Honda CR-V Hybrid is the best-selling hybrid car in the US – FCEV fuel cell version to go on sale this year
American Honda had a great 2023 in the US, where it sold 1.3 million units of Hondas and Acuras, up 33% year-on-year as production stabilised and pandemic-era logistics challenges eased. The sales target for this year is 1.3 million units for Honda and 150,000 units for premium brand Acura, which is 10-15% higher compared to 2023’s total.
The Honda CR-V Hybrid ended 2023 as the overall best-selling hybrid vehicle in the US. American Honda said that sales volume for the electrified sixth-generation CR-V exceeded expectations, reaching 197,317 units for the year. Unveiled in July 2022, North American production of the new CR-V started later that year, meaning 2023 would have been the model’s first full year of sales.
In Malaysia, we’re getting the CR-V with a hybrid powertrain for the first time with this generation. Launched in December, the CR-V e:HEV RS price was recently announced to be RM195,900 on-the-road without insurance.
That makes the RS hybrid RM14k costlier than the highest pure ICE variant, the 1.5L Turbo V AWD at RM181,900. The 1.5L Turbo E is priced at RM169,900 while the base 1.5L Turbo S starts the range at RM159,900. The first 750 units of the S is being sold for RM157,900 to celebrate 20 years of CKD production of the CR-V in Malaysia.
The hybrid is powered by an Intelligent Multi-Mode Drive (i-MMD) system similar to that seen on the Civic e:HEV RS, combining the workings of an electric motor and petrol engine. The latter is a 2.0-litre naturally-aspirated Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder engine, which acts primarily as a generator.
By itself, the ICE offers 148 PS and 190 Nm of torque at 4,500 rpm. While the engine can provide direct drive – via a lock-up clutch – at higher speeds for better efficiency, it’s the electric motor that does most of the hauling work. The e-motor develops 184 PS and 335 Nm from zero to 2,000 rpm, the latter being 20 Nm more than on the Civic Hybrid.
Like with the Civic range, the e:HEV is the fastest to 100 km/h here, with a time of 9.0 seconds (base S is next fastest at 9.7 seconds). It looks racier than the rest too; RS trim brings with it badging, roof rails, body colour trim to replace the SUV’s black plastic, black side mirror covers and an active shutter grille. The 18-inch alloys are in gloss black and they have resonators to suppress road noise.
As for e:HEV RS-exclusive kit, there’s a 10.25-inch digital instrument display, a 12-speaker Bose audio system, head-up display, key card and Adaptive Driving Beam for the LED headlights. For more on the new CR-V, read our launch report and first drive report.
American Honda’s 2024 outlook release said that the brand will begin sales of two zero-emissions vehicles in 2024 – the Prologue SUV, which was jointly-developed with GM, and the CR-V Fuel Cell Vehicle (FCEV). The latter will be North America’s first production vehicle to combine a plug-in feature with FCEV technology in one model. Just when you thought that Honda has abandoned fuel cell to focus on conventional BEVs, interesting.
GALLERY: 2024 Honda CR-V 2.0L e:HEV RS
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