We have finally narrowed the selection for our retirement vehicle to these 2 fine choices. They are basically tied in every plus/minus comparison that we've done. We put a deposit on the CRV and have been reading every review and second guessing along the way. I joined this forum for real feedback from Honda lovers to help break the gridlock before the vehicle arrives. At the moment, it's a concern about hybrid noises and performance on the highway and hills, and no spare, versus less fuel economy and more vehicle than we need in our golden years. Would love to hear your thoughts, especially if you own either of these 2 vehicles. TIA.
2023 CRV Sport Touring Hybrid or Passport
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I’m also retired. Love our CR-V hybrid, not sure what noises would be a problem - the only unusual noise is the one that keeps you from running over pedestrians, so not really a bother. It’s got plenty of power, and an absolutely smooth delivery through all power bands. No spare, no problem. When was the last time you had a flat tire outside your driveway? For me, it’s about 30 years. It’s really my wife’s car, and a spare would be absolutely worthless to her in any on road situation.
Thank you so much for the reply! I've read a number of articles about hybrids making a droning noise at highway speed, AFTER our test drive y weeks ago. We were only able to test drive in city at 45-50 mph, so never heard that ourselves. Then I read an article by Edmunds that wasn't very encouraging re: it's ability to pull hills, and rather loud noises from the brake regeneration on descents. Have you done much hwy or hill driving?
Plenty of highway driving. It’s comfortable cruising at 75 and as quiet as any non aerodynamic square box can be at that speed. I have driven it in the Blue Ridge mountains a couple of times and the engine can be kind of loud on very steep ascents but handles them with no problem. If I lived in the Rockies driving up and down mountains everyday, it probably would not be my first choice. However, for occasional trips, no concerns. Regenerative brakes are great in mountain driving, nice to have the regen paddles to control speed in downhill descent.
We were in the same situation as you...looking for our retirement vehicle and were moving from an HRV into either a CRV or Passport. Both were fine vehicles, but the CRV Hybrid offered superior mileage over the Passport and the ride/acceleration were in our opinion much better than the Passport. Retirement offers a number of rewards and challenges of which for us the most important is maintaining our retirement nest egg as long as possible. The lower operating costs of the CRV Hybrid fit the bill much better than the extremely low mpg (comparatively speaking) of the Passport. We have been 100% happy with our purchase and our CRV has yet to disappoint. Thus far we've done 50% city and 50% highway with no droning noise at any speed. It's a pleasure to drive and extremely quiet. A final plus was the size my wife wanted something she could comfortably drive and didn't care for the drivability/size of the Passport...granted, it's not that much bigger but happy wife = happier retirement!
One primary difference between the CRV and the Passport is the ability to tow. If you plan on towing, then you might opt for the Passport as the 2022 CRV Hybrid was not designed as a towing vehicle and the 2023 CRV Hybrid will only tow up to 1000 pounds (versus a 2023 Passport which can tow up to 5,000 pounds).
One primary difference between the CRV and the Passport is the ability to tow. If you plan on towing, then you might opt for the Passport as the 2022 CRV Hybrid was not designed as a towing vehicle and the 2023 CRV Hybrid will only tow up to 1000 pounds (versus a 2023 Passport which can tow up to 5,000 pounds).
Your feedback has been very helpful. Hubby is sold on the Sport Touring, but I am dotting all the i's and crossing all the t's first. The 8 weeks between test drive and delivery does cause a bit of apprehension on my side, but hubby is excited.
My girlfriend made a strange face the other day as I was pulling away in the hybrid. Apparently it made a strange noise, my guess is the pedestrian alert, I didn't hear anything.
So far I'm loving the car, feels solid and everything is nicely laid out in the interior. The car has plenty of pep as well. I tend to stay in B on the shifter and make adjustments with the paddles, makes for smoother and easier driving since you don't need to hit the brakes so much.
So far I'm loving the car, feels solid and everything is nicely laid out in the interior. The car has plenty of pep as well. I tend to stay in B on the shifter and make adjustments with the paddles, makes for smoother and easier driving since you don't need to hit the brakes so much.
