The next-generation 2023 Honda CR-V made its official debut this week, arriving as a heavily overhauled rival to the Chevy Equinox and GMC Terrain compact crossovers.
Sharing a platform with the current Honda Civic, this new redesigned CR-V is 2.7 inches longer than the outgoing model, with a 1.6-inch longer wheelbase and 0.4 inches of additional width. The base of the A-pillars have also moved 4.7 inches rearward, 2.8 inches outward and 1.4 inches lower, improving outward visibility and changing the crossover’s feel from the driver’s seat.
Power in the 2023 Honda CR-V comes from an updated version of Honda’s familiar 1.5-liter turbocharged engine, rated at 190 horsepower and 179 pound-feet of torque, which is paired with a Continuously Variable Transmission. For a sportier driving feel, CR-V Sport and Sport Touring come standard with a hybrid-electric powertrain consisting of a 2.0-liter Atkinson cycle four-cylinder engine and twin electric motors, which delivers a combined output of 204 horsepower and 247 pound-feet of torque.
Inside, the compact crossover features similar styling to the latest Civic, along with a standard seven-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The well-equipped EX-L and Sport Touring trim levels, meanwhile, come standard with a larger 9-inch display. A seven-inch digital instrument cluster is also standard.
Completing the package is the Honda Sensing suite of active safety tech, which is standard across all trims and includes traffic jam assist, lane keep assist, low speed braking control, traffic sign recognition, adaptive cruise control with low speed follow and a driver attention monitor, among more.
Mike Kistemaker, assistant vice president of Honda sales at American Honda, pointed out that the CR-V is one of the best-selling crossover/SUV nameplates in America, making this model a tough rival for offerings like the Equinox and Terrain.
“As America’s outright best-selling SUV of the past 25 years the Honda CR-V has played a critical role in our past, but what’s significant about the all-new CR-V is the important role it will play in our future – with the CR-V hybrid to represent about 50 percent of sales,” he said.
Production of the 2023 Honda CR-V will take place at the Japanese automaker’s plants in Ohio and Indiana, as well as its Canadian plant in southern Ontario. Pricing has not yet been announced.
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Comments
One pic of the inside: Terrible looking.
Outside: Looks much better than the current CR-V. But it’s still a Honda, so no thanks.
Bottom line: set this new one next to nearly any current SUV/CUV, cover the emblem, then ask 100 people to pick out the Honda or the VW or the Ford and I’ll bet 90% couldn’t do it. They’re all boxes and bland.
Look inside a Equinox without your blinders.
It’s not good.
I have. It is (IMO) better than this. Maybe you need to take your blinders off.
A hybrid option that will be readily available. Standard 7” screen in the gauge cluster in all trims. The “Honda Sensing Suite” includes adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitor, rear cross traffic alert, and is standard in all trims. These are all features you glaringly pay extra for, in an Equinox or Terrain.
They are copying Audi look at the new civic
Does anything really “compete” with the Equinox? Or is it more like “outshines” the Equinox?
Anybody else think that that thing looks kinda like a Subaru
Honda just copied Subaru.
The interior is a mess.
Never really had much love for the uninspired styling of this model.
Honda CRV interior is light years better than the Equinox lol. And Honda makes a better 1.5turbo than GM. Even when Honda had the fuel dilution problems
You obviously never been in a CRV..Friend has on and nothing special about the interior at all. Plastics look about the same and feel the same. Just like toyota, interior is a joke too. Just you band wagon people think they are better. Once you poke around looks are very deceiving in both honad and toyoata interiors. GM’s infotainment and controls destroys Honda’s setup.
joe: I couldn’t agree more. MalibuRam: I guess JDP didn’t get your memo. Or are you going to then just say that they are bias towards GM now? Then I’m sure you will say CR has never been bias towards the Japanese cars. Got it.
The CRV interior really is light years better than the Equinox’s. I’m very familiar with both since I owned a current generation CRV and the Equinox is my favorite vehicle to rent.
One thing that’s hard to believe is just how big the CRV’s cargo capacity is, especially compared to the Equinox, even though the CRV also has excellent rear legroom. Honda did an amazing packaging job with the CRV.
The CRV is also significantly faster than the Equinox, even though both use 1.5L turbo engines and despite the CRV’s CVT.
Finally, the CRV has a much better radio/sound system than the Equinox, except if you get the optional system on the Equinox.
Where the Equinox beats the CRV is in driving/handling feel. The CRV’s CVT may be efficient, but it makes it boring to drive. The Equinox is more fun to drive, even though it is slower.
