Honda CR-V vs Subaru Solterra

What's the difference?

What a joy it is to drive such a complete, solid, refined car. Close to three years into its life, the sixth-gen Honda CR-V remains one of, if not the best mid-size mainstream SUV in Australia. I say ‘one of’ as I am yet to drive the new-gen Toyota RAV4 so I’ll wait to test that before giving a final judgement.

The new entry-grade VTi X e:HEV is a winner and you likely won’t need much more kit than what it offers. But you wouldn't regret paying a bit more for the extra spec in higher grades.

Aside from the lack of a space-saver spare wheel in hybrid grades, most of the other negatives are forgivable.

If you are looking for a mid-size family friendly SUV, please go and test drive the CR-V. Very few brands are doing things as well as Honda right now.

The updated Subaru Solterra is now good enough to compete with rivals such as the Tesla Model Y and Zeekr 7X. The price is right as are the driving range and motor outputs.

There's room for improvement in terms of cabin packaging. The car doesn’t cater for taller, larger people up front, with the steering wheel placement and wide centre console. Cabin storage could also be much better.

Still, the Solterra is superb to drive. One of the best EVs I’ve piloted at this price.

If you’re familiar with the sixth-generation CR-V that launched in late 2023 then you’re familiar with the 2026 version. No visual changes have been made, although the flagship RS now has gloss black mirror caps and door handles.

It is a handsome design for sure, but it doesn’t elevate the medium SUV segment, nor does it do anything different or interesting.

I remember thinking it already looked a bit old when it launched, specifically the entry-grade versions, and given there’s a lot more competition in the segment now, a nip and tuck would've helped.

Nothing has changed design-wise inside. It has an appealing but somewhat conservative design with cool elements like the honeycomb mesh horizontal panel housing the air vents, and the classy chrome dials.

The Solterra is a mid-sized SUV with sporty coupe-like styling and this update has seen the front of the car receive a new look which to my eyes is better than the previous face. 

The rest of the car’s exterior remains mainly unchanged in the design.

If you aren’t a fan of the Solterra’s look then check out Toyota’s bZ4X, which is its twin and has slightly more conservative styling, and while I do like the Subaru’s face, I think Toyota’s tail-light treatment is cleaner.

The cabin is modern with a large central media screen, a high-placed instrument display and a wide centre console with dual phone chargers. But the squareish steering wheel steals the show, completing the futuristic vibe.

This update has seen the centre console re-designed with the dual chargers added and the gear-shifter moved backwards away from the media display.

The cabin doesn’t have much in the way of glitzy touches, with dark materials dominating throughout. Hard plastics abound, but the interior still looks and feels premium.

The CR-V is a medium-size family SUV with a long history of practicality at its core, so it has to get the fundamentals right. And, largely, it does.

Up front the CR-V is a spacious car with ample head room and decent space across. The seats are well-bolstered and comfortable across the model grades. The seats in the RS are almost sports seats with ample side bolsters and black leather-appointed trim with red stitching, but I prefer the cloth trim of the VTi X.

Storage is handled by sizeable door bottle holders, a pair of cupholders up front and a big central bin, with a few other nooks for phones and the like.

Connectivity-wise there’s a pair of USB-C ports and a wireless charging pad on all grades. The multimedia screen is small by today’s standards, but it’s hard to fault its functionality. Large menu tiles are easy to identify and swipe through, and thankfully there is a separate space on the stack for air-con with actual buttons and dials. And the dials look great! Virtually every Chinese brand (and Tesla), please take note.

Google Built-in is a solid system as it allows you to log into your own Google account and access your saved places on Maps. I used this when I reviewed the Accord and barely needed to use Apple CarPlay. On the launch we mostly used CarPlay because of time limitations, and unlike when I attended the original sixth-gen CR-V launch, the Apple connection worked without fault.

Rear-seat space is ample, especially when it comes to leg, knee and toe room, but headroom is impacted in the RS by the panoramic sunroof. There’s scalloping in the roof to help with this, but my head (I’m 6ft tall) almost scrapes the roofliner.

Sadly the CR-V doesn’t have the ‘magic’ seats of other Honda models. That system allows you to fold the base upright on all three rear seats, or even remove the seat entirely, to allow for extra cargo space in the second row. The CR-V just has standard 60-40 split-fold seats.

You also get map pockets on the rear of both front seats, two more USB-C ports, fold-down armrest with cupholders, knee-level air vents and enough space for a small bottle in the doors.

The boot measures a healthy 589 litres for the five-seat petrol, as well as VTi X and L hybrid grades. That drops ever so slightly to 581L for the VTi LX and RS hybrids. And it’s just 150L for the seven-seater with the rear rows in place. The boot in the five-seat versions has a flat floor for easier loading of heavy items, as well as a 12V outlet, hooks, nooks and lights. It’s a decent, practical space.

Only the five-seat petrol grade has a full-size spare wheel. The seven-seat petrol has a space saver spare, while the hybrid has none at all - just a dismal tyre repair kit. That’s not good enough, Honda. Many of your hybrid rivals have at least a space-saver these days.

