Styling
'Inoffensively handsome' is a phrase we've used many times before to describe something with safe styling, so we're going to direct it once more at the Mk6 CR-V. It's not a bad-looking contrivance at all, with sleek headlamp clusters and those rear lights that are vaguely Volvo-esque. There's perhaps a bit too much overhang at the front of the Honda when you're viewing it from dead side-on, while 18-inch alloys look a little lost in the arches, but generally it's nice and clean and crisp and... just a little bit forgettable. Granted, it probably looks more European than any CR-V which has come before it, yet the Honda doesn't have the visual daring of some of its key rivals operating in this sector of the market in 2025. That said, some people don't like showy things, so maybe the CR-V e:PHEV is perfectly judged from an aesthetic perspective, we don't know.
Interior
Honda's interiors have taken a big step forwards in the past few years, both in terms of technology and the general design. The CR-V is no exception to this trend, happily, with a good infotainment system, a really nice and pin-sharp instrument cluster, and a smart head-up display too. The appearance of the fascia borrows much from the
current Civic, in itself no bad thing, and there's a high degree of intuitiveness to the Honda SUV's controls because there are plenty of physical buttons, including a separate bank of switches for the climate system. Also, the material quality throughout is excellent and the front seats of the CR-V are particularly plush, so while the cabin might not be flashy on first acquaintance, it is superb in here.
Practicality
Another big tick for the Honda, which has a very roomy second row of seating with a flat(tish) floor throughout, as well as a big boot measuring a minimum of 617 litres. A slight drawback here is that there's a step in the cargo area's floor when you fold the rear seats down, but broadly speaking this is as useful as you could want from a family SUV like this - provided you don't need seven seats, that is, because this iteration of CR-V is only sold as a five-seater. Anyway, that push-button shifter pad up front also liberates some useful storage solutions in the front of the cabin, so there are no major qualms with the practicality levels of the Honda's passenger compartment.
Performance
Although Honda did a PHEV version of the
likeable Mk5 CR-V, we never got that one in Europe, making doing with the regular, non-plug-in hybrid instead. This time around, there are both e:HEV and e:PHEV versions of the CR-V to go at, and it's the latter we're trying here.
This is, as you would expect of this company in particular, a really smooth and quiet drivetrain, with little of the 'lowing' noises you might otherwise encounter with a CVT (the transmission is classed as a 'multimodel automatic' by Honda, but it's just a form of CVT) or any of that 'elastic band' feel to acceleration either. It's a slick, accomplished installation, and its peak outputs of 184hp and 335Nm feel entirely believable, or if anything a little conservative as the CR-V e:PHEV has plenty of muscle and responsiveness to excel in everyday driving situations. There's even enough punch from the e-motor that the car can whisk around on it alone at a decent pace, as long as there's charge in the power cells.
The e:PHEV also works like the e:HEV when it's low on battery, with a 17.7kWh unit at least allowing for up to 50 miles of all-electric driving if you can plug it in regularly. It's probably fair to say that 353mpg is going to be wholly unattainable even if you do charge the CR-V up every single night, but we saw a decent depleted-battery 37.9mpg average across slightly more than 500 miles of mixed-roads driving, which is probably the worst economy you'll get from the Honda. Only occasional charging-up would surely see it levelling out at more like 50-60mpg, which is realistically all you want from a powerful petrol PHEV in a range where there's no diesel powertrain alternative.
Ride & Handling
As the e:PHEV, the CR-V is front-wheel drive only and it weighs the wrong side of 1.9 tonnes. It's therefore not quite as agile as the e:HEV model, which is a shame as the Honda SUV has surprisingly good steering (it's very Civic-like in its weighting and feel) and capable body control. You can hustle the e:PHEV down a challenging road of your choosing if you like, and it'll put on a competent display, but it won't be massively engaging to do so.
On the flipside, the rolling refinement and ride comfort of the CR-V are both magnificent. It has that serene, rock-steady manner to it at all speeds and on all road types that feels suitably premium, and which engenders a feeling of security and, accordingly, relaxation in its driver. Little that the road surface can throw at it seems to upset the Honda's composure, either, which is likely a direct beneficial corollary of those 18-inch wheels that we lamented a little earlier for looking small. Wrapped as they are in 50-profile rubber, they bless the CR-V e:PHEV with a gloriously sumptuous standard of ride, which makes this an exceptional motorway cruiser - if that's what you're planning to do most, in your family chariot.
Value
Five years ago, in the wake of the Covid lockdowns, the fifth-gen Honda CR-V range began at £26,490, with a fully loaded, high-spec example knocking on the door of 40 grand. But here we are in 2025, with the CR-V line-up
kicking off at £45,930. That, though, is for the e:HEV. With its advanced petrol-electric drivetrain and larger battery pack, the e:PHEV is far the wrong side of £50,000, with our test car coming in at a chunky £54,670. We could at least defend the Honda for the fact every bit of equipment on it is standard-fit for this sort of money, but when you're talking about a 55-grand CR-V then it's very hard to avoid a robust amount of incredulity from whomsoever is listening to you. A lot of fully electric alternatives to the Honda aren't even as expensive as this PHEV is...
Verdict
With some recent Hondas we've tried being
less than impressive, it's good see this brilliant Japanese manufacturer still has the skills to execute something as well as this CR-V e:PHEV, its first plug-in model for the European market. There are issues, such as the fact there's no seven-seat option, it's not the most memorable thing in the world and it costs an inordinate amount of money in this particular specification, but if you can square all of those matters in your mind against the fact this is a beautifully assured big SUV, then you'll find the CR-V is a great choice in this particular segment of the market.
