Honda CR-V 2026 Review: Specs, Prices and Lease Deals

The Honda CR-V has changed a lot. The 2026 Honda CR-V is a five-seat family SUV that you can only get as a hybrid in the UK. You can choose the self-charging e:HEV or the e:PHEV plug-in hybrid, which can do up to 50 miles on electricity alone. At First Vehicle Leasing we've arranged leases for over 25 years, and this review covers what we'd want to know before signing for a CR-V.

What Is the 2026 Honda CR-V?

This is the sixth-generation CR-V. In the UK it's a five-seat SUV and every version is a hybrid. Both versions pair a 2.0-litre petrol engine with electric drive. The e:HEV charges its own battery as you drive. The e:PHEV has a much bigger battery that you charge from a plug, and that gives it up to 50 miles of electric-only driving.

If you remember the older CR-V with a 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine, manual gearbox and optional seven seats, those versions have gone. There's no petrol-only or diesel CR-V in the UK, and you can't get a third row. The new car is bigger than the old one: it's about 4.7 metres long, and the extra wheelbase goes into rear legroom.

Most of the time, the petrol engine works as a generator, making electricity for the motor that drives the wheels. At higher speeds it can drive the wheels directly. In practice it feels closer to an electric car than a traditional automatic, and it avoids the high-revving drone that older CVT (continuously variable transmission) gearboxes were known for.

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What Are the Honda CR-V Specs?

Both versions produce 184PS and take about 9.4 seconds to reach 62mph. The real differences are in electric range, which wheels are driven, boot space and towing. The e:HEV always has four-wheel drive. The e:PHEV is front-wheel drive, has a bigger boot and can tow twice the weight.

WLTP stands for the Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure, the official test used for range and emissions figures. Boot sizes are as quoted by Parkers' Honda CR-V review. Other reviewers measure them slightly differently. The plug-in actually has the bigger boot, because its battery sits under the cabin floor rather than in the space the e:HEV's four-wheel-drive hardware takes up.

What Equipment Comes as Standard?

Every CR-V is well equipped. Even the Elegance comes with leather upholstery, sat nav, a panoramic sunroof, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, a powered tailgate, a 9-inch touchscreen, wireless phone charging and Honda's Sensing 360 safety systems. The Advance adds adaptive driving beam headlights, a multi-view camera, a Bose sound system, heated outer rear seats and a memory driver's seat. The Advance Tech plug-in also gets Honda Parking Pilot.

How Much Does the Honda CR-V Cost in 2026?

In 2026, published list prices run from roughly £47,000 to £51,000. Parkers quotes £48,075 to £51,250, and Auto Express quoted £47,335 to £51,150 in June 2026. The plug-in hybrid launched at £53,995 but is now priced close to the Advance hybrid. Every version is more expensive than a Toyota RAV4 or Hyundai Tucson.

Reviewers agree that price is the CR-V's weak point, and they agree it's well built, comfortable and very well equipped. When you lease, the list price is only part of the picture. Your rental mostly covers the gap between what the car costs to buy and what it's expected to be worth at the end of your lease (its residual value), plus interest charges. Strong demand for a car on the used market helps keep that gap smaller.

Does Road Tax Cost More on a CR-V?

Yes. Every version is over £40,000, so all of them pay the Expensive Car Supplement. According to the BVRLA's VED guidance, from 1 April 2026 the standard Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) rate is £200 and the supplement is £440. The supplement applies from the second to the sixth year of the car's life. On contract hire, the finance company is the registered keeper with the DVLA, and road tax is normally included in your rentals for the length of the lease. Check that this is the case on your quote.

Is the Honda CR-V a Good Company Car?

The e:PHEV is, and the e:HEV mostly isn't. HMRC sets company car tax rates by CO2 and electric range. With CO2 of 1-50g/km and a 40-69 mile range, the plug-in is taxed at 10% in 2026/27. At about 151g/km, the e:HEV sits at 36%. For anyone paying company car tax, that's a big difference.

HMRC's published bands, shown in Fleet News' BIK table, have this band at 11% in 2027/28. From April 2028, every car emitting 1-50g/km moves to a flat 18%, then 19% in 2029/30. A four-year lease starting now would spend its last two years on those higher rates.

Illustrative example (round numbers, not a quote). Take an e:PHEV with a £50,000 P11D value (the list price used for company car tax). At 10%, the taxable benefit is £5,000. That's £1,000 a year for a basic-rate taxpayer and £2,000 for a higher-rate taxpayer. At 18% in 2028/29, the same car costs £1,800 or £3,600 a year. Compare an e:HEV at £48,000 and 36%: the taxable benefit is £17,280, so £3,456 or £6,912 a year.

Business Contract Hire (BCH) is the business version of a lease, and its rentals are shown excluding VAT. Find out more on our business car leasing page. Cars emitting 75g/km or less fall outside HMRC's optional remuneration arrangement (OpRA) rules, which can remove the tax advantage of salary sacrifice. That means the plug-in can still work through salary sacrifice if your employer offers a scheme.

What Are the Best Alternatives to the Honda CR-V?

If you like the CR-V but not its price, two cars are worth looking at. The Toyota RAV4 is cheaper to buy and also offers hybrid and plug-in versions. The smaller Honda ZR-V uses the same e:HEV hybrid system in a more compact body. Both are hybrid family SUVs you can lease today.

So does it make sense to pay more for the Honda? If you value a calm drive, easy-to-use controls and a big boot, quite possibly. The Toyota RAV4 is the obvious rival on price. The Honda ZR-V suits drivers who don't need the CR-V's space. Before you choose a model, think about what you need from the car and what you can spend each month, then see which car gives the best value within that.

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How Do You Lease a Honda CR-V?

Personal Contract Hire (PCH) is a fixed-term rental. You pay an initial rental, then monthly rentals, and hand the car back at the end. You never own it, and road tax is normally included. To lease a CR-V, choose the version, set a realistic annual mileage, pick a contract length and how many months' rental you pay upfront, then apply. Approval depends on a credit check.

First Vehicle Leasing is authorised and regulated by the FCA, and under its Consumer Duty rules we have to make sure the product suits your needs. Before you apply, work through this checklist:

• Check your annual mileage against previous MOT records. Excess mileage charges add up quickly.
• Choose your initial rental. It's usually 1, 3, 6 or 9 months' worth of rental, it isn't a deposit, and you don't get it back.
• If you're considering the e:PHEV, make sure you have off-street parking for a home charger.
• Read the BVRLA Fair Wear and Tear guidance. We're a BVRLA member, and it sets out what condition the car should be in when you return it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Written by Andy Bell, First Vehicle Leasing.