2024 Honda CR-V review: Australian first drive

The sixth-generation Honda CR-V has landed in Australia with a pretty big job on its hands for the Japanese brand.

In 2022 – Honda's first full year of adopting an agency sales model with fixed pricing – the once hugely popular brand recorded its all-time lowest new-car sales in Australia.

The Japanese automotive titan, which consistently held a position in Australia's top 10 biggest-selling car manufacturers for the past two decades, today sits in 20th place on the ladder.

With that being said, Honda seems to be turning a corner.

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The updated Civic is brilliant to drive and the new ZR-V is sensibly priced, not to mention being Honda's best SUV contender in years. Pair this with the recently redesigned HR-V and you've got a line-up that is set to impress almost any buyer.

And now we have a new generation of CR-V, Honda's leading model globally, which continues the trend.

It's now bigger than ever, has excellent dynamics and the option of seven seats, front- or all-wheel drive and a hybrid powertrain.

Is it the sales saviour Honda so sorely needs? Let's find out.

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JUMP AHEAD

• How much is it, and what do you get?
• How do rivals compare on value?
• Interior comfort, space and storage
• What is it like to drive?
• How is it on fuel?
• How safe is it?
• Warranty and running costs
• VERDICT
• Specifications

How much is it, and what do you get?

The new CR-V line-up – consisting of seven grades – begins at a drive-away price of $44,500, marking an increase of $6000 over the previous generation.

Serving as range flagship is the e:HEV RS hybrid priced at $59,900 drive-away.

The entry VTi X offers 17-inch alloy wheels, a 9.0-inch infotainment system, wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto, an eight-speaker audio system, wireless phone charger, front and rear parking sensors and an eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat.

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Available across the entire range is a hands-free electric tailgate with walk-away function, so the press of a button is all it takes for the boot to close itself and the car to lock when you wander off with your hands full of groceries.

Spending $2300 more for the VTi X7 adds third-row seating (hence the '7' in the name) and also includes additional safety features such as blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert.

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This additional safety tech also comes standard when choosing the VTi L which also includes larger 18-inch wheels, rear privacy glass, roof rails, leather-appointed seats, rain-sensing wipers and heated front seats.

Again, the VTi L7 adopts third-row seating, but this time the extra outlay of $4200 over the front-drive L also brings a panoramic sunroof and tri-zone climate control above the VTi L.

Seven-seaters do, however, lose the full-size spare that comes with five-seat versions.

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Topping the petrol range, the VTi LX AWD gains 19-inch alloys, a 12-speaker Bose sound system, 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster, panoramic sunroof, 'sport' bumpers and ambient cabin lighting.

Not counted among the dozen audio system speakers in the VTi LX are the three dedicated to a noise-cancelling function that is standard across the CR-V range.

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The new range-topping e:HEV RS variant features a two-motor hybrid system (one per axle) paired with a 2.0-litre direct injection Atkinson cycle four-cylinder engine, creating combined outputs of 152kW and 335Nm.

Honda Australia is working with its head office in Japan to expand the hybrid offering across various grades and other models.

Although Honda sells battery electric vehicles overseas, the brand's electrification strategy in Australia will remain focused on hybrid technology for the time being.

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Colours

All colours across the CR-V range, like with all Honda models, are included at no extra cost. The new Canyon River blue appears for the first time on the CR-V.

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2024 Honda CR-V pricing

Honda's 'One Price Promise' means the drive-away price of every model is standard across all national dealerships.

This is due to the recently adopted agency sales model that eliminates haggling and shopping around – something Honda says it has received positive customer feedback on.

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How do rivals compare on value?

The sixth-generation CR-V is the biggest ever and is now 69mm longer than before, offering two seven-seat versions.

And on first look, this extra size seems to set it against slightly larger medium-segment SUVs like the Mitsubishi Outlander and Nissan X-Trail, as well as those at the smaller end of the large SUV category such as the Hyundai Santa Fe, as its core rivals.

But Honda affirms that the CR-V is still very much in the mid-size category, alongside the new ZR-V and will continue to rival models such as the Toyota RAV4, Mazda CX-5, and Volkswagen Tiguan.

