Honda CR-V 2025 review: e:HEV RS long-term | Part 1

This Honda CR-V e:HEV RS is in the goldilocks zone for family SUVs.

Australians buy more mid-size SUVs than any other vehicle and hybrid sales have doubled this year.

The Honda CR-V e:HEV RS I’ve been driving for the past month ticks both those boxes and it is easy to see why this combo is such a hit with buyers.

It provides a compelling alternative to the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, which is the best selling non-ute in the nation in 2024 

The RS is the sole hybrid in the CR-V range and is also the most expensive variant at $60,400, drive-away.

The lack of a lower-priced variant hurts it against main rivals that offer cheaper options, but Honda is likely to flesh out the hybrid range in the near future as it has just done with the smaller HR-V.

Beneath the RS there are six petrol-only options, four come in five seat layouts and two add a third row for seven seats, with prices between $44,700 and $57,500, drive-away.

Prices are fixed so there is no negotiating, which some buyers will love and some will not.

Petrol versions use a 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine that makes 140kW and 240Nm matched to an automatic Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT). Four variants are front-wheel drive, two bring all-wheel drive grip.

The hybrid version uses a non-turbo 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine paired with an electric motor combining for a stout 135kW and 335Nm.

It is available only as a front-wheel drive, whereas most competitors offer an AWD alternative.

The RS cuts fuel use to a claimed 5.5L/100km compared to the petrol-only versions that use between 7.1L-7.7L/100km, depending on specification.

It only requires the cheapest unleaded petrol, which will help reduce running costs.

The CR-V is a handsome machine, with a chunky physique, dynamic lighting and our RS has gloss black 19-inch alloy wheels.

The RS’s cabin is a well thought out and put together space. It has a roomy and airy feel to it compared to most SUVs in its class.

The eight-way power adjustable front seats are wrapped in leather accented upholstery with red accent stitching. They are on the firmer side but provide ample support for long drives and have three-stage heating in the first row.

The interior is a mix of premium materials, hard wearing plastics and some nice textured highlights such as the lattice work bar that runs along the dash and houses the air conditioning vents.

A panoramic sunroof lets the light in and rear doors that open a full 90 degrees are a welcome addition for anyone that has to load little ones in and out. The rear pew can easily accomodate rearward facing child seats, too.

The 589-litre boot is one of the biggest in its class, but the hybrid CR-V ditches the space saver or full size spare tyre from the petrol versions for a fiddly repair kit.

The 9.0-inch multimedia screen is on the smaller side for this class and it doesn’t feel as well integrated into the layout as some of its rivals.

It is compatible with wireless Apple CarPlay but you’ll need a cord to connect to Android Auto.

This is paired with a 10.2-inch digital driver display, up from a small 7.0-inch unit in lower grades. There is also digital radio and in-built sat nav.

There are plenty of USB-C and USB-A charging ports and a wireless device charger in the centre console.

The RS has a 12-speaker Bose stereo while most other variants make do with an unbranded eight-speaker unit.

It’s a fairly sharp SUV to steer by first impressions.

The hybrid combo has plenty of grunt and makes light work of hills and overtaking at speed, and the hybrid set-up works seamlessly, switching between electric and petrol power smartly.

The firmer than average suspension makes for a rougher ride over bumps but the trade off is a sweeter cornering machine.

Honda wins further points by being extremely affordable to run.

Honda has some of the cheapest capped price servicing in the nation at $199 a pop for five years, but intervals are short at 10,000km or 12 months.

Honda guarantees its cars with a five year/unlimited km warranty, which is the industry standard, and gives five years of roadside assistance.

At the time of writing Honda is bumping that to an eight year/unlimited km warranty and eight years of roadside assistance.

Honda has a four out of five star ANCAP safety rating, but it performed well in crash tests. The CR-V was marked down due to being fitted with simpler active driver aids compared to the more sophisticated systems offered on European versions.

Despite the four-star rating the CR-V has 11 airbags and all the vital safety aids such as autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assist, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert.

Those shopping for the cheapest petrol version should be aware it misses out on blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert.

Next month we’ll cover off more on how the CR-V drives and how it handles longer road trips and the cut and thrust of city commuting.

Acquired: July, 2024

Distance travelled this month: 424km

Odometer: 16,955km

Average fuel use this month: 6.4L/100km