Video: 2023 Honda CR-V EX-L AWD Review: Middle of the Road

(soft bright music) This is just an excellent, all-around, middle-of-the-road compact SUV, wouldn't you say? I would, and what's interesting about the CR-V to me is that this is the top trim level you can get for the gas-only CR-V, but it's an EX-L and there is a higher trim available, but we weren't testing that, so this is what we're left with. <v Damon>Yeah, and it felt like we, this test vehicle was missing a few of the amenities that some of the other ones had. <v Brian>Yeah, I mean, everything feels very nicely put together. I thought the driving experience wasn't super exciting, but very, very solid. Decent ride quality, little bit noisy from the CVT, but fairly powerful. Handled fairly well, steering, good, average. <v Damon>Yeah, competent all around for everyday use. I would agree with that. And the interior I think is really well laid out. The seats are nice and roomy. Nice, comfortable front seats, especially. You get a very large bin. It's not the same sort of fun, configurable one that the last generation had, but it's a nice, big storage space which not every vehicle here has. Yeah, and honestly, my favorite thing about the CR-V is its excellent rear cargo space and its excellent backseat space. I think this was one of the most spacious backseats. The rear seats recline a long way and you've got excellent leg room for the class as well. Absolutely. What you are missing, though, interestingly in this one, is rear USB charging. It is optional on this trim level, but ours did not come equipped with it so we couldn't give it the points for that. <v Damon>Right. What's interesting to me as well about the tech in the CR-V is besides the fact that it's missing some features, like a 360-degree camera that other vehicles here have, is that for an all-new vehicle, again, the tech feels a little bit old, and even weirder, having driven the Accord, Honda has this new tech available, it's just not here. Yeah, graphics are a little bit dated. Screen's a little bit smaller than some of the others. Doesn't feel particularly cutting-edge, especially, as you said, for an all-new vehicle design. But you do get wireless CarPlay, wireless Android Auto. I think the graphics are a little dim but overall the operation is good. It's just not really up to par anymore. Yeah. <v Brian>If you'd like to read more and see how it fared in a compact SUV comparison test, you can find it all on cars.com.