If you’ve never owned a hybrid before, then don’t fret; you’re not alone. If you have owned a hybrid before, chances are the newest Honda CR-V Hybrid for sale will reset your expectations and provide you with a fresh hybrid experience.
Early hybrids like the original Toyota Prius were less than practical, but those who bought them walked so the rest of us could run—and run we shall. The 2024 Honda CR-V Hybrid is indicative of a new era of green auto tech, with a stellar performance and a buffet of handy and handsome features across its three terrific trims.
These trims will sound familiar to those who’ve flirted with the CR-V in the past: the Sport, Sport-L, and Sport Touring. You can expect the CR-V Hybrid to start at a slightly higher cost than the traditional CR-V, as is the case for innovative green tech, but the savings you’ll reap over time will more than make up for it. For those curious, the 2024 CR-V Hybrid starts at an MSRP of just over $33k for the Sport trim, just over $36k for the Sport-L, and just over $39k for the Sport Touring.
The Hybrid Sport
The most generous standard inclusion on this entry-level trim is the Honda Sensing suite of driver assistance technology, which includes tools like the Collision Mitigation Braking System, Road Departure Mitigation System, Lane Keeping Assist System, Traffic Sign Recognition, and Adaptive Cruise Control with Low-Speed Follow. Even a Blind Spot Information System and Cross Traffic Monitor come standard, which is a bonus as these features are usually optional add-ons; here, they come for free, boosting the CR-V Hybrid’s value from a reliability standpoint.
The base-level CR-V Hybrid also comes with two 7.0-inch screens in the infotainment center and the Digital Instrument Cluster. The infotainment center contains the most critical features to keep your drive lively, like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, HondaLink, and a trio of USB-C charging ports. Its multimedia capabilities are excellent thanks to this connection between your car and your smartphone, and a six-speaker 240W audio setup makes your favorite songs and podcasts sound pristine.
Another inclusion of the 2024 CR-V Hybrid Sport that may surprise you is the luxury and versatility of its driver’s seat. Despite being the entry-level trim, your captain’s chair is ten-way power-adjustable, heated, and has two-way power lumbar support to cradle your lower back on long drives.
Another facet of the base-level CR-V Hybrid that makes it an appealing purchase is, of course, its powertrain; this consists of a battery, two motors, and a 2.0L I-4 engine, all paired with a Continuously Variable Automatic Transmission (CVT). This powertrain is standard on all three CR-V Hybrid trims. You’ll get 204 hp and 247 lb-ft of torque, and its fuel economy ratings will make it a beloved investment.
In front-wheel drive, the 2024 CR-V Hybrid earns an EPA-estimated rating of 43 MPG in the city and 36 MPG on the highway (for 40 MPG combined); if you opt for the all-wheel drive configuration, you’ll net 40 MPG in the city and 34 MPG on the highway (for 37 MPG combined). The CR-V Hybrid Sport can be purchased with either drivetrain configuration, and you’ll have four drive modes to select from to tailor your performance further: Normal, Econ, Snow, and Sport.
The Hybrid Sport-L
The 2024 CR-V Hybrid Sport-L is a more refined experience that saw Honda focus on the minutiae, creating a more than serviceable hybrid experience with premium features. One of the more sophisticated aspects of the Hybrid Sport-L is its seating material; the Hybrid Sport comes with cloth seats, but the Hybrid Sport-L has leather seats with premium orange-colored stitching and a steering wheel of matching design.
These front seats are heated and duplicate the ten-way power-adjustable nature of the Sport trim’s driver’s seat. However, the Sport-L trim takes it even further, with the driver’s seat having two-way memory settings, which is great if you regularly share the vehicle with another household member. The driver’s seat will automatically adjust its positioning when it detects a certain key fob.
Acclimating to the cabin reveals the most distinct differences between the Hybrid Sport-L and the base-level trim. For starters, you now have a wireless charging pad for compatible smart devices, as opposed to the tried-and-true cabled connection with a USB cord, as seen in the Hybrid Sport; in that case, too, your attuning to Apple CarPlay or Android Auto is cabled. With the Hybrid Sport-L, however, you get wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto—as well as a larger 9.0-inch infotainment center.
That’s not to say there aren’t differences outside of the cabin. One of the best parts about the Hybrid Sport-L is it’s the first of the three hybrid trims to include a power tailgate. While this feature is more of a quality-of-life inclusion for the CR-V Hybrid, it’s something that makes the Hybrid Sport-L more premium. Similarly to the Hybrid Sport, the Hybrid Sport-L has 18-inch wheels, roof rails, and LED headlights, to name a few.
The Hybrid Sport Touring
What makes the Sport Touring special is that it’s not only the most premium CR-V Hybrid trim, but it’s the most premium CR-V trim overall, which means there are features found here that aren’t available on any other CR-V. The Hybrid Sport Touring refines your experience further than the Hybrid Sport-L, which was already a significant improvement over the Hybrid Sport.
The changes of the Hybrid Sport Touring begin with 19-inch wheels, rain-sensing windshield wipers, and the trim-exclusive Real-Time AWD as standard. The power tailgate is now accessible hands-free, too. This trim is more aesthetically bespoke, thanks to features like ambient lighting that extends from the center console to receded areas like footwells and door pulls. Another feature exclusive to the Hybrid Sport Touring is its heated steering wheel, which again is wrapped in genuine leather with orange stitching.
The Sport Touring is the only CR-V Hybrid trim to come with a pre-installed 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot—for fast and secure internet access—and the HondaLink subscription service. This trim is also the only one with Honda’s in-house navigation software built into its infotainment interface, which is the same 9.0-inch touchscreen as the Hybrid Sport-L, featuring tangible volume knobs and other amenities like HD Radio and SiriusXM.
Lastly, your audio quality is at its best in the Hybrid Sport Touring thanks to your twelve-speaker sound system manufactured by Bose, which is vastly superior to the six- and eight-speaker setups available on the preceding two trims.
Which CR-V Hybrid Trim Sounds Best for You?
There are three trims to the 2024 Honda CR-V Hybrid; all are rich with high-tech features and indulgent cabin comfort—everything you’d want from a modern-day crossover from one of the most reputable automakers. But which trim speaks most to you? The base-level Sport is already generous, but the increasingly cozy and convenient natures of the Sport-L and Sport Touring make them too alluring to write off.
If you want assistance in narrowing your choice down to the ideal trim, come seek the wisdom of the professionals at Ralph Honda. We’ll introduce you to the 2024 CR-V Hybrid and let you get up close and personal to perform your own evaluation.