2022 Honda CR-V

What’s New for the 2022 Honda CR-V?

There is no exciting stuff going on with CR-V with the 2022 model year. However, if you wish to opt for the top-spec, gas-only, Touring trim, you will have the AWD system fitted as standard. That’s it for the non-hybrid variant. The hybrid, on the other hand, comes with AWD as standard, and there are no changes for the 2022 model year. The CR-V got comprehensive updates for the 2020 model year, and it remains unchanged till now.

• Love it

  • Punchy base engine
  • Good fuel economy
  • Spacious and comfy interior
  • Typical Honda build quality

• Leave it

  • Not the techiest
  • LED lights are standard only with the top-spec Touring
  • Low towing capacity

2022 Honda CR-V Trims

CR-V Exterior

All the CR-Vs have the same exterior design, including the same front fascia, grille design, and side profile. The changes are to be seen in the lighting, wheel designs, wheel sizes, and even the rear bumper. The standard, gas-only CR-V comes with halogen headlights, and while the Touring has a sportier-looking front bumper, all the other models do not have a lot of difference in the grille design. There are decent creases on the side of the body and the bonnet. The rear has halogen taillights, which are sleek and unique-looking. The exhaust pipe is tucked away below the rear bumper. The Touring trim, on the other hand, has chrome-coated dual exhaust pipes. It also has LED taillights, which look stunning. The CR-V Hybrids come with full LED lighting as standard, along with a single exhaust. As for the wheel choices, the standard EX and the Special Edition trims come with 17-inch alloy wheels. Both the EX and the EX-L have 18-inch alloy wheels, while the Touring comes with 19-inch ones. The base Hybrid is the EX, so there are the same 18-inch wheels fitted to the CR-V Hybrids. While the 2020 model year facelift made it look better, the Hyundai Tucson, the Toyota RAV4, and the Volkswagen Tiguan have better looks overall.

Dimensions

The 2022 Honda CR-V, just like the outgoing model year, is 182.3 inches in length, and 73.4 inches in width, which are pretty similar to the Tucson. Other dimensions of the CR-V include a height of 66.1 inches and the shortest 104.8 inches of wheelbase. It sits 7.8 inches above the ground, so you have enough clearance for mild off-roading, but not as much as the RAV4 can do with its 8.4 inches of ground clearance. While the RAV4, the CR-V, and the Tucson revolve around a similar ballpark in terms of the overall dimensions, the Tiguan is quite different. It is longer, has a longer wheelbase, and even weighs more than the other three. The CR-V, which is our center of attraction for today, weighs 3,337 pounds as standard, and the hybrids can weigh up to a whopping 3,763 pounds, similar to the Tiguan.

Exterior Colors

Like the outgoing model year, the color palette stays the same for the 2022 model year. So you are greeted with a total of eight color options: seven for the standard CR-V and the Hybrids swap the Aegean Blue Metallic for Obsidian Blue Metallic. The gas-only CR-V is available in Platinum White Pearl, Sonic Gray Pearl, Aegean Blue Metallic, Lunar Silver Metallic, Crystal Black Pearl, Radiant Red Metallic, and Modern Steel Metallic. Among them, the Crystal Black Pearl, Modern Steel Metallic, and Lunar Silver Metallic will not cost you a penny. But the Radiant Red Metallic and Platinum White Pearl will cost you an additional $395. All of these five colors are available with the base LX. From the EX trim onwards, there is Aegean Blue Metallic and Sonic Gray Pearl available in the palette.

CR-V Performance

Back in the days when the CR-V had a 2.4-liter naturally aspirated four-pot, the performance was not up to the mark. But thankfully, that has been changed with the 2020 model year facelift. Every CR-V (excluding the Hybrid) is powered by the then optional 1.5-liter engine, which is turbocharged. Now, before you go all nuts about it, the power figures are nothing substantial, but great for everyday driveability. The torque kicks in quite early, thanks to the turbocharger, but the engine does not like it to be revved heavily. The 190 ponies and 179 pound-feet of torque can take you to 60 miles per hour in 7.6 seconds, which isn’t that bad considering it is an SUV. However, the CR-V Hybrid is a more powerful (212 horses and 232 pound-feet of torque) alternative, at least by the numbers. But the 0-60 timing is not as impressive as you are thinking. It takes 7.5 seconds, according to Car and Driver, and 16.1 seconds for a standing quarter-mile run. The gas-only CR-V tops out at 124 miles per hour, while the hybrid can speed up to 103 miles per hour.