We have a 20 yr. old, 8 cyl 4Runner, that can handle towing. It's a workhorse, and my husband fully intends to keep it running until the wheels fall off. I thought the Passport might be a tempting option to replace it, but we seem to be leaning towards replacing our Audi sedan instead, especially with everyone's helpful feedback.
I'm really happy to hear about the "pep". Acceleration is key for me. My BMW 330 CI convertible was totaled by a truck running a red light and my replacement car was an Audi with a turbo engine to get me out of tight spots fast. We liked the ST hybrid acceleration much better than the non-hybrid, and, of course, we liked the 6cyl pick-up in the Passport. It's hard to argue with the fuel economy in the hybrid, though.
Seems you have 2 different criteria to consider here. A hybrid Crv or a no hybrid Passport. (Unless I am reading this wrong.) One is size and the other efficiency. I am retired. I do not need the extra room of the Passport nor did I need a hybrid as I do not put enough miles on the car to justify the extra cost. My 2021 CRV EX-L perfectly fits my needs. Plenty of room and much easier for my 90 y/o father to get in and out of. Mileage around town is 21-22 mpgs. I am very happy with it.
Thanks so much for that perspective. You are correct about Passport size versus CRV efficiency, as we consider both for the long term. We keep our cars forever. We did drive the 2023 non-hybrid EXL before testing the Sport Touring hybrid and did an immediate back-to-back comparison on the day the dealership actually had both on the lot. I wanted to like the EXL because I wasn't 100% sure of hybrid technology just yet, and because it was less $$$, but the EXL exhibited more road noise and had slightly less acceleration than the STH, which were both important criteria in any vehicle selection for me. (Hence why the Passport is still on the list) Your last point about your dad is one on this end. My mom is 92 and I'm one of 2 siblings responsible for taking her places. I tested her in the Passport and she required an aerobic step platform and a shove to get inside. Funny thing, she ooo'd and aaah'ed about it once we took her on a joy ride, insisting she'd be ok in it if that was our choice.
The CRV would be easier for sure. Don't even need to test her in that.
My selection, based on similar needs, would be the CRV-hybrid. Stepping up via a platform will get annoying very quickly, especially if you have any type of weather related issues, i.e. snow/ice, etc.
As for road noise, better tires such as Michelins, may help there. Depending on your DIY skills, adding some type of sound dampening material to the inner parts of the doors, rear hatch, & rear well will definitely help along those lines.
As for road noise, better tires such as Michelins, may help there. Depending on your DIY skills, adding some type of sound dampening material to the inner parts of the doors, rear hatch, & rear well will definitely help along those lines.
Thanks! The STH has some special kind of glass that keeps down the road noise. And you're right about the step. We are currently using it with my sister's Forester. We are lucky to live in AZ, so no wet or icy roads. The height of the step is challenge enough.
This forum has been an excellent find and just what I needed to give me the confidence I need re: the CRV.
I bought the sport touring hybrid in January, went from the Passport and had jeeps before that. Where I live I am driving around town and hwy doing 75 plus in the northwest with cold weather rain and snow and lots of hills and mountains. This has done well in all driving conditions, heated seats and steering wheel huge plus. No noise noted at all, I think quieter then the passport.
I got a 2023 Sport in December, replacing a 2017 EX. After 3000 miles, mostly city driving (one 800 mile round trip over the holidays), I am very happy with the trade. The LED headlights are a major upgrade and so much better for night driving. I'm getting 36.5 MPG average vs. 28 in the 2017. The noise from the hybrid is...different, but not discernibly louder IMO. It's much quieter when it's just using the electric engine. AFA hybrid technology - not sure what you're referring to here, but it's amazingly integrated as it switches from electric to gasoline. You really can't tell when it occurs.
It drives differently from the 2017 because of the weight of the battery in back (where the spare used to be) and it took a little while to adjust the braking. It takes a little longer to stop. I suspect future models might have a more robust system.
My biggest critique is not from performance - it's the lack of an amenity that I had gotten used to over the years and miss it but I am coping -LOL. It does not have Sirius XM installed, which is inexplicable in my opinion. It is the only CRV that doesn't have it AFAIK.
