TopSpeed’s Best Compact SUV Of 2024: Honda CR-V

Summary

• The 2024 Honda CR-V is the best compact SUV due to its focus on affordability, value, practicality, tech, comfortable road manners, and efficiency.
• The CR-V offers a comfortable ride, smooth power delivery, spacious interior, and ample storage space, making it a solid choice for commuters and families.
• The CR-V’s hybrid option delivers great fuel economy, but comes at a higher price compared to the base non-hybrid engine. The pricing of the CR-V is also higher than some competitors.

Perhaps no other car, truck or crossover class is as competitive as the compact SUV market. If for nothing else, just because of the sheer number of compact SUVs available from both mainstream, luxury and even niche automakers. As such, automakers typically put their best foot forward in the compact market. Sure, there are some duds, but in many cases that’s relative to any model’s plethora of rivals.

Therefore, it takes excellence in several vital categories to stand out. And in the compact SUV fray, that’s a focus on affordability, overall value, an amalgamation of practicality and athleticism, plenty of tech, comfortable road manners and efficiency. To boot, the flood of options in the compact SUV class means a model must deliver an array of trims to appease buyers. For its excellence in all the above categories, our Best Compact SUV In 2024 is the Honda CR-V.

In order to determine the best vehicle in this category for 2024, our in-house experts have voted on a number of factors, including but not limited to value for the money, performance, and expected reliability and safety. The aggregate review score you see in the display card below is indicative of the average score (rated 1-10) between these factors and is based on real-world experience. Further information regarding our methodology of rating vehicles can be found on the TopSpeed’s methodology page.

Why the Honda CR-V is the Best Compact SUV of 2024

The 2024 Honda CR-V underscores the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. The CR-V may not completely stand out in all categories, but as a complete compact SUV, it gets just about everything right.

The CR-V’s ride quality is comfortable, and both engines provide smooth power delivery with appropriate pep for a compact commuter. It’s also easy to appreciate the CR-V is offered in both gas-only and hybrid models, and both return commendable MPG figures. And though it’s usually difficult to praise a continuously variable transmission, the CR-V’s is perhaps the best of the bunch.

The interior is spacious for passengers in both rows, enhanced by the latest generation’s larger dimensions. Large door openings make getting in and out easy, which is especially appreciated by those who need to install a car seat. Interior materials aren’t luxurious, but they feel well engineered and sturdy. To boot, there’s a massive 39 cubic-feet of storage space, making the CR-V one of the most pragmatic choices in the segment.

A 7-inch touchscreen is standard while upper models are fitted with a 9-inch unit. It’s not the most attractive system, but it’s intuitive with plenty of physical controls and redundancy.

The standard LX model is fairly basic in the amenities offered, but we appreciate the CR-V is offered with all-wheel drive no matter the model (the top trim comes with AWD as standard), and there are more desirable features for those willing to dish out more dough.

The CR-V’s styling doesn’t stand out against more eye-grabbing compact SUVs like the Kia Sportage or Hyundai Tucson, and its not as “rugged” as the Ford Bronco Sport or RAV4. But as such, its looks are completely inoffensive to most buyers.Overall, the CR-V is simply a solid all-around choice.

2024 Honda CR-V Performance Specifications

Though six flavors of the 2024 CR-V are available, but those essentially break down into two categories — hybrid and non-hybrid.

In its base form, the CR-V is powered by a 1.5-liter, 190-horsepower four-cylinder, turbocharged, gas-only engine. Those wanting a touch more power and improved efficiency can opt for the Sport or Sport Touring trims, which are equipped with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder and two electric motors that combine for a total output of 204 horsepower. Though the Sport Hybrid, the most affordable of the hybridized lineup, commands an over $4,000 more than the base CR-V, it delivers 10 more MPG with standard front-wheel drive and eight more MPG with AWD.

Though fairly efficient in either trim, the CR-V isn’t necessarily for the enthusiast. Part of the equation is its continually variable transmission, even if Honda’s is perhaps the best on the market. Another factor is the CR-V’s unexciting acceleration.

However, we can’t forget Honda isn’t marketing its compact SUV to those who regularly thrash corners and light up the tires when the traffic signal turns green. It’s suited to be a commuter and a small family hauler. And in those regards, its performance is adequate.

To boot, its driving dynamics are well-suited for such uses. The steering rack feels fully connected to the front wheels, not something that can be said of many compact SUVs, and the pedals are easily to modulate. Suspension tuning is also notable. The CR-V delivers a soft ride to soak up the lumps and bumps of the road while remaining taut enough in corners. Overall, the CR-V is the blend of comfort and agility that most buyers seek.

Best Features of the 2024 Honda CR-V

• Multi-angle rearview camera
• Hands-free liftgate
• Available hybrid powertrain
• Dual rear USB ports
• Adaptive cruise control
• Wireless charging pad
• Navigation
• 12-Speaker Bose audio system

The CR-V doesn’t have unique features, per se, but it’s easy to appreciate those that enhance its mission of making it a solid commuter and/or family hauler. For instance, the multi-angle rearview camera provides excellent rear visibility, and as the name suggests, its adjustable. The dual rear USB ports, navigation, adaptive cruise control are well appreciated on road trips, and the Bose audio system hands-free tailgate and wireless charging are welcome additions no matter the length of the trip or its purpose. The CR-V may miss out on some of the more unique features of some rivals, but it’s certainly not lacking in desirable amenities.

The Runners Up

The Honda CR-V takes this year’s crown as the best compact SUV, but it wasn’t for a lack of close competition. The Toyota RAV4, Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage, Mazda CX-5 and Ford Bronco Sport are all worthy contenders.

The Toyota RAV4 doesn’t stand out in many ways (at least not initially, though its resale value is always exceptional), but like the CR-V, it doesn’t make any significant missteps. The CR-V still has (subjective) better overall handling, its technology is slightly outpaces the Toyota, and the Honda is delivers more cargo space.

The Hyundai Tucson and Kia Sportage can effectively be lumped together as they are corporate cousins. Both models are certainly attractive rivals to the CR-V, and they start at lower prices and deliver better overall value and unbeatable warranties. Still, the Tucson and Sportage have rather pedestrian performance, their styling can be off-putting to some, and they aren’t as efficient as the CR-V, even in hybrid form.

The CX-5 is certainly the more fun compact SUV to drive, but it’s far less practical than the CR-V. The Honda can accommodate over 39 cubic feet of stuff behind the rear seats while the CX-5 is limited to under 31 cubes — a huge margin in real world usability.

The Ford Bronco Sport certainly has its appeal as the little brother of the terrain-tackling Bronco, but it falls short of the CR-V in key categories. The Bronco Sport’s interior feels more low-rent, it’s not nearly as comfortable on the road, it’s less efficient, less powerful and less practical than the CR-V.

Final Thoughts and Predictions for 2024

The Honda CR-V has always been a leader in the compact SUV category, but its rivals have inched closer to it for overall competency in recent years. However, the CR-V took a notable step forward with its latest generation introduced for the 2023 model year. That revamping has allowed it to keep pace with new offerings like the Mazda CX-50 and recently updated rivals like the Sportage.

Still, the CR-V makes its case for being the best all-around compact SUV choice. It provides excellent value, performance, efficiency, comfort, practicality, user-freindliness and an upscale quality. Its overall excellence makes it our Best Compact SUV of 2024.