Cutting to the chase, the answer is that it’s both. The addition of features like a sunroof and additional parking sensors notwithstanding, the hybrid system is easily worth the price of admission for the CR-V RS e:HEV. It’s an extremely good set-up that offers both performance and efficiency (read the full review of the CR-V RS e:HEV). Those who don’t necessarily need or want the hybrid, however, are just as well-served by both the V Turbo (FWD) and VX Turbo (AWD).

The lookalike exterior design between the three variants, especially the two non-hybrid grades, tells you what Honda wants to do here. There are minor differences, but in bigger picture terms, they want to give buyers a sense that the CR-V’s a complete car whether you’re spending the additional P 190,000 to get an additional set of driven wheels or not.

The same thing could be said about the interior treatment. It’s clear that Honda’s going for usability in the CR-V, and it’s something they’ve nailed down well. It scores high in ergonomics and build quality. It also offers a solid serving of tech. The 10.2-inch digital gauge cluster’s easy to comprehend, while the 9-inch center screen delivers in user-friendliness.

In terms of interior finishing, the CR-V doesn’t give off a premium vibe, even if Honda installed ambient lighting and wood paneling on the VX Turbo. Instead, the choice of plastics, leather, and switchgear is all about surviving real-world abuse. It’s all about being kid- and/or pet-proof; perfect for those who plan to keep it for the long run.

Space-wise, there’s nothing to fault with the all-new CR-V. The front seats are generous, but the second row’s even better with enough space for passengers to sit with their legs crossed. It’s mounted slightly higher for theater-like seating that doesn’t affect the available headroom. These not only slide, recline, and fold in a 60/40 split, but they also tip forward for access into the third row using a handle located at the top part of the seatback. Well-endowed adults will find it difficult to contort into the rear-most seats. Once there, there are clever engineering solutions to maximize the available space. Regardless, the placement of the third-row vents by the sides means occupants have to get cozy near the middle to clear them. It also won’t match a mid-sized SUV in terms of knee room. Think of them as jump seats then.

Though the CR-V still has one of the biggest cargo holds in the compact SUV segment, the addition of the third-row seats means a bit of sacrifice. The load area’s wide, but you lose around 120 mm in available height compared to the five-seater. This is crucial if you want a flat area that spans all the way to the back of the front seats. And, unlike the BR-V, for instance, the third row does tumble up, but only to access the full-sized spare tire stored underneath (there’s no floor underneath it).

Driving-wise, this mid-grade VX Turbo isn’t that far off the V Turbo (read the full review of the CR-V V Turbo). Without staring at the dedicated torque distribution display in the gauge cluster, it’s hard to tell that it’s an all-wheel drive SUV; and that’s exactly the point. Except for the two drive modes—Economy and Normal—you just leave the CR-V to do its thing.

There’s a 61-kilogram difference in curb weight between this and the front-drive model, but it’s hard to tell unless you drive them back-to-back. The 1.5-liter turbo is reliant on boost to get things going, but because of the flat torque curve—240 Nm from 1,500 to 5,000 rpm—it feels spritely, especially with the “Econ” mode switched off. Refinement is a strong suit too, though road noise starts the creep in at highway speeds. As to fuel economy, the additional all-wheel drive hardware drops the average fuel economy to 8.62 km/L (18 km/h) compared to close to 10 km/L for the front-drive V Turbo.

As to road manners, the CR-V continues to show that it’s the segment’s all-rounder. It’s up to the task on just about anything maybe except for off-road trails. The tuning balances performance and comfort with its stability and precision evident from the moment you first turn the wheel. Take curves sensibly and it will always point in the right direction. On the limit, it will wash through a corner with lots of understeer, but then again, you shouldn’t be doing that in a family-oriented SUV. With lots of suspension travel, it gets high marks for riding comfort, while still feeling better tied down over undulations than most of the competition.

For this generation, the CR-V boasts high levels of safety tech. If anything, its biggest weakness is the low-res LaneWatch blind spot camera (the 360-degree display’s decent). It’s puzzling why Honda insists on this tech that projects an undecipherable image whenever the right turn signal’s activated. It borders on useless during the day and it’s completely useless at night. And for those who’re reliant on Waze or Google Maps to navigate through an unfamiliar place, this can pose a problem since LaneWatch overrides the entire infotainment display. The camera can be defeated using a button on the left stalk (the right stalk activates the 360-degree camera), but that defeats the purpose of having Lane Watch, right?

By all accounts, the all-new CR-V isn’t the same affordable compact SUV it once was. You can surely get an equally-sized SUV from a Chinese brand for about half a million pesos less. However, none of them can match this Honda’s well-balanced traits. Priced at P 2.290-million for the VX Turbo, it now fights in the premium end of the segment alongside rivals like the Mazda CX-5 AWD Sport, Toyota RAV4 LTD HEV, and the Hyundai Tucson Hybrid. Honda should be thankful that Mazda’s product planners got the refreshed CX-5’s awfully wrong (spec-wise). Leaving just the RAV4 (P 2,356,000 for the LTD HEV) and the Tucson Hybrid (P 2,290,000) as its two closest competitors. Against those two, the CR-V stands out, if only just.