Engine and Transmission

As we have mentioned earlier, the non-hybrid CR-Vs are powered by a 1.5-liter turbocharged inline-four engine, which puts out 190 horsepower and 179 pound-feet of torque. The engine propels the front wheels by default, but you can spec the engine with a $1,500 AWD system. The engine comes mated to a CVT system, which is not as bad as you would think. If you are in for a quick comparison, both the CR-V and the Tiguan have a turbocharged engine, but the latter has a better torque output. The RAV4 and the Tucson come with a naturally aspirated engine, and there is no turbocharged equivalent available (except for the Tucson Hybrid). While the power figures are nearly similar to the CR-V, the absence of forced induction makes the accelerations sluggish. The CR-V Hybrid comes powered by a 2.0-liter naturally aspirated inline-four coupled with two electric motors. The combined power output is 212 horsepower and 232 pound-feet of torque, right from the get-go. This hybrid powertrain drives both the axles as standard, while the CVT remains the same. If compared to the Tucson Hybrid and the RAV4 Hybrid, the CR-V Hybrid is slightly underpowered.

Handling and Driving Impressions

You wouldn’t want to scare anyone or spill coffee inside the cabin while you are taking your family for a short trip, right? The CR-V, though is quite a fun-to-drive SUV, is made for comfortable commutes. The suspension is soft, the steering wheel feels lighter than usual, and the drive is refined, only when you don’t rev the engine a lot. Cornering stability is decent with the AWD system, as it is with most SUVs in its segment, but body rolls are rather obvious if the enthusiast in you is triggered. The steering feedback is not all gone. It is just adequate for you to have a little fun while driving. What Honda has nailed is the cabin refinement. If you are cruising along the highways, you will be pleased to just relax and concentrate on the drive, rather than hearing a lot of wind noise. Remember, the engine does not like to be playful, and neither does the CVT. The 1.5-liter engine is small and sounds unrefined when pushed hard. The Hybrid, on the other hand, feels refined, and since it has two electric motors on each axle, the torque is instant. The extra power is somewhat felt when driving in traffic conditions. Once the combustion kicks in, the acceleration is not exhilarating but does the job. Both the non-hybrid and the hybrid CR-Vs are similar regarding braking performance. The standard CR-V can stop from 70 miles per hour at 166 feet, while the hybrid CR-V can do the same at 170 feet.

2022 Honda CR-V Mileage

Delivering good fuel economy has been Honda’s forte for quite some time now, and the CR-V is no different. The EPA ratings say it all, with 28 miles per gallon in the city, 34 miles per gallon on the highways, and 30 miles per gallon combined. The AWD system decreases the mileage by a mile per gallon in the city and two miles per gallon on the highways. Pretty impressive numbers, even when you compare the stats with the other options, such as the Tiguan and the Tucson. However, Toyota has installed two refined powertrains in both the non-hybrid RAV4 and the hybrid RAV4. So, the CR-V is clearly not the best, if you are seeking efficiency. The CR-V Hybrid has been rated at 40 miles per gallon in the city, 35 miles per gallon on the highways, and 38 miles per gallon combined. Side by side, the RAV4 Hybrid is clearly more economical with 41 miles per gallon in the city, 38 miles per gallon on the highways, and 40 miles per gallon combined. The CR-V is great in terms of delivering good fuel economy, but the RAV4 is slightly more efficient. Both the hybrid and the non-hybrid CR-Vs are fitted to a 14-gallon gas tank, which can deliver about 400-500 miles before the low fuel warning lights turn on.