The Equinox also beats the CRV in the simplicity and ease of use of its infotainment system. This might be changing with the 2023 CRV, which looks like it has a much better infotainment system than the 2017-2022 models. I hated the infotainment system in my CRV – menus inside menus for everything.
Also, you can get an optional 360 degree surround view camera on the Equinox, even on an LT trim, but you can’t get that on any CRV.
Finally, with dealer discounts/cash rebates, Equinoxes in my area (southern California) run about $5,000 less than equivalent CRVs.
Reliability is probably a wash. This generation Equinox gets high reliability scores. The only problem I ever had with my CRV was having to replace the battery twice after it sat in the garage for weeks at a time at the start of Covid when everything shut down.
So is a CRV worth $5,000 more than an Equinox? If they are the same price, I’d definitely take the CRV. With a $5,000 delta, it’s more even.
I just got one of the 2022s as a rental. Was actually quite impressed with it. For all the complaining about the 1.5 and lack of the 2.0 turbo, I’d say the complaining is unjustified. The 1.5 is quite responsive. Plus, this isn’t a sports car and never was intended to be.
Also have to say the interior was quite nice. Cloth seats looked and felt good. There were plastics but no worse than a Honda or Toyota. And no squeaks or rattles.
I’d definitely consider this if I were in the market for a small cuv. Nice job GM. Way more excited about the upcoming electric version as that looks great.
It will come with a 2.0l and it’s hybrid with 200hp? Bravo. This is the right way. Especially with gas prices so high and EVs being produced in limited quantities.
Why do some auto manufacturers think it is necessary to mount the “infotainment screen” like a tablet looking out of place like it does not belong??? Ford is famous for doing this too… Look at the Explorer. I bought a 2022 GMC Acadia Denali and part of what impressed me was the interior with the infotainment system built into the dash, not sticking out like an after-thought.
It’s the second malaise era.
These *covid* cars will have poor resale value.
It’s a sort of safety feature, keeping your eye level above the dashboard. Yes, it looks stupid, but it’s there so you don’t have to look down to change the radio channel or whatever.
I’m neutral about it. I recognize that it’s safer. But I also recognize that it’s much less elegant.
My wife loves her 2019 Equinox Premiere with the 1.5t. It has plenty of pep and gets great mileage.
You clearly know nothing about cars.
The 1.5 Turbo in the Equinox is a weak pipsqueak motor that will not last.
Evan: Don’t you have a toilet to clean in the Toyota showroom?
As a 3-time Equinox owner who made the switch to Honda…love the pep, lacks the overall “plushness” of my Equinox. The GM OnStar function is missed, as well as the ease of connectivity, car being a 5-G hotspot etc. Love the Honda reliability, miss the GM “oomph”.
Sorry to hear that you defected to Honda. Hopefully you will make the move back to GM after a few years when you see that Honda can’t match GM in many ways and is worse in others.
Yeah like only offering a pipsqueak 1.5 Turbo instead of a more fuel efficient 2.0 hybrid like Honda.
GM fanboy cultist like you are absolutely hilarious. Like Tesla cultist.
Fortunately the economy is about to tank & the auto market is going to be in for a world of hurt.
Reliable: The problem with what you say is that it doesn’t give any other points of view. This is what I found in my 12+ years of selling at a store that has Honda along side several GM’s. The people who buy the Japanese brands always seem to feel the need to defend their purchases. Personally, I feel it’s because they may feel some guilt and they should.
So let me give another perspective. In my personal household and within my large extended family, there have been well beyond 2 GM vehicles in the past 10 years. In fact, just in my personal home there have been well over 2. I have had extremely good luck with all mine and they have all been comfortable, well made, reliable and low cost to own. Granted, I tend to trade every two years. However, I have other family members who have purchased their GM new and driven them well over 100K and more than 10 years and they continue to buy GM due to the luck they have had. Lastly, I would point you to both JDP where Honda has not done that well for years along with how Honda (and Toyota) have been continuing to drop within Consumer Reports.
Easy y’all. The defection to Honda was because my Equinox was totalled. Going back to the Bowtie when the Equinox EV rolls out 🙂
Enjoy having that equinox EV burn your house down like the bolt owners.
Get the homeless tent ready.
Katrina: That is nice to hear. I really hope you follow through with that and go back to the bowtie. Oh, and don’t pay attention to our resident (Toyota loving) anti-GM crybaby Evan. It only comes here to troll in a major way because they can’t handle being on the sites where the truth is spoken openly about how bad some their loved brands really are. Instead, they come here and troll a GM site in hopes they can spread enough lies to brainwash others into buying those other brands. Numbers and facts don’t lie. Evan does.