CONFIRMED: The 2025/2026 Honda CR Is Real, It’s Stunning, and It Starts at Just \$10,99
It’s not a concept anymore. It’s not a whisper. It’s not a patent leak from a Tokyo boardroom. It’s **confirmed**: the 2025/2026 **Honda CR** is real, and it’s set to shake up the global automotive scene when it hits the streets at a starting MSRP of **\$10,999** in the United States.
Honda, known for reshaping expectations with its legendary Civic, Accord, and more recently the Prologue EV, has taken an unexpected but strategic left turn with the CR. Short for “Compact Revolution,” the CR isn’t just a car—it’s a statement. And after years of speculation, the company finally pulled the covers off at a surprise reveal in Osaka last night.
“We wanted to do something bold,” said Takashi Noma, Honda’s Global VP of Product Strategy. “Something that brings energy and accessibility back to the compact class. The CR is the result of three years of underground development and global insight.”
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### **A Future-Facing Compact, Without the Price Tag**
The most shocking detail? The **price**. At \$10,999, the Honda CR is poised to become one of the most affordable new vehicles available in North America when it begins arriving at dealerships in **July 2026**. With a sleek, urban design, futuristic tech stack, and a fuel-sipping hybrid powertrain, the CR might just be the right car at the right time.
In a market flooded with \$40,000 EVs and \$70,000 SUVs, Honda is banking on a different kind of revolution—**accessibility**.
“We didn’t want this to be a car for the top 10%,” said Noma. “We wanted this to be the car that makes the 90% feel excited to drive again.”
And judging by the early reactions, they may have nailed it.
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### **Design That Turns Heads, But Fits Anywhere**
Think Civic Sport meets futuristic city car. The CR is *small*—about 3 inches shorter than the Fit—but it’s tall, squared-off, and shockingly roomy inside. Its lines are sharp, its LED signature lights bold and dramatic. The short overhangs and wide stance give it a planted, confident look, while the high beltline and sculpted hood make it seem tougher than its size would suggest.
The launch color, dubbed **Neon Pearl White**, reflects light in a metallic shimmer with subtle blue undertones. Other announced shades include “Urban Rust,” “Komorebi Green,” and “Tokyo Smoke.”
Inside? Minimalist, but not bare. A 9-inch center display comes standard. The dash is clean, driver-focused, with physical controls for climate (a huge plus in this era of touch-everything design), and a compact digital cluster behind the wheel. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are included on all trims.
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### **Under the Hood: Lightweight Power and Hybrid Efficiency**
Let’s get to the numbers. The CR will come with two powertrain options:
* A 1.0L turbocharged 3-cylinder engine paired with a 48V mild hybrid system (standard).
* An optional CR-e trim with a plug-in hybrid drivetrain capable of 40 miles of all-electric range.
Horsepower? A modest **112 hp** on the base model—but thanks to a weight of under 2,400 lbs and sharp transmission tuning, early test drivers in Japan are reporting a zippy, responsive experience—more than enough for city streets, and surprisingly capable on the highway.
Fuel economy estimates are still pending EPA certification, but Honda projects **58 mpg city / 62 mpg highway** for the mild hybrid version, and over **90 MPGe** for the CR-e plug-in.
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### **Global Rollout, Local Impact**
The launch strategy is just as interesting. While Japan and South Korea will see early units this fall, **European dealerships will begin receiving stock in June 2027**, followed by **North American rollouts in July**—with a focus on urban markets like New York, Toronto, Los Angeles, and Chicago.
But it won’t stop there. Honda confirmed the CR will expand to Southeast Asia, Latin America, and select African and Middle Eastern markets by the end of 2027.
This isn’t a regional city car. It’s a **world car**. And in that spirit, Honda confirmed the CR will be manufactured in three continents simultaneously, with assembly plants in Mexico, Thailand, and Hungary already retooling for production.
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### **Tech, Safety, and the Unexpected**
Despite the price point, the CR won’t skimp on tech. All trims come standard with:
* Honda Sensing 3.0 (Collision Mitigation Braking, Lane Keep Assist, Adaptive Cruise)
* Rear Camera and Parking Sensors
* Wireless Phone Charging (CR-e only)
* Over-the-air (OTA) update capabilities
* “MyCR” app for remote start, climate, and lock/unlock functions
Perhaps the most surprising feature? A small solar panel embedded in the roof—not for propulsion, but to power ventilation and keep the cabin cool in hot climates.
“You won’t come back to a 120°F interior,” said Noma with a grin. “It’s the little things.”
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### **So, Who Is This Car Really For?**
Young drivers. Urban commuters. Retirees downsizing from larger SUVs. First-time buyers who are priced out of EVs. Delivery drivers. Car-share fleets. You name it.
The Honda CR isn’t trying to be the flashiest or fastest. It’s aiming to be **the most thoughtful**.
“It’s not a car that screams for attention,” said Elena Moreno, a journalist who test drove an early prototype in Valencia. “But it’s a car that reminds you how fun and easy driving used to be—before things got so complicated.”
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### **The Verdict? Honda’s Back to Basics—and Maybe Ahead of the Curve**
There’s something poetic about Honda—arguably one of the original champions of smart, accessible transportation—reclaiming that throne in an age where affordability is an endangered species.
The CR isn’t just a new model. It’s a **new direction**.
If the execution matches the ambition, this could be the car that reshapes the compact category for a new generation. And with that \$10,999 price tag? It might be one of the most important cars Honda has made in a decade.
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**Coming to a city near you in 2026. And maybe, just maybe, to your driveway.**