Should You Buy a 2023 Honda CR-V Hybrid? Thorough Review by A Mechanic

I THINK the engine and the electric motor can power the car simultaneously - it’s just a bit different. I own one and can see the power transfer visualization, which I don’t think is lying. The engine is on, and can provide extra electric power via transfer using the small motor that’s attached to the engine that the hybrid battery alone isn’t able to provide. That extra power then goes to the large motor to drive the wheels.

I think that’s how it powers the car most of the time, the engine is running only, and simultaneously provides power to the larger electric motor AND simultaneously can charge the hybrid battery - or the hybrid battery can add extra power to the large electric motor.

Spare tire matter is concerning. Gotta choose where store an aftermarket emergency spare I suppose.

I am not a car person, but I absolutely loved this great review and have subscribed so I can continue to stay informed.

The cutouts in the back.will hold a gallon of milk

We bought a Sport model in July and really like it. only thing we wish it had was remote gate and garage door controls. this is a great review, thanks

I've owned a Prius, and two Prius V's and just bought a 24 Honda CRV. The 24 CRV doesn't come close to the mpg you get with a Prius,after all , that's why you buy a hybrid. As far as the inside room goes the Prius actually has more usable room than the CRV. The CRV has more headroom but for packing for vacation the Prius has more floor room for luggage and cargo. The Prius has a spare tire AND a space under the floor in the back to store stuff ,it also has two good size glove boxes and a console box. The CRV has a very small glove box and a roomy console box but no spare tire and no storage space under the floor. Unfortunately Toyota stopped making the Prius V or I would have bought another one, the best cars I ever owned. I'll get back to you in 10 years and let you know about the reliability of the CRV. The Prius V I traded for the CRV was ten years old and had zero problems with. I can't say enough about the reliability of the Prius.

review the accord touring please

It makes sense to put the heated steering wheel button on the heated steering wheel. Honda has always done that.

review the non EV version please

TWO mistakes I noticed in the review: It's real leather, not fake. And the electric and gas motors clearly can work together to move the car, usually over 40mph.

Love my CRV Hybrid, but hate not having a spare.

Stay away from these.. The actuators go bad constantly (mine broke twice in 2 months, and there was a class action lawsuit on this issue!). They need to recall them, and the oil dilution problem has not been fixed as after 3k miles I get the burning oil and fuel fumes in the car!. I own one a CRV LX, and is one of the most costly cars to fix. Not sure how bad it is with the Hybrid, but certainly stay away from the other trims / models.

In fact, find a car without a CVT transmission tooo..., those things are garbage as I soon discovered after reading about them ..., especially the Nissan cars with them.

Please do the maverick hybrid asap

He’s like the Detective Columbo of the auto world! So unassuming yet absolutely nothing gets past him! Scary. I’m afraid to even test drive this CR-V now although he does attempt to be positive.

What do U recommend...?

What fuel octane type is recommended for Honda CRV AWD Hybrid 2024?
Is it octane 87 or 91? Manual just says “Unleaded Regular”

Next, Rav-4 hybrid.

I like sleep in my car sometimes especially when I drink and I don't want my car to turn off after 20 minutes. What a stupid decision.. can I turn off that turn off option?

Pls make a video on the new ford bronco v6

Very well detailed review, and much appreciated. 😎
Might I add one thing?
Neighbor lady up the street just bought a pretty loaded out sport 2WD in pearl metallic white.
She came rolling up the other night to get her cat. (Swirl likes it down here better)
As she reversed, it made a god aweful noise, not unlike a Martian attack. 😲
Turns out it's a federally mandated horrible noise an EV must make in motor only mode in Reverse....or up to 28 mph...or so.
It would be a deal breaker for me, except the fact in that I already know how to defeat it....or lessen it (which is what I would do)
If my 245k 2002 Trailblazer ever gives up the ghost, and I win the Lotto, I would definetly look into one.
I dont like the no spare tire, though.
Thanks again 🙂

If one could get interiors in different colors. A $40K+ car should have choices other than a black hole box where if you a flashlight to find anything. Plus being so darn boring. Seriously considering the Venza, but the xle model, as AMD has a spaceship dash.

I wish you explained better how the transmission works, maybe showed a disassembled one or at least a picture. Also, simulated shifts is an idiocy, the whole point of a CVT is to avoid shifts, hence "continuously variable" in the name. Clearly, Honda's system is not continuously variable.

Black pearl or Canyon blue?
I am really disturbed how they left the plastic parts arond the tires in black colour, but on the other hand i really love the Canyon blue? What you think, which colour is better?

Have to say most of these new cars are what? 30,000 plus and we get plastic valve covers. I understand for a lot of parts but for that price I think we deserve some form of metal. My wifes car has 38,000 and yes the plastic valve cover is weeping already. We can do better.

Why are there 2 exhaust ports on the front bumper?

Bought a RAV4 Hybrid (2019) instead of a CR-V Hybrid in part because (1) I buy a new vehicle with the goal to get to 200K miles, and (2) the CR-V 1.5 L turbo engine seemed too tiny. I would be very surprised for a 1,500 cc turbo pulling a 3,500 lb vehicle to last 200K miles. And (3), Toyota has been selling hybrids for 25+ years; I have neighbors with Prius hybrids with over 300K miles AND still running fine. As for the extra cost of hybrid … made back the price difference in fuel savings in the first 18K miles.

