Honda has chosen only the top three of its CR-V lineup and paired it up with an electric motor. For 2021, the mid-size SUVs hybrid trim starts with the EX trim which is the mid-level trim for the CR-V lineup and thus, has plenty of features as standard. The EX-L trim is a level above as it adds a few elements of luxury to this affordable SUV. The Touring trim with its hybrid powertrain is the most expensive one in the lineup and comes with multiple convenience and technology features, making it a smart choice over those heavily-priced luxurious SUVs.

Which trim should you buy?

The base trim of the 2021 Honda CR-V hybrid seems to have the best value. Priced the least of all the hybrid trims, the EX variant offers great comfort and plenty of standard convenience features like Keyless entry with push start button, remote engine start, heated front seats, and Apple Carplay/Android Auto compatible 7.0-inch touchscreen, while ensuring the safety of occupants with its advanced safety features.

The 2021 Honda CR-V Hybrid is equipped with a 2.0-L, inline 4-cylinder engine that produces a sufficient power of 143 HP and a torque of 129 lb-ft. The engine is paired to smooth-shifting CVT transmission whereas the Japanese manufacturer has also equipped this SUV with a standard all-wheel-drive for hybrid trims. Along with this, a permanent-magnet AC motor is powered by a 1.4 kWh lithium-ion battery pack giving it a total power output of 212 HP.

The car comes with three drive modes namely, EV, Econ & Sport mode. EV mode activates while cruising under 20 mph. This incredible amount of power accelerates the mid-size SUV from 0 to 60 MPH in just 7 and a half seconds whereas the quarter-mile is completed in about 16 seconds with a cute little speed of 86 MPH. The 2021 Honda CR-V’s hybrid models are boasted to have a top speed of 103 MPH, limited by the governor.

While Ford and Toyota have an edge with their slightly more capacity, the Toyota RAV4 2.5-L engine seems to give the best performance. Whereas the Escape is a split second slower than the best. Being equipped with the 2.0-L engine, the CR-V does a fantastic job and takes the same time to accelerate as the RAV4 but has over a second lost in the quarter-mile because of a lower torque. On the other hand, the Subaru has a smaller engine that has the least output of all and is way slower than the rest.

How well does the 2021 Honda CR-V Hybrid handle?

Being a 5-seater SUV with a motor and a battery pack, the 2021 Honda CR-V hybrid gives a simple and fulfilling handling experience. The variable-ratio electric power-assisted rack and pinion steering mechanism enable the midsize SUV to achieve a turning circle diameter of 37.4 feet. The steering feels light and precise to operate and feels good to be touched with the leather-wrapping on the EX-L and Touring.

On the other hand, the CR-V has a weight distribution of 58-42 percent, so it is balanced well and handles much better. The midsize SUV is equipped with a MacPherson strut front suspension whereas a multi-link double-wishbone rear suspension makes the ride very comfortable. The irregularities on any driving surfaces are mostly absorbed whereas the ride quality is maintained well with minimal wind or road noise reaching the cabin.

Braking Performance of 2021 Honda CR-V Hybrid

The new Honda CR-V hybrid is an SUV that is equipped with a 4-wheel disc braking system with ABS, EBD, and many such advanced braking solutions. The front wheels have front ventilated discs that measure 11.1-inches in diameter while the rear wheels are 10.2-inch solid rotors. The EX weighs 3708 lbs whereas the EX-L and Touring have a curb weight of 3723 and 3763 lbs respectively. Regardless of the negligible weight differences, this combination of brakes makes the SUV stop from 60 MPH to a standstill in about 120 feet.

The Ford Escape is the lightest though it has an engine similar to the RAV4, it has the second-best stopping distance and might have some decent-sized rotors. The Crosstrek is the most compact SUV when compared to the others, weighs the most but has the best stopping distance. On the other hand, the CR-V and RAV4, more or less weigh the same but Toyota does not have a good braking performance and thus stops around 20 feet further than the rest.

The hybrid powertrain in the 2021 Honda CR-V brings a massive difference when compared to the regular gasoline power plants. With over 40 miles to a gallon in the city and 35 MPG on the highway. The hybrid CR-V has a smart fuel-saving technology that only utilizes electric power from the motor when driving below 20 MPH, this gives over 13 miles more inside the city than the conventional powertrains. Honda equips a fuel tank of 14 gallons to the midsize SUV.