Regarding the price difference - think it is only about $1300 more than the gasoline EX. While it may take 3-4 years to recoup that from the gas savings (obviously depending on what the price of gas is), I think I can at least get the difference back on resale value.
Good luck in your decision!
It drives differently from the 2017 because of the weight of the battery in back (where the spare used to be) and it took a little while to adjust the braking. It takes a little longer to stop. I suspect future models might have a more robust system.
My biggest critique is not from performance - it's the lack of an amenity that I had gotten used to over the years and miss it but I am coping -LOL. It does not have Sirius XM installed, which is inexplicable in my opinion. It is the only CRV that doesn't have it AFAIK.
Regarding the price difference - think it is only about $1300 more than the gasoline EX. While it may take 3-4 years to recoup that from the gas savings (obviously depending on what the price of gas is), I think I can at least get the difference back on resale value.
Good luck in your decision!
Thank you for those specifics. I always feel encouraged hearing from a CRV owner who buys another CRV. I've only owned 1 Honda - my first car - a '74 Civic. It had lots of electrical and clutch cable issues.
My husband is not as sensitive to sounds as I am and didn't hear any of them during the test drive, so this car choice makes him very happy. I heard them all, so I'm pensive.
Were you concerned about the lack of spare tire on your 800-mile road trip? Going off to see my daughter requires driving long stretches through areas with no cell or services. We are currently checking this forum for pricing of full-size spares to bring on road trips, but then, there goes the cargo space.
Re: the price difference, we're ok with that. We noticed enough of a difference between the hybrid and EXL to make it worth it for us.
Sirius? Never had it, so don't know what we're missing.
My husband is not as sensitive to sounds as I am and didn't hear any of them during the test drive, so this car choice makes him very happy. I heard them all, so I'm pensive.
Were you concerned about the lack of spare tire on your 800-mile road trip? Going off to see my daughter requires driving long stretches through areas with no cell or services. We are currently checking this forum for pricing of full-size spares to bring on road trips, but then, there goes the cargo space.
Re: the price difference, we're ok with that. We noticed enough of a difference between the hybrid and EXL to make it worth it for us.
Sirius? Never had it, so don't know what we're missing.
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I realize this is heresy on the CR-V forum, but . . . We've consistently owned Hondas since the 1980s and currently own a 2020 CR-V EX. When we sold our 2017 Pilot we wanted something similar size (at least on the inside) but were interested in looking at a hybrid for the better gas mileage. We test drove a 2022 CR-V Hybrid, but weren't impressed (particularly after seeing the 2023 price increase). After viewing a couple online reviews, we test drove a 2023 Kia Sportage Hybrid and ended up ordering one for the following reasons: 1) although smaller outside than the Pilot, it seemed just as big on the inside , 2) much peppier than the CR-V when accelerating and passing; 3) a conventional 6-speed automatic transmission (vs the CR-V's CVT); 4) significantly quieter, particularly when accelerating; 5) longer warranty (5 yr/60,000 bumper to bumper, 10 yr/100,000 power train); 6) much better sounding radio/stereo; 7) greater towing capacity than the CR-V (2,500 vs. 1,000 lbs); 8) real spare tire; and 9) more features for significantly less money. The only thing I truly dislike is the rotary shifter - though I've gotten used to it. The first few tanks of gas the mileage wasn't that good, but once it hit around 1,500 miles we started consistently getting mid 30s mpg in Minnesota winter (we took delivery in mid-December), and have gotten as high as 44 mpg on one trip.
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That's odd. The feature sheet that my dealer gave me shows that SiriusXM is included with both the 2023 CR-V EX-L and the Sport Touring Hybrid.
We have a 2022 Passport and discovered this is now our go to vehicle for many reasons. Powerful, quiet, plenty of room and a list of other items that make it so much more comfortable that our CRV - which will probably be sold due it just sitting there now that the Passport is on board.
I’m not in the market, but recently retired and also an owner of a 2015 CRV-EX. I think you’ve made some excellent points here for all to consider! With a nice touch of humor that many can relate to.
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