Toyota can also run the system in charge mode while driving, because the engine can spin mg1 without mg1 acting as a lever so no actual mechanical input goes from the engine to the wheels.

Also honda can run in parallel hybrid mode because when you see the diagram you can clearly observe the blue lines coming from the battery to the center cross of the diagram where you can also spot a sprocket symbol, that sprocket indicates lockup clutch mode.

Comparing with the past crv hybrid this transmission is much more versatile because it can select low or high clutch when accelerating flat out, but it can also act as a rubber band ecvt, or it can simulate gear ratios perceived by the driver because you can feel the rpm of the engine "dance" like in a traditional torque converter automatic

For example when you drive constantly at 80kmh it has a lockup clutch mode, and if you floor it, it will switch to series hybrid simulated gear mode up until around 140kmh and then you feel a glitch and you hear the revs drop, the sprocket symbol appears and the car keeps accelerating in that lockup hi gear, helped by the electric motor in parralel.

Some other times it engages lockup all the way from 80 to 200kmh for example.

Basically it can start accelerating in low lockup, continue in series ecvt, and after that select high lockup

I've been testing the e:phev variant for about a week now

It also has automatic parking brake, you need to activate it, the sequence is described in the manual

But it doesn't have auto locking feature when you start driving

If only this hybrid pushed closer to 250-300HP and 280 LBFT of torque. Hybrids need to have a more performant option to convince ICE owners to give it a shot and and also to convince would be EV owner that Hybrids are not a compromise.

I just found this site. I own a 2023 Honda CRV Hybrid, and can say that this review is extremely good; it is accurate in its descriptions, dives into the technical and mechanical details, other than just the operational ones, better than any other car review site I've read, in an easy to understand way. And, he revealed a few things about the vehicle that even I, as an owner for 11 months, didn't know. Furthermore, this "mechanic" has a very sophisticated understanding of car styling that is rare among those who are experts on what is inside and under a vehicle, rather than its outer shell. In my job as an automotive photographer, I have worked with dozens of OEM car designers and collaborated with them to showcase their designs for many internal corporate and external marketing purposes, so I appreciate that he seems to truly notice design. Bravo for that.

Shut up! No one questioned Rupert Murdoch running a multi billion dollar at his age!

The rear bumper is almost nonexistent. It is a deal breaker for me.

Add reviews for the Honda Odyssey. If possible, on its current and previous generation.

We are looking to replace our first gen RDX. I absolutely love that car still, but I cant justify the mileage anymore. We moved to a more rural area and we have a lot more mileage to cover.

Initially I was all in on a Hybrid RAV4 but the CRV has caught my eye. Direct injection is my only issue with this car. Im not interested in awd anymore. Nothing in this segment will handle as good as my RDX. We are a tall family so it just makes more sense.

I have always found that Toyotas arent built for taller people. The seat might move far back enough but then I have to fully extend my arms to reach the steering wheel.

I dont know man, this might be it.

No turbo is the best reason to buy it

Interesting use of the word interesting. 😮

I know it's early but, How reliable have you seen the new Grand Cherokee L

Should You Buy a 2023 Honda CR-V Hybrid? ....NO

Engine cockpit is very compact or not so much tight?

Same horse pulling a bigger cart!

Just discovered this channel a couple of months ago. I'm a late in life driver and have my Dad's 2002 Honda Odyssey after he passed in 2018 and really love this kind of car. Don't need fancy or exciting. I was wondering if you did a review of the minivans in the market as I know I'll have to eventually give up the car and from what I have seen, you give fair and detailed reviews.

Wow. Thank you for this outstanding video.

Q.😊

No spare tire. Toyota hybrids have a spare tire.

It’s not heated seat button on the steering wheel, it’s a heated steering wheel button and it’s in the perfect location. Another problem with your review is that CRV is operated both by electric motor and ICE together above 40 MPH. I like your reviews, but pay attention to details, especially electro mechanical engineering portion. For some people it may be a deciding factors, how a vehicle operates in Hybrid mode. Thank you.

So, CRV or RAV4?

I own exactly the same trim 2023 CR-V as on this video, got mine among the first ones back in December 2022, and I got to say that current Honda built quality has disappointed me. Coating of the inside portions of the doors is so poor that I got corrosion in 4 months old car, March of 2023! This is unacceptable! Went to my local dealership to claim the warranty repairs. While they were fixing it, I've been curious and went on their lot to check a few brand new CR-V's for the same area, and unfortunately, same poor coating and uneven gaps on the hood/fenders area, the lift gate and side panels as well!
And lastly, what the service department manager told me about those findings shocked me! His words exactly " It's okay for the mass production vehicles"
Previously, I had spent hours on the phone with the American Honda call center about this issue trying to get someone in the quality control management, but unfortunately they've said that there is no such one, so that's probably why Honda manufacturing going down in the quality I guess? So sad experience. Beware, and check on those things at the time of purchase!
P.S. in addition, just a few months later, in November of 2023, two more corrosion spots showed up on both rear door hinges, took it back to the dealer and they "fixed" them by painting with the touch up pencil over corrosion spots. I'm done with it and just sold it. No more Hondas for me until they improve quality.