Latest iteration of Honda’s largest SUV includes a plug-in hybrid option for the first time On sale October Price from £53,995
Dan Jones dan.jones@haymarket.com
MOORE’S LAW STATES that computer chips become twice as advanced every two years, and the same seems to apply to the Honda CR-V. You see, while the previous version ditched pure petrol power in 2021 in favour of a hybrid-only set-up, this new-generation CR-V introduces a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) variant as well.
It’s the first PHEV Honda has made for the European market, using the same 181bhp 2.0-litre petrol engine and electric motors as the new e:HEV hybrid version (due at the same time), but with a larger, 17.7kWh battery. As a result, you can cover up to 51 miles (officially) on electric power – farther than the 30-40 miles that PHEV rivals such as the Hyundai Santa Fe and Kia Sorento can manage but well shy of the Mercedes-Benz GLC 300e’s impressive 80-mile electric range. That puts the CR-V in the 8% company car tax band – one up from the GLC.
Like the e:HEV, the battery charges as you drive along, but the e:PHEV can also be plugged in to add extra juice, taking around two and a half hours for a full charge at home. A peak charging rate of 6.8kW means the CR-V gets the job done quicker than the Sorento (which can manage only 3.3kW).
It’s not all about efficiency, though; the e:PHEV also feels quick, regardless of which power source you’re using. Although it’s not quite as quick from 0-62mph as the Santa Fe and Sorento, the CR-V gets off the line with gusto when you plant your foot. Nor will you struggle to get up to speed quickly when joining a motorway or overtaking slow-moving traffic.
Switching to Sport mode gives access to the full combined power output, while firming up the adaptive suspension to help reduce body lean in corners. Even so, the CR-V never feels particularly agile; five-seat rivals such as the BMW X3 are more fun to drive. While the steering gives you a rough idea of what the front wheels are up to, its heavy weighting (in any mode) means it doesn’t feel that responsive. Nor do you have to be going all that briskly to find the limit of front-end grip in wet conditions.
Still, most buyers will care more about the CR-V being comfortable around town and on the motorway, and in this respect it’s far better. In the softest, Comfort mode, bumps and potholes are absorbed with ease, while body control is still good enough to stop the car from floating over undulations.
Behind the wheel, the CR-V has that lofty seating position that most SUV buyers crave. The seats themselves are com