The steering wheel’s square design is like that for a reason - it’s designed to provide the driver with a clearer view of the instrument cluster. But as noted in the past with other vehicles that choose this set up, the ergonomics don’t work for everybody - especially if you’re tall like me (I’m 189cm).

In my case the top of the steering wheel obstructs my visibility of the display, which shows vehicle speed among other crucial info. 

There’s also a problem with the clearance of the steering wheel and my legs. This is caused by a combination of my height, the low steering wheel and the limitations of how much it can be raised, the low-hip point in the seating position and the shape of the wheel. 

Add an overly wide centre console and space for larger and taller drives becomes even more cramped.

Moving the shifter back in this update also makes it more difficult to use for me and the mechanism is quite clunky.

Second row space is a much better story, with a flat floor, good headroom and lots of legroom even for me behind my driving position. The rear door aperture isn’t great and this has made installing child car seats and the corresponding child difficult.

Cabin storage could also be better. There’s no glove box, but there is space under the centre console, although this is now where the large driver’s manual lives. There’s a large centre console bin, big door pockets and four cupholders (two up front and two in the second row).

The second row has directional air vents and USB ports. There are USB ports up front, too.

Boot capacity isn't enormous at 421 litres in the entry-grade and 410 litres in the Touring. There’s no front boot, either. Under the bonnet is the Solterra’s front motor and electrical hardware.    

The Solterra is a five seater SUV, so no third row here.

The updated Solterra is offered in two grades. An entry-grade model, simply called Solterra, lists for $63,990 and above that is the Solterra Touring for $69,990. That’s up to seven thousand dollars more affordable than pre-update.

We tested the top-of-the-range Touring, which comes loaded with standard features, the only option being leather seats.

If you were wondering if you needed to spend the extra money on the Touring you might be pleased to know both grades have exactly the same powertrain and the entry-grade comes with plenty of standard features.

Coming standard on the entry grade Solterra are 18-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights and LED tail-lights, power mirrors, puddle lamps, a powered tailgate with kick-sensor (new with the update) and roof rails. 

There’s also synthetic leather seat trim, heated and eight-way power-adjustable front seats, a heated leather steering wheel, heated second row seats, dual-zone climate control, a 14-inch multimedia touchscreen (new) and 7.0-inch driver display, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, dual wireless phone chargers (new) and a six-speaker sound system.

The Solterra Touring comes standard with all this but adds 20-inch alloy wheels, a panoramic sun roof, ventilated front seats (new) and a 10-speaker Harman Kardon sound system.

The Touring also features a 220V vehicle-to-load (V2L) power outlet.

Pure petrol powered CR-Vs use Honda’s 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbocharged engine that’s also found in the HR-V and ZR-V SUVs. In the CR-V, it pumps out 140kW of power and 240Nm of torque.

It is paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) driving the front wheels only.

The hybrid uses a 2.0-litre petrol engine combined with a hybrid setup and a shift-by-wire E-CVT. The total system output for the hybrid is 135kW and 335Nm. There’s a choice of two front- and two all-wheel-drive hybrid grades.

The CR-V’s power output is less than the RAV4 (143kW) and Forester (145kW), but it offers more torque than the latter (212Nm).

The Solterra has two electric motors and as before there is one driving the front wheels, and one driving the rear wheels for all-wheel drive. Toyota’s bZ4X twin can be had in two-wheel drive and AWD.

The big news is the motors are now more powerful. Much more powerful. Combined output is 252KW (up from 160kW). That’s a huge increase but power is still less than the output of a Model Y or Zeekr 7X.

The front motor now makes 167kW/268Nm, while the rear motor produces 88kW/169Nm. Acceleration from 0-100km/h is about five seconds and that’s almost two seconds faster than the old version. 

Fuel consumption for the petrol grades is 7.1 litres per 100 kilometres for the five seat VTi X, while the VTi L7 is a tad thirstier at 7.3L. CO2 emissions for the petrol SUV is 162-167g/km.

Front-wheel-drive hybrids sip 5.5L and all-wheel-drive versions consume 5.7L. CO2 emissions for the hybrids range from 125-131g/km.

Hybrid versions of the Kia Sportage drink between 4.9-5.3 litres, while the new-gen RAV4 sips just 4.5-4.6L. The CR-V is not the most efficient hybrid in the medium SUV segment, but it’s more frugal than most petrol engines.

The theoretical driving range of the CR-V hybrid is close to 1040km, while the petrol CR-V is 804km.

Both powertrains are rated for Euro 6b and they can both drink 91 RON fuel.

The updated Soltera’s battery size has increased to 74.7kWh. That’s up from 71.4kWh and means driving range has increased. 

The new, larger lithium ion battery delivers a range of 566km (WLTP) in the entry-grade Solterra (up from 414km). That addresses a big concern about the old car. The Touring has a range of 517km and any range above 500km is acceptable in my book.

Also big news is the increase in maximum AC charging capacity from 11kW to 22kW. DC charging capacity is the same at 150kW with 0-80 per cent charge in about 30 minutes.

