Road Test: Honda CR-V

Review by Feann Torr - 15/June/2007

The compact AWD battleground is predominantly populated by Japanese combatants, most of which have stuck to the same old plan: produce a cost-effective vehicle that rides higher than a standard wagon, has at least rudimentary off-road abilities and more storage compartments than a container ship.

For almost a decade this has been the approach by Toyota, Nissan, Subaru et al. It has been an entirely successful approach, but the winds of change are beginning to reshape the tactics and strategies employed by car companies. 

Honda has decided to change the rules of engagement, and the new Honda CR-V could be seen as a powerful countermeasure of sorts. One that the compact AWD segment isn't completely familiar with.

It is focussed less on off-roading and more on refinement, ride and handling. The new Honda stoically faces the facts: most compact AWD owners rarely take their cars off road. As such, the vehicle has been tailored for highways and suburban streets, rather than 4WD bush trails and river crossings. There's no switchable 4WD system, there's no ride height adjustment or hill descent control - but there are numerous interior features that will appeal to drivers looking for something comfortable and modern, rather than rugged and daring.

But will Honda's new strategy work? One can't help but wonder if the company will rue the day it penned the new design. After all, the CR-V is far less rugged both in looks and operation and this may put off male buyers. But like most modern Honda motor creations it's a quality vehicle that is simple to drive and highly reliable and if this is what the compact AWD market demands, then Honda will be reaping the rewards in a few years time as the other car makers scramble to adopt a similar strategy.

The switch from rugged to regal is happening, so let's find out what it's all about:

Stepping up and into the new CR-V it's evident that Honda wants to take its soft-roader upmarket. Everything looks and feels a little bit more prestigious than most compact AWDs; the first impression the vehicle makes is positive. And like all good compact AWDs the 2007 Honda CR-V has the sought-after high driving position that makes surveying the road all too easy, but comparisons with the traditional 4WD end here.

Is that such a bad thing though? If your driving requirements start and end on asphalt, then the CR-V will warrant a seriously close inspection because it delivers a refined driving experience that suggests a testing regime conducted largely on the blacktop. 

Unlike some of its rivals, the CR-V is relatively fuel efficient as well, drinking 10L/100km on the combined cycle, while the styling moves away from the boxy design that has until recently been 'the done thing' with compact AWDs. 

Like the new Civic model, the 2007 Honda CR-V employs a far more progressive design than its rivals. Buyers often choose a modern SUV because of the increased levels of functionality and large amounts of cargo space. But I reckon that Honda has hit the nail on the head by offering buyersa touch of style to go with these things, something the market is ready to embrace.

Though the new CR-V is not a wildly divergent design per se, it does incorporate a number of modern styling cues that at first can be confronting but will ultimately serve the car well, and no doubt force some its rivals to adopt similarly daring designs.

The headlights are nothing too outrageous, but the front end does feature an unorthodox grille design. Split in two, the top half is your standard-issue chrome bar grille that proudly displays the 'H' logo. Below it is a wider opening that stretches almost halfway along the sleek sedan-like headlight clusters.

It's an inverted grille of sorts, and though it may not be to everyone's taste at least it is something a little different in the compact AWD market segment. If you want to stand out in the crowd, this inverted grille is a sure-fire way to do it.

The rest of the car is not as dramatically different to its rivals - it's got a long wagon body, 17-inch alloy wheels as standard, flared wheel arches, and integrated wing mirror indicators. The windscreen has a fairly sporty angle and together with the protruding lower grille give the car a fairly athletic appearance, and the slim A-pillars ensure that your view of the road (especially when looking right at T-intersections) isn't unnecessarily impeded. 

Follow the car's window line toward the rear however, and you'll notice that the rearmost side windows slope down like that of a sporty coupe, which looks good and gives the car a thoroughly dynamic style. But there are consequences: rear-ward vision is hindered by the C-pillar, increasing the size of the cars blind spot. It's a case of form before function.