CR-V Interior

You wouldn’t find the cabin of the CR-V to be very flashy with all the modern tech. The interior is well-built and has good quality materials when you choose the higher trims. Unlike the Tiguan or the Tucson, there is no big touchscreen display at the center of the dashboard. There is a seven-inch fully digital instrument console fitted as standard. The dashboard design is quite similar to the other Honda models, but is an enthusiast’s nightmare. Don’t worry, your mama would love it. The center console reminded us of the current Acura lineup because of its protruding upper part, which houses the shifter, and other important control buttons. The base trim has a lot of hard plastics around the cabin, but it eases out once you pay more for the higher trim levels. You will find fake wood trims, soft-touch plastics, chrome trims, and even leather around the cabin, with the EX-L and the Touring. The CR-V is not a luxury SUV, so given its price tag, we find it to be good for the mass. And when you consider how practical it is for your everyday chores, you wouldn’t look anywhere else.

Seating and Interior Space

The CR-V offers impressive cabin comfort and has a lot of space to fit five people inside. The seats are cloth-covered as standard, and only the last two trims are equipped with leather upholstery. The cloth seats offer good comfort with decent bolstering for the front passengers. The leather seats found inside the EX-L and the Touring are more durable and enhance the interior feel. The base LX trim comes with manually adjustable front seats. The Special Edition trim adds heated front seats, while the EX offers an eight-way power-adjustable driver seat. Choosing the EX-L will unlock both power-adjustable front seats. But what stands out most, is the CR-V’s spacious cabin. The front row measures 40.1 inches of headroom, 57.9 inches of shoulder room, 41.3 inches of legroom. The rear row has a good 39.2 inches of headroom, 55.6 inches of shoulder room, 40.4 inches of legroom. The dimensions are very similar to the Tucson, but are way better than the Tiguan and the RAV4. If you have family members who are six feet tall, then the rear row of the 2022 CR-V would be the best fit.

Interior Colors and Materials

Not many interior color options are available with the 2022 CR-V, as you will get only black-colored cloth upholstery, but ivory and gray are also available. Both the EX-L and Touring offer the same black, gray, or ivory leather color options as the lower trims. The materials shift from hard plastics to soft-touch ones, aluminum, and even faux wood. The wooden trims on the Touring trim are seen on the center console, door panels, and dashboard, and they have rough surfaces to mimic real wood. We feel that the build quality of the CR-V is good, but the RAV4 does a better job in the overall design and materials used.

Honda CR-V Trunk and Cargo Space

It’s no surprise that the CR-V’s cargo capacity behind the second row is 39.2 cubic feet, which is not only large but also class-leading. The Tucson has a slightly smaller 38.7 cubic feet, while the RAV4 has 37.6 cubic feet. The Tiguan has a much smaller boot space of just 12 cubic feet, but that is because its cabin can seat up to seven people. The CR-V Hybrid, on the other hand, has 33.2 cubic feet of cargo space, which is because of the rear axle motor and the battery pack. So if you want better fuel economy, then you have to sacrifice practicality. With the gas-only CR-V, if you want to expand the storage space, you can fold the rear seats and that will give you access to a whopping 75.8 cubic feet. To break it down to you, it might come in handy if you travel around a lot, and you can carry all of your belongings, all at once, without leaving behind the important ones.

Honda CR-V Infotainment and Features

Features

As we have mentioned above, the 2022 CR-V comes highly equipped once you pay more for the higher trims. The base LX trim has mediocre features as it is priced significantly lower than the trims which come fully loaded. A few of the standard features are

• Single-zone automatic climate control
• Manually adjustable front seats
• Manual tilt and telescopic steering wheel adjustability
• 60/40 folding rear seats
• Cruise control

As you go up the trim list, you will be greeted with features, such as

• Dual-zone automatic climate control
• Leather-wrapped steering wheel
• Heated steering wheel
• Heated front seats
• Power-adjustable front seats

The CR-V does miss out on some important features that the Tucson and the Tiguan offer, such as the ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, and digital rearview mirror. The CR-V comes with a few advanced driver assistance features such as adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, forward collision mitigation, and automatic high beams. The EX trim adds blindspot monitoring and a rear cross-traffic alert system.

