Honda CR-V
What is it?
Honda’s CR-V was definitely ahead of the curve when it arrived in 1997. In way, it pre-empted the rise of the SUV by a considerable margin, cutting a new niche for these high-riding models.
But the CR-V can’t claim to have the market to itself as it once was. It remains Honda’s flagship model - so this latest version gets more new tech than ever - but has it got enough to come out on top in what is a very congested segment. We’ve been finding out.
What’s new?
Honda has given the CR-V a more aggressive, eye-catching design compared with the previous model. Given that Honda has just added the new, more compact ZR-V to its line-up, it can push things a little further with the CR-V in terms of high-end materials, too.
Plus, you’re only able to get the CR-V with hybrid powertrains as well as the addition of a new plug-in setup which widens the scope for fuel saving and more electric-only driving.
What’s under the bonnet?
Honda has utilised the powertrain that you’ll find in the latest Civic in the CR-V. It’s all centred around a 2.0-litre petrol engine, which is then linked to two electric motors - with one driving the wheels and the other acting as a generator. Surprisingly, you’ll get the same 181bhp regardless of whether you pick the plug-in or the ‘standard’ hybrid, though if you want four-wheel-drive you’ll need to pick the latter.
Performance-wise Honda says that the CