Rating: Honda CR -V PHEV – from Daily Car Blog

I have driven many PHEVs over the years. The first generation models were naturally contradictory and combustion engine with an electric motor and a battery. The idea was to pollute less by using the EV range (usually only 15 miles) for short trips while relying on the ice for longer trips. In theory, it made sense. In practice, it was like mixing oil and water – it just didn’t work. As soon as the EV area was exhausted, they were dragged around the dead weight. They were better off with a traditional petrol or diesel car.

PHEVS lost their relevance with the rise of a new wave of electric vehicles, led by Tesla and now through a growing power of Chinese electric vehicles. So you would think that Phrevs are on the way out, right? Not quite. The automotive world is more complex than that – Phile make a comeback. I was skeptical, especially about the Honda CR-V PHEV. I had expected that it would only be another compromised Hybrid.

But that’s Honda. And Honda knows what it is doing. After over two decades of building hybrids, you have poured this experience into the most effective PHEV on the market. This thing has as much magic as in Honda’s engineering skills.

External

No complaints here. The latest CR-V is more mature, more elegant and refined. It looks noble and exudes trust. Honda’s new design language is definitely a step in the right direction.

In the UK, the CR-V is currently available in three drugs, from 47,350 GBP. The PHEV version begins at £ 49,930 and is in the top of the area. In contrast to other AWD trims, it is only front-wheel drive. However, it is fully loaded with all the comfort and functions of the creature that you could ever need:

LED headlights with adaptive Dimm, a multi-view camera, keyless entry, leather seats, heated front and rear seats, a heated steering wheel, a Bose sound system, electrical seats, panoramic drains and a digital driver display. The list continues.

The interior

It is large outside and spacious from the inside. While every car has its quirks, there is not much to criticize here. The infotainment system is decent and wirelessly supports both Apple CarPlay And Android Auto. The digital driver’s display is sharp, legible and well presented.

The new interior design reflects the understated boldness of the exterior. For those who are not fans of full digital interfaces, Honda’s have physical buttons and dials for climate control – a nice gesture.

Without going into geeky details, the rear trunk room for daily needs is large enough-and it is Ikea-Föde if the rear banking seats are folded completely flat.

The PHEV battery and the overall packaging of the EV do not seem to noticeably reduce the trunk capacity.

The processing quality is generally excellent, although the center console (where the selection buttons are located) has a little game. Otherwise it feels solid and well together.

If I had a complaint, it would be the seating comfort. After about an hour in a 250-mile trip, the seats felt uncomfortable.

Honda could consider offering a premium seat option or simply designing a really comfortable fit to rule it all.

Drive

The CR-V PHEV combines a 2.0-liter petrol engine of 148 hp with an electric motor of 188 hp for a total system output of 240 hp and 366 Nm torque. It is 17.7 kWh lithium-ion battery Offers an official EV range of up to 50 miles – about 4 kWh more than one Tesla Powerwall for the context.

At 2,430 kg, it is difficult, which will have a certain degree. The handling reflects this weight: the CR-V tends to undermine and shows some body role in corners, but remains with brakes. You feel the additional weight compared to the standard hybrid, but it brings a surprising advantage – Greater motorway stability.

The steering is artificially weighted – it feels safe and predictable, but feedback is missing. This is okay for an SUV. If you want to have sports car steering, buy a sports car.

Hondas Lane Assist is activated by default. While I usually like lane systems on motorways, I exhibited on it. The software still needs a refinement before deserving my trust. It also contained a parking assistant system or Park pilotBut I didn’t use it – I usually only drive around the parking lot around the simplest and widest parking space!

Efficiency

At first I was not impressed by the reading of the fuel knife: 315 miles petrol/petrol range and only 40 miles EV range -10 shortly before the advertised 50. But Honda had a trick her sleeve: real efficiency.

There is the usual drive modes and a “B” mode for improved regenerative braking. I prioritized the B mode and consistently used it instead of a standard drive because it activates regeneration and enables almost one pedal driving. With the steering wheel paddling you can switch the regeneration through five levels – from 1 (light) to 5 (strong).

As soon as the battery is derived, the CR-V PHEV is used in the “hybrid mode” in my opinion, whereby the battery performance of the reserve is battered in order to continuously inject small amounts of EV current and reach 40 MPG on a combined trip. Even in sports mode with aggressive driving, it only falls to around 38 MPG. In the city, the CR-V is characterized by 50–60 mpg.

If you work from home or just do school runs and errands, you may never have to refuel. The battery loads itself from zero with a dedicated alternating current wall load in 2.5 hours, 7.7 when using a 3-pin wall cavity.

At the highway speed with a stored battery, it can still be 3 to 4 miles with EV current before returning to hybrid and recycling reserves. On a 250-mile tour, I started with 268 miles petrol and 22 miles. I expected to be able to refuel at least twice – but I never did it. I came home with 165 miles petrol. I’m still trying to find mathematics on it.

The judgment

I am still not completely sold to PHEVs, since the EV battery technology is progressing quickly and the anxiety is likely to be a thing of the past. If a typical application usually includes short trips – around 30 to 50 miles per day – it makes sense to go fully electrically. That means I have to admit that the CR-V PHEV is a Homerun. I expected frustration and inefficiency. Instead, I found a vehicle that was consistently delivered – not only in fuel consumption, but also on comfort, practicality and intelligent engineering.

Sure, it’s not fast. But it’s fast enough. It is spacious, well equipped, thoughtful built and calmly in the movement. It is not the sharpest handler, but offers a quiet, comfortable journey that fits perfectly with its mission.

Yes, I fill the column here – but Honda has currently built the best PHEV on the market. If you are on the fence of becoming fully electrical, the CR-V PHEV offers the best of both worlds.