Infotainment

One of the biggest cons of the 2022 CR-V is the whole infotainment system, let alone the dated display. The LX offers a five-inch non-touchscreen display which is coupled with Bluetooth connectivity. The base trim offers a four-speaker audio system, which does a decent job. The Special Edition trim onwards offers a seven-inch touchscreen display, along with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration, which do not come as standard (come on Honda!). SiriusXM is standard from the Special Edition trim. The Special Edition and the EX trim are blessed with a six-speaker audio unit, while the EX-L comes with an eight-speaker one. The top-of-the-line Touring comes with a nine-speaker audio unit, a wireless phone charger, and a navigation system. The overall system has come to show its age and is quite clunky to use. The system navigation is not accurate, but Apple CarPlay and Android Auto will help you in that regard.

2022 Honda CR-V Problems and Reliability

The 2022 model year of the CR-V is apparently new for recalls, but its previous iterations have been recalled. The outgoing 2021 model year was recalled due to a malfunction with the seat belt retractor. About 4,000 CR-Vs were affected by this issue. The 2020 model year, before that, has been recalled just a single time for the separation of the rear subframe. Only 358 units were impacted. But it gets worse with the 2019 model year, which got recalled a whopping five times for various issues, including a fuel pump malfunction. We hope that Honda has fixed the problems with the current 2022 model year. Honda guarantees up to three years or 36,000 miles of basic warranty coverage. The package includes a five-year or 60,000 miles drivetrain warranty, a three-year or 36,000 miles for roadside assistance, and up to five years or unlimited miles of warranty against corrosion.

Warranty

2022 Honda CR-V Safety

As for the safety ratings, the 2022 CR-V performs greatly in the NHTSA’s crash tests and has been rated with five stars. The IIHS, on the other hand, has awarded the same with the “Top Safety Pick” for 2022. The agency has updated the side crashworthiness, and it looks like the rating has decreased to “Acceptable”. Even the headlights have three different ratings depending on the trim selection. Like other Honda cars, the CR-V is a safe SUV with good safety features on board, which we will discuss in the next section.

Key Safety Features

Besides the advanced driver assistance features, there are a couple of passive safety features which come standard with the CR-V. Six airbags, tire pressure monitoring system, engine immobilizer, stability control, child seat anchors, dusk-sensing headlamps, and emergency braking assist are all present. The standard driver assistance features include adaptive cruise control, frontal collision mitigation, lane-keeping assist, lane-departure warning, and automatic high beam assist. The EX adds blindspot monitoring and a rear cross-traffic alert system

Verdict: Is the 2022 Honda CR-V a Good Car?

The Honda CR-V is a good family-friendly SUV. It has got a torquey base engine, a spacious interior, large boot space, and a compliant ride quality. But it is not all good. The CR-V is due for a whole new generation, which will bring a host of new features and up-to-date tech inside the cabin. For now, the new Tucson goes up quite well against the CR-V, with identical dimensions, a spacious interior, a very similar performance, and more. If you want a seven-seater, then the Tiguan is the way to go. It has been priced aggressively for a seven-seater, but the Tucson is priced the lowest and is followed by the CR-V which starts from $26,400.

What is the Price of the 2022 Honda CR-V?

The CR-V starts from $26,400 for the base LX. However, adding the AWD system will cost you $1,500 extra. The Special Edition holds a pricetag of just $1,000 extra from the base price. The non-hybrid EX costs $28,910, while the hybrid model will set you back another $2,700. The range-topping EX-L along with the Touring holds the MSRP of $31,500 and $36,200, respectively. The hybrid models of both the EX-L and Touring can go up to a whopping $37,400, which is a lot of money. All the prices mentioned above do not include the $1,225 destination charges.

