The 2023 CR-V is available with six different trim levels, LX, Sport, EX-L, Sport Hybrid, Sport Touring, and Sport Touring Hybrid. Like the previous one, you get a choice of a pure internal combustion engine, or a hybrid powertrain. The 2023 CR-V continues its battle with the Toyota RAV4, the Mazda CX-5, the packed-with-cool-features Volkswagen Tiguan, the Jeep Cherokee, the Ford Escape, whose hybrid version has achieved the coveted 100 MPGe number, the Hyundai Tucson, and the many other cars in this highly competitive segment. 2023 CR-V Powertrains And DrivetrainsThe 2023 CR-V is debuting with two available powertrains. The base model gets a 1.5-liter turbo four-cylinder, which makes 180 hp. It also lands you a respectable 28 MPG both city and highway. If you want something with a little more power, you can have the Hybrid version. That car uses a 2.0-liter naturally-aspirated four-cylinder, which combines with an electric motor to develop a total of 204 hp. This engine ups gas mileage significantly, to 43 MPG in the city and 36 MPG on the highway. AWD is optional regardless of which powertrain you go for. Both powertrains are available exclusively with CVT automatic transmissions. The 1.5 turbo can reach 60 mph in 8.6 seconds, which is a respectable figure. However, the CR-V has a maximum towing capacity of around 1,000 lbs, which is slightly lower than some of its rivals. Honda hasn't said anything about a PHEV version of the new CR-V as yet, but it's likely on the way. 2023 CR-V Comfort And Quality
With its new Honda Architecture underpinnings, the CR-V adopts the latest Honda interior design, which we first saw on the Civic. That means a partially digital gauge cluster, an all-new infotainment system, and a much cleaner, more minimalist design. It does away with the fancy metal mesh look of the Civic, but it definitely looks good, especially on the higher trim levels. Lower end trims get a 7-inch infotainment display as standard, but upper scale cars get a 9-inch display, which also includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration. A 12-speaker Bose sound system is also available on the higher trims. In terms of safety, the new CR-V has you covered with Honda's Sensing ADAS suite. Every model gets adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning with lane keep assist, forward collision warning, and automatic emergency braking. Blind spot monitoring is also standard, with a back seat reminder and a driver attention warning system also available. The CR-V seats five passengers, and its cargo area boasts 36 cubic feet of space on the Hybrid, and 39 cubic feet on the gas models, if you lower the adjustable cargo floor. 2023 CR-V Pricing And Launch The gas-powered version of the new CR-V is available to order, and the hybrid versions will be available to order at some point in October 2022. For the gas-powered versions, prices start at $31,110 for an EX, and the EX-L starts at $33,310. The top of the line hybrid versions will likely be in the neighborhood of $40,000. It's a little more expensive than a lot of its rivals, but the new CR-V is a pretty major improvement on the previous one, and it's a solid choice in the space of compact family SUVs. When can I buy the 2023 Honda CRThe 2023 Honda CR-V release date will bring another high-quality compact crossover to our local Honda dealership in October 2022. If you're reading this after October 2022, our vehicles are in stock and ready for you.
Will Honda redesign the CRPricing and Which One to Buy. Honda has reworked the CR-V lineup for 2023, distilling it into four trim levels. The EX and EX-L are gas-only models. The Sport Hybrid and Sport Touring Hybrid come exclusively with the hybrid powertrain and those are the two we'd recommend most.
How much bigger will the 2023 CRBy the numbers, the 2023 CR-V is 2.7 inches longer, rides on a wheelbase stretched up to 1.6 inches, and has slightly wider front and rear tracks (0.4 to 0.5 inch front and 0.3 to 0.5 inch rear) than the previous model.
What Honda cars are coming out in 2023?Here's what's new with Honda for the 2023 model year, including a redesigned Civic Type R and a redone SUV lineup from the HR-V up to the three-row Pilot. It looks like 2023 is the year of the SUV at Honda.
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