Honda said it has plenty of CR-V stock rolling into showrooms in the coming months, and that customers can have one at home as early as Christmas.

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"Customers that may not have test-driven a Honda, might be more likely to do so"

Talking about competitors with long wait times on hybrid models, Honda Australia general manager of automotive Matthew Evans said: "If they don't have stock and we do, customers that may not have test-driven a Honda, might be more likely to do so."

Honda Australia director and chief operating officer Carolyn McMahon affirmed that the company's focus is "very much on Honda to Honda" in terms of customer acquisition but did joke that she wants to "pinch as many customers as [she] can" from rival brands.

The segment-leading Toyota RAV4, for example, is $44,382 based on a Melbourne postcode for a petrol 2WD GX since Toyota's recent-ish general price increase. Compared to $44,500 drive-away for Honda's entry variant, it's a very like-for-like scenario.

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2023 Toyota RAV4 Cruiser Hybrid

However, Toyota offers hybrid tech for an additional $2600. The only hybrid CR-V available is almost $60K.

When considering the range-topping CR-V hybrid, the e:HEV RS, its closest equivalent RAV4 Cruiser 2WD is priced at $57,219 with a very similar list of specs – albeit with a wait time of up to 18 months.

A 4.7L/100km combined-cycle figure fuel economy is what puts the RAV4 on the map, compared to the CR-V hybrid's slightly thirstier 5.5L/100km.

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2023 Nissan X-Trail e-POWER

Honda's total value package also needs to be factored in. Every new CR-V comes with a five-year warranty, five years of roadside assist, fixed low-price servicing at only $199 a pop and complimentary metallic paint.

Consider all that and the CR-V's value equation is quite competitive.

You'll also get class-leading cargo capacity, which makes a world of difference when packing up prams and kids' bikes, thanks to a boot that offers 589L of capacity in all five-seater variants, up 67 litres from the outgoing model.

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For comparison, the segment-leading RAV4 has 542L of cargo capacity when the luggage liner is set to the upper level, or 580L at the lower position (excluding GX variants with a full-size spare wheel).

The Mazda CX-5, on the other hand, only offers 438L in the lower position.

And while there's no escaping that the CR-V hybrid's pricing is on the high side, petrol-powered versions offer excellent value. The entry-level VTi X in particular offers an impressive amount of standard spec for a price point pretty much identical to key competitors.

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Interior comfort, space and storage

On the inside, the CR-V cabin is now bigger and roomier.

The new CR-V is 69mm longer overall, 10mm wider and 2mm taller, all on a 40mm-longer wheelbase.

Its cabin architecture has been designed with simplicity and ease in mind. There are no distracting design features and nothing feels superfluous.

The infotainment system connects easily to Apple CarPlay and the touchscreen is responsive enough. Android Auto is only available through a cable. There is also a volume dial close to the driver, which we love here at Wheels.

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It took a while to find a comfortable driving position and in one instance I was left with a sore back, so the adjustable lumbar support in higher grades was a very welcome aid.

For your passengers, the CR-V's second row is ample for foot, leg and headroom and there are rear HVAC outlets. Rear legroom has been increased by 15mm and the seats now offer 16 reclining positions for added comfort.

The cargo area has seen an increase in space to a generous 589 litres in five-seat models (for both petrol and hybrid), and up to 1072 litres with the second-row seats folded. Combined with a nice low loading bay and a full-size spare it's a very well-designed family boot.

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As expected, seven-seaters sacrifice some cargo space but nothing shocking at 472 litres with rear seats folded down. This is significantly reduced, to 150 litres, with the rearmost seats up.

Honda claims that adults up to 170cm will be comfortable in the third row of seven-seat CR-V variants. We weren't able to test a seven-seater at launch but will assess this with our next review.

There are two sets of ISOFIX points in the rear seats the spec sheet says there are three top tether anchors although only two are located on the backrests.

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What is it like to drive?

We've already established the new CR-V offers strong value (hybrid model aside), is well equipped and offers loads of cabin space but it's how it drives that really sets it apart.

Every version across the broad model range offers excellent steering and engaging handling, and both powertrain options are smooth and effortless.

