Honda CR-V

Honda has not remained immune to the global “explosion” of SUV segment. Fifteen years ago, at the time of the appearance of this class of vehicles (that we define as previous century) emerged RAV4, Freelander and many other “soft thugs”, which were supposed to bring something that conventional cars could not. The rest is history… We know very well the story of the SUVs, despite the quite reasonable question – what are these cars for? Well, they serve pretty well to widen the manufacturer’s product portfolio.

Moreover, a little bit public, a little bit secret, but many SUVs take over the platforms from sedans or hatchbacks. The Honda CR-V is no exception. However, many people see the letter C from the designation as “Civic”, whose components are present in the chassis. However, the origin of the name is much prettier and less formal. “CR-V” actually stands for the “vehicle for comfortable wandering”.

CR-V has roamed the world markets quite successfully for 15 years, to the extent that it won the prize for the best value for money, reliability, etc. Simply put, its appearance has never been overly attractive, but it’s always been a reliable and safe family member. So it is today. The current generation, which has been declaratively refreshed, is present on the roads since 2006. We say “declaratively” due to the fact that only a serious expert can see the difference in the new radiator grill and tail lights.

CR-V was and remained exactly what was its conceptual role. Hand on heart; it is not particularly attractive or beautiful.

Somehow, the wavy body is reminiscent of the failed Italian designs that Bertone and Giugiaro passed off to Koreans when they were entering the world of automotive industry. However, the interior improves the impression immediately. The doors that open wide, excellent space offer and well-profiled seats leave a positive first impression, while the completely flat floor makes it easier to communicate in the vehicle.

All this continues through the excellent ergonomics and simple commands, but the customer remains deprived of a little better design. Honda has it in the house, and some detail taken from the current Accord would raise total satisfaction to an even higher level. Simple – not bad but could be better. However, this statement does not apply to the overall convenience of the CR-V. There is absolutely nothing to be questioned.

In fact, occasional references to the Accord continue in terms of drivetrain. The two-liter i-VTEC SOHC engine has 150 hp (R20), but the slightly more powerful version can be found in the current generation Accord. Accustomed to the silent Japanese engines, we are a little bit surprised by the smoothness which is below what this basically same engine offers in Honda’s sedan.

The transmission is considerably less accurate and not at the level of Honda’s legendary “super precise” manual gear boxes, which is probably a tribute to all-wheel drive. Of course, we are talking about small differences and from the perspective of what we know Honda can do. Once again – not bad, but it can be a little better.

AWD is the perfect combination for anyone who wants it. The average driver, if not warned, would not notice that he had it. No switches, selectors, buttons. If necessary, it activates and deactivates automatically, noting that the standard drive is at the front wheels. Driving dynamics is good.

The CR-V is comfortable and the 17-inch wheels absorb all the bumps. Steering precision fits into the overall setup of the vehicle, and in a package with excellent visibility allows the driver total relaxation. It needs 10 sec to reach 100 km/h, and it does not give it the right to boast performances, but from the perspective of family cars they are completely adequate. Even the average fuel consumption of 8 liters on test confirms that you don’t have to necessarily think of diesel, when you have a good gasoline engine.

The Honda CR-V generally says: “deja vu” – Nothing premium, but all very good. The best part of the story is actually the price. The CR-V in pretty good Elegance package costs 23.700 euros. If our economic standard of living was higher, we could say “only” 23.700 euros for a convenient, very safe and comfortable “wanderer”.