Honda says the next-generation 2028 CR-V will arrive in 2027 powered exclusively by an all-new two-motor hybrid system, making the hybrid the only powertrain offered on the seventh-generation SUV. The company announced the change on November 12, 2026, and said the CR-V is the first of several hybrid models it plans to launch in North America by 2030.
The 2028 CR-V introduces the fifth generation of Honda’s two-motor hybrid system, which Honda says expands the range where the engine operates most efficiently and increases the driving efficiency of the hybrid unit. A newly developed electric all-wheel-drive unit is designed for precise and responsive motor control, and Honda says it aims to improve the fuel efficiency of the next-generation hybrid model by more than 10 percent. The SUV also debuts an all-new Honda platform that targets high body rigidity and light weight, with a modular architecture the company says enables greater parts commonality.
Honda says the CR-V is America’s all-time best-selling SUV, with more than 7.5 million units sold, and is on pace to top 400,000 sales for the third straight year. Hybrids account for more than half of CR-V sales, and Honda says annual CR-V hybrid sales have grown nearly tenfold since the hybrid was introduced in 2020. Luis Guerra, assistant vice president of Honda National Auto Sales, said the hybrid-only powertrain will further expand the SUV’s appeal as demand for hybrid-electric vehicles reaches record levels.
The new hybrid power unit will be built at the Honda Transmission Plant in Ohio, which is being retooled to produce next-generation hybrid systems as part of the company’s plans to expand U.S. hybrid production, with hybrid system capacity increasing by 250 percent. Honda’s Anna Engine Plant is retooling a production line for the next-generation four-cylinder Atkinson-cycle engine used in the CR-V. The SUV will continue to be built at the East Liberty Auto Plant in Ohio, the Indiana Auto Plant, and Honda of Canada Mfg.