What type of gas does a Honda CR-V take? [ANSWERED] [2024]

There are currently six generations of the Honda CR-V, and each of them requires different types of gas in order to run properly.

Thus, if you plan on purchasing a Honda CR-V yourself, it’s essential to know what gas types it can and cannot take so you avoid running into potential problems later on.

In this article, we’ll be providing info on the various fuel requirements that each Honda CR-V generation has according to the engine option.

Furthermore, other relevant info such as gas mileage and gas tank size for each Honda CR-V generation have also been included in this guide, so make sure to read until the end!

What kind of gas does a Honda CR-V take?

1997 to 2004 Honda CR-V models can take 86-octane gasoline or higher, while 2005 to current (2023) models with gasoline or hybrid engines require a minimum of 87-octane gasoline.

2002 (2nd generation) to 2022 (5th generation) Honda CR-Vs with diesel engines can only take diesel fuel.

For the majority of Honda CR-V models, you should only concern yourself with filling them up with regular unleaded gasoline.

If we’re going to be more specific, however, early CR-V models from 1997 to the 2004 model year can actually take 86-octane gasoline, which is one rating lower than what’s conventionally referred to as “Regular” gasoline (87-octane).

Other than that, all gasoline-powered Honda CR-V models after this point require the usual 87-octane gasoline.

Using anything lower than 86 or 87-octane gasoline should be avoided for the Honda CR-V, as too low of an octane rating can cause engine knock and even internal damage.

As for the diesel-powered Honda CR-V models that were only released in certain parts of the world, you should obviously only use diesel fuel instead of gasoline (petrol).

Honda CR-V Fuel Requirements Based on Generation and Engine Option

CR-V models from the 1st generation until the 2004 model year of the 2nd generation can take gasoline with an octane rating as low as 86. Otherwise, all gasoline-powered models after that take 87-octane gasoline.

Diesel variants of the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th-generation CR-V can only take diesel fuel.

1st-Generation Honda CR-V (1997 to 2001)

Engine Option	Minimum Fuel Requirement
2.0L B20B Inline-4 (I4)	86-Octane Gasoline
2.0L B20Z Inline-4 (I4)	86-Octane Gasoline

The 1st-generation Honda CR-V made use of two 2-liter I4 engines (B20B and B20Z), both of which were capable of taking 86-octane gasoline.

2nd-Generation Honda CR-V (2002 to 2006)

Engine Option	Minimum Fuel Requirement
2.0L K20A1/A4 Inline-4 (I4) (2002 to 2004)	86-Octane Gasoline
2.4L K24A1 Inline-4 (I4) (2002 to 2004)	86-Octane Gasoline
2.0L K20A1/A4 Inline-4 (I4) (2005 to 2006)	87-Octane Gasoline (Regular)
2.4L K24A1 Inline-4 (I4) (2005 to 2006)	87-Octane Gasoline (Regular)
2.2L N22A2 Inline-4 (I4) Turbo Diesel	Diesel Fuel

For the 2nd-generation CR-V, two “K-Series” gasoline engines replaced the “B-series” of the previous generation, and both of them could initially take 86-octane gasoline.

However, by the time the facelift model was released in 2005, these two engines had a slight adjustment to their fuel requirement, which is now 87-octane gasoline.

A turbocharged 2.2-liter I4 diesel option was also introduced for this generation, and needless to say, only diesel fuel should be used for it.

3rd-Generation Honda CR-V (2007 to 2011)

Engine Option	Minimum Fuel Requirement
2.0L R20A Inline-4 (I4)	87-Octane Gasoline (Regular)
2.4L K24Z Inline-4 (I4)	87-Octane Gasoline (Regular)
2.2L N22A i-CTDi Inline-4 (I4) Turbo Diesel	Diesel Fuel

The 3rd-generation Honda CR-V was the first to use the then-new “R-Series” engine while also still keeping the larger-displacement K-series engine in the lineup.

Both of these engines also use 87-octane gasoline as usual, while the remaining 2.2-liter I4 turbo diesel option only uses what its name suggests.

4th-Generation Honda CR-V (2012 to 2016)

Engine Option	Minimum Fuel Requirement
2.0L R20A i-VTEC Inline-4 (I4)	87-Octane Gasoline (Regular)
2.4L K24Z i-VTEC Inline-4 (I4)	87-Octane Gasoline (Regular)
2.4L K24W i-VTEC Earth Dreams Inline-4 (I4)	87-Octane Gasoline (Regular)
1.6L N16A2/4 i-DTEC Earth Dreams Inline-4 (I4) Turbo Diesel	Diesel Fuel
2.2L N22B i-DTEC Inline-4 (I4) Turbo Diesel	Diesel Fuel

The 4th-generation Honda CR-V continues the trend of using both the 2-liter R20 and the 2.4-liter K24 options while also adding new “Earth Dreams” engines for both gasoline and diesel variants.