Though Ford and Toyota have bigger engines, they offer the best MPG figures. The Escape has the best city MPG rating whereas the RAV4 rules it out on the highways. Toyota also equips its midsize SUV with a greater fuel tank capacity than the other two competitors. Meanwhile, the Crosstrek has an MPGe rating of 90 which translates to giving about 35 miles in combined city and highway driving. Honda’s CR-V is just a couple of digits shorter than the other two competitors and it also has the smallest fuel tank in the segment.

The Japanese automaker has given the midsize SUV a decent styling from the inside. To start with, the center part of the dashboard is wrapped in leather while the inaccessible upper and lower parts have cheap but soft-touch plastic. A few piano black inserts can also be seen on the dashboard. There are plenty of buttons around the driver's side with the drive mode buttons, making all of them more accessible for the driver and front passenger. The center console is made of the same plastic but a pleasant look is provided by the classic wood finish around the console which can also be spotted running across the front passenger side.

Talking about seats, the CR-V has a good space of about 103 cubic feet to fit 5 adults in its cabin. The front seats are bucket styled with 12-way power and 4-way lumbar support for the driver in all trims whereas the front passenger gets a 4-way power adjustment seat only in the EX-L and Touring trims. These seats are heated along with two-position memory for the driver’s seat. In the rear is a 60/40 split-folding bench seat that has good cushioning and can hold three full-sized adults pretty comfortably for a long time.

The EX trim has good quality cloth seating surfaces whereas the EX-L and Touring trims have leather-trimmed seats.

Though the front headroom might be the shortest in the CR-V, the legroom in the rear is the best in class while the standard cargo capacity is not the best but good enough. The Ford Escape has the best front room while the best shoulder room is provided in the Toyota. The RAV4 has more room for cargo while the Ford is nearly the same as the Honda. Although the Crosstrek belongs to a completely different segment, it provides the best front legroom but has a cramped rear headroom whereas the cargo capacity is nowhere near to the rest of its competitors. Some salient interior features of the 2021 honda CR-V Hybrid are:

• Dual-zone automatic climate control 
• Power moonroof
• Ambient lighting
• Wireless phone charging 
• Heated and leather-wrapped steering wheel
• A Deep storage bin under the armrest 
• Power-adjustable driver’s seat with memory setting

What’s there to keep you entertained?

Honda equips the 2021 CR-V hybrid with a standard 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system that has a good response but some choppy graphics. The screen resolution is not the best but it gets the work done, however, the display is clear and bright. Though there are these blemishes, Honda covers them up by giving smartphone-like features on the infotainment system right from changing live wallpapers to getting notified if your favorite sports team has scored. The CR-V has great amounts of connectivity and device integration as well.

The driver’s instrument cluster is also a full-digital screen and is highly luminous even in the bright daylight along with a good resolution. This display provides a seamless medium for the SUV to communicate with the driver. Moving on to the audio system, the EX and EX-L trims get a 180-watt 8-speaker system while the Touring gets a 330-watt 9-speaker premium audio system with a subwoofer, both of them have speed-sensitive volume compensation as standard and provide a good quality sound inside the cabin. Some features of the infotainment system are mentioned below:

• Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatible
• SiriusXM and HD Radio
• Pandora compatible
• Bluetooth audio streaming and hands-free link
• Satellite-linked navigation system (Touring)
• Voice recognition and digital traffic display (Touring)
• 4 USB ports and a 12-volt power outlet

The 2021 Honda CR-V still looks great with its striking and mildly aggressive looks. Talking about features first, the hybrid models are filled with many out of which a one-touch power moonroof, active grille shutters, heated and body-colored power door mirrors, automatic LED headlights, DRLs, and foglights are equipped as standard while more are available based on the trim level. Considering the appearance and starting with the front, the hood has a clean and sharp incline on the sides along with a pair of furiously styled LED headlights and foglights. The front grille is blocked with a piano black insert whereas the front bumper has hexagonal-shaped and horizontal slats painted in black. In addition to this, a massive chrome piece that details the bumper making it look rugged and aggressive.