The overall design is far more curvaceous than most Japanese SUVs on the market and even Honda CR-Vs of the past, with a smooth European influence. The rear end is perhaps the most similar to its predecessors, with vertically stacked brake light clusters being easily recognised by owners of past CR-Vs. The rear tailgate is the least rounded section of the car.

The CR-V's primary claim to fame - for the time being - is it's dramatic new style. It'll win over scores of buyers seeking a compact AWD who also want to be seen driving more than a square box on four wheels. But if you're looking for a car with a penchant for tearing up bush trails you may want to look elsewhere.

Honda's 2007 model CR-V drives quite well on the road. As hard as I try, there's very little to find fault with. The steering is responsive and fairly light (and also speed sensitive) which is perfect for city and commuter driving. The seating position is apt, the controls fall easily to hand and the manual gearbox works harmoniously with the 2.4-litre engine to provide the car with good levels of acceleration.

Peak power of 125kW is similar to its competitors, and being a Honda a lot of emphasis has been placed on engine technology. It's quiet (until you get past 6000rpm), refined and fairly frugal considering the bulk it has to lug around. It doesn't mind revving either: peak power hits the skids @ 5800rpm, but you can wind the Honda 4-banger up to a rev limited 6700rpm if you so desire.

It's not the most powerful compact AWD on the block - particularly compared to V6 and some diesel competitors. But the 6-speed manual gearbox from the Accord Euro is a slick shifting transmission and makes driving the vehicle far more enjoyable that I had anticipated. 

Honda expects the majority of new CR-V sales in Australia will be for the automatic model which costs $2,000 more, but if your budget cannot stretch to the auto version don't fret, as the manual is far from clunky.

Interestingly, it feels more like a normal car or sedan than any other SUV I've driven to date. But with a lack of ground clearance and lockable central diff, the Honda CR-V is not a class leader in terms of off-roading. 

Don't get me wrong, it's great on unsealed and gravel roads, and because of its part-time AWD system it feels secure on wet roads and even manages to find grip on damp grassy surfaces. That said, you wouldn't want to go fjording creeks in this thing or trying to navigate boggy trails.

Though it's not as rugged as some of its rivals, one of the drawcards of its car-like handling is that it deals with corners very nicely, with not too much body roll and a fairly planted feel. The steering isn't overly communicative. The car has a tall body (1680mm) and it's far from lightweight (1570kg) and these things must be factored in before you wind out the throttle on your approach to a bend, but compared to its rivals it has one of the best ride/handling compromises and is hard to fault as a daily commuter.

This stylish compact SUV has a firm ride. Yet the suspension and wheels have more vertical travel than a standard sedan and as such it maintains a fairly relaxed attitude when tracking over gouged sections of road. You don't feel quite as many bumps and lumps through your seat as you do in a lower-to-the-ground sedan and the high profile 225/65 aspect ratio tyres contribute to the smooth ride.

The CR-V has been equipped with a range of safety features, providing VSA (vehicle stability assist) as standard, which can help reduce both oversteer and understeer and also general skidding by braking individual wheels. Also a 4-channel ABS system matched to 296mm front discs brakes and 304mm rear discs. The brakes feel quite strong underfoot and together with EBD (electronic brakeforce distribution) they can slow the car quite rapidly.

With more and more cars coming standard with six airbags, it seems a bit poor that this entry-level model gets four airbags covering the driver and front-passenger. If you want the curtain airbags you'll need to step up to the Sport model, which won't leave much change from $40,000.

Like most modern cars, the new CR-V has a number of steering wheel-mounted controls, audio on the left side, cruise control on the right, and all of these work quite nicely.

Our press car was the entry-level $31,990 manual model, yet it makes a very positive first impression. The build quality is very good, as is the choice of materials. Dash and door plastics are better than average, and even the cloth seats feel a bit special. Together with a modern looking dashboard design with a high-mounted gear shifter and a double glove box, the Japanese compact AWD has a unique feel to it that mirrors the bold exterior design.

