Honda CR-V: Deal me in

by Chris Riley What is it? Honda's CR-V is an old friend. It's a bit like a favourite cardigan, it's your go to and has been ...

by Chris Riley

What is it?

Honda's CR-V is an old friend. It's a bit like a favourite cardigan, it's your go to and has been the first port of call for Aussie families for many years. The current fifth generation CR-V dates back to 2016 and a brand new one has just gone on sale in the United States. We probably won't see it until early next year and interestingly it will not be offered in its home market of Japan, based on poor sales of the current model. In the meantime, it could be opportune to pick up a runout model for a keen price.

 

What’s it cost?

You can get into a CR-V from as little as $35,900 driveaway. That gets you the 2.0-litre automatic Vi. After that they all get a smaller but more powerful 1.5-litre turbocharged engine, starting at $38,900 for the VTi or $40,900 for the VTi-7 (with seven seats) -- both prices are driveaway. In all, there are nine grades to choose from, two with all-wheel drive and three with seven seats, topping out with the five-seat VTi-LX AWD priced at $53,600 driveaway.

You'll be pleased to hear there is no additional charge for metallic or pearlescent paint.

Our test vehicle, the VTi-L AWD, finished in Brilliant Sporty Blue, sits two rungs from the top of the ladder and is priced at $46,200 driveaway. Style-wise the biggest changes this time around are designed to give the wagon a sportier look, with a blacked out grille and broader, more aggressive face. The rear lights look basically the same but the rear bumper and apron have been redesigned, with a change to oval twin tailpipes. There’s also a new wheel design. Inside it all looks pretty much the same. Standard equipment includes a CVT auto, 18-inch alloys, leather trim and dual zone climate air with vents for those in the back. The front seats are heated and the driver's seat has eight-way power adjustment and two seat memories. LED tail lights are standard along with LED daytime running lights, but the headlights in this model remain halogen. Other features include smart keyless entry with push button start, automatic walk-away door locking, hands-free power tailgate, electric parking brake, eight cup or bottle holders, dusk-sensing headlights, auto high beam, plus front and rear parking sensors. Infotainment consists of a 7.0-inch touchscreen, eight-speaker audio, active noise control, built-in satnav, Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity, AM/FM radio, with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. You can look but you won't find DAB+ digital radio which is reserved for top of the line LX. There's one 12 volt outlet in the centre console and four USB ports. Safety is rated at five stars and comprises six airbags, driver attention monitor, LaneWatch passenger side camera, plus a multi-angle reversing camera with guidelines and three modes: normal, wide and top-down. The Honda sensing safety system comprises Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with Low Speed Follow (LSF), Forward Collision Warning (FCW), Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS), Lane Departure Warning (LDW), Road Departure Mitigation System (RDM) and Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS). CR-V is covered by a 5-year unlimited kilometre warranty and 5-year roadside assistance, with service due every 10,000km or 12 months.

 

What’s it go like?

The entry 2.0-litre naturally aspirated engine produces 113kW and 189Nm. In comparison the 1.5-litre turbocharged four cylinder petrol engine delivers 140kW of power at 5600 rpm and 240Nm of torque from 2000 to 5000 rpm. It's paired with a CVT-style continuously variable transmission with drive to all four wheels when required. There's no gear change paddles in this one and apart from Economy, no drive modes either. But dropping the transmission into the 'S' position acts as a defacto sport mode, keeping engine revs to around the 3000 mark where the car performs best. It seemed to have little effect on fuel consumption. The smaller turbo engine provides plenty of punch lower in the rev range, from 2000 revs compared to 4300 for the 2.0-litre unit. Having said that it sometimes takes a half second to respond when asked the question. Like the previous CR-V that we drove, to get the most out of the engine you need to punch the accelerator (put the boot in). Ride quality is where it should be for the target buyer of this car and that is middle of the road. You could argue it is a little soft, with too much body roll when you punt it -- but remember this is a vehicle designed for comfort rather than being driven hard. The steering is light and reflects this approach nor do the brakes require much effort. In keeping with its AWD status, this model gets a 10mm lift in ground clearance to a creditable 208mm which means you can safely tackle rougher dirt roads. The cabin of CR-V is spacious and comfortable with well sorted ergonomics. The controls are large, easy to read and operate. It's all easy. There's a good-sized console box and door bins which we discovered conceal extended storage. The central touchscreen, although it looks huge, is mainly decoration for a now quite small 7.0-inch display. Satnav displays the current speed limit, but this is not repeated in the driver information screen. We couldn't find an option for speed cameras either. This model misses out on a wireless charge pad too. Child restraint anchor points consist of three top tethers and two ISOfix points. Trailer Stability Assist (TSA) is standard and CR-V can tow a 1500kg braked trailer, and comes with a full-size alloy spare. Rated at 7.4L/100km, the CVT really does what it is supposed to do, finding the optimal point between power and economy. We were getting 7.7L/100km from the 57-litre tank after close to 500km of mixed driving (better than our 2.0-litre turbo diesel).

What we like?

• Sportier
• Interior space and comfort
• Excellent fuel consumption
• Large easy to see digital speedo
• Satellite navigation
• Rear air vents
• Biggish boot

What we don’t like?

• No digital radio
• No auto wipers
• No wireless charging
• No auto dimming rear view mirror

The bottom line?

It might be the end of the line for this particular version, but CR-V still does what it does very well. It's spacious, comfortable, easy to drive and doesn't use much fuel. My wife would have one in a heartbeat. Although Honda pricing is now fixed, it might be worth keeping an eye out for any deals as the car moves into runout.

   

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