THE CAR IN FACTS
The Honda CR-V is now the world’s best selling SUV and since 1995 has gone through a number of model revisions now onto the fifth generation.
It’s not the most exciting of cars to look but is practical and reliable with plenty of space for a family and all their paraphernalia and is tough enough to pull caravans and trailers when required.
Having said that it is a lot more muscular than before and the ‘face’ mirrors that of others in the Honda family
My cousin who lives in Cornwall has owned a 2007 model CR-V for many years and it says a lot about the confidence they instil when she is prepared for me to source a 2006 model for her husband and drive the 370 miles from Yorkshire with it once lockdown has eased.
This latest model dates back to 2018 and when it was launched there was just the one engine - as featured in our test car. This 1.5 VTEC four-cylinder petrol engine has since been joined by a petrol hybrid. There is no diesel option nor is there likely to be. The 1.5-litre engine is quiet enough, particularly during urban motoring and is not intrusive even at motorway speeds. Other options are either a six-speed manual or CVT and front or all-wheel drive. Honda claims this latest generation has been designed to be much more dynamic on the roads with a lot less wallow than other large SUVs.
In fact, it delivers a very good ride indeed even over rough surfaces and the steering is not too light with a decent amount of feedback.
Although the CVT gearbox is one of the better ones, I’m not a fan, give me a crisp sixspeed manual every time
Interior space is an important factor in SUVs and Honda has managed to keep the wheelbase of this latest generation the same as before but has maximised the space inside for even greater flexibility.
There’s a decent amount of rear-seat legroom and also the option of a third row of seats on petrol AWD models. These are only really suitable for children but can be utilised for flexible adults in an emergency. When not in use they fold flat to the boot floor.
The boot is wide and deep and very large. It has a two-position floor with a hands-free power tailgate for ease of loading. This can be programmed
● Honda CR-V
● Price: £37,630 (£40,430 as tested)
● Engine: 1.5 T VTEC petrol
● Power: 191 bhp
● Torque: 179lb/ft
● Transmission: CVT
● Top speed: 124mph
● 0-62mph: 10 seconds
● Economy: 439.8mpg
● CO2 emissions: 162g/km to stop at a certain height if space is limited.
Inside, everything seems well bolted together with decent materials used throughout the cabin and plenty of adjustment for the seats and the steering wheel.
The same infotainment centre as used in the Civic has been included. There are welcome buttons for climate control and the stereo rather than touchscreen which makes them much easier to control. To be honest, though, you’ll probably do as we did and just connect your phone and use Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.
Our AWD EX auto has an official mpg of 39.8 but on a week of mixed driving, we got an average of 31mpg which is acceptable.
In conclusion, the CR-V is a good all-round large family SUV - millions of owners can’t be wrong, can they?