The beige-coloured cloth seats and matching two-tone (beige-black) dashboard give the impression of an open, airy space inside the car, and the quality of the cloth material on the seats is well above average. The seat cushions are comfortably supportive and, though under thigh support could be improved, comfort is increased by the inclusion of fold out armrests for both driver and front passenger - always handy when you're on the freeway with cruise control enabled. The centre console is not quite as smart as the Accord Euro's, but it's not offensive either and the instrument cluster is one of the few areas that focuses more on functionality than design. You have basic, legible fonts for the speedometer and rev counter and a practical information LCD screen wedged between these displaying fuel consumption, distance travelled and other trip functions.

The cyborg-style door grabs inside the cabin are evidence of Honda's love of robots and though they stand out as a little odd, they almost suit the vehicle in an absurd way. 

Cup holders abound, and the pair located where the gear shifter normally lives is actually better than most with spring-loaded buffers that hold your drink firmly in place. A twin glove box adds even more storage cubbies to the usual plethora. The handbrake is, again, not of the 'common' design. Instead it features an aeronautic style lever that isn't always easy to reach, particularly if you jack the drivers seat up to its highest level. It looks good though, and that seems to have been the design ethos for the interior as well as the exterior - make it look good.

Rear passengers get a decent amount of room, and boot space is surprisingly good at 1010 litres - enough room for a giant pooch or perhaps a half dozen palms. The tailgate opens from a remarkably low level as well, allowing for easy loading and unloading from the low and flat floor and the folding rear seats eschew the standard 60:40 split for a more flexible 40:20:40 split. This extends boot space to a whopping 2060 litres when all are folded flat.

So there it is - the new Honda CR-V. It drives well, it looks good, and there's heaps of room. It's hard to fault. Everything about the CR-V feels cut and polished - the build quality is very good, as are the materials used. Though I will say the HVAC dials didn't have the quality tactile feel of most of the other dials and buttons found in the car. You could blame its Thai manufacture for this, but it's not a deal breaker. 

There are also options galore for the compact SUV (which is where most new car dealers make the big bucks) such as rear parking sensors, an upgraded stereo amplifier, a tow ball, multiple roof rack attachments, and even an chunky 'aero' front bumper. No sign of the hydraulic 

Overall: 3.5/5

The compact AWD battleground has changed: the new Honda CR-V takes the genre in a new direction and I reckon it could be one of the best decisions Honda has ever made. The previous CR-V was somewhat forgettable. This new model will never suffer such a fate. It represents a stylish take on an ageing concept, something a lot of customers have been asking for, and it moves the CR-V further towards pure on-road use, which will suit a lot of drivers.

It drives well, has a responsive engine, a sure-shifting gearbox, plus the added security of stability control and reactive all-wheel drive. Together with a modern interior it makes a positive first impression. There's nothing unequivocally amazing about this new car, yet it has no major flaws either.

Remove the SUV moniker and this vehicle is essentially a jacked up station wagon that's masquerading as a 4WD (albeit an attractive one). I wanted to go bush with it, but realised that a damaged under body would be the only result. This is a subjective issue, so if your idea of 'off-road' doesn't equate to deeply rutted off-road tracks then the CR-V won't disappoint.

It's not quite a luxury SUV, but it's not a traditional SUV either. A paradox of sorts, the vehicle will change the way people look at compact AWDs and let's not discount the fact that, beyond its contemporary design, it does a lot of things well. The fit and finish is pretty spiffy, as is the build quality. Indeed, the new CR-V is impressive on many fronts and Honda Australia expects that the Sport model will account for the majority of sales in Australia, but even this budget model represents good value and finally offers drivers something that will appeal to the eye. 

If you're looking for a comfy and practical compact AWD with lots of cargo space to take the dog to the beach, transport the family and head up to the alps for a weekend skiing trip, the CR-V will fit the bill.

The 2007 Honda CR-V has changed the compact AWD battleground and it may never be the same again. It is focussed more on everyday driving needs, quality and refinement. Though there are compact AWDs out there with better multi-tasking capabilities, the new Honda is sure to become one of the front-runners in the hotly contested segment.