An intelligently optimized choice that will work brilliantly for families
In the perennial contest for the compact SUV crown, Honda has returned with a redesigned CR-V that asks a quiet but serious question: what does a family truly need from a vehicle? Priced from $32,355 and measured against its closest rivals, the 2023 CR-V does not seek to dazzle in any single dimension but instead pursues a rarer virtue — coherent, trustworthy competence across nearly all of them. It falls just short of the Kia Sportage Hybrid's overall ranking, yet in doing so reveals how much wisdom can live in second place.
- Honda has abandoned entry-level pricing entirely, betting that buyers want a well-equipped vehicle from the start rather than a stripped-down foot in the door.
- The CR-V's turbocharged engine feels smooth in daily use but exposes its limits on the highway, leaving a gap the upcoming hybrid variant — with 247 lb-ft of torque — is being built to close.
- Against the Toyota RAV4, the Honda wins decisively on ride quality, steering feel, and rear legroom, but cabin noise at highway speeds falls a full grade below the Kia Sportage, an unexpected stumble for a brand known for refinement.
- Inside, 41 inches of rear legroom and 75.6 cubic feet of cargo space make the CR-V one of the most practically generous vehicles in its class, outpacing the RAV4 in the dimensions families feel most.
- The Kia Sportage Hybrid ultimately ranks higher overall, but the CR-V lands as the more broadly optimized choice — a vehicle that earns trust through consistency rather than any single headline achievement.
Honda's 2023 CR-V arrives as a deliberate reimagining of what a compact family SUV should be. Gone are the budget entry trims; the base EX now starts at $32,355, signaling a brand confident enough to compete on quality rather than price alone. The tested EX-L AWD at $36,505 adds leather, a nine-inch touchscreen, wireless charging, and an eight-speaker audio system — features that feel earned rather than decorative.
The turbocharged 1.5-liter engine produces 190 horsepower and pairs with a CVT so smooth it nearly disappears. Power is adequate for everyday driving, though highway passing reveals its ceiling. Honda's forthcoming hybrid, rated at 204 horsepower and 247 lb-ft of torque, appears designed precisely to answer that criticism.
Where the CR-V distinguishes itself most is in how it drives. Compared directly against the Toyota RAV4, Volkswagen Tiguan, Kia Sportage Hybrid, and Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, the Honda offers the most satisfying overall driving experience among all but the Kia. Its steering is well-weighted, its suspension balances comfort and control with apparent ease, and its body control through corners is genuinely impressive. The RAV4, by contrast, feels jarring and imprecise.
One meaningful weakness surfaces at speed: cabin noise. At 60 mph, the CR-V trails the Kia Sportage noticeably, with the turbo engine audible underfoot — a surprising lapse for a brand that once set the segment's NVH standard.
Inside, the cabin borrows the clean intelligence of the current Civic. The elevated touchscreen placement improves sightlines even if it sacrifices visual integration. A loose gear lever introduces a minor but nagging quality-control question. These are small complaints against a genuinely thoughtful interior.
Space is the CR-V's most unambiguous strength. Forty-one inches of rear legroom and 75.6 cubic feet of cargo capacity make it one of the most practically generous vehicles in the segment. Fuel economy at 29 mpg combined trails the RAV4 slightly, but the Honda's standard equipment at its base price — heated seats, 18-inch wheels, full smartphone integration — makes the comparison more favorable than raw numbers suggest.
The Kia Sportage Hybrid ultimately claims the segment's top ranking, but the CR-V finishes as the more broadly reliable choice: a vehicle that delivers on nearly every promise a family might reasonably make of it.
Honda has redesigned the CR-V for 2023, and the result is a compact SUV that handles the everyday demands of family life with uncommon grace. The new model starts at $32,355 for the front-wheel-drive EX trim, a deliberate pricing strategy that abandons the rock-bottom "stripper" models of years past in favor of a more confident market position. The tested EX-L with all-wheel drive, priced at $36,505, adds leather seating, a larger nine-inch touchscreen, wireless phone charging, and an eight-speaker sound system—amenities that feel genuinely useful rather than decorative.
Under the hood sits a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine producing 190 horsepower and 179 pound-feet of torque, paired with a continuously variable transmission that works so seamlessly you forget it's there. The power delivery is smooth and linear, with throttle response that feels quicker than the modest torque figures suggest. On the highway, the engine's limitations become apparent—this is not a vehicle built for acceleration—but Honda's upcoming hybrid variant, rated at 204 horsepower and 247 pound-feet of torque, promises to address that shortcoming. For now, the gas engine is entirely adequate for the needs of most small-crossover buyers.