The newer 2.4-liter Earth Dreams engine uses 87-octane gasoline as with the rest of the gasoline options, while both the new 1.6-liter Earth Dreams diesel and 2.2-liter diesel only run on diesel fuel.

5th-Generation Honda CR-V (2017 to 2022)

Engine Option	Minimum Fuel Requirement
1.5L L15BE Inline-4 (I4) Turbo	87-Octane Gasoline (Regular)
2.0L R20Z1 Inline-4 (I4)	87-Octane Gasoline (Regular)
2.4L K24V5 Inline-4 (I4)	87-Octane Gasoline (Regular)
2.4L K24W9 Inline-4 (I4)	87-Octane Gasoline (Regular)
2.0L LFA1 Inline-4 (I4) Hybrid	87-Octane Gasoline (Regular)
2.0L LFB-13 Inline-4 (I4) PHEV	87-Octane Gasoline (Regular)
1.6L N16A2 Inline-4 (I4) Turbo Diesel	Diesel Fuel
1.6L N16A4 Inline-4 (I4) Twin-Turbo Diesel	Diesel Fuel

Even more gasoline engine options became available with the introduction of the 5th-generation Honda CR-V, and every single one of them requires regular 87-octane gasoline.

This includes even the new Hybrid engines that were also introduced in the US but not in Canada.

As for the 1.6-liter diesel options, they were only released for the European market and some parts of Asia.

6th-Generation Honda CR-V (2023 to Present)

Engine Option	Minimum Fuel Requirement
1.5L L15BE Inline-4 (I4) Turbo	87-Octane Gasoline (Regular)
2.0L LFA1 Inline-4 (I4) Hybrid	87-Octane Gasoline (Regular)

The 6th and latest iteration of the Honda CR-V currently offers only two engine options in the form of a 1.5-liter I4 turbo and a 2-liter I4 Hybrid. Both of these engines can take regular 87-octane gasoline.

At the time of this writing, there are no diesel engine options offered for the 6th-generation Honda CR-V.

Types of Gasoline/Fuel That Can Be Used in a Honda CR-V

The Honda CR-V can use reformulated gasoline, a more modern type of fuel designed to burn cleaner and reduce the emission of toxic pollutants compared to conventional fuel.

The Honda CR-V can also use TOP TIER gasoline or TOP TIER diesel (for diesel trims) for its high-quality cleaning additives.

Reformulated Gasoline

Reformulated gasoline is a relatively new type of fuel that is designed to burn cleaner compared to the conventional gasoline sold in most pumps.

This makes it a great alternative, as it contains less toxic ingredients in its mixture that are known to contribute to the formation of ozone and other air toxins.

Not only is it recommended in places where there’s a higher concentration of air pollution and smog, but it’s also recommended by Honda because it’s less harmful to the environment.

While it’s not as widespread as conventional fuel, reformulated gasoline is ever-growing in popularity across the US and already accounts for about 25% of all gasoline sold, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency.

If you can spare a few tens of cents more over conventional gasoline, then reformulated gasoline is actually quite worth it for both your vehicle’s emissions system and the environment.

TOP TIER Gasoline/Diesel

If you’re going to be using fuel with any sort of beneficial additives in it, then you should specifically go for fuel with the “TOP TIER” label.

TOP TIER fuel is popular for its high standards in engine cleaning and detergency, and depending on whether your Honda CR-V is gasoline or diesel-powered, you can opt for either TOP TIER detergent gasoline or TOP TIER diesel.

The TOP TIER formulation contains high-quality detergent additives that are made to reduce the buildup of deposits and any sort of gunk inside the engine and on various components of the fuel system.

This applies to both gasoline and diesel variants of TOP TIER fuel, resulting in the maintenance of smooth and optimal engine performance for both gasoline and diesel-powered vehicles.

Gasoline brands labeled with the “TOP TIER” logo are pretty much all over the place, as over 60 of them have already adopted the TOP TIER formulation across the US and Canada.

However, TOP TIER diesel fuel may prove trickier to find, as there are currently only a few licensed retail brands that have them in North America.

If you ever want to spot either of the two types of TOP TIER fuel, be sure to look for their labels on the gas pump itself.

E-10 (10% Ethanol) (1996 to 2014 Models Only)

When it comes to using oxygenated blends, such as ethanol blends, there is a limit to how much percentage of content you can put on the Honda CR-V.

In the case of Honda CR-V models from 1996 to 2014, they can actually take up to 10% of ethanol in their gasoline, which is also known as an E-10 blend.

E-10 (10% Ethanol) (1996 to 2014 Models Only)

E-10 (10% ethanol, 90% gasoline) is one of the most common kinds of ethanol-gasoline blends, and the majority of modern vehicle models are actually compatible with this type of blend.

