Honda has pushed back the start of production for its next-generation CR-V crossover by three months, with the launch now set for April 2027. The news, first reported by Automotive News, comes via Car and Driver, according to infohub.kz.
The delay has nothing to do with development troubles. The current crossover is in such high demand in the United States that the Japanese automaker intends to keep building the existing version longer before switching to a new generation.
The new CR-V generation itself is expected for the 2028 model year. According to sources cited by the publication, the crossover will be offered exclusively with a hybrid powertrain.
Because of the shifted timeline, monthly output of the new model in its first year of production could come in 6.7% below the planned level. Honda nonetheless expects to ramp up volumes later by reallocating capacity at its North American plants.
In addition, according to Automotive News, Honda has dropped plans to build the next-generation Civic sedan at its Indiana plant. Production of hatchbacks for the North American market is to be moved to Japan, while the new-generation sedan will be built in Canada.
The company aims to free up capacity for the CR-V this way. In the first nine months of 2026, the crossover accounted for 9.5% of all Honda sales in the United States. Honda will continue betting on hybrids: by 2030 it promises to roll out 15 new or significantly updated models worldwide.
Earlier, Kursiv Auto reported that Honda and Nissan had decided to pool their technologies in a bid to survive.