The Honda CR-V is one of the longest-running names among family SUVs in Australia. The sixth generation went on sale here on 1 September 2023 1, and for 2026 Honda reshuffled the range around hybrids, adding all-wheel drive to a hybrid CR-V in Australia for the first time 2.

This post first ran as a launch review of the car that arrived in 2023 1. The prices and some of the specifications in that review no longer apply, so this refreshed guide explains the range as it stands and what changed. It also covers what to look for if you are buying one of the earlier cars second hand.

A short history of the Honda CR-V

Honda introduced the CR-V in Japan in October 1995 3. It reached North America in February 1997 3. Honda says the name stands for "Comfortable Runabout Vehicle", although other expansions have been used over the years 3.

The model did well here early. In 2000 the CR-V became Australia's best-selling SUV, outselling the Toyota Land Cruiser for the first time, and it topped the SUV market again in 2002 3.

Six generations

The CR-V has been replaced roughly every five years 3:

  • the second generation went on sale in November 2001 3;
  • the third went on sale in the United States in late September 2006 3;
  • the fourth debuted at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show 3;
  • the fifth was unveiled in Detroit on 13 October 2016 3;
  • the sixth was unveiled in Los Angeles on 12 July 2022 3.

The fifth generation's 2019 facelift brought the first hybrid option in North America 3, but Australia did not get a hybrid CR-V until the sixth generation 1. The model is still a big seller overseas: it overtook the Ford F-Series and Toyota RAV4 as the best-selling vehicle in the United States in the first half of 2026 3.

The sixth generation in Australia

Australia had to wait a little longer, with Honda taking deposits in mid-2023 ahead of the September 2023 on-sale date 1.

How Honda sells cars in Australia

Before looking at prices it helps to know how Honda sells. Since 1 July 2021, Honda Australia has listed a national drive away price instead of a list price plus on-road costs 4. That price includes on-road costs and statutory charges 4. It also covers metallic or pearlescent paint 4. Honda says the only items not included are Honda Genuine Accessories 4. When the scheme began, Honda also included five years of roadside assistance and charged $125 for each of the first five standard scheduled services 4. Those servicing terms date from 2021 4, so check what applies to the car you are looking at.

For a buyer, that means the price you see online is the price across the country, and there is little to negotiate on a new car. The work is in choosing the right grade and checking the finance terms. Our car loan calculator can help you see what the repayments look like before you talk to a lender.

The launch range

When the sixth generation arrived, GoAuto listed seven variants at national driveaway prices 1:

  • VTi X, $44,500 1;
  • VTi X7, $46,800 1;
  • VTi L, $48,800 1;
  • VTi L AWD, $51,300 1;
  • VTi L7, $53,000 1;
  • VTi LX AWD, $57,000 1;
  • e:HEV RS, $59,900 1.

Those prices are from August 2023 1. The e:HEV RS was the first hybrid CR-V offered in Australia, and it drove only the front wheels 1. The range offered both five and seven seats 1. Some grades drove the front wheels and others all four 1.

At launch every CR-V came with a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, plus five years of capped-price servicing and roadside assistance 1. If you are shopping for one of these cars used, those dates matter: with sales starting in September 2023, the earliest sixth-generation cars will reach the end of a five-year warranty from late 2028 1.

What changed in the update

The Beep reported in March 2026 that the updated CR-V range had gone hybrid-first 2. The six variants and their driveaway prices were 2:

  • VTi X, petrol, front-wheel drive: $44,900 2;
  • e:HEV X, hybrid, front-wheel drive: $49,900 2;
  • e:HEV L, hybrid, front-wheel drive: $53,900 2;
  • VTi L7, petrol, front-wheel drive, seven seats: $54,900 2;
  • e:HEV LX AWD, hybrid, all-wheel drive: $58,900 2;
  • e:HEV RS AWD, hybrid, all-wheel drive: $64,400 2.

The article says the cheapest hybrid now costs about $7,000 less than the cheapest hybrid did in 2025 2. Prices change, so treat these as a snapshot from March 2026 2 and check Honda's site for the current figure.

Hybrid all-wheel drive arrives

The biggest change is all-wheel drive on the two top hybrids, the e:HEV LX and e:HEV RS 2. It is the first time a hybrid CR-V sold in Australia has offered it 2. For buyers who head to the snow or down gravel roads, that removes the old choice between the hybrid's economy and the petrol car's extra traction.

A white medium SUV with its tailgate open in a beachside car park on a sunny morning (AI-generated image)
AI-generated image

Seven seats stay petrol only

There is one catch for bigger families. The VTi L7 is the only seven-seater, and it is petrol only 2. If you need the third row, you cannot have the hybrid engine or all-wheel drive in the same car 2.

Engines and fuel use

The 2026 range has two powertrains 2:

  • Petrol: a 1.5 litre turbocharged four-cylinder making 140 kW and 240 Nm, with a CVT automatic 2.
  • Hybrid: a 2.0 litre four-cylinder working with electric motors through an e-CVT, for 135 kW and 335 Nm 2.

Honda's claimed combined fuel use for the hybrid is 5.5 L/100 km with front-wheel drive and 5.7 L/100 km with all-wheel drive 2. Claimed figures come from a laboratory test, so expect your own results to depend on how and where you drive.

The hybrid's extra torque is the main reason to choose it beyond fuel use. A hybrid also tends to save the most fuel in stop-start city driving, where the electric motors do more of the work, so think about where most of your kilometres are driven before you pay for one. It makes 335 Nm against the petrol engine's 240 Nm 2, which helps when the car is loaded with people and luggage.

Equipment worth knowing about

Every 2026 CR-V has a 9.0 inch touchscreen with Google built in, which brings Google Maps and the Google Play store to the dashboard 2. A 360 degree camera is standard from the e:HEV L up 2.

The flagship e:HEV RS AWD adds the most 2:

  • a head-up display;
  • ventilated front seats and heated rear seats;
  • a heated steering wheel;
  • 12-speaker Bose audio 2.

All variants also lock their doors automatically 2. For the full equipment list by grade, check Honda's own specification sheets, because The Beep's report did not list every grade's features.

Safety

Every CR-V carries driver assistance features such as autonomous emergency braking, but the exact list varies by grade and model year. For the independent crash test result, see the ANCAP page for the Honda CR-V 5, which shows the rating, the year it was tested and which variants it covers.

Check the date of any rating you rely on. ANCAP ratings are dated, and a rating awarded several years ago was judged against the test rules of that year.

Which CR-V suits you

The range now splits fairly clearly by need:

  • Lowest price: the VTi X is the cheapest way into a new CR-V, but it is petrol only 2.
  • Lowest fuel use on a budget: the e:HEV X brings the hybrid to the second rung of the range 2.
  • Seven seats: the VTi L7 is the only choice 2.
  • Traction and economy together: the e:HEV LX AWD is the cheapest hybrid with all-wheel drive 2.
  • Most comfort features: the e:HEV RS AWD 2.

Whichever grade you lean towards, book a test drive of both the petrol and the hybrid if you can. The two engines feel different from behind the wheel, and a short drive on your own roads will tell you more than any specification sheet or brochure.

If you are still deciding on the size of car, our guide to the best small SUVs covers the class below, and our list of the most reliable hybrid cars in Australia puts the CR-V hybrid in context with its rivals.

Buying a used sixth-generation CR-V

A used sixth-generation CR-V built before the 2026 update can be good value 2, but the range changed enough that you should know exactly what you are looking at. Ask for the build date and the compliance date, check the badge on the tailgate against the grade the seller claims, and confirm the number of seats and driven wheels in person.

  • Hybrid drive: the hybrids sold from the 2023 launch drove the front wheels only 1. All-wheel drive on a hybrid arrived with the 2026 update 2.
  • Seats: count them. The early range included both five and seven-seat grades 1.
  • Warranty: confirm how much of the five-year warranty is left 1, and ask for the service records.
  • History: run a vehicle history check for money owing and write-off records before you pay.

Our safe buying guide explains the scams to watch for when you buy privately, and you can browse cars on Car Domain. For more background on the model's long history, the Honda CR-V entry on Wikipedia covers every generation.

Sources

  1. GoAuto, CR-V here next month from $44,500 driveaway, accessed 2 November 2026
  2. The Beep, Honda CR-V goes hybrid-first for 2026 with AWD now in the mix, accessed 2 November 2026
  3. Wikipedia, Honda CR-V, accessed 2 November 2026
  4. Honda Australia, A drive away price does not equal a price rise, accessed 2 November 2026
  5. ANCAP, Honda CR-V safety rating, accessed 2 November 2026