Honda has confirmed a 40-mpg combined rating for the redesigned 2023 CR-V Hybrid, and it’s priced the entire CR-V lineup, which now includes CR-V Hybrid Sport and Hybrid Sport Touring versions that essentially position the hybrid as the sportier choice in the lineup.
The 2023 Honda CR-V Hybrid Sport starts at $33,695 in front-wheel-drive form, including the $1,245 destination charge, or $35,195 in its all-wheel-drive version. The top-of-the-lineup Hybrid Sport Touring includes all-wheel drive and costs $39,845.
The top 40-mpg rating is 2 mpg better than last year’s CR-V Hybrid, but it’s because Honda has introduced front-wheel-drive versions of the Hybrid that are better on gas. The CR-V Hybrid achieves EPA ratings of 43 mpg city, 36 highway, 40 combined in front-wheel-drive form.
Last year’s all-wheel-drive CR-V Hybrid returned 38 mpg combined, versus 37 mpg combined in all-wheel-drive form for the 2023 model. But the redesigned CR-V lineup is bigger and possibly a bit heavier than the outgoing 2022 model.
2023 Honda CR-V
Honda first introduced a CR-V Hybrid in the U.S. for 2020. With the introduction of a fourth-generation version of Honda’s two-mode hybrid system, the CR-V Hybrid should provide a somewhat sportier drive; it now makes 204 hp and 247 lb-ft of torque, versus 212 hp and 232 lb-ft of torque in the outgoing version. Honda says that the new model features a more refined 2.0-liter Atkinson-cycle inline-4, so expect it to be smoother and quieter. In our testing of its predecessor, the CR-V Hybrid drove more like an EV at low speeds than rival models.
The competition in this corner of the market is strong. Toyota does offer more modestly equipped versions of its RAV4 Hybrid. The most affordable 2023 RAV4 Hybrid LE costs $30,910; the Hyundai Tucson Hybrid Blue starts at $31,045. But the CR-V Hybrid EX is positioned below similarly equipped versions of the $32,380 RAV Hybrid XLE and $33,645 Tucson SEL Convenience.
2023 Honda CR-V Hybrid Sport Touring
The base price of the 2022 Honda CR-V Hybrid EX was $33,035, so for shoppers who don’t mind giving up the idea of all-wheel drive it’s only a slight price hike. The Hybrid Sport gets gloss-black exterior accents, Berlina Black 18-inch wheels, and rectangular exhaust finishers. It now includes adaptive cruise control, active lane control, a 9.0-inch touchscreen with Apple Carplay and Android Auto compatibility, wireless device charging, heated front seats, heated mirrors, and a sunroof.
The top Sport Touring adds 12-speaker Bose audio, a navigation system, and a wi-fi hotspot, plus 19-inch wheels and tires.
The CR-V is Honda’s top-selling U.S. model, and Honda expects CR-V Hybrid sales to account for about 50% of the annual CR-V total. Whether or not it charms buyers largely depends on whether the hybrid delivers on the mid-market sweet spot shoppers have seen in the CR-V for decades.
