2028 Honda CR-V: The Coming Hybrid SUV That Could Haunt the Toyota RAV4’s Dreams

2028 Honda CR-V: What to ExpectAndrei Avarvarii – MotorTrendwNo one expected the Honda CR-V to briefly become the bestselling vehicle in the country, but it happened earlier this year when the aging Honda was in the right place at the right time. That made us wonder: Could a new, redesigned CR-V grab the top spot among SUVs simply by being the best? We'll soon find out when the new 2028 Honda CR-V debuts.

Even before the 2028 CR-V arrives, reportedly sometime in early 2027, the outgoing five-seat compact SUV is already selling about as much as the Accord and Civic combined. It's that big of a deal for Honda and the market as a whole.

What you see here is our best guess at what the 2028 Honda CR-V could look like. Will Honda's seventh-generation CR-V keep loyal buyers happy? Or will it be a regression from the outgoing SUV? Here's what we believe we'll see from Honda's coming new compact SUV.

The current CR-V is a solid compact SUV, but it's no longer our favorite. Unlike the 2026 Toyota RAV4, which has gone all hybrid, the 2026–2027 CR-V still offers buyers a choice between gas and hybrid powertrains. To keep the price down, the lower trims are gas-powered, and the higher-priced trims are hybrids that generally include more features.

For 2028, the CR-V is expected to go all-hybrid like the RAV4. We hope Honda will continue to offer a choice between FWD and AWD, if only to keep the base price down. We've already reported about how Honda's new hybrid tech is said to be 30 percent less expensive to produce than before. That's good considering the 2027 CR-V's MSRP is already well above that of the Nissan Rogue, Kia Sportage, and Hyundai Tucson.

The other major engineering change concerns the CR-V's AWD system. The outgoing CR-V Hybrid uses a mechanical AWD setup, but the new model will be moving to an electric AWD approach. It's a move that should help the 2028 CR-V better compete with the popular RAV4 in EPA-rated mileage and overall driving range.

As for driving range, the RAV4 can achieve around 600 miles to a tank in a few configurations, an impressive number that the 2028 Honda CR-V Hybrid should come close to matching. We know Honda is developing its hybrid systems to be more efficient across a wider range of driving situations, which will likely mean higher highway mileage.

Currently, the 2027 CR-V Hybrid sits at 40/34 mpg city/highway with AWD and 43/36 with FWD. RAV4 ratings vary by trim, but nearly every model is better than the CR-V. Perhaps not for long.

The engine in the 2028 CR-V Hybrid could move to a version of Honda's 1.5-liter turbocharged inline-four. The current hybrid uses a 2.0-liter naturally aspirated inline-four. We hope that if Honda moves to turbocharged power for the 2028 CR-V hybrid, it keeps an eye on driving smoothness. That may be just as important to some buyers as acceleration, though it must be said that the outgoing CR-V was slower in our testing than the model that came before.

Honda's Civic Hybrid offers a sublime driving experience (it uses a version of Honda's naturally aspirated 2.0-liter at its core), so we're crossing our fingers that the system in the new CR-V takes after that compact.

Inside, the 2028 CR-V has work to do. Only a couple model years ago, Honda was still using an outdated 7.0-inch touchscreen on some CR-Vs. The outgoing model's 9.0-inch display (pictured above) may make an appearance on lower trims, but we're hoping the Accord's 12.3-inch display is standard on most trims. Pairing that with the latest version of Honda's adaptive cruise control and lane centering will go a long way toward making buyers think of the brand's tech in a different way.

Top-of-the-line 2028 CR-V Sport Tourings may also add Honda's Sport+ feature that simulates shifts for a more connected driving experience, which debuted on the new Honda Prelude. We've tested it on the Prelude and haven't been impressed so far. That trim level will be a greater value if it includes ventilated front seats and a 360 camera. Honda already offers these features in other markets on the outgoing model, so we know it's possible.

Part of what made CR-Vs so good in the past is the way they combine a spacious interior with a good driving experience and easy-to-use controls. The outgoing model was designed with physical knobs that made easy work of changing the temperature or turning down the air flow.

Lately, some automakers have learned the hard way that touch-capacitive controls look tech-forward on a website but are difficult to use in person. Perhaps Honda can just skip to the part where it gives us controls that are simple to use.

Another forbidden-fruit CR-V is the plug-in hybrid. Honda already offers one outside the U.S.; the real question is whether Honda will bring one here. A 2028 CR-V plug-in hybrid would allow Honda to compete directly with Toyota and its RAV4 PHEV, but it would add complexity to the lineup. Through September, PHEVs account for about 13 percent of all RAV4 sales in 2026.

The 2028 CR-V should also return with a TrailSport model, though we hope this one has a more interesting interior than the outgoing SUV pictured above. Considering the Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk and Subaru Forester Wilderness, the 2028 CR-V TrailSport probably won't be the most hardcore off-roader even within its segment, but it should offer an easier way for Honda's more adventurous CR-V customers to head off the beaten track.

Elsewhere in Honda's lineup is the recently upgraded midsize 2027 Passport, and the Ridgeline truck returns soon, too.

The truth is that unless Honda makes a steering wheel optional equipment or exclusively ships the CR-V in various shades of purple, the new 2028 model should be ubiquitous on American roads soon enough.

Over time, though, that can change. That's why it's important that Honda doesn't phone in the 2028 CR-V. Hyundai and Kia are making very good competing products, and the new Rogue Hybrid is one of the most impressive cars Nissan has made in years. In other words, buyers have choices. Whether the hybridized 2028 Honda CR-V remains among them will depend on how much new and improved stuff Honda adds to its bestselling SUV.