{"id":34719,"date":"2025-07-03T14:57:13","date_gmt":"2025-07-03T18:57:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/?p=34719"},"modified":"2025-07-03T14:57:13","modified_gmt":"2025-07-03T18:57:13","slug":"payne-honda-cr-v-trailsport-taste-test-still-has-that-special-sauce","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/payne-honda-cr-v-trailsport-taste-test-still-has-that-special-sauce","title":{"rendered":"Payne: Honda CR-V TrailSport taste test. Still has that special sauce."},"content":{"rendered":"

San Diego<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 We Americans love our hamburgers and our mid-size SUVs.<\/p>\n

Burgers are the meat (pun intended) of popular food. McDonald\u2019s, Wendy\u2019s, Burger King, Shake Shack, Five Guys, Sonic, White Castle, Whataburger, Culver\u2019s, Hardee’s and so on meeting consumers\u2019 insatiable appetite for the patty. So, too, are mid-size SUVs the meat of the auto market. Toyota RAV-4, Honda CR-V, Tesla Model Y, Nissan Rogue, Ford Escape, Ford Bronco Sport, Mazda CX-5, Mazda CX-50, Chevy Equinox, Equinox EV and so on meeting consumers\u2019 unslaked thirst for the SUV.<\/p>\n

But just as the Big Three of McDonalds’, Wendy\u2019s and Burger King dominate the burger market, so too did RAV-4, Model Y and CR-V rule the segment in 2024 with each topping a staggering 400K in sales (over 400,000 served!) \u2014 numbers exceeded only by the Detroit Three pickups of F-150, Silverado and Ram.<\/p>\n

McHonda CR-V wants more.<\/p>\n

The Made in America CR-V vaulted to 402,791 units sold last year by offering a recipe that appeals to a broad swath of Yanks. The sixth-generation model, introduced in 2023, split the lineup with two powertrains: an entry-level 1.5-liter turbo-4, and a gas-electric hybrid. Call it the Big Mac-V: two all-beef engines, special sauce, served on an all-wheel-drive bun (oh, I\u2019m just getting started with the burger metaphors).<\/p>\n

The terrific 190-horsepower\/179 torque turbo-4 \u2014 shared with the Civic Si pocket rocket and luxury Acura ADX \u2014 has ponies aplenty. But the hybrid is no tree-hugging gerbil wheel. It\u2019s a 202-horse\/247-torque beastie that can stomp the Acura out of a stoplight while also sipping 40 mpg.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/figure>\n
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The 2026 Honda CR-V TrailSport is no Honda Civic, but its road matters are good – and the all-terrain tires quiet.<\/em><\/div>\n

Henry Payne<\/em><\/div>\n

Offered in the upper-trim Sport models (Sport, Sport-L, Sport Touring), the hybrid made up 50% of CR-V sales last year despite carrying a $1,500 premium. Smart shoppers no doubt figured out gas savings would pay for the premium in about four years (not to mention the time saved with its healthy 500 miles of range).<\/p>\n

No surprise that CR-V has changed little for its 2026, mid-product cycle update other than the addition of another hybrid model \u2014 my $39K TrailSport.<\/p>\n

The CR-V TrailSport follows its larger stablemates (Passport \u2018n\u2019 Pilot) in appealing to Americans\u2019 recent taste for off-road models. Dressed in Ash Green Metallic, with black accents and standard all-wheel drive, TrailSport is a looker (note to my sis who thought the fifth-gen model a dog) \u2014 if not as capable as its peers (more on that later).<\/p>\n

\"The<\/figure>\n
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The 2026 Honda CR-V TrailSport’s rear door opens to a 90-degree angle for easy access.<\/em><\/div>\n

Henry Payne<\/em><\/div>\n

TrailSport\u2019s special sauce \u2014 like all CR-Vs \u2014 is its attention to passenger detail and reliability. Let\u2019s begin in back.<\/p>\n

Open CR-V’s second-row passenger door \u2014 and it keeps on opening. All the way to 90 degrees, a rare feature in automobiles, which makes ingress\/egress a cinch whether you\u2019re a 6\u20195\u201d freak like me or a wee mom struggling to load in one of those modern Brobdingnagian child car seats.<\/p>\n