FIRST-DRIVE REVIEW: 2023 Honda CR-V -- Hybrid does over 17 km/l on mountain roads

Honda Cars Philippines Inc. has made it very clear that it plans to reintroduce hybrids locally in 2023.

Although the carmaker has remained mum on which of its e:HEV hybrid models it plans to bring in, one strong candidate is the all-new 2023 Honda CR-V.

The crossover comes in two powertrains. One is a turbocharged 1.5-liter, twin-cam, 16-valve inline-4 gasoline engine producing 193 PS and 243 Nm of torque that is mated to a continuously variable transmission (CVT).

The other is a 2.0-liter, twin-cam, 16-valve inline-4 gasoline engine mated to an electric motor. This has a combined output of 207 PS and 335 Nm, which are also coursed through a CVT.

Honda Cars Thailand unveiled the latest CR-V on March 2023 at the Bangkok International Motor Show. Our friends at AutoFun Thailand have been able to test out this latest iteration of the long-running compact crossover.

Punchier and smoother

Even without a turbocharger, the CR-V e:HEV still packs plenty of punch.

Our colleague Salin found that the hybrid model actually offered smoother and more responsive acceleration than the turbo variant. This is, of course, a characteristic of large-displacement, naturally aspirated engines.

Nonetheless, the turbo engine offers good power, with paddle shifters on the ES 4WD model to help keep the CVT within the powerband.

More planted cornering

Although hybrid cars aren’t really designed to handle well, the CR-V e:HEV seems to defy expectations. 

Salin found that while the turbo model felt soft through winding roads, the slightly heavier hybrid variant seemed more stable through the bends. 

The steering is also sharp and responsive for both variants. However, it was not so twitchy that it made spirited driving difficult.

Superb fuel economy

Where the CR-V e:HEV really delivers is the excellent fuel consumption.

The AutoFun Thailand team drove it 77 km from the WTF Coffee Camp to their hotel in Chang Mai, which is some 700 km north of Bangkok. 

Even while going through a twisty, downhill mountain road, the e:HEV model returned 17.4 km/l. This is close to Honda Cars’ claimed average fuel consumption of 20.8 km/l for the hybrid.

Meanwhile, our colleagues were able to drive the 1.5-liter turbo model from the hotel to We-La-Dee, which covers 119 km. The non-hybrid crossover managed a respectable 9.8 km/l, which is quite a bit off Honda’s claimed average of 13.5 km/l.

Overall, Salin found that the CR-V e:HEV offered plenty of value, especially because it's only 10,000 baht (around ₱16,000, as of press time) more than the non-hybrid CR-V ES 4WD because of lower tax rates for hybrids in Thailand.

As long as you’re willing to give up the all-wheel-drive system, it offers better performance and vastly reduced fuel consumption.

Are you looking forward to the 2023 Honda CR-V in the Philippines?

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