Consumption officially ranges from about 14.6kWh/100km in the entry-grade Solterra to 16.0kW/100km in the Touring. The Touring we tested was reporting 17.0kW/100km according to the trip computer after 163km of testing in mainly urban conditions. 

It’s been about two-and-a-half years since I attended the CR-V launch and it’s always good to reacquaint yourself with a car, particularly one I was so impressed with.

The CR-V has a few more rivals than when it first went on sale. A lot of them are from Chinese brands. But even with the fierce competition in the segment, the CR-V remains an absolute standout.

Honda didn’t have any petrol grades at the launch, which isn’t surprising given the Japanese carmaker expects hybrids will make up a whopping 85 per cent of CR-V sales by the end of this year.

The two-wheel-drive VTi X e:HEV is the most affordable hybrid grade and it should appeal to a lot of potential buyers. This does not feel like a base grade car in terms of the cabin or how it drives. The cloth seats are the only giveaway that it’s not a higher grade.

Honda engineers have managed to produce something rare - a silky-smooth hybrid system. The company is using the word ‘smooth’ in its TV ads for this car, but for once the ad execs got it right.

The powertrain operates on electric power until highway speeds but the transition to the petrol engine is seamless. If you floor the throttle you’ll hear the engine, but it’s a pleasant note. Certainly more appealing than the sound of Toyota’s petrol-electric hybrid on the go.

Acceleration is brisk enough for a car like this. Not overly quick, but it’s linear and the build up to higher speeds feels natural yet still urgent when required.

There is no whine from the electric CVT, in fact it is virtually unclockable. I don’t love the shift-by-wire transmission buttons. I’m fine with buttons rather than a traditional shifter generally, but it’s the layout of the Honda buttons that’s unnecessarily confusing.

When it comes to ride and handling, the CR-V excels.

The launch drive from Melbourne up through the Yarra Valley to Marysville features some of the best driving roads within an hour or so of the city. A carmaker would only include these roads in a test loop if it was confident of the vehicle’s dynamic ability.

In both two- and all-wheel drive guise, the CR-V hybrid exhibits excellent body control, thanks to a well-balanced chassis. It carves through tight, twisty sections like a car half its size and never feels like it will lose control.

The ride quality is hard to fault. Those roads are littered with shockingly large potholes, the sort that could damage a lesser car. The CR-V eats them up with barely a hint of disruption in the cabin. Given the rough ride of some newer rivals it’s a pleasure to drive a car with such a well-sorted suspension setup.

The cabin is well-insulated from external noise, but that engine note will be evident if you switch to Sport mode and give it a bootful.

There’s an overall feeling of quality behind the wheel of the CR-V. This company has been building cars for 60 years and it shows. I would happily live with a CR-V as my daily drive.

The Solterra may slightly lag behind rivals in some areas such as range and power output, but where most rivals can barely touch it is when it comes to driving.

Currently there aren’t many electric vehicles that are good to drive, except for more prestige offerings from brands such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Porsche. 

The Solterra is one of the best electric vehicles I have driven at this price point and it’s down to the outstanding platform it shares with the Toyota bZ4X which provides superb ride comfort, great handling and excellent steering.

Acceleration is strong and traction from the all-wheel drive is good.

Sure, while the driving position needs improvement, the car itself is excellent to drive.

Visibility is also good and sound intrusion is minimal. We noticed some materials making noises in the cabin. Although this is common, with no engine to mask it, it becomes more noticeable in EVs. 

The Solterra has been awarded the maximum five-star ANCAP rating - but that was given under 2022 testing criteria and the bar has been raised quite a lot higher since then. 

Still, the level of safety technology is high with AEB, lane keeping assistance, blind spot warning and rear cross traffic alert onboard. 

Front and rear parking sensors are standard on both grades, as is a 360 degree camera view. Auto parking is standard on the Touring.

A digital rear vision mirror is also standard on both grades providing a clear and unobstructed view.

There are seven airbags present, including a front centre bag. And there are three child seat top tether points across the second row with ISOFIX anchors in the two outer positions.

Honda’s ownership proposition is solid, thanks to renowned reliability and an extensive dealer network across the country (more than 80).

The CR-V is covered by a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty.

Yes, that term length looks a bit average by today’s standards when so many have seven and 10-year terms. However, Honda offers an additional three years - bringing it to eight - if you service with Honda dealers.

Nissan and Mitsubishi advertise a 10-year warranty, but it’s conditional, as long as you service with their dealer network. The difference is Honda promotes it as an add-on, whereas Nissan and Mitsubishi splash the 10-year figure first and foremost, with caveats. Honda’s marketing of its warranty just feels a bit more authentic. 

Hybrids come with an eight-year battery warranty, too.

The service schedule is every 12 months or 10,000km. That would be more competitive if it was 15,000km.

But the rest of the aftersales offer is excellent. It includes five years of roadside assistance and services are capped at just $199 per visit for the first five years.

The Solterra is covered by Subaru’s five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty which is falling behind the seven-year warranty offered by many now. The battery is covered  by an eight-year, 160,000km warranty. 

There is also five years of capped price servicing with each yearly/15,000km service costing between $130-$300. That’s a very reasonable price.