Car commercials often feature professionals behind the wheel skidding across beautiful landscapes, traveling smoothly around the bends and curves of California’s scenic, coastal highways, or climbing over monstrous terrain with ease. Hardly do they ever show what it would look like to drive on the actual roads we drive every day. Your daily commute probably doesn’t involve speeding across deserts, rock crawling, or cruising the Pacific Coast Highway. The roads we drive every day just need a reliable vehicle without the extra bells and whistles. People nowadays need comfort and convenience. They need a vehicle they can rely on and trust that will safely take them to their destination, over and over again. If all of this sounds like what you have been looking for, then you are in luck. There is the Honda CR-V for sale, and it has been waiting for you.
What Is the Honda CR-V?
The Honda CR-V is an excellent vehicle for a drive across town, or across the country. No matter where this car goes, it will get there without breaking a sweat. With a robust and durable exterior, its drivers will have no problem navigating the roads in this long-lasting, versatile SUV. Plus, with all of the new standard tech and safety features, no one is getting lost, with the ability to change your route in case of bumps popping up along the way. Arriving late will become a thing of the past in a Honda CR-V.
The 2024 CR-V starts with an MSRP of $29,500, which is surprisingly below the 2023 average selling price for a new car. That buys you a 1.5L Turbo I-4 engine with 190 hp and 179 lb-ft of torque. An optional upgrade is available to the 2.0L I-4 Hybrid engine with 204 hp and 247 lb-ft of torque. The Honda CR-V hybrid powertrain gets 43 MPG in the city and 36 MPG on the highway. For superior traction, you can equip the CR-V with Real Time AWD and an Intelligent Control System, which reduces fuel economy to a still impressive 40 city / 34 highway.
The Honda CR-V comes with a seven-inch touchscreen that can be upgraded to a nine-inch screen in higher trim levels, highlighting applications and features that connect you to the world around you. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility are also available options, removing the need for a charging cable to connect. Safety features, like the Honda Sensing Suite, ensure that the driver and passengers remain protected on the road. While some of the CR-V’s technological marvels are reserved for higher trim levels, the Honda Sensing Suite is standard equipment on every CR-V, demonstrating Honda’s dedication toward keeping you and your passengers safe. This technology package includes sensors and software that alert and provide automatic braking and steering for emergency situations. There is also the Collision Mitigation Braking System that acts like an extra pair of eyes for you, detecting objects ahead and determining when you need to brake to avoid an accident. A road departure mitigation system, lane-keeping assist, and traffic sign recognition are also included. In the Hybrid, you will find within the information center a power meter for the battery output and charging levels of its battery, so you are always aware of your car’s electric charge.
The Competition
The Hybrid Honda CR-V Sport with AWD is the leading SUV among its competition, namely the Toyota RAV4, Nissan Rogue, Hyundai Tucson, Subaru Forester, and Chevrolet Equinox. Car and Driver gives the Honda CR-V five stars in the fun-to-drive category. Its competitors all receive four stars or lower. The CR-V also passed Car and Driver’s off-road challenge, something the Subaru Forester and Chevy Equinox did not. While the average commuter will likely not be adventuring into the wilderness with their SUV, having some off-road capabilities comes in handy when the road turns to dirt or gets covered in snow.
The Toyota RAV4 hybrid is the only one out of the five that can compete against the CR-V’s fuel economy, providing a respectable 41 MPG in the city. The others range between 25 and 28 MPG, behind even the CR-V’s standard 1.5L engine and its 30 MPG in combined driving. The CR-V also beats out the competition’s maximum cargo volume at 76.5 cu.ft. The others range from 63.9 to 74.5 cu.ft.
Plus, it is the only vehicle among its competitors that comes with Traffic Sign Recognition technology, which relays information from the signs it detects along the road directly to your information center. This is a huge advantage for safety and knowledge on the road. The days of wondering, “What’s the speed limit here, anyway?” are gone. Most drivers can agree that the CR-V is the best quality vehicle of the group. The 2023 Honda CR-V even received a 10-Best award from Car and Driver for an excellent powertrain, impeccable interior design, and more. This is the car that will get you where you need to go, anywhere you need to go, in comfort and style. It is the most convenient SUV on the market, especially compared to those listed above.
Comparing Trims and Specs
There are six trim levels to enhance your experience with the CR-V. Honda offers the LX, EX, Sport Hybrid, EX-L, Sport-L Hybrid, and Sport Touring Hybrid. The prices vary, of course, but the best fit for you depends on what you are looking for. All models have Real Time AWD available, but it is standard equipment on the Sport Touring Hybrid. They all seat up to five people and all come with Honda Sensing Safety and Driver-Assitive Technology.
The LX is the standard trim, starting at $29,500, and has standard 17-inch wheels. The others will come with 18-inch wheels and appearances, such as Spark Silver Metallic or Berlina Black. The next higher-up MSRP is the EX at $32,010, and adds a moonroof, blind spot information system, and cross-traffic monitors. The Sport Hybrid starts at $33,350 and, as the name implies, comes with the optional hybrid powertrain and a boost to 204 horsepower. The EX-L, starting at $34,660, comes with the standard gas engine, but adds a leather-trimmed interior and a power tailgate. The next step up the ladder is the Sport-L Hybrid at $36,350, which adds a wireless phone charger and dual chrome exhaust tips. The top-of-the-line Sport Touring Hybrid starts at $39,500,still miraculously under the 2023 average for new cars being sold. It is the only CR-V that offers a hands-free power tailgate with adjustable height. It is also the only one to have 19-inch wheels. No matter what upgrades or edition you pick, the CR-V is sure to impress.
Reliable and Convenient
Now that we have learned just how convenient and reliable the Honda CR-V is, what better way to use this knowledge than to check out the car for yourself? Whether in person or online, I’m sure you will find that this SUV can not be beaten in terms of drivability, comfort, and style. With a vehicle that handles this well against the competition, try not to sleep on it.