What truly sets the CR-V apart is how it drives. In direct comparison with the Toyota RAV4, Kia Sportage Hybrid, Volkswagen Tiguan, and Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, the Honda emerges as the clear choice for overall driving experience, with only the Kia Sportage Hybrid ranking higher in the final tally. The steering is impressively tuned—electronically assisted but weighted just right, stable on the highway and responsive through corners. The suspension strikes a balance between comfort and control that feels almost effortless. Push the CR-V hard on a good road and it reveals excellent body control, predictable grip, and a front-biased handling character that defaults safely to understeer when truly provoked. The ride quality is smooth, worlds better than the jarring composure of the RAV4, though marginally behind the slick refinement of the Tiguan.
There is one notable miss: cabin noise. At 60 miles per hour, the CR-V falls a full letter grade below the Kia Sportage in terms of quietness. The turbocharged engine buzzes audibly from under the hood, and while wind noise is well managed, it cannot match the hushed environment of the Kia. This is surprising for Honda, which set a high standard for noise, vibration, and harshness with the previous generation. Whether the hybrid version will prove quieter remains to be seen.
Inside, the cabin reflects the design language that debuted in the current Civic—clean, smart, and almost timeless in its execution. The larger touchscreen sits atop the dash rather than being fully integrated, which some will find inelegant but which actually improves usability by placing it higher in the driver's line of sight. The instrumentation is crisp and clear. The steering wheel is substantial and pleasant to grip. One minor complaint: the gear lever has a bit of play in it, enough to jiggle the plastic surround and raise questions about long-term durability—an odd quality-control issue for a vehicle at this price point.
Space is where the CR-V truly excels. The rear seat offers 41 inches of legroom, second only to the Kia Sportage among the segment's top sellers. For a six-foot-five driver with two car seats in the back, the CR-V provides genuine comfort—enough room to sit behind oneself without adjusting the driving position. The cargo hold maxes out at 75.6 cubic feet, accessible through a tall, wide rear hatch, making the vehicle genuinely flexible for everything from weekly shopping to road trips to home improvement projects. The RAV4, by contrast, feels noticeably more cramped.
Fuel economy tells a similar story: the CR-V achieves 27 city, 32 highway, and 29 combined miles per gallon in the EX-L AWD configuration, slightly behind the RAV4's 27 city, 34 highway, and 30 combined, but a meaningful difference for comparative shoppers. The Honda's pricing strategy—eliminating the sub-$30,000 base model—means your $32,355 investment nets a vehicle that feels genuinely well-equipped, with heated seats, 18-inch wheels, and smartphone integration standard on the EX.
In the crowded compact SUV market, the CR-V is not a standout in any single measurable category save cargo room. What makes it compelling is how competently it executes across nearly every dimension—handling, comfort, space, value, and everyday usability. The Kia Sportage Hybrid edges it out in the final ranking, primarily due to its superior quietness and slightly more engaging driving character. But for most buyers, the CR-V represents an intelligently optimized choice that will work brilliantly for families and individuals alike. It is, in short, a vehicle that understands what its owners actually need.
Notable Quotes
With the exception of the Kia Sportage Hybrid, the CR-V is the easy choice from a driving perspective.— Reviewer's assessment after testing multiple competitors
The CR-V is an all-around superstar. Right now it's second on my personal rankings behind the Kia Sportage Hybrid, but I'll need to drive Honda's hybrid before I can fully stand behind that statement.— Final verdict on the 2023 CR-V
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
Why does Honda think it can abandon the sub-$30,000 buyer? That's a huge chunk of the market.
Supply chains have been brutal, and average transaction prices have skyrocketed across the industry. Honda is betting that the business case for a bare-bones model no longer exists—that buyers either step up to the EX or look elsewhere. It's a gamble on where the market is heading.
You mention the steering feels smooth. What does that actually mean to someone driving to work?
It means the wheel doesn't fight you or feel numb. You can hold a lane without thinking about it, and when you do need to turn, it responds without drama. Most people won't consciously notice it, but they'll feel less stressed by the end of the day.
The cabin noise issue seems like a real problem. Is that a dealbreaker?
Not for most buyers, but it's a miss for Honda, which used to dominate this category. The Kia is noticeably quieter at highway speeds. If you spend three hours a day commuting, you'll notice it. If you're running errands around town, probably not.
Forty-one inches of rear legroom—how does that actually feel different from, say, the RAV4?
I can sit behind myself without moving the driver's seat. With a car seat installed, I don't have to compromise my driving position. For a tall person, that's the difference between comfort and constant adjustment. Normal-sized people will feel like they're swimming in space.
You keep coming back to the spreadsheet. Why does this vehicle need math to understand?
Because no single thing about it is exceptional. It's not the most powerful, not the quietest, not the cheapest. But when you line up all the categories—handling, space, value, comfort, fuel economy—it wins on the aggregate. That's harder to feel in a test drive than it is to see in a spreadsheet.
What's the one thing a buyer should know before walking into a Honda dealership?
Test drive the Kia Sportage Hybrid first. If you prefer it, great. If you don't, the CR-V will feel like the obvious choice. And whatever you do, don't buy a RAV4 without driving one of these.