Performance
Yes, the CR-V Hybrid will do 0-62mph in between 8.8 and 9.2 seconds, depending on the trim, but is that why you buy a CR-V Hybrid? No, probably not. What you do need to know is that the car is driven by a 2.0-litre petrol engine, a lithium-ion battery pack and two electric motors, one for power generation and the other for propulsion. On the combined cycle Honda claims 51-53mpg, which might not sound impressive when compared to a diesel-powered CR-V that’ll manage more like 70mpg, but the CR-V Hybrid, thanks to it’s incredibly complicated but hugely impressive hybrid system, will manage 50mpg in the city.
You can choose to drive the car in full-EV mode using an EV button on the steering wheel, otherwise the car will decide how to propel you down the road. Sometimes you’ll be running on battery power, at other times the electric motor will drive the wheels while the petrol engine charges the batteries. If you put your foot down, of course, the petrol engine, batteries and electric motor all work together to get you down the road as quickly as possible.
On the move the CR-V is quiet and comfortable, exactly what you want, not just from a Honda but from a hybrid more generally.