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Pros
- The Honda CR-V is KBB’s Compact SUV Best Buy of 2023
- Superb in so many areas
Cons
- Slight (if warranted) price premiums
What’s new?
- Totally redesigned for 2023
The Honda
HMC,
CR-V is our highest-rated compact SUV of 2023 and a Kelley Blue Book Best Buy Award winner. Pricing starts at $28,410.
Here we are, welcoming generation six of the perennially popular Honda CR-V compact SUV into the world. Expertise gained and lessons learned from the previous generations combine with fresh technology and manufacturing techniques to create the best-ever CR-V.
It wasn’t even as if the 2022 version was out-classed by the competition. It was still highly recommendable for its space, safety, reliability, economy, and resale values. The CR-V deserves its fine reputation for being good in a multitude of ways.
This is like when a world-record-holding athlete posts a faster time or lifts a heavier weight. Honda knows that when you’re standing still, you’re really going backward. Because everyone else is on that same path of improvement. For now, though, the 2023 CR-V has strengthened its position as the cream of the compact SUV crop.
The similarly all-new 2023 CR-V Hybrid is reviewed separately.
2023 Honda CR-V pricing
The 2023 Honda CR-V
Honda
The 2023 Honda CR-V starts at $28,410. The very well-equipped EX trim with front-wheel drive begins at $31,610. The EX-L has more features and is priced from $34,260. All-wheel drive is an extra $1,500 with any version.
| 2023 Honda CR-V | MSRP |
| CR-V LX | $28,410 |
| CR-V EX | $31,610 |
| CR-V EX-L | $34,260 |
These figures are manufacturer’s suggested retail prices (MSRP) and do not include the destination charge of $1,245. Both trims are worth considering, and you can’t go wrong with either.
The 2023 CR-V is priced on the higher side of the class. For example, the Subaru
FUJHY,
Forester (with all-wheel drive as standard) starts at $26.4K, which is in the ballpark as the excellent Kia
000270,
Sportage and Hyundai Tucson. The Mazda CX-5
MZDAY,
(another great choice and also with all-wheel drive as standard) begins at $26.7K. The Nissan Rogue comes in at $27.4K. And the CR-V’s archrival, the Toyota
TM,
RAV4, starts at around $28K.
Before buying a new CR-V compact SUV, check the Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price to know what you should really pay. Resale values of previous Honda CR-V generations have always been comfortably above average, so we’re expecting nothing less than a solid performance with this new generation.
Plus: The all-new 2023 Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid hits the spot
What’s new for 2023
The 2023 Honda CR-V compact SUV represents an all-new generation, with a fresh design, a roomier cabin, better outward vision, and an updated infotainment system. Yet the philosophy stays the same — to excel in a wide range of aspects. Mission accomplished, as the Honda CR-V is our Compact SUV Best Buy for 2023.
Honda originally dropped the base LX trim with the redesigned 2023 CR-V, but it’s already back appealing to SUV shoppers on a budget.
Check out:The 2024 Honda Prologue: Honda’s new electric SUV is attractive and spacious. When can you get one?
Driving the 2023 Honda CR-V
Here’s a little snippet from our notebook after driving the 2023 CR-V: “Beautifully tuned suspension, comfortable yet precise.” To be honest, earlier incarnations of the CR-V have been a bit of a yawn to drive. This one is different.
It responds quickly and sweetly to inputs like steering and braking, so the driver feels completely in control — as well as being kept aware of what’s going on with great outward vision, enhanced by things like standard-issue blind-spot monitoring.
The CR-V will still appeal to everyone who just wants a stable, comfy and reliable compact SUV for everyday driving. It’s just that it can be more enjoyable now.
In these days of push-button and rotating gear selectors, it’s almost odd to see a conventional shift lever in the new CR-V. But we know many buyers will welcome the familiarity.
Smart, spacious interior
Stretching the wheelbase by a couple of inches (the distance between the front and rear axles) has increased rear legroom and brings a benefit to ride quality. Not that CR-V owners in the past have ever been deprived in these areas. It does, however, show how Honda has brought incremental improvements to the 2023 CR-V that all combine to make a tangible difference.
Up front are what Honda calls Body Stabilizing Seats, designed to promote ideal posture and reduce fatigue. They certainly feel comfortable, supportive, and fine for long driving stints. The rear seats gain seat belt reminders and their occupants now enjoy a generous 41 inches of legroom.
