I drove Honda's $43,000 CR-V Hybrid. These 17 features make it one of the best SUVs money can buy.

Like its recently restyled big brother, the Pilot SUV, the CR-V benefits from Honda's new upright, athletic styling, which abandons the previous generation's rounded bread loaf looks for a boxier aesthetic.

Up front, the CR-V sports a large, upright gloss black grille. At the back, signature vertical tail lamps have been updated for the sixth generation.

The CR-V is powered by an updated version of the Honda's trick two-motor hybrid-electric system.

In most instances, the CR-V Hybrid operates as a series hybrid, with the electric motors driving the wheels and the ICE engine focused on charging its small 1.06 kWh battery pack. However, the system can switch to parallel hybrid mode during highway cruising, with the ICE engine connecting to the front axle through a clutch.

The system sends power to the pavement through an E-CVT that's designed to mimic the feel of a traditional automatic transmission.

I was able to achieve roughly 36 miles per gallon during my time behind the wheel.

Unlike many hybrids, which place an electric motor on the rear axle to create a virtual all-wheel-drive system, the CR-V Hybrid uses Honda's Real Time AWD system with a physical linkage to the rear wheels.

The system, available on all trim levels, can send up to 50% of the engine's power to the rear wheels when it detects a loss of traction.

The CR-V comes standard with the Honda Sensing suite of safety tech that includes collision mitigation braking, road departure mitigation, forward collision warning, lane departure warning, lane keeping assist, adaptive cruise control with low-speed follow, traffic sign recognition, traffic jam assist, blind spot awareness, cross traffic monitor, driver attention monitor, and auto high-beam headlights.

The CR-V boasts a remarkably quiet cabin thanks to a host of noise-reduction features Honda built into the SUV. These include new noise insulators in the wheel wells, additional insulating panels under the vehicle's floor, extra foam insulation in the body, acoustic glass, and an improved active noise cancellation system.

The CR-V's active noise cancellation system, which emits soundwaves that neutralize road noise, has been updated with a broader range of volume and frequencies as well as an additional dedicated speaker that improves coverage inside the cabin.

The centerpiece of the CR-V's front dash is a nine-inch touchscreen display. The CR-V comes standard with a smaller seven-inch display, while the nine-inch display is available on higher trims. The screen isn't the largest in the segment, but it is of good quality.

The touchscreen runs Honda's corporate infotainment system, which has been around for more than half a decade now. It's responsive, well-organized, and fairly easy to navigate, but the interface is beginning to look a bit dated now.

Like in other Honda products, I give the company kudos for keeping the physical home, volume, and back buttons, which is increasingly rare nowadays.

In front of the driver is an analog speedometer paired with a helpful seven-inch TFT information display. The digital display can be configured to display the CR-V's tachometer, power flow meters, multimedia, and driver assistance features.

The CR-V is equipped with Honda Body Stabilizing Seats, which are designed to reduce driver fatigue and improve comfort by providing additional lumber and pelvis support.

The CR-V can be started remotely by holding down a button on the key fob. The feature is standard on all CR-V trim levels except the base LX.

The CR-V Hybrid comes with four different drive modes, including a new Sport mode.

There's Normal Mode for everyday driving, an ECON Mode which reduces throttle sensitivity and air conditioning to save fuel, and a Snow Model which adjusts the drivetrain to enhance traction in slippery conditions.

Then there's Sport Mode, which is exclusive to Hybrid models, that offers a peppier throttle response for more spirited acceleration.

The CR-V has one of the roomiest cabins in the segment, and this is especially evident in the second row.

The CR-V has 41 inches of second-row legroom, which is on par with the rival Hyundai Tucson Hybrid and beats the Toyota RAV4 by more than three inches.

CR-V Hybrids in Sport and Sport Touring trims are equipped with Honda's Predictive Eco Assist, which sees its built-in navigation system work together with its hybrid system to maximize fuel economy.

The CR-V uses the navigation system to determine when there will be opportunities to maximize regenerative braking, such as in downhill sections, and when to prioritize electric motor assist.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come standard on all CR-Vs. However, wireless CarPlay and Android Auto are only available on the higher-end EX-L, Sport-L, and Sport Touring trims.

Honda offers a premium 12-speaker Bose sound system exclusively on the Sport Touring trim. The system delivers solid performance and comes with dynamic speed compensation, automatically adjusting volume and tone based on speed and road noise.

Lower trim level CR-Vs come with four, six, and eight-speaker un-branded sound systems.

A metal honeycomb mesh accent spans the width of the CR-V front dash. It's a cool design element that artfully conceals the CR-V's air vents. The metal honeycomb mesh originally debuted on the Civic a couple of years ago.

Available only on the Sport Touring trim, the hands-free power tailgate automatically opens when you kick your foot under the rear bumper when in possession of the key fob.

Behind the CR-V Hybrid's rear seats, you'll find a solid 34.7 cubic feet of storage space. Although it falls short of its rivals by a few cubic feet, the low, flat cargo floor and square shape of the compartment make what room there is very usable.