Honda didn’t need to reinvent the CR-V for 2023 because it is already one of the most popular compact SUVs in the United States and the automaker’s best-selling model.
The CR-V grows slightly for the sixth generation, has a more upright and squared-off front end, and a modernized cabin with larger touchscreens and higher-quality materials.
We drove to Nashville, Tennessee, to test drive the all-new CR-V. Our test vehicle, a midlevel EX-L, was finished in Radiant Red paint and rode on 18-inch wheels, which are standard across the board.
While not as daring as the 2023 Kia Sportage or the Hyundai Tucson, the new CR-V is more stylish than the previous generation.
On the meandering country lanes that comprised our test drive around the Nashville Superspeedway, a 1.3-mile tri-oval located 30 miles east of downtown, there wasn’t much traffic to navigate.
The racy staging point was an ironic twist, given that the CR-mission V’s is to transport up to five people and a large amount of cargo comfortably and economically while providing stress-free driving dynamics.
The 2023 CR-V is 2.7 inches longer, rides on a 1.6-inch-longer wheelbase, 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.
This results in slightly more rear legroom and slightly increased cargo volume with the rear seatbacks folded, now 77 cubes, while the 39 cubic feet behind the second row remains unchanged. The CR-cabin V’s is light and airy thanks to its nearly flat floor and ample glass area.
Two Significant Engines
The same 190 horsepower and 179 pound-feet of torque as before are delivered by a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder, though peak torque arrives a few hundred rpm earlier.
This engine is once again paired with a continuously variable automatic transmission, and the CR-V is available with either front- or all-wheel drive.
Our EX-L had all-wheel drive, and the updated system can now send up to 50% of torque to the rear wheels, up from a previous maximum of 40%. Hill descent control is also available on the CR-V.
To read our blog on “Honda plans to release roughly 10 electric bikes by the year 2025,” click here
