Honda CR-V remains atop growing class
Has it really been seven years since Honda joined with Toyota to kick-start the cute-ute revolution?
Believe it.
Today, buyers have a range of compact sport-utes to pick from, including Ford’s Escape and Hyundai’s Santa Fe, both of which are big hits at the box office, while the RAV4 and CR-V have continued to improve the breed.
Honda’s last major upgrade of the CR-V occurred in 2002, but the quality of the competition almost guarantees incremental annual updates.
In ‘02, the CR-V grew a little and got more power. Subsequent model-year upgrades added such details as larger interior storage bins, new coat hooks and increased color selections.
For ‘05, the changes are external – redesigned headlights, grille, front bumper, taillights, side sills and mildly flared wheel wells with mud flaps.
A new Special Edition comes equipped with heated leather seats; heated exterior mirrors; leather-covered steering wheel and shift knob; body-colored bumpers, side moldings and door handles; and hard spare-tire cover.
Otherwise, the 2005 CR-V offers the same combination of quality, comfort and ingenious usefulness as ever.
The CR-V utilizes an all-wheel-drive system that drives the front wheels by default. At the first sign of slippage, the system transfers power, without driver intervention, to the rear wheels. This is not an all-purpose, off-road-capable system – there’s no locking, or even limited-slip differential, or two-speed transfer case to provide a low-low range.
The system is meant to ferry you and your loved ones in surefooted safety in all types of driving conditions, not climb rocks and downed trees on the way to your favorite fishing hole.
Mini-sport-utes existed before Honda and Toyota got into the act, but they were truck-based — i.e., they rode and drove like trucks — and were not strong on amenities or creature comforts. That has changed.
The CR-V is based on the Civic, a proven and bulletproof platform that’s sufficiently strong to handle the extra 500 pounds the CR-V imposes and sophisticated enough to provide car-like ride and handling.
As you would expect, creature comforts are first-shelf. The seats are firm, supportive and comfortable. In its early years, the CR-V’s steering wheel was positioned like that of a bus — more horizontal than vertical — which was weird, but that miscue was sorted out in ‘02 and now finding a comfortable driving position is a piece of cake.
Innovations on the original model included a fold-down tray positioned between the front seats and a removable picnic table hidden away in the cargo hold. Both remain, and the picnic tray has grown some over the years.
There’s a surprising amount of rear-seat room, unless you were to try to cram some unfortunate into the center position. Full-size adults enjoy abundant legroom, even with the front seats shoved well back. The rear seats recline and slide rearward on a 6.7-inch track.
In such a situation, cargo room is compromised, of course, but cargo room is at a premium in this class in any case. Honda helps matters with split rear seats that fold away without the accompanying hassle of having to remove the headrests.
Apparently, some buyers of the first CR-V were unhappy with the floor-mounted handbrake — it cluttered up the floor between the seats — so Honda moved it to the dash-mounted console, where it is disguised as a brace.
The shift-lever is mounted rally-car-style on the dash, as well, which positions it adjacent to and just inches from the driver’s right hand. Not a big deal with an automatic transmission, of course, but the CR-V is the only rig in the class to offer a manual.
Speaking of which, the CR-V has been criticized for being underpowered. Originally, its 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine turned out 146 horsepower; that number was bumped to 160 hp in ‘02, but Ford and Hyundai both offer optional V-6s.
While I find the gutsy little four sufficient — even when paired with Honda’s very good five-speed automatic transmission — ordering the CR-V with the stick shift would give the driver more flexibility in terms of keeping the engine in the heart of the power band.
Incidentally, the ‘02 power bump came by way of Honda’s excellent variable valve timing and lift system, VTEC, which broadened that power band considerably.
With a base price of $20,510, including destination charges, the base LX is reasonably well equipped. Standard features include air conditioning, cruise control, AM/FM/CD/cassette audio, tilt-adjustable steering wheel, height-adjustable driver’s seat, rear heater ducts, and power windows, mirrors and door locks.
All-wheel-drive is optional.
EX trim ($22,965) adds standard AWD, sunroof, remote keyless entry, privacy glass, alloy wheels and six-disc CD changer.
The new SE trim ($25,050) gets steering-wheel audio controls, a six-speaker audio system, the exterior upgrades mentioned above and an expanded list of color choices.
On the safety front, anti-lock brakes, vehicle stability assist and a full array of airbags — including curtain-style bags — are standard across the line.
It’s a testament to the quality of thinking that went into the original CR-V that it remains a top contender in an increasingly crowded class, despite the absence of a six-cylinder engine, a glamorous puss or anything other than terrific engineering, a well-considered layout and utter reliability.
As always, no one does the basics better than Honda.