2028 Honda CR-V Goes 100% Hybrid With a New Platform Next Year
Much like the Toyota RAV4 did, the Honda CR-V is going all in on hybrid power. Honda confirmed today that the next-generation 2028 Honda CR-V will arrive next year powered exclusively by an all-new two-motor Honda Hybrid system, which means the gas-only CR-V is going away.
That is a big deal for families. The CR-V is America’s best-selling SUV, and the seventh-generation model will also bring an all-new platform and a bold new design. Even better, Honda says the new platform and powertrain will greatly increase the CR-V’s standard power and efficiency.
Why Honda Is Taking the CR-V All Hybrid
In many ways, buyers made this decision before Honda did. Hybrids already account for more than 50% of CR-V sales, and annual CR-V Hybrid sales have grown nearly tenfold since the hybrid arrived in 2020.
Across the brand, Honda set back-to-back hybrid sales records in 2024 and 2025 and is on track for another record in 2026. Led by the CR-V, hybrids now make up about 30% of all Honda brand sales. Meanwhile, Honda says the next CR-V is the first of several hybrid models it plans to launch in North America by 2030.
“With a 100% hybrid powertrain, the next-generation Honda CR-V will further expand the appeal of America’s most popular SUV as demand for hybrid-electric vehicles reaches record levels,” said Luis Guerra, assistant vice president of Honda National Auto Sales.
A Next-Generation Two-Motor Hybrid and New Electric AWD
The 2028 CR-V debuts Honda’s fifth-generation two-motor hybrid system. Honda has not released horsepower, torque, or MPG figures yet, but it did share what is changing:
- A wider range where the engine operates at its most efficient
- Better driving efficiency from the hybrid unit itself
- A newly developed electric all-wheel-drive (AWD) unit for precise, responsive motor control
- A next-generation four-cylinder Atkinson-cycle engine
- A goal of improving fuel efficiency by more than 10%
For families who rack up highway miles, that efficiency target is the headline. A double-digit gain on top of a CR-V Hybrid that is already efficient would mean fewer stops at the pump on the next road trip.
An All-New Platform Built to Be Fun to Drive
Underneath, the CR-V will be the first Honda on an all-new platform. Honda says it combines high body rigidity with light weight, and its modular design allows more parts sharing across future models.
In addition, Honda promises the new platform will deliver a sporty and exhilarating driving experience. That is welcome news. The CR-V has always nailed practicality, so a little more fun behind the wheel would make it even easier to recommend.
Built in America With Hybrid Parts From Ohio
The new CR-V is part of Honda’s bigger push to build more hybrid parts in the U.S., which we covered when Honda announced a $3 billion Ohio plant to keep up with hybrid demand. Here is how the new CR-V fits in:
- The new hybrid power unit will be built at the Honda Transmission Plant in Ohio, where hybrid system production capacity will grow by 250%
- The Anna Engine Plant in Ohio is retooling a line for the next-generation four-cylinder Atkinson-cycle engine
- The CR-V itself will keep rolling out of the East Liberty Auto Plant in Ohio, the Indiana Auto Plant, and Honda of Canada Mfg.
Since 2006, Honda has built more than 7 million CR-Vs in North America, with roughly half of them made in the U.S.
America’s Best-Selling SUV by the Numbers
The timing lines up with a big birthday, too, since next year marks the 30th anniversary of the CR-V. Here is where Honda’s best seller stands today:
- More than 7.5 million sold, making it America’s all-time best-selling SUV
- Honda’s best-selling vehicle every year since 2017
- On pace to top 400,000 sales for the third straight year
- The best-selling light-duty vehicle in the U.S. through October 2026
In fact, the CR-V helped Honda post its best October since 2020, as we reported in our Honda October sales story. Last month, we also covered a report that the next-generation CR-V could arrive a few months later than planned. Honda still is not giving an exact on-sale date, but it now confirms the new model arrives next year.
Following the Toyota RAV4’s Hybrid-Only Lead
Honda is not the first to make this move. Toyota went hybrid only when it debuted the 2026 RAV4, so the two best-selling compact SUVs in America will soon both be hybrid only.
We have spent plenty of time in the RAV4 lately. We compared a RAV4 Limited Hybrid against the Mazda CX-5, and we took the RAV4 PHEV Woodland on a rally course. Now Honda has to answer with a CR-V that matches the RAV4 on efficiency and beats it on value.
If you are shopping right now, you can build your own current CR-V on Honda’s website.
Our Take on the 2028 Honda CR-V
I think this is the right call. When more than half of CR-V buyers already pick the hybrid, dropping the gas-only version simply follows the money. It also puts the CR-V on equal footing with the RAV4 in the fight for the family driveway.
My biggest question is price. The gas-only CR-V has been the entry point for budget-minded families, so I want to see where the 2028 CR-V starts once the hybrid is standard. Additionally, I want real numbers for horsepower and MPG. Honda promises more power and more than 10% better efficiency, and we will hold it to that when we get behind the wheel.
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