The Honda CR-V has long been a top choice in the crowded compact SUV market, and for good reason. For nearly three decades, Honda has refined this model to meet the evolving needs of drivers, consistently competing with rivals like the Toyota RAV4 and many others. The latest generation CR-V continues this evolution with updated styling, modern technology, and, importantly, a fuel-efficient hybrid option. For those prioritizing gas mileage without sacrificing the practicality of an SUV, the Honda CR-V Hybrid, promising over 40 mpg, presents a compelling option. This Honda CR-V hybrid review dives into what makes this vehicle a standout choice and where it might fall short.
For the 2025 model year, the CR-V Hybrid remains largely unchanged from the previous year, maintaining the successful formula of the sixth generation introduced in 2023. This current generation shares its platform and interior design with the eleventh-generation Civic, showcasing Honda’s commitment to a cohesive and modern vehicle architecture. While the standard, non-hybrid CR-V offers a 190-horsepower 1.5-liter turbocharged engine across several trims, the CR-V Hybrid boasts a slightly more powerful 2.0-liter two-motor hybrid powertrain, also available in Sport, Sport-L, and Sport Touring trims. Each trim level upgrade adds more features, such as leather interiors, wireless charging, and premium audio systems, enhancing the overall driving experience.
If you’re looking for a quick summary in this Honda CRV hybrid review, consider this: the Honda CR-V Hybrid’s popularity is undeniable. With over 400,000 units sold in the US alone last year and sales momentum continuing into 2025, with hybrids making up a significant portion, it’s clear this SUV resonates with buyers. In January 2025 alone, over 27,000 CR-Vs were sold, with half being the hybrid variant. This success speaks volumes about the vehicle’s overall appeal and reliability.
In a market saturated with compact SUVs, subtle differences often determine consumer preference. While many competitors offer similar features, the CR-V Hybrid distinguishes itself through decades of refinement, making it a polished and dependable choice in its segment.
Image: Front exterior view of the 2025 Honda CR-V Hybrid Sport Touring in winter conditions, highlighting its modern design and LED headlights.
Image: Side profile of the 2025 Honda CR-V Hybrid showcasing its sleek lines and alloy wheels in a snowy environment.
Honda CR-V Hybrid: Efficiency and Performance in Real-World Conditions
When it comes to fuel efficiency and everyday performance, the CR-V Hybrid generally excels. Recent severe winter weather provided ample opportunity to evaluate Honda’s “Real Time AWD with Intelligent Control” system. Like the non-hybrid CR-V, the hybrid model uses a mechanical all-wheel-drive system to distribute power between the front and rear axles as needed. This contrasts with the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, which employs a different approach, utilizing an electric motor to power the rear wheels independently. While Honda’s system in the CR-V Hybrid is not as advanced as the i-VTM4 system found in larger Honda SUVs like the Passport and Pilot, it is designed to be highly responsive, ensuring control during sudden traction loss situations.
However, slip tests revealed some limitations in challenging conditions. The CR-V Hybrid showed some struggle in three-wheel slip tests and off-road scenarios, particularly with stock all-season tires. It’s important to note that the CR-V Hybrid is not intended for serious off-roading, especially on its standard Michelin Primacy 4 Plus all-season tires. Nonetheless, in typical snowy road conditions, the all-wheel-drive and traction control systems performed admirably, providing confidence even without dedicated winter tires.
Image: Close-up of the 2025 Honda CR-V Hybrid’s wheel and tire in snow, demonstrating its all-wheel-drive system in winter conditions.
Powered by a 2.0-liter naturally aspirated engine paired with two electric motors, the CR-V Hybrid delivers a combined 204 horsepower. While not overwhelmingly powerful, it provides sufficient performance for daily driving. Expect a 0-60 mph time of around 8 seconds under normal conditions. While some competitors like the Mazda CX-5/CX-50 and Hyundai Tucson Hybrid offer more power, the CR-V Hybrid compensates with excellent fuel economy, rated between 37 and 43 mpg by the EPA. Real-world city driving yields figures in the mid-to-upper 30s, which is still commendable for a vehicle of this size.
Image: The 2025 Honda CR-V Hybrid driving on a snow-covered road, emphasizing its capability and comfortable handling in winter weather.
Ride Comfort and Refinement: A Smooth Driving Experience
Beyond fuel efficiency, the 2025 Honda CR-V Hybrid offers a comfortable, quiet, and refined ride, enhancing the overall driving experience. As a hybrid, the engine transitions between electric and gasoline power, but these transitions are remarkably smooth and barely noticeable in typical driving. Many reviewers find the CR-V Hybrid’s transitions even smoother than those in the RAV4 Hybrid. Engine noise is well-controlled, becoming noticeable only under hard acceleration.
Both hybrid and gasoline versions of the CR-V provide a smooth and quiet ride without feeling overly soft or disconnected from the road. While both powertrains offer similar levels of responsiveness, the hybrid clearly excels in fuel economy.
Towing capacity is not a strong suit for most compact SUVs, and the 2025 Honda CR-V is no exception. Non-hybrid models can tow up to 1,500 pounds, but the CR-V Hybrid is limited to 1,000 pounds. This is less than the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, which boasts a 1,750-pound towing capacity, even surpassing the gas-powered RAV4.
Interior and Technology: Practicality and User-Friendliness Take Center Stage
As a top-selling compact SUV, the 2025 Honda CR-V Hybrid delivers on technology and features. Even the base Sport Hybrid trim includes essential features like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, dual-zone climate control, heated front seats, and a comprehensive suite of driver assistance systems. Honda Sensing safety suite provides collision mitigation braking, adaptive cruise control (though not full stop-and-go), lane keep assist, traffic sign recognition, blind-spot monitoring, and road departure mitigation.
Upgrading to higher trims adds even more amenities. The Sport-L trim upgrades the infotainment screen from 7-inches to 9-inches. While even the larger screen is moderately sized by today’s standards, Honda prioritizes user-friendliness with ample physical buttons for essential controls. Following design cues from the 11th-gen Civic and Accord, the CR-V excels in ergonomics. Controls are logically placed and easy to use without needing a learning curve.
While the CR-V’s interior is praised for its practical design, spaciousness, excellent visibility, and wide-opening doors, it doesn’t offer much in terms of visual flair. Interior material choices are well-built but lack lighter trim options (beyond seat colors), and it forgoes cutting-edge semi-autonomous driving tech or oversized, flashy infotainment screens. The focus is clearly on uncomplicated functionality, which aligns well with the preferences of many buyers in this segment.
Image: Rear passenger view of the 2025 Honda CR-V Hybrid’s spacious interior, showcasing legroom and comfortable seating.
Final Verdict: A Top Hybrid SUV Choice, Especially When Value-Focused
In conclusion, Honda CR-V hybrid reviews consistently highlight this SUV as a top contender for a practical, fuel-efficient daily driver. It excels in styling, interior space, comfort, features, and particularly fuel economy. If you are considering a compact SUV, the CR-V Hybrid should definitely be on your shortlist and warrants a test drive, especially if towing isn’t a primary concern.
One key consideration is price. The Sport Touring trim, at over $42,000 plus options, can be expensive for the added features. While the upgraded Bose audio and heated steering wheel are appealing, they might not justify the price jump over the Sport-L trim for all buyers.
Choosing front-wheel drive over all-wheel drive on the base Sport Hybrid or Sport-L Hybrid can save you around $1,500 and improve fuel economy to the EPA-estimated 40 mpg combined. For the best balance of features and value, the Sport-L trim with front-wheel drive, priced around $39,000, is a highly recommended configuration for a well-equipped and efficient daily vehicle.
