2023 Honda CR-V: Everything We Know About the Next One
Lately, we've been crystal-balling a bit on what Honda has cooking up next, spurred on by the excellent new Civic and it's elegant, restrained, and yet dynamically excellent new iteration. We've speculated about the 2023 Accord, which we think will get a heavy redesign that take some notes out of Honda's Civic playbook. We've seen how Honda will play the split, stylistically and physically, between the U.S.-market HR-V and the Euro-only Vezel. And, most importantly, we have already seen what to expect from the 2023 CR-V thanks to a very convincing patent image leak.
New Duds
The biggest changes, we expect, will grace the outside of the new 2023 CR-V—a styling overhaul similar to the one Honda applied to the compact Civic, which is mechanically quite similar to its predecessor but couldn't look more different outside and in. Based on our thoughts, the leaked patent application image (the grayscale photo below), spy photos of prototypes we've seen, and clues from existing products, we commissioned these illustrations to show you how we think Honda will redraft the CR-V.
Whereas the smaller new HR-V looks a little puckish, we think the CR-V will forgo that SUV's active-lifestyle leanings for a more sophisticated look. That means slimmer headlights, an elegant grille, and lines that accentuate the extra length that spy shots hint is coming. While the current CR-V his handsome, it looks stubby and a little pinched up front when compared to our notion of where it's headed—in particular, the slim headlights and more conventional grille seem more contemporary than the current CR-V's "end of life facelift" visage.
Out back, the look is a little more evolutionary, but the extra length makes the rear look a little smaller, a little more tucked in, and a little more contoured. A shapely D-pillar and a heavily sloped rear glass give it a bit of a fastback vibe, capturing some of the crossover coupe mojo that's so in vogue these days. A metallic finishing plate under the dark rear bumper adds a bit of zest.
Inside, we imagine the new Civic's focus on simple, horizontal elements and interesting full-width dashboard mesh hiding the air vents will appear here. Expect an infotainment system just like the one found in the Civic, perched on top of the dash, a welcome addition as the current CR-V's screen is too small to be competitive. With that added length, an occasional-use third row may sprout in the back, giving it more ammunition to compete with the Volkswagen Tiguan and Kia Sorento.
Under the Hood
Expect more of the same here, with the 2023 CR-V adopting the previous models' powertrains, with the sort of moderate tweaks and enhancements the latest Civic received. That means the 1.5-liter turbocharged I-4 will return for study in most versions, and a 2.0-liter naturally aspirated I-4 should make a return in the hybrid version. It's possible a PHEV version will debut in the U.S.; a current-gen CR-V PHEV is already sold in China by Dongfeng Honda. If a PHEV version appears in our market with the new generation, expect something quite similar to the Chinese-market version's 2.0-liter powertrain and something in the neighborhood of 40-50 miles of EV-only range.
Taking Stock
The CR-V is near the top of a segment that is white hot right now, and has been hot for a long time. It's easy to assume that a longer, more versatile, and more handsome replacement vehicle will maintain Honda's position at the top of the heap. But the competition, particularly new models from Hyundai and Kia with bold styling and a broad range of powertrain options, makes the calculus a little harder.
But let's put it another way: the CR-V has built up so much good will that it'd take a real stinker to put a dent in this SUV's appeal. We think, in this environment, the CR-V's biggest challenge will be whether there are going to be enough on dealers' lots to satisfy customer demand. It remains to be seen, though, if the additional length, potential third row, and extra heaping of content we assume will be slathered on drive the price up enough to hurt once the production shortages recede.
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Ever since spy shots of the flare-fendered, camouflaged 2022 Ford Bronco Raptor started hitting the airwaves, the internet has been buzzing as to whether it would be powered by an EcoBoost V-6 (and if so, which one?) or a Coyote V-8. Folks were clearly crossing their fingers for the latter, to relive those Bill Stroppe Baja fantasies. Now that the Bronco Raptor has dropped, we know we're getting the 3.0-liter twin-turbo EcoBoost six, and hearing the reasons why, we don't begrudge the decision. So read on for the answer to "Why no Bronco V-8?" and to learn how you will be able to buy a Bronco V-8 from Ford—sort of.Just Not a Good FitAs we've noted extensively, the Bronco is based on next-generation Ranger architecture, which involves a noticeably narrower frame than the one used by the F-150. Further tightening the engine compartment are shock towers that are elevated to provide the added suspension travel crucial to the Bronco Raptor's desert-blitzing capabilities. These taller towers prevent turbos and cylinder heads from being able to hang over the main frame rails. Such package constraints conspire against fitting a V-8 or even the wider 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 in a Bronco Raptor engine bay.So when some aftermarket tuner comes along with an Bronco V-8 transplant, inevitably wearing Poppy Red, white, and blue livery, you'll likely learn that that specific Bronco didn't start life as a Raptor (and you may rightly fret about its cooling performance and durability).Nose Heavy?Extra weight on the nose of a desert racer is never a good thing. It overworks the springs and dampers, causes the front end to plow, adds wear to the front tires, and more. And although the overall weight of the Coyote V-8 isn't that much different from that of the EcoBoost V-6 engines (turbos weigh more than pistons!), the V-8 is longer, moving the engine's center of mass forward. This would have the effect of adding weight to the nose of a Bronco V-8.Out of CharacterThis most extreme example of the "Born Wild" Bronco cries out for the broad, flat torque curve that comes with a twin-turbo engine. Naturally aspirated V-8s can't typically match this torque-everywhere character that a twin-turbo EcoBoost engine provides. And in any case, if our estimates of power and weight are correct, the Bronco Raptor should roughly hit the weight-to-power and hence 0-60-mph acceleration of the similarly tired Ford F-150 Raptor 37.You CAN Have a Bronco V-8!Wait, what? That's right, Ford is building a Bronco with a V-8. You simply won't be able to drive it to your local cars and coffee, or on public roads in general, but maybe you could live out your Stroppe fantasies and win the SCORE Baja 1000 race in it. We're talking about the 2023 Ford Bronco DR, a not-street-legal off-road-racing Bronco available to privateer racers.Buy one of these, and you'd also be living out a "Rod Hall and Larry Minor" fantasy—they won the Baja 1000 overall in a stock Bronco V-8 in 1969. This tube-frame racing truck faces none of packaging dilemmas that plague the production truck, so it will run a V-8. It'll also package the radiator behind the driver. Oh, and it'll cost in the mid-$200,000s when it goes on sale this fall. How badly do you want a Bronco V-8?
