Rental review: 2023 CR-V

[dishdude]

Currently driving this CR-V and it is a mixed bag for sure. I'm not sure what trim level it is (if anyone knows please lmk), but it is oddly spec'd. It has some options I'd associate with a higher trim level like a sunroof, remote start, heated seats, power driver seat, LKA. It is missing things like BSM, a leather wrapped wheel and it is extremely cheap inside with a very plain monotone theme and an absence of any premium materials or comfort items.

Pluses -

Braking, steering, ride and handling are all very good for a mid-sized crossover. It's very easy to drive and maneuver, I feel comfortable and confident driving it. It has a ton of room, a lot of space in the cargo area and rear seat. The powertrain - 1.5T with a CVT behind it isn't bad at all. It has enough power for what it is (no one would call this fast), and the CVT is probably the most pleasant I have driven.

Minuses -

This thing feels cheap inside. Cheap, ugly plastics all around that would make 2009 Patriot feel proud. The seats are covered in cheap cloth, and everything inside is a bland black color. The infotainment system is the saddest thing I've seen in years, there are no apps, not even a home button or SiriusXM. It appears to have wired Android Auto and CarPlay, but only through the USB-A port, all the charging cables I have with me are USB-C so I can't test it.

It reminds me a lot of the Tiguan, but worse. The one thing that's a lot better is the powertrain, it doesn't have the helter-skelter personality of the weird 2.0T in the VW.

It won't be on my shopping list but it makes a decent rental.

I didn't make the nasty stain on the driver's seat and I don't want to know what it is.

 

[Nick1994]

I like the interior of new Hondas at least in pictures, but yeah that thing being all black is really bad. Like some black Hefty food prep Tupperware containers I got at Costco.

 

[loneryder]

Spec'd for rental companies?

 

[The Critic]

I actually like the cheap hard plastics. They wear better than soft touch plastics, which is important for mainstream family vehicles that see heavy use.

 

[CharBaby]

We test-drove a '23 CRV Hybrid Touring and there are too many things that were a deal killer for us.
I hated the narrow driver seat. I felt like I was sitting on the bolsters and not in the seat.
The interior didn't feel as cheap to me as it did to the OP but it wasn't as nice as the PRESS make it out to be.
No remote hatch in lower trims and all of the black on the interior is a turnoff to me.
There are some good thing such as the ride and it was pretty quiet inside.

 

[fantastic]

ewe reliability never looked so ugly But there are many that are practical & there are different styles/features appealing that work for folks everyday vehicles. I'd still drive it if the price was cheap enough.

 

[t1snwrbrdr12]

A lot of Hondas lately are sold with credits due to missing options like blind spot monitoring etc. Likely supply chain shortages and instead of not getting them built and sold, they just listed it as a credit on the window sticker stating it was omitted.

 

[hrv]

A lot of Hondas lately are sold with credits due to missing options like blind spot monitoring etc. Likely supply chain shortages and instead of not getting them built and sold, they just listed it as a credit on the window sticker stating it was omitted.

same with ford... lot full of trucks here waiting for chips...

 

[eugenem]

That looks like an EX based on the presence of the moonroof.

https://automobiles.honda.com/cr-v#trims-specs

We have the prior generation 2022 CR-V Touring Hybrid. The interior is nicer as you move up to the top trims, but it wouldn't be mistaken for a Mazda interior.

Honda had supply constraints in 2023, so some of the CR-Vs (especially in lower trim) were missing features like blind spot monitoring. There was a $550 credit for these features being removed.

2023 Honda CR-V, Accord Losing Blind Spot Warning

Honda's two newest vehicles are losing an important safety feature. According to the latest order guide data and confirmation from a company spokesperson, both hybrid

www.carsdirect.com

 

[raaizin]

I looked at a 2023 Sport Touring which is top of the line and about 40k when I dropped my neighbor off at Honda dealer to pick up his Pilot which was being serviced. Just for reference we have a 2019 Audi Q5 and I did not think the CRV was a step down. I really like how all conrols were laid out. While the Audi has some better materials in some spots it really wasnt significant. I would have no issue owning it over the Audi. My only concern would be the hybrid/cvt transmission as I didnt drive it.

 

[joekingcorvette]

My wife and I drove a brand new hybrid CRV and the only thing I didnt like is you cannot see the hood. You look out the windshield and that's it. We drove the Toyota RAV 4 hybrid and thought it was much nicer but it had black leather and blue stitching and you could see the hood. Plus it had power seats on both sides and the Honda CRV didn't offer that option. I like Honda's but have to say the RAV 4 hybrid is so much better.

 

[goingplacesanddoingstuff]

Are there still issues with Honda’s 1.5T engines?

 

[andrew_j]

No modern car maker uses “apps” in there infotainment screens. They use Apple or Android car modes for superior experience because they let App developers make the apps and not DIY stuck in some times.

I concur the lower model Honda leaves a lot to be desired when cloth seats are there. I would not judge any car maker on their cloth offering. Leatherette or leather is only way to go. Otherwise you get those nasty stains sometimes with a water spill in lighter color fabrics.

 

[Danh]

Are there still issues with Honda’s 1.5T engines?

On this board the answer would of course be “yes”. But there are millions of Honda 1.5Ts out there and not much squawking from the general public, let alone many reports of failure. Some tweaking was done on early examples to minimize fuel dilution and there were some head gasket issues, but the maturing of the engine seems to have gone well. The 1.5T has been out for nearly a decade so it should be pretty well sorted out.

 

[goingplacesanddoingstuff]

No modern car maker uses “apps” in there infotainment screens. They use Apple or Android car modes for superior experience because they let App developers make the apps and not DIY stuck in some times.

I concur the lower model Honda leaves a lot to be desired when cloth seats are there. I would not judge any car maker on their cloth offering. Leatherette or leather is only way to go. Otherwise you get those nasty stains sometimes with a water spill in lighter color fabrics.

IDK… the cloth seats in my 2006 CR-V look near perfect.