Honda’s best-selling vehicle, the CR-V is a compact crossover utility vehicle competing in the most popular market segment in the U.S. against well-known nameplates like the Toyota RAV4, Subaru Forester, and Hyundai Tucson. The CR-V (short for Comfortable Runabout Vehicle) has been a fixture in Honda’s U.S. lineup since 1997; the current sixth-generation version has been on sale since the 2023 model year.
2026 Honda CR-V Pricing, Specs, and Release Date
- What’s New for the 2026 Honda CR-V
- 2026 Honda CR-V FAQs
- Design
- Powertrain
- Interior
- Technology
- Safety
- Pricing and Release Date
- Further Research
What’s New for the 2026 Honda CR-V
Now three model years into its current generation, the CR-V gets a handful of notable updates for the 2026 model year. A new TrailSport model joins the lineup, bringing more rugged styling and all-terrain tires for enhanced capability on slippery surfaces. That’s in addition to enhanced traction management for all CR-V models with all-wheel drive (AWD), and an Individual drive mode for the Sport Touring model. Tech upgrades, including a larger standard touchscreen, standard wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto compatibility, standard wireless phone charging, and a larger in-cluster digital display for certain trim levels, round out the changes. Powertrains and styling remain essentially the same, however.
2026 Honda CR-V FAQs
Where is the 2026 Honda CR-V Built? The 2026 Honda CR-V is built at Honda’s East Liberty Plant in East Liberty, Ohio, and at the automaker’s Indiana Auto Plant in Greensburg, Indiana. All CR-V Hybrids are built at the Indiana factory.
Is the 2026 Honda CR-V fuel efficient? The CR-V is competitive with other small crossovers when it comes to fuel efficiency. EPA-estimated fuel economy for non-hybrid models is 30 mpg combined (28 mpg city, 33 mpg highway) with front-wheel drive (FWD) and 29 mpg combined (27 mpg city, 31 mpg highway) with AWD. Hybrids are estimated to get 40 mpg combined (43 mpg city, 36 mpg highway) with FWD and most AWD hybrids get an estimated 37 mpg combined (40 mpg city, 34 mpg highway). The TrailSport Hybrid is expected return slightly lower fuel economy of 35 mpg combined (38 mpg city, 33 mpg highway).
How reliable is the 2026 Honda CR-V? The CR-V is generally considered to be a reliable vehicle. Honda’s reputation for reliability has held up in recent Consumer Reports surveys, no major issues have cropped up with recent model year examples of the CR-V.
Design
When the current-generation CR-V debuted for the 2023 model year, Honda took a more traditional approach to styling. After several generations of embracing its crossover roots, the current CR-V is boxy and truck-like, giving it a closer resemblance to the larger Honda Pilot and Passport. That doesn’t change for 2026, as the exterior carries over.
Trim levels for 2026 include the non-hybrid LX, EX, and EX-L, as well as the Sport Hybrid, Sport-L Hybrid, Sport Touring Hybrid, and all-new TrailSport Hybrid. This reflects Honda’s current strategy of making hybrid powertrains exclusive to higher trim levels.
The new TrailSport Hybrid features several unique styling touches, including all-terrain tires on Shark Gray 18-inch alloy wheels, a model-specific front fascia with silver trim meant to look like a skid plate, and an exclusive Ash Green Metallic paint color. Base LX models roll on 17-inch steel wheels with covers, while most other trim levels have 18-inch alloy wheels in silver, black, or gray. Sport Touring models have 19-inch wheels painted black.
Powertrain
The 2026 Honda CR-V comes standard with a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 190 horsepower and 179 pound-feet of torque. FWD and AWD are available with this engine, with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) in either case. This powertrain is expected to return up to 30 mpg with FWD and 29 mpg with AWD, while affording a modest 1,000 pounds of towing capacity.
Hybrids use the same two-motor system as the Honda Accord Hybrid and Honda Civic Hybrid. The gasoline engine (in this case a 2.0-liter inline-four running on the more-efficient Atkinson cycle) acts primarily as a generator, only driving the wheels directly occasionally. The two electric motors provide most of the propulsion, giving the CR-V a different feel to other hybrids while also eliminating the need for a conventional transmission. AWD hybrids use a driveshaft and differential to power the rear wheels similar to non-hybrid models.
Hybrid models are rated at 204 hp and 247 lb-ft of torque, and are also available in both FWD and AWD configurations, although FWD isn’t available on all trim levels. FWD models are expected to achieve up to 40 mpg combined, with AWD models achieving 37 mpg combined. All CR-V Hybrids can tow up to 1,500 pounds.
The new TrailSport trim is only available with the hybrid powertrain—the first time Honda has given a hybrid this rugged treatment. The TrailSport’s all-terrain tires should give it more traction off-road, but it’s otherwise mechanically similar to other AWD hybrid models. EPA-estimated fuel economy also drops to 35 mpg combined.
Interior
The CR-V has a charming interior for its price point, with mesh detailing on the dashboard highlighting the impressive material quality. You have to upgrade from the base LX trim level to get heated front seats, a moonroof, and dual-zone climate control, but active noise cancellation is at least standard across the board.
A 10-way power adjustable driver’s seat is standard on EX and higher trim levels, while EX-L, Sport-L Hybrid, and Sport Touring Hybrid models add a memory system. A four-way power front passenger’s seat and leather upholstery are also standard on those models, while TrailSport Hybrids feature standard ambient lighting, rubber floor mats, and TrailSport logos embroidered on the front-seat headrests.
The CR-V’s 40 inches of front headroom and 38.2 inches of rear headroom, as well as its 41.3 inches of front legroom and 41 inches of rear legroom, are in line with other compact crossovers. So is the 39.3 cubic feet of cargo space behind the second row. Folding the rear seats affords 76.5 cubic feet of space. A power tailgate is standard on the EX-L, TrailSport Hybrid, and Sport-L Hybrid, while the Sport Touring Hybrid adds hands-free access.
Technology
For 2026, a 9-inch touchscreen is now standard on all models (lower trim levels previously had a 7-inch screen) along with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. A new 10.2-inch in-cluster digital display is now available on EX-L, TrailSport Hybrid, Sport-L Hybrid, and Sport Touring Hybrid models, although a fully digital cluster still isn’t offered. Sport Touring models add Google Built-in apps, with a complimentary three-year data plan.
Wireless device charging is newly standard for 2026, while a Wi-Fi hotspot is standard on hybrid models. A single USB-C connectivity port is standard, but most trim levels also include a second front-seat for charging only, plus two charging ports for the rear seats.
A 160-watt, four-speaker audio system is standard on LX models, while EX and Sport Hybrid models come standard with a 240-watt, six-speaker system. A 320-watt, eight-speaker system is standard on all other trim levels expect the top Sport Touring Hybrid, which features a 12-speaker Bose premium audio system.
