Virtually every small crossover as its “off-road” version, and that now includes the Honda CR-V.
Adventure, Rock Creek, Wilderness, XRT — we’re practically tripping over ruggedized versions of compact SUVs, and so it continues with the 2026 Honda CR-V. The whole lineup gets some choice updates for its mid-cycle refresh (this current generation first debuted for the 2023 model year), but the headline addition is the CR-V TrailSport.
Honda’s decision to jump into the fray with the latest CR-V expands its TrailSport offerings beyond the brand-new Passport, arguably its most off-road-focused model, as well as the Pilot and the Ridgeline. The 2026 CR-V TrailSport doesn’t bring quite the same level of capability as its larger Passport sibling, though the automaker did bring special touches to make this trim competitive against the rivals I mentioned above, with a special touch all its own.
The 2026 Honda CR-V TrailSport brings in Continental CrossContact ATR all-terrains, special 18-inch alloy wheels with recessed valve stems, gloss black trim, and orange TrailSport accents for the badging and seat stitching. The TrailSport also gets the same Ash Green Metallic paint option that initially debuted on the Passport earlier this year. Up front, Honda brought in a touch of silver trim on the lower fascia which carries through to the rear bumper, while you can kit it out even further through the automaker’s accessory catalog with items like a roof basket, generator and so on (though you can also get that stuff for any other CR-V trim).
The CR-V TrailSport’s ace? It’s (only) available as a a hybrid.
Honda based this new TrailSport model on the CR-V Hybrid, and that’s the only way you can get it. To that end, you get a setup with a combined output of 204 horsepower, same as the other trims. At 8.2 inches, the TrailSport also has the same amount of ground clearance as the other models, give or take a nominal difference from the slightly beefier rubber. Honda’s Real-Time AWD with Intelligent Control system also remains broadly the same as other hybrid trims, though Honda’s engineers did update the CR-V’s traction control and braking systems to be more aggressive at using the brakes to shift power to the wheels with grip at speeds under 9 mph.
TL;DR version? The 2026 Honda Passport TrailSport is a hybrid-only option that is functionally similar to other all-wheel drive Hybrid models, except for the tires and the unique styling tweaks.
Honda slots the CR-V TrailSport in between the Sport Hybrid and Sport-L Hybrid models, with those special aesthetic touches and a higher feature set than the base Sport Hybrid. You still get cloth seats, but you also get a power liftgate (which used to only be available on the top-end Sport Touring). You also get a 10.2-inch fully digital instrument cluster from the Sport-L and Sport Touring models. The TrailSport gets a more potent 320-watt, 8-speaker sound system (again, like the Sport-L), while you also get embroidered headrests, branded all-weather floor mats and amber-hued ambient lighting.
What else is happening with the 2026 Honda CR-V?
While the TrailSport is the headline act, Honda also tweaked some elements of the remaining CR-V lineup. A larger 9-inch touchscreen is now standard across the board (instead of the old 7-inch unit), and you also get a wireless smartphone charger, even on the base LX. Entry-level models still get a 1.5-liter turbocharged engine kicking out 190 horsepower to either the front wheels or all four wheels through a CVT, so nothing’s changed there.
The 10.2-inch digital cluster is now more widely available, as it’s the default on the EX-L gas model, as well as the Sport-L, TrailSport and Sport Touring Hybrids. Speaking of the Sport Touring, the top-end trim gets Google built-in apps and an Individual drive mode (in addition to the typical Econ, Normal, Sport and Snow modes).
Honda did not yet announce pricing for the 2026 CR-V lineup, including the TrailSport. Right now, the 2025 models start around $31,495 for the base LX, rising to between $36,045 and $42,495 for the Hybrid trims. I’d expect the whole range to get at least a small price bump, while the TrailSport may land somewhere around the $40,000 mark.
Check out more on the new CR-V in our video below:
