Driving the 2026 Honda CR-V hybrid at the Australian launch, one thing is clear to WhichCar by Wheels – this is a genuinely impressive medium SUV. By every measure, including purchase price and servicing cost, the Honda CR-V has the ability to take the fight right up to perennial segment favourite, the Toyota RAV4. Why then, doesn’t it take a bigger slice of the sales pie?

“In the United States, RAV4 and CR-V are neck and neck,” Jay Joseph, President and CEO of Honda Australia, told WhichCar by Wheels at the launch of the hybrid CR-V. “Actually on a retail basis, we outsell RAV4, they sell more to non-private.”

And with medium SUVs a crucial battleground for manufacturers in Australia, sales success in the segment is a must. Therefore, if Honda can target a climb up the sales charts to match RAV4 sales, the brand would be in a very strong position.

1

“I can’t get my head around the fact that we’re not selling as many CR-Vs as Toyota sells RAV4s,” Joseph said, when asked if Honda should put a target on Toyota. “We should be, we absolutely should, because the product stands up to it and the value proposition is there.”

Crucial to Honda’s strategy is fixed, transparent pricing around the country, which protects residual resale values and removes a layer of the purchase process – the haggle – which most Australian new-car buyers say they dislike. Post ownership, though, Honda is adamant that looking after customers at every step in the journey is key.

“The quality of the product is there’s but we need to sell both our product and our services,” Joseph said. “We need to take care of our customers, and we need to make a profit and hopefully (as a brand), we should have a little fun along the way.”

Honda’s drive for sales increase comes on the back of a 10 per cent increase in 2025, with at least a 10 per cent increase forecast for 2026. Last year’s success came despite the absence of new product, some of which is making its way into Honda showrooms for 2026.

1

“There are easy ways to sell things, make them cheap, and give them a lot of flashy features,” Joseph said. “I think the responsible manufacturers know that might get you a sale, but it doesn’t get you a repeat customer because if the product doesn’t stand up to the initial promise, you’re one and done and they go back to who they trust.”

Crucial to CR-V’s sales success according to Joseph is warranty and servicing – a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty with the first five services costing just $199 each. That warranty then extends out for another three years, with roadside assistance as part of the Honda Extend programme. Honda’s internal research shows that 75-80 percent of owners are staying with Honda servicing to take advantage of the programme.

“We’ve been selling more, and that’s without new product,” Joseph said. “We have new product this year, and we have team in place that I think can deliver sales success.”