compact crossover SUV
Honda CR-V towing capacity (2017–2026)
Honda CR-V towing is 1,500 lb for every gas (1.5L turbo, and 2017–2019 2.4L) configuration across the 5th and 6th generations, regardless of FWD or AWD. The 6th-generation Hybrid (2023–2026) is rated 1,000 lb; the 5th-generation Hybrid (2020–2022) is NOT rated for towing — Honda's own spec sheets list its towing capacity as 'NA', so no rating exists for it.
Rated range, 2017–2026
1,000–1,500 lb
Depends on engine, drivetrain, and packages — find your exact configuration below.
Towing capacity by configuration
| Years | Engine | Config | Max tow | Payload | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023–2026 | 1.5L I4 DI VTEC Turbo (190 hp) | FWD · LX / EX / EX-L (gas) | 1,500 lb1 | 850 lb | OEM |
| 2023–2026 | 1.5L I4 DI VTEC Turbo (190 hp) | AWD · LX / EX / EX-L (gas) | 1,500 lb1 | 850 lb | OEM |
| 2023–2026 | 2.0L I4 Atkinson two-motor hybrid (204 net hp) | FWD · Hybrid Sport / Sport-L | 1,000 lb1 | 850 lb | OEM |
| 2023–2026 | 2.0L I4 Atkinson two-motor hybrid (204 net hp) | AWD · Hybrid Sport / Sport-L / Sport Touring / TrailSport | 1,000 lb1 | 850 lb | OEM |
| 2017–2019 | 2.4L I4 DOHC i-VTEC (184 hp) | LX | 1,500 lb2 | 850 lb | OEM |
| 2017–2022 | 1.5L I4 DI VTEC Turbo (190 hp) | FWD · EX / EX-L / Touring (2017–2019); LX / Special Edition / EX / EX-L / Touring (2020–2022) | 1,500 lb3 | 850 lb | OEM |
| 2017–2022 | 1.5L I4 DI VTEC Turbo (190 hp) | AWD · EX / EX-L / Touring (2017–2019); LX / Special Edition / EX / EX-L / Touring (2020–2022) | 1,500 lb3 | 850 lb | OEM |
Ratings as published by the manufacturer for properly equipped vehicles; superscripts link to the source of each figure below.
The payload reality check
Take the 2023–2026 1.5L I4 DI VTEC Turbo (190 hp) rated at 1,500 lb with 850 lb of payload. Load a family (550 lb of people, 150 lb of gear) and the honest limit becomes 1,250 lb — limited by payload (tongue weight), computed the same way as our calculator.
What owners actually tow
Real-world reports from owner communities — experiences, not ratings. Your configuration and load decide what's safe.
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A 6th-gen CR-V Hybrid owner towing right at his 1,000 lb rating reports the drive was drama-free — the visible cost was fuel economy, which fell from about 40 mpg to just under 26 mpg.
The owner of a 2024 Sport Hybrid 2WD hauled a ~1,000 lb motorcycle trailer to the track, kept to towing speed limits, and said the car felt like it had headroom to spare — while explicitly choosing not to test beyond the rating. Comments cover the practical side: aftermarket hitch installs are a ~2-hour DIY, and skeptics in the thread still question towing anything with a CVT.
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The classic 'can a CR-V pull a U-Haul?' answer from owners: a 5x8 trailer (~900 lb empty) is workable within the 1,500 lb rating if you load it evenly and don't stuff it — several report long moves done this way without trouble.
Asked about towing a 5x8 U-Haul 1,200 miles with a 2013 FWD CR-V, owners advised staying inside the rating, distributing weight rather than piling it at the front, changing oil early after the trip, and noted U-Haul itself refuses rentals for illegal combinations. One owner mentioned the mechanically similar CR-V carries a much higher rating in Australia and reported towing a 3,000 lb pop-up for thousands of miles — presented as personal risk-taking, not advice.
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A 3,500 lb-rated aftermarket hitch does not raise the CR-V's 1,500 lb limit — owners are firm that the hitch rating describes the steel, while the transmission, brakes and suspension set the vehicle's real ceiling.
A Draw-Tite hitch owner hoping to tow a ~2,000 lb loaded U-Haul asked whether the hitch's higher rating unlocked more capacity; the thread's answer was unanimous: the same hitch is welded up for many vehicles, and the CR-V remains a 1,500 lb tow vehicle regardless of what is bolted to it, with strain on the CVT and stopping distance as the specific concerns.
How to read these numbers
Every figure above is the manufacturer's rating for that specific configuration — engine, drivetrain, cab, and package — not a model-wide maximum. Two things still matter before you hitch up: your individual vehicle's door-jamb sticker (options change payload truck by truck), and your real load — on most vehicles, payload runs out before the tow rating. Estimate your trailer's loaded weight with the trailer weight calculator, then check the full picture in the tow-match calculator.
Sources
- 2024 Honda CR-V Specifications and Features (hondanews.com, American Honda press site), Weight table + footnote 7; identical in 2023, 2025 and 2026 spec sheets
- 2017 Honda CR-V Press Kit Specifications & Features (hondanews.com), Towing Capacity row; re-verified identical in the 2019 CR-V Specifications & Features sheet
- 2017 CR-V Press Kit, 2019, 2020 and 2022 CR-V Specifications & Features (hondanews.com) — Towing Capacity 1500 lbs in every year's table
Cross-checked per our methodology; conflicting sources resolve to the lower figure. Spotted a discrepancy with your towing guide? Send a correction — that's the email we most want.
Before you tow: confirm the ratings for your exact vehicle on the driver's door-jamb label and in the owner's manual or towing guide for its model year. Never exceed any single rating — see the disclaimer.