As for why you would choose an ethanol blend like E-10 over regular gasoline, it’s a more renewable type of fuel that naturally boosts the octane rating of gasoline, which further decreases the chances of premature detonation and engine knock.

It’s also quite useful in areas with very cold climates, as ethanol prevents the freezing of your gas lines and keeps moisture in the fuel system, essentially making it a good antifreeze.

If you would like to learn more about the use of ethanol in gasoline, we recommend checking out our dedicated article for that right here.

E-15 (15% Ethanol) (2014 to Present Models Only)

Newer Honda CR-V models from 2014 until the current model year have been upgraded to take up to 15% of ethanol in gasoline, also known as an E-15 blend.

Much like E-10, E-15 (15% ethanol, 85% gasoline) is also quite a common ethanol blend that a lot of vehicles on the road today are compatible with.

However, it’s very important that you do not go past this ethanol percentage, as ethanol also has its downsides when used in excess amounts.

Since ethanol is an oxygenate that is affinitive with water, it can corrode the metal components of the engine if it’s not designed to handle a specific ethanol percentage.

Types of Gasoline/Fuel to Avoid for the Honda CR-V

Avoid filling up the Honda CR-V with E-85 or Flex-Fuel, methanol, ethanol blends higher than 15%, and gasoline with metallic or silicone-based additives.

Also, diesel fuel should not be used in any gasoline-powered Honda CR-V model.

E-85/Flex-Fuel, Methanol, and Ethanol Blends Higher than 15%

We’ve mentioned earlier that the Honda CR-V can only take ethanol blends up to 10 or 15% of content depending on the model year, so anything above that is completely off-limits.

This means that the popular E-85 blend or “Flex-Fuel” should definitely be avoided for the Honda CR-V since it can have as much as 85% ethanol blended into gasoline.

Since not one single generation of the Honda CR-V offers flex-fuel capability, then you should only stick to a maximum of E-10 for 1996 to 2014 models and up to E-15 for newer models.

As far as other oxygenated blends are concerned, the use of methanol (not ethanol) should not be used in the Honda CR-V at all, regardless of the generation or model year.

One easy way to find out if a vehicle can take E-85/Flex-Fuel is by checking if it has a yellow fuel cap with “E85” printed on it. If it doesn’t have this, then it’s usually limited to only E10 or E15.

E-85Flex-Fuel, Methanol, and Ethanol Blends Higher than 15%

Gasoline with Added Materials (Metallic or Silicone-Based Additives)

There are various kinds of gasoline additives out there that are marketed to give some sort of benefit to your vehicle, such as cleaning the engine or boosting the octane rating of the fuel you’re using.

However, it’s important to consider that not every additive is beneficial to every car. In the case of the Honda CR-V, you should avoid filling it up with gasoline that contains any sort of metallic or silicone-based additive.

Such additives can do more harm than good to the Honda CR-V’s fuel system, as the metallic or silicone ingredients can actually increase the buildup of deposits in the engine, making them very counterproductive as additives.

Instead, as we’ve mentioned earlier, the best choice of gasoline for the Honda CR-V with any sort of additive included would be TOP TIER gasoline (or TOP TIER diesel for diesel variants).

Not only does TOP TIER gasoline contain safe detergent additives for your vehicle, but you don’t even have to worry about putting any separate additives in the fuel yourself.

Diesel Fuel (Avoid for Gasoline Models)

It should be common knowledge that diesel fuel should not be put into any sort of gasoline engine, and that’s basically most of the engine options for the Honda CR-V.

Unless you’re specifically looking for a diesel variant, diesel fuel should never be put into a Honda CR-V with a gasoline engine.

Since diesel is thicker and denser than gasoline, accidentally putting it into a gasoline engine will clog up the fuel system components and damage the spark plugs.

In order to avoid making this mistake, diesel pumps at gas stations are usually colored green. Just in case they’re in a different color, they will still be appropriately labeled, as shown below.

What will happen if I use the wrong gas type?

Using the wrong type of gas, such as putting gas with too low of an octane rating, can reduce the vehicle’s performance, cause engine knock, and even damage the engine’s internals.

Putting diesel in a gasoline engine can clog up the spark plugs and fuel system, as diesel is thicker than gasoline.

Honda CR-V Gas Mileage Per Generation/Facelift

Gasoline-powered Honda CR-Vs have a combined gas mileage of 21 to 30 mpg depending on the generation, while those with Hybrid engines get about 38 combined mpg.

Diesel-powered Honda CR-Vs get between 35 to 53 combined mpg depending on the generation.

To further show the differences in mpg between each Honda CR-V model, we’ve listed several engine options for both the pre-facelift and facelift models of each generation with their respective mpg.

Do take note that some generations may not include other engine options released in other countries, as data about their gas mileage is either unavailable or are unofficial figures that vary from owner to owner.