Moving onto the side, the CR-V sits on nicely done 18-inch and 19-inch alloy wheels whereas chrome inserts are continued down the length on the lower door as well as on surrounding the windows. The Touring trim also gets silver roof rails, giving it a proper SUV look. There is only one faded character line that runs from the top of the front wheel all the way to the back. The rear is slightly amusing because of the taillight design but the SUV appears pretty tall and compact from the behind. A huge chrome piece unites the two taillights whereas a roof-mounted spoiler with a stoplight with a shark-fin antenna brings a mix of burly as well as rugged look to the vehicle.

The CR-V is surely the longest SUV of all and is also fairly tall, its ground clearance is just a little better than the RAV4 which is not as long as the Honda but half an inch taller. On the other hand, Escape has the longest wheelbase but the ground clearance is not much whereas it is the widest vehicle in the comparison, making it an unideal SUV. The Crosstrek is a more compact option and surprisingly, it has the best ground clearance. Some salient exterior features of the 2021 Honda Hybrid are given below:

• Keyless entry
• Heated side mirrors
• LED headlights 
• Horizontal shaped LED foglamps
• Remote engine start
• Rear and front parking sensors

Looking at the NHTSA ratings, the 2021 Honda CR-V scores an overall 5-star safety rating with the frontal and side crash also having the same rating while the rollover rating has a 4-star rating. Moreover, being the ‘top safety pick’ for the year, the CR-V has also impressed the IIHS organization. All the sections in crashworthiness are rated “good” with the standard crash mitigation and avoidance systems scoring “superior”, also, the headlights in the EX and EX-L trim are “average” while the Touring trim is rated “good”. Standard safety features include:

• Antilock braking system
• Electronic brake distribution
• Stability control
• Lane departure mitigation
• Adaptive cruise control
• Tire pressure monitoring system
• Forward collision warning
• Collision mitigation braking system

Honda CR-V Hybrid Vs Toyota RAV4 Hybrid

Now, both of these are brilliant SUVs but the CR-V has capitalized upon the features that are provided as optional on the Toyota. The RAV4 is just as rugged as the CR-V and has a rather simpler styling which also looks great. The interiors of the RAV4 are simple, straight, and very well designed but Toyota does not offer as many standard features as Honda.

Moving over to the engine and performance, the RAV4 again has an edge over the CR-V while the fuel economy is also better. The RAV4 also has more trims than the CR-V that gives more choice. However, there is no other SUV in the market that is as easy and as smooth to handle and drive as the Honda CR-V. 

Honda CR-V Hybrid Vs Ford Escape Hybrid

The Ford Escape has just the same capacity of power that Toyota does, however, it produces lesser power but a better torque than the CR-V and is available in two driving configurations, boosting its MPG figures. The Honda has a better acceleration while both the vehicles take the same amount of time to reach the quarter-mile. Talking about the interiors, both of them have good decoration in their cabin where Ford has chosen simple and premium quality materials, Honda has flushed in a variety of them. The overall layout of things is more reachable in the CR-V whereas there are also more standard comfort and convenience features inside the Japanese vehicle. 

Honda CR-V Hybrid Vs Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid

Though the Subaru Crosstrek is a crossover SUV, it does a pretty good job at matching the demands of people eyeing the midsize segment. The product from Subaru does not produce enough power or torque but it surely is equally competitive in terms of fuel economy. Though priced higher than the rest, the Crosstrek’s simple and smooth curves make it look just like the Ford Escape, if only it was a crossover. Talking about interiors, the Subaru is just as comfortable as the Honda while the room is also very spacious, both in the front and back. Having said that, the Crosstrek has a basic dashboard layout, unlike the CR-V’s dash. The infotainment system is again an advantage for Honda whereas the cargo volume in the Subaru is also a little disappointing.

The midsize-hybrid SUV from Honda is a great daily driver. Be it power, performance, handling, or MPG, this SUV gives the best experience of all. With rugged-looking and furious exteriors, the 2021 Honda CR-V Hybrid also has plenty of standard features both on the inside and out. Moreover, cargo carrying capacity is just great. The 2021 Honda CR-V Hybrid is an all-rounder and will fulfill the needs of a family, a group of friends going on a vacation, or just a daily commute to the workplace. It is a good option and if you are looking for a car then definitely take this into consideration.