A silver 2021 Honda CR-V Touring is parked on the side of a city street after leaving a Rochester Honda CR-V dealership.

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Why the 2021 Honda CR-V Is Perfect for Driving in the City

Published on Oct 28, 2025 by Brianna White

Every city may be home to plenty of SUVs, but not every SUV is suited for the city. Luckily, the 2021 Honda CR-V is a perfect option for those who need an SUV to navigate the crowded inner-city streets and maintain excellent fuel economy. Different trim levels of the CR-V will net you some fine features for cruising through the long stretches of road or the narrow streets that span the urban labyrinth. If you’re considering an SUV for the city, it won’t hurt to visit Ralph Honda, your Rochester Honda CR-V dealership, to find the right model for you.

 

So why exactly is the Honda CR-V perfect for city driving? A lot of it has to do with its feature line-up, its fuel economy, and the option to go hybrid. You may not necessarily think about why hybrids are great for the hustle and bustle of running errands on a daily basis, but their cost-saving technology really comes in handy. Let’s go over these features properly, so you have an idea of why the Honda CR-V is as beloved as it is in the SUV market and why it’s a choice vehicle for those who live in the crowded concrete jungle.

Size Makes a Difference on City Streets

When you rank vehicles based on their size, there’s more to it than just more room is better, more horsepower is great, and larger wheels are the best. You also have to consider that the gross vehicle weight ratings also alter the dynamics of how the vehicle performs. Not only that, but the weight and size of the vehicle also alter how it handles, how difficult it is to park, and a number of other factors. This is one of the areas where the Honda CR-V shines because it’s the perfect size to navigate both open roads and cramped city streets.

 

The CR-V sits on a 104.8-inch wheelbase with up to 8.2-inches of ground clearance and a top-end, maximum curb weight of 3,763 pounds for the hybrid Touring model. What this means is that even at its heaviest, the Honda CR-V is relatively light on its wheels. The significance of this is that it means it’s easier to maneuver and control. When you have to deal with the stop-and-go traffic within the city, you can stop on a dime thanks to the anti-lock braking system and the electronically controlled brake distribution mechanism.

 

Basically, the CR-V is designed in a way that makes it easy to handle around tight urban turns thanks to the Vehicle Stability Assist system, which also contains traction control and a proper braking system. So if someone suddenly stops in front of you, you can brake practically instantly and not worry about a front-end collision. The stability and traction control systems also ensure that during rainy and snowy weather, the CR-V doesn’t slide or spin out of control. As a midsize crossover SUV, it’s easy to handle and nimble at the wheel.

Parking With Confidence

One of the hardest things to pull off in the city is parking on the street. We all know how difficult it can be, especially during rush hour, or during busy events. But the CR-V makes parking in the city a breeze because it comes with both active and assistive technologies to help with positioning the vehicle even in the tightest of spots. In fact, there are dedicated systems to help drivers with parking.

 

The 2021 Honda CR-V comes with a multi-angle rearview digital camera, so drivers can see every angle they need in order to park. The added benefit of the multi-angle camera is that it comes with available dynamic guidelines. This is a great feature even for drivers who lack the confidence to parallel park or utilize rear parking in crowded areas. You also have the bonus inclusion of the Collision Mitigation Braking System, so you don’t have to worry about dinging or denting another car while trying to squeeze into a parking space.

 

Not every vehicle comes with these sorts of assistive technologies, and in today’s ever-busy society, it’s more than helpful to have these features available for drivers. With the Honda CR-V, they come standard with the vehicle. This just further adds to the reasons as to why the CR-V is such a great fit for city life or those looking for a sporty SUV that not only handles well but also is easy to park.

A blue 2021 Honda CR-V Touring is shown off-roading through a puddle.

Collision Avoidance Systems

When you’re driving out in rural areas, you rarely have to worry about the bumper-to-bumper grind you find in urban areas. You have lots of open roads and highways to explore, and the driving is usually a lot more relaxed. In the crowded concrete maze of the high-paced city life, you have lots of people in a rush to get to their destination. Everyone hates being late, and almost everyone hates for anyone else to be late. This can sometimes result in some rather tense driving conditions.

 

Even though no vehicle can solve rush-hour traffic or tailgating, there are some vehicles that can help reduce some of the congestion and collisions that result from that congestion. The 2021 Honda CR-V is one of those vehicles. As mentioned, it comes with the Collision Mitigation Braking System to help reduce the possibility of colliding with an object in front of you, but there is more. There is the Forward Collision Warning, which informs drivers when they’re too close to another vehicle while traveling.

 

There’s also a Lane Keeping Assist System in place to help alert drivers when they’re drifting off the road or out of the lane. Along with this, there is the Road Departure Mitigation System that can also sense when you are drifting out of your lane without signaling and provide steering assistance or braking to keep you in your lane and on the road.

Great Fuel Economy

There’s no way you can talk about how fun a Honda CR-V is to drive in the city without talking about how little you’ll have to spend to keep it fueled and on the road. The 2021 Honda CR-V nets you up to 28 miles per gallon in the city for the gas-only version of the SUV, which is actually higher gas mileage than what most pickup trucks get on the highway.[a]

 

However, if you really want to take advantage of the CR-V’s capabilities, the 2021 CR-V Hybrid is where you get your best performance. With the CR-V Hybrid trims, you have access to a fuel economy of up to 40 miles per gallon in the city.[b] In fact, the CR-V Hybrid actually has higher gas mileage when you drive it in the city than on the highway. You gain 12.5% additional miles per gallon out of the CR-V Hybrid in the city than you do on the highway.

A red 2021 Honda CR-V is shown from the back driving down a city street in the rain.

Choose the CR-V for Your City Life

It’s like the midsize SUV was perfectly made to accommodate the twists, turns, ins, and outs of urban life. This is why the 2021 Honda CR-V is perfect for driving in the city, especially if you need a roomy, fuel-efficient, maneuverable SUV. It’s well worth considering the next time you visit a Rochester Honda CR-V dealership like Ralph Honda.

 

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[a] 28 city/34 highway/30 combined mpg rating for 2WD trims. 27 city/32 highway/29 combined mpg rating for AWD trims. Based on 2021 EPA mileage ratings. Use for comparison purposes only. Your mileage will vary depending on how you drive and maintain your vehicle, driving conditions and other factors.


[b] 40 city/35 highway/38 combined mpg rating for Hybrid trims. Based on 2021 EPA mileage ratings. Use for comparison purposes only. Your mileage will vary depending on how you drive and maintain your vehicle, driving conditions and other factors.

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