Last year, CR-V set a sales record for American Honda at over 400,000. For 2026, Honda is strengthening the compact SUV's offerings, somewhat literally, by creating a new Trailsport model.
"Just adding more adventure, especially for those customers, during COVID or post-COVID. They're looking for more of that adventure lifestyle. So why not boost the CR-V with the Trailsport aesthetic," said Jonathan Yu, a product planner at American Honda
More rugged looks, yes. But also more off-road capability for those who like to leave the pavement, like standard all-terrain tires. And as Honda leans more toward hybrid power for its models as a path toward electrification, the new CR-V Trailsport only comes as a hybrid.
"A third of our volume is hybrid, so we will continue to increase that, especially with that path to electrification. So just combing the two makes perfect sense," Yu said.
As for handling the dirt, the all-wheel drive system is able to figure out which wheels are getting traction, or even a single wheel. Getting stuck out on the trails isn't as likely.
And Honda let me take the new CR-V Trailsport onto some fairly rugged trails to see how it all works. Didn't miss a beat, and it carries a base price of $40,145.
The CR-V is a very strong seller for Honda. In fact, the entire compact SUV segment is the No. 1 passenger vehicle segment in the U.S. auto industry. Still, it's never a bad idea to add some variety to broaden the appeal.
CR-V plus Trailsport almost seems to be a no-brainer. Casting a wider net, as the saying goes.
Also this year, an all-new mid-size Passport SUV from Honda, and it too offers a Trailsport variation with truly rugged underpinnings. Sales are up so far this year, and with two of the three Passport trim levels being Trailsport variants, it's safe to say a lot of buyers are probably choosing them. The larger, V6-powered Passport Trailsport starts at $49,900.
With more and more people looking for more off-road capable SUVs these days, Honda's been smart to expand the Trailsport line. Four of their models are now available in that configuration: the Pilot, Passport, Ridgeline pickup and now the 2026 CR-V.