We like the crisp yet pleasant-looking graphics in the driver information display between the two round gauges, as well as the overall quality of materials. The L of EX-L signifies leather seating surfaces, by the way. Meanwhile, the mesh strip running across the dashboard is novel.
With rivals fitting 12-inch infotainment touchscreens, the 9-inch display in the highest EX-L trim level seems a little on the small side. And the EX has an even smaller, 7-inch touchscreen. At least there’s a physical volume control.
Cargo space receives a boost. Behind the rear seats there’s a massive 39.3 cubic feet — visibly more than, say, the Kia Sportage. The level of the cargo floor is also conveniently low. With the rear seats folded down, maximum volume is 76.5 cubic feet, as good as this compact SUV class gets.
Confident exterior
We think there’s a maturity to the new CR-V’s exterior design. As there should be, considering this is the sixth generation. But where previous models tried to be the most anonymous thing in the parking lot, there’s now greater presence — in a tasteful way.
Compared with the outgoing CR-V, this new model is longer by just over a couple of inches, and ever-so-slightly wider. Some of the subtler touches include a wider and more upright windshield, contributing to excellent outward vision. Running boards, fender flares, and a liftgate spoiler are all optional.
Also on MarketWatch: ‘When I ran it past the missus, she went ballistic’: I want to buy a $40,000 car, but my wife said no. Then things really got weird.
Our favorite features and tech
Apple CarPlay/Android Auto
Smartphone integration has become pretty much a necessity, using apps for things like navigation and spoken-word text replies. It’s standard in the 2023 CR-V and the higher EX-L trim also enables wireless connectivity for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Wireless charging
Another EX-L feature. Just place a capable smartphone on the charging pad in the center console and it all happens automatically.
All-wheel drive
For buyers living in areas where the weather gets rough, it’s no doubt worth the extra money for the added reassurance of all-wheel drive. It’s optional with both 2023 CR-V trims.
Hill descent control
This is new for a CR-V and it’s not just a feature accompanying the all-wheel-drive system; it comes as standard with front-drive versions as well. The driver sets a slow speed (between 2 mph and 12 mph) to negotiate a treacherous downward slope. The CR-V handles the throttle, transmission, and brakes. With feet off the pedals, the driver just steers.
8-way power-adjustable driver’s seat
OK, this might seem a bit mundane, but the base trim levels of most compact SUVs have manual adjustment. It’s higher-spec features like this that help justify the CR-V’s pricing. The EX-L adds memory settings, great for when there’s more than one regular driver.
Traffic Jam Assist
As if to underline the pricing argument just above, this is also standard in the popular EX trim. It works with the lane-keeping system, adding slight steering corrections at speeds below 45 mph right down to a complete stop. Anything that helps relieve the tedium of city traffic is a plus.
See: Here are some of the most advanced car tech features you should know about
Engine and transmission
Turbocharging has evolved to such sophisticated heights that it can perform the neat trick of maximizing power output while still achieving decent fuel economy.
The 2023 CR-V’s turbocharged 1.5-liter 4-cylinder engine itself is another example of evolution rather than being completely new. It has the same muscle as before — 190 horsepower and 179 lb-ft of torque — and returns identical fuel economy figures. But that’s fine. We had no complaints about its predecessor, except for the puny 1,500-pound tow rating — which hasn’t changed with this new generation. Not many people use a compact SUV for towing, though.
An automatic transmission sends drive to the front wheels (FWD) in standard form. All-wheel drive (AWD) is optional.
1.5-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine
190 horsepower @ 6,000 rpm
179 lb-ft of torque @ 1,700-5,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 28/34 mpg (FWD), 27/32 mpg (AWD)
More CR-V fuel economy information is available on the EPA’s website.
Also see: The 10 best hybrid SUVs for 2023
Outstanding safety ratings
The 2023 Honda CR-V is an IIHS Top Safety Pick+, which is the highest honor available from the safety watchdog group. It earns this honor with a long list of standard safety features like automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, and more.
3-year/36,000-mile warranty
The basic new-vehicle warranty for the 2023 CR-V compact SUV is three years or 36,000 miles, whichever happens first. The powertrain’s warranty lasts for five years or 60,000 miles. Honda also adds complimentary maintenance for the first two years or 24,000 miles.
KBB’s car review methodology.
This story originally ran on KBB.com.
