Honda CRV

The Honda CR-V is roomy, convenient and easy to drive. You can put lots of stuff in it and the back seats are quite comfortable. It rides smoothly, more so than most SUVs. It’s surprisingly maneuverable in tight quarters and handles well on winding roads yet it’s stable at freeway speeds, even in stiff crosswinds. The Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV-4 were the first of the cute-utes, small vehicles based on cars that delivered the cargo versatility of a sport utility, an upright seating position, and all-wheel drive.

The CR-V shares its basic structure with the Honda Civic, giving it the ride quality and handling of a car. Besides being less expensive, the CR-V is smaller and more maneuverable than a full-sized SUV. Most important, it doesn’t look like a minivan. The CR-V isn’t much good off-road, but it’s available with a choice of front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, the latter giving it good winter weather capability.

This second-generation CR-V was launched as a 2002 model and the styling was revised for 2005. For 2006, the CR-V carries over with virtually no changes except for two new paint colors.

In the CR-V Driver’s Seat

As in virtually any Honda since the company started building cars in the early ’60s, ergonomics in the CR-V are nearly flawless. Simply reach out and whatever control you are looking for seems to fall to hand. Relocating the handbrake to the dash, which occurred in 2004, was exceptionally well thought out. It’s easy to engage there yet it is still out of the way.

The CR-V holds five adults with lots of room behind the rear seats for cargo. If more cargo room is needed, both rear seats easily fold up and tuck out of the way tight against the front seats. If you have to carry two passengers and a lot of cargo, one of the 60/40 split rear seats can be folded up for the cargo and the extra passenger can sit normally on the remaining rear seat.

I tested the 4WD EX model with the 5-speed manual transmission. My CR-V had very comfortable cloth covered seats with full adjustment including height. Seat controls were manually operated on my tester, but the driver’s seat had power assist for the fore and aft movement. Everything is easy to operate.

All models of the CR-V come with 4-wheel disc brakes with ABS. Traction control and electronic stability control are also standard.

On the Road in the Honda CR-V

The 3,750 lb CR-V is available in either a 2WD or RealTime 4WD configuration. In either guise, it’s a treat to drive both in the city and on the open highway. It’s quiet and economical in the city and, its compact body makes it easy to park in tight spaces. Actually, it would be even easier if Honda didn’t insist on tacking the spare tire onto the rear door where it seems to be just the right height to do minor but nonetheless seriously expensive damage to any Mercedes Megabuck that happens to be parked behind it.

At highway speeds, the CR-V is quiet and smooth riding. The rack and pinion steering tracks true so the CR-V is not put off by small road imperfections. In other words, it’s not dancing around on the ruts cut into the asphalt by overweight trucks and you’re not making constant steering corrections.

The CR-V also comes with either a 5-speed auto or a 5-speed manual. My test car was equipped with a 5-speed manual and a light, very smooth clutch. Even though most of my driving can best be characterized as stop-and-go city type, I didn’t mind shifting the gears myself. And, regardless of what the EPA says, in my experience a manual tranny always gets better fuel economy than an automatic. Sometimes dramatically better.

Journey’s End

The CR-V is an exceptional family-style vehicle - a tall, roomy, convenient wagon with a very tight turning circle and a 4WD system that could be useful in some situations. However, don’t even think about taking this thing off road. The RealTime 4WD system starts off in two-wheel (front) drive mode but switches to 4WD as soon as slip is detected. Unfortunately, by the time slip is detected it’s too late and you’re stuck. At least you are if the snow (or sand) is more than a few inches deep.

To preclude burrowing, the system ought to start off in 4WD and then switch to 2WD if no slip is detected. Which is exactly the opposite of what actually happens with the RealTime 4WD system.

On the other hand, this system will most certainly handle a few inches of snow on your local mall’s parking lot - at least it will if you keep good tread on your tires. Hey, if you want real 4WD off-road capability you can’t have the good ride and easy handling of a CR-V. At least you can’t yet. But let’s wait and see what happens when the all-new ‘07 CR-V comes out.

Body Styles, Trim Levels and Options:

The Honda CR-V is offered as a four-door SUV that seats up to five. There are three trim levels: LX, EX and SE (Special Edition). On the LX, you’ll find power windows, locks and mirrors; cruise control; air conditioning; a CD player; rear heater ducts; and a cargo area-mounted 12-volt accessory outlet. EX models add keyless entry, alloy wheels, a moonroof, steering wheel audio controls, an outside temperature gauge and privacy glass. The SE includes heated leather seats and mirrors, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob and, on the outside, body-colored bumpers, side moldings, door handles and hard spare tire cover.

Powertrains and Performance:

Under the hood you’ll find a 2.4-liter inline four with Honda’s i-VTEC architecture. While its power output — 156 horsepower and 160 pound-feet of torque — can’t equal the grunt of the V6s found in some competitors, acceleration is still more than adequate in almost all situations. All Honda CR-V models come standard with a five-speed automatic transmission, except for the EX, which can take either the automatic or a five-speed manual gearbox. LX models come in either front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, while EX and SE models are all-wheel drive only. Honda calls its all-wheel-drive system Real Time 4WD, but lacking a dual-range transfer case, it’s AWD by definition. The system powers only the front wheels under normal conditions. If the front wheels begin to slip, power is immediately transferred to the rear wheels until traction is regained.

Safety:

All CR-Vs include four-wheel antilock disc brakes, stability control, side airbags for front passengers and head curtain airbags for front and rear occupants as standard equipment. The Honda CR-V earned a perfect five stars across the board from the NHTSA for its protection in frontal and side impacts. In addition, the IIHS awarded a “Good” rating, also the highest possible, for the Honda’s performance in the 40-mph frontal-offset crash test. It also earned a “Good” rating in IIHS side-impact testing.

Interior Design and Special Features:

Besides having a multitude of storage areas and cubbies, the Honda CR-V is quite generous in its allotment of interior room for passengers and cargo. The rear quarters are surprisingly comfy considering the vehicle’s overall size. Each side of the 60/40-split bench seat can be moved forward or back 6.7 inches, and the seatbacks can be reclined up to 45 degrees. For maximum cargo room, both rear seats can be tumbled forward to clear up to 72 cubic feet of space.

Driving Impressions:

Around-town driving reveals a softly tuned setup that favors comfort over performance and is just about ideal for commuters. Four-wheel-drive CR-Vs are perfect for negotiating wet or snowy road conditions. However, when taken on terrain more rugged than a gravel road, the 2006 Honda CR-V quickly gets wobbly in the knees. Though it has more ground clearance than the Honda Element, this isn’t the mini SUV to get if you regularly venture into the wilderness.