2024 Honda CR-V Type R Makes IndyCar Hybrid Racer Dream of Street Credentials

In 2022, Honda dropped the ball in the front yard of its US competitors with stuff like the all-new, larger HR-V (now dubbed as the ZR-V on international markets so as not to be confused with the regular HR-V). They continued, with the sixth generation of their best-selling CR-V, but also with the 2023 Civic Type R Hot Hatch to signal that passenger cars are not a dying breed, as far as they are concerned.

And they also gave larger households new reasons to root for their local Honda dealership, as the latter started taking first deliveries of the eleventh generation Accord mid-size sedan and the three-row Honda Pilot. The fourth generation of the family-oriented crossover SUV was also derived in a more adventurous trim – aka TrailSport. But the Toyota foes counteracted almost immediately with stuff like the 2023 Corolla Cross Hybrid or 2023 Prius 'Hybrid Reborn,' including in Prime plug-in hybrid form.

And that was not all, as the 362-hp Hybrid Max 2024 Grand Highlander response to the V6 Pilot is also on the horizon, along with popular mid-size models like the 2024 Tacoma pickup truck and maybe even its 2025 Toyota 4Runner off-road SUV sibling, plus their Trailblazer versions. So, it is safe to assume that Honda might need to counterattack with something fresh to recapture the hype spotlight.

For example, IndyCar fans were acquainted with the Honda CR-V Hybrid Racer in February, ahead of the prototype's public debut at the NTT IndyCar Series season-opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, Florida. And it sure was a sight to behold, complete with HPD (Honda Performance Development), NAAD (North America Auto Design Division), ADC (Honda Automotive Development Center), and HART (Honda of America Racing Team) strands of crazy DNA that can quickly reach a boiling point of 800-plus-horsepower in the electrified machine.

But here's the thing. The prototype will never race on public streets and will not be available for sale, either. Instead, maybe Honda could do well to morph the CR-V Hybrid Racer into something more traditional, like a CR-V Type R, to make it the most powerful and fastest compact crossover SUV. Sure, that may never happen in the real world, but that is never a problem for the imaginative realm of digital car content creators, of course.

So, the good folks over at the AutoYa info channel on YouTube have a satellite venue dubbed AutoYa Interior, and that is where all the (CGI) CR-V Type R action occurs after they initially showcased the sixth iteration in colorful attire, albeit only from outside. Now, motivated by the Hybrid Racer, they again muse about the potential arrival of a CR-V Si or Type R, complete with sporty colors – both inside and out.

Remember, though, that these are just speculations and should always be treated as lightly as possible and with a healthy dose of salt – at least until there's any official word from Honda. At least the CR-V Type R isn't without proper logic, as it could give a big mass-market slap in the face both to Toyota's popular RAV4 but also feisty premium SUVs like the Audi SQ5, BMW X3 M, or Mercedes-AMG GLC.