The 1.5-litre turbo-petrol develops 140kW/240Nm and drive is sent through a smooth continuously variable transmission (CVT). In most situations, it's a quiet and unobtrusive powertrain but not what you'd call overly powerful.

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In fact, it doesn't actually feel turbocharged… which Honda says is quite deliberate.

Honda's engineers have tweaked the torque curve to be like a naturally aspirated engine and at times it feels a touch lacking in torque, especially low in the rev range. It means you have to work the engine quite hard to get the best from it and it can occasionally get quite vocal.

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Hybrid versions of the CR-V feel marginally more muscular. Thanks to the immediate response of its twin e-motors and healthier outputs of 152kW/335Nm, it's not only quieter but more efficient.

No matter which powertrain you go for, every CR-V is surprisingly engaging to drive. Excellent steering, tidy handling and a ride/handling balance that strikes an ideal compromise between comfort and control are the key takeaways.

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How is it on fuel?

Driving the car at launch didn't allow us to properly gauge fuel consumption but based on ADR combined-cycle figures, the VTi LX tested uses 7.7L/100km in all-wheel drive format.

The e:HEV RS claims to use 5.5L/100km on the combined cycle. During the launch, we used as little as 5.8L/100km while heading down the Mornington Peninsula Freeway.

Here are the figures:

2024 Honda CR-V fuel economy (L/100km)

2024 Honda CR-V emissions (g/km)

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How safe is it?

Honda is currently working through plans to get an ANCAP rating for the 2024 CR-V.

Also yet to be evaluated by Euro NCAP or ANCAP is the mid-size Honda ZR-V, while the smaller HR-V received a four-star rating.

The CR-V is packed with the Honda Sensing suite of safety features including lane departure alert, lane tracing assist, traffic jam assist, adaptive cruise control and traffic sign recognition.

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During testing, we noted the lane-keep assist feature to be a touch distracting as it would slightly wobble side to side rather than smoothly adjust the steering to help you stay in your lane.

Rear cross-traffic and blind-spot monitoring are omitted from the base VTi X grade.

The e:HEV RS variant builds on the standard safety with an acoustic vehicle alert system and adaptive headlights.

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Warranty and running costs

The new CR-V – like all Honda vehicles – is covered by the brand's five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty.

Five years of premium roadside assistance provides round-the-clock help with breakdowns, emergency fuel delivery, flat tyres or dead batteries, including towing and even car hire or accommodation when required.

All variants of the CR-V also receive five low-price services at $199 per visit, valid for five years from the date of purchase.

The servicing interval is 12 months or 10,000km, whichever comes first, meaning servicing over five years is $995 if you drive less than 10,000km a year.

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New RAV4 servicing is capped at $1300 over five years, or an average of $260 per service albeit with longer 12 months/15,000km intervals.

Also complimentary for the five-year period is a Honda Connect subscription, enabling owners to remotely connect to their vehicle via a smartphone app.

It means you're able to remotely turn on climate control, unlock and lock the car, control the lights and more. The Connect functionality is now available across 75 per cent of Honda's vehicles.

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VERDICT

The 2024 Honda CR-V could not come at a better time for the company.

As with most updated vehicles, the prices have risen, but Honda has thrown in plenty of additional value to help justify the increase.

With some stylish accents such as the rear taillight (homage to the first-generation CR-V), the new design has brought the SUV into line with (and even ahead) of many competitors.

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With family front of mind, Honda has developed a vehicle that has many thoughtful touches making it an ideal hauler for your little ones such as 90-degree rear opening doors and a nice low cargo loading bay with ample space.

Satisfying driving dynamics also means there's more to this family hauler than meets the eye.

As with most new Honda models, the cabin has successfully meshed high-quality materials and design with functionality.

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Without driving the seven-seater, our pick of the bunch would be the VTi L.

It offers an impressive list of standard specs at a competitive price.

Additional safety specs such as blind-spot monitoring come in handy for a vehicle of this size. The overall package also feels quite premium with the heated leather seats, rear privacy glass, larger 18-inch alloy wheels and roof rails, making this a fantastic family all-rounder.

We reckon the new CR-V might just be the answer to Honda's prayers.

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