The Honda CR-V
The Honda CR-V
The Honda CR-V has been around for over 25 years, but what makes it one of the best-selling vehicles in its class?
Many manufacturers have entered the popular and increasingly saturated Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) crossover market in recent years.
Honda, though, has an advantage over most. Why? Because its version, the CR-V, has been around for over 25 years and is one of the best-selling vehicles in its class.
But competition has never been fiercer, with almost every automaker offering a halfway house between a full SUV and a family hatchback.
Nowadays, the CR-V is available in hybrid form only. It sports a 2.0-litre petrol engine, an electric motor, a CVT gearbox and a choice of front and all-wheel drive, the latter of which throws a second electric motor into the mix.
Thinking of making the switch to electric?
Fuel economy measures in at a reasonable 42.8mpg, although it fares slightly less well at 39mpg for the all-wheel drive version.
In terms of trims, entry-level ‘S’ gets you 17-inch alloys, a five-inch infotainment screen, plus LED headlights and taillights.
SE is next, adding 18-inch wheels, dual-zone automatic climate control, a seven-inch infotainment screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a rear-view camera, parking sensors and privacy glass.
Sport Line adds dark chrome styling and leather seats and is only available with front-wheel drive.
SR adds keyless entry and start, cornering lights and leather upholstery. Meanwhile, the top-of-the-range EX gets 19-inch wheels, a head-up display, a powered tailgate, a panoramic glass roof, heated rear seats and a wireless phone charger. But the EX is only available with four-wheel drive.
On the road, considering the CR-V is reasonably large, it performs admirably well in terms of outright performance and handling.
You get from 0-62mph in 8.8 seconds (9.2 seconds in the all-wheel drive version). While you may think the all-wheel drive version would accelerate quicker due to its extra grip, it's slowed down by the excess weight of the auxiliary electric motor. The top speed is 112mph.
There are three driving settings: EV, Hybrid and Engine. While EV mode means you can drive on the electric motor, you’ll barely get a mile before the engine kicks in.
Hybrid mode is the one most will choose for much of the time, maximising efficiency – and that’ll get you closest to the claimed miles-per-gallon figures. On the other hand, engine mode is intended for motorway cruises where the electric motor isn’t needed as much.
Regarding handling, the CR-V uses hydraulic suspension, which smooths out shortcomings in the road surface. The steering is light when driving slowly but firms up nicely at higher speeds in the bends. However, the feedback through the wheel isn’t astounding.
Nevertheless, it’s precise, while body lean is limited, giving you the confidence to push on. While it’s no Civic Type R in terms of its cornering prowess, the CR-V certainly exceeds expectations for a vehicle of its size.
At all speeds, whether around town or at a 70mph cruise on the motorway, it feels at home and is reasonably hushed, with a limited amount of tyre, wind and engine noise.
CVT gearboxes tend to make the engine sound like you’re stuck in first gear. But Honda has managed to refine its design well, and, although I’m still not overly keen on them, it’s among the best out there.
Inside, the cabin is a little disappointing, looking a tad bland and maybe even a bit dated. But it’s by no means off-putting and does the job. However, some of the CR-V’s competitors will wow you by comparison.
At least the materials feel like they're of high quality and everything feels well-assembled. The infotainment screen looks reasonably nice, integrated into the dashboard. But the system isn’t the best, lacking the crisp clarity of its rivals and not being particularly intuitive to use.
The SE trim and above uses Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, while the digital instrument cluster is a nice feature, even if the design could look prettier.
Thankfully, the air conditioning controls remain as physical dials, sitting underneath the touchscreen, and the interior is spacious and accommodating.
There is a pleasant amount of head and legroom in the front and back. But seven-seater fans will have to look elsewhere, as, since the CR-V became hybrid-only, the third row of chairs available in the discontinued petrol model has gone with it.
If you only need a five-seater, though, then you'll enjoy the rear legroom, while there's enough space up front to keep you relaxed if you’re driving long distances.
Boot space measures a respectable 497 litres, extended to 1,638 litres with the seats folded down in a 60:40 split.
There is a minimal boot lip, too, so lifting large, heavy items in and out is conveniently simple. Meanwhile, there’s a good amount of storage space inside, accommodating door bins and a reasonably sized cubby in the centre console.
Euro NCAP last crash-tested a CR-V in 2019, when it earned a five-star safety rating. The Honda scored 93 per cent for adults, 83 per cent for children and 76 per cent for safety assists.
The safety kit includes Honda Sensing, which features adaptive cruise control, collision mitigation braking, forward collision warning and lane departure warning. You also get lane keep assist, road departure mitigation and traffic sign recognition. Meanwhile, the SR trim and above get cross traffic monitoring and blind sport warning technology.
Hondas tend to score average marks regarding reliability, lagging behind some Far Eastern adversaries, such as Kia.
The Japanese manufacturer also doesn’t offer as great a warranty – three years compared with Kia’s seven. But at least the three-year guarantee has no mileage limit.
Overall, the CR-V is a practical and economical car that competes well with its main rivals. It offers a spacious interior, even though the cabin design is a bit disappointing.
While the lack of a seven-seat option will rule it out of contention for large families, it is, nevertheless, well-built and good to drive with good handling for a vehicle of its size. It is little wonder that the CR-V has proven so popular.