2022 Honda CR-V Models

The 2022 CR-V is available in five model options: LX, Special Edition, EX, EX-L, and Touring. Each model is powered by a 1.5-liter turbo inline-four engine, which propels either the front wheels or all four wheels, depending on choice. The engine is mated to a continuously variable transmission. The CR-V Hybrid is available only in three models: EX, EX-L, and Touring. All the hybrid models come with a 2.0-liter naturally aspirated inline-four engine along with two electric motors, driving all four wheels. Like the other CR-Vs, it gets mated to a CVT. Let’s break down each trim first.

The LX is the base trim, and it offers a decent list of features such as a set of 17-inch wheels, LED DRLs, manually adjustable front seats, and single-zone automatic climate control. A five-inch infotainment display, a seven-inch digital instrument console, and cloth upholstery are too added to the list.

The standard set of driver aids includes a forward collision mitigation system, lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, and automatic high beams.

The Special Edition is the next trim, and we call it the best value model as it offers slightly upmarket features such as dual-zone automatic climate control, a seven-inch touchscreen display, Android Auto, and Apple CarPlay integration. Other notable features include keyless entry, push-button ignition, a six-speaker audio system, and heated front seats.

The EX models, both the non-hybrid and hybrid, are pretty similar to what they have on offer. So there are features from the Special Edition in addition to a set of 18-inch wheels, a sunroof, an eight-way power-adjustable driver seat, and tinted rear windows. The EX also packs USB ports for the rear seats, blindspot monitoring, and a rear cross-traffic alert system.

The EX-L is a more posh model with leather upholstery, a four-way power-adjustable front passenger seat, a power tailgate, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, and an eight-speaker audio system.

The top-spec Touring model offers a full-LED setup for the headlamps and the taillights. It also comes with the AWD system by default, while the other models have to pay $1,500 extra over the existing MSRPs. The driver seat memory functions, a heated steering wheel, a wireless charging pad, and a premium nine-speaker audio unit.

What Honda CR-V Model Should I Buy?

We recommend the Special Edition model of the CR-V if you do not want to spend too much. However, the hybrid EX would be the best if you are planning to save fuel costs. The Special Edition replaces the small five-inch infotainment display with a seven-inch one. The model also features a dual-zone automatic climate control system, heated front seats, push-button start, Android Auto, and Apple CarPlay. If you want more features, then the EX-L would be a better fit with leather upholstery, power-adjustable front seats, leather-wrapped steering wheel, and more.

2022 Honda CR-V Comparisons

There is no doubt that the Tucson gives a nice challenge to the CR-V in almost every scenario. Be it comfort, build quality, and even features, the Tucson is new and updated, compared to the CR-V. The CR-V, however, is priced slightly higher but comes with a turbocharged engine by default. Compared to the Tucson, the city driving experience is much better because of the base engine’s torquey nature. If you are a youngster, then the Tucson would be a better choice for you as it has more modern looks and features compared to the CR-V which is an old goat.

Read our full review on the 2022 Hyundai Tucson

If things were right about the RAV4’s rear seat comfort, we would just recommend it over the CR-V every time. The RAV4’s base LE is quite feature-packed, compared to the CR-V, and while the former packs a naturally aspirated engine, the raw power is slightly better. Even the build quality is better than the CR-V. The RAV4 starts from $26,525, which is about a couple of hundred dollars more than the CR-V. The RAV4 is better at delivering good fuel economy, which we have discussed earlier, even the Hybrid models.

Read our full review on the Toyota RAV4

FAQ

Is there a new CR-V coming out?

With the confirmed news of the upcoming HR-V, we can certainly hope for a new generation CR-V.

How fast is the CR-V?

The gas-only CR-V takes about 7.6 seconds to reach 60 miles per hour and can speed up to 124 miles per hour.

How efficient is the CR-V?

Both the non-hybrid and hybrid are quite efficient, according to the EPA. Both the variant managed to achieve 30 and 38 miles per gallon combined.

What is the price of the CR-V?

The latest 2022 model year of the CR-V starts from $26,400, excluding the $1,225 destination charges.