Fashionably Late: The 2026 Honda CR-V Hybrid TrailSport

When it comes to the image of compact SUVs these days, it's Subaru that's calling the shots. Didn't used to be that way, but four years ago, when Subie rolled out its Wilderness trim for the Forester, you'd think the already outdoorsy brand had invented water. Sales spiked.

Toyota got the RAV4 Woodland Edition into showrooms as quickly as it could. Hyundai and Kia learned how to spell XRT and X-PRO respectively and the world waited on Honda.

The wait is over.

Say hi to the 2026 Honda CR-V Hybrid TrailSport.

Honda's had TrailSport in its arsenal for a while. There's a Pilot TrailSport, a Passport TrailSport, even a Ridgeline Trailsport. But the CR-V, Honda's best-selling vehicle, has had to wait its turn. No longer.

So, what makes a CR-V TrailSport a CR-V TrailSport?

(Mike---Subaru PR on line one. Something about intellectual property)

Functionally, it's two things---you can't get a TrailSport without AWD, and all-terrain tires mounted on TrailSport-unique 18-inch wheels are standard.

Beyond that, this is largely an appearance package, with what Honda itself admits are "exclusive rugged styling touches"---a black front fascia, silver skid garnishes, a piano black rear spoiler, black door handles and window surrounds, TrailSport logos inside and out, all-season floormats and amber ambient lighting.

The attractive Ash Green Pearl paint is also only available (at extra cost) on the CR-V Hybrid TrailSport.

Ground clearance remains the same as all AWD CR-Vs...8.2 inches.

Under the hood, there are no changes, but then, that's a good thing. The CR-V Hybrid's 204-horse powerplant is a sweetheart, with decent acceleration, quiet operation and solid fuel economy---an EPA-estimated 38 mpg city/33 highway. The four selectable drive modes found on all CR-V Hybrids---Sport, Normal, Econ and Snow---remain.

Beyond that, this is all the good stuff found in every CR-V Hybrid, including 36.3 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seat and 71.8 cubic feet with the second row folded.

And if that looks like a lot of rear seat legroom, it is. Forty-one inches...just 3/10ths of an inch less than the folks up front get.

The base price of the 2026 Honda CR-V Hybrid TrailSport is $38,800---$40,195 including destination (standard equipment is in the window sticker at the end of this review).

The only extra-cost item on our tester was the Ash Green Metallic paint ($455), so the as-tested price comes to $40,650.

I'm sure some of my fellow automotive journalists will criticize Honda for not going far enough in making a supremely capable off-roader that will eat the competition's trail mix.

But my take is that Honda knows its customers, what they need and how they use the capabilities the CR-V possesses. Putting all-terrain tires on an AWD CR-V Hybrid is an improvement in capability. And the CR-V Hybrid is among the nicest vehicles to live with on a daily basis.

2026 Honda CR-V Hybrid TrailSport at a Glance

Price: $38,800 base/$40,650 as tested

Engine: 2.0-liter four-cylinder hybrid

Horsepower: 204

Torque: 247 lb-ft

Transmission: Direct drive

Curb Weight: 3,900 lbs

0-60 Acceleration (manufacturer data): N/A

EPA Fuel Economy Estimate: 38 mpg city/33 mpg highway/35 combined

Fuel tank capacity: 14 gallons

EPA Range Estimate: 490 miles

Click on the arrows in the upper right to expand the window sticker to full screen.