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ProsStrong, great-sounding engineOutstanding manual shifterYour hat stays on at 120 mph with top down ConsDoesn't handle as well as expectedSomewhat odd gearingWe know it can be betterLet's take a trip back to 2016, even if Porsche diehards would prefer we didn't. That's when the company introduced the fourth-generation Boxster, now with a 718 prefix and (cue the loyalists' gags) turbocharged flat-four engine offerings in place of the naturally aspirated flat-sixes that had powered every version of the popular and much-lauded roadster since it first arrived 20 years earlier.The new engines were among the best four-bangers in history, but nevertheless, cries never ceased for a reversion to the old. So while other 718 Boxsters carry on with the 2.0- and 2.5-liter turbocharged units, the prior 2.5-liter 718 GTS that lasted a scant two model years in the U.S. between 2018 and 2019 is gone. Instead, the new 982-series 718 Boxster GTS 4.0-liter gives many of us what we've wanted: a new flat-six. The engine itself is a punched-out, free-breathing derivation of the 3.0-liter twin-turbo 9A2 flat-six family found in every non-GT and non-Turbo 991.2 and today's 992 911s. It 394 hp and 309 lb-ft of torque, figures that.Other items of note: The GTS 4.0 adds thicker anti-roll bars, recalibrated PASM dampers, upgraded chassis mounts, slightly larger brakes, and upgraded wheels. Along with the larger engine and extra standard features like heated seats and dynamic lights, it boasts Porsche Torque Vectoring with a mechanical limited-slip differential. However, the car adds roughly 145 pounds compared to the old GTS 2.5, .Contrary to what we expected heading into PVOTY, though, the overall package didn't blow away our judges."I'm whelmed," features editor Scott Evans said. "I expected to love this car, and I'm kind of meh on it. I know Porsche can do better with this chassis. It's the damping that surprised me; it doesn't soak up midcorner bumps as well as I expected, and it feels a little skittery at high speeds. Porsches are usually more locked down, and as a result, I couldn't carry as much speed through fast, bumpy sweepers as I could in lesser cars. I was 8 mph faster in the Subaru. But what a fantastic shifter; it's just perfect in movement and feel. Sucks about the super-long second gear, though. I kept wanting to take extra laps to see if I was doing something wrong. I felt like I could learn to drive the car better if I just kept trying, even though I knew some of the issues really didn't have anything to do with my driving."Senior features editor Jonny Lieberman agreed. "Evans is right," he said. "The Boxster GTS is good, but it isn't great. The long second gear makes things a little confusing, and it just doesn't handle as well as we expected it to."The fact we can say this about such a capable machine that's long been a favorite speaks volumes about just what a stupendous level of performance modern sports cars have reached. As features editor Christian Seabaugh said, "Other than the noted 'complaints,' it's an excellent car. Well balanced, poised, and easy to drive fast and find your limit. The steering is sharp and direct, and the brakes are pretty good."In the end, while the 718 GTS 4.0 is a great Boxster, it isn't yet quite as outstanding as we know it can be.2021 Porsche 718 Boxster GTS 4.0 Specifications Base Price/As tested $90,250/$100,000 Power (SAE net) 394 hp @ 7,000 rpm Torque (SAE net) 309 lb-ft @ 5,000 rpm Accel, 0-60 mph 4.2 sec Quarter-mile 12.4 sec @ 115.9 mph Braking, 60-0 mph 99 ft Lateral Acceleration 1.07 g (avg) MT Figure Eight 23.6 sec @ 0.87 g (avg) EPA City/Hwy/Comb 17/24/19 mpg Vehicle Layout Mid-engine, RWD, 2-pass, 2-door convertible Engine, Transmission 4.0L direct-injected DOHC 24-valve flat-6, 6-speed manual Curb Weight (F/R DIST) 3,173 lb (45/55%) Wheelbase 97.4 in Length x Width x Height 172.4 x 70.9 x 49.7 in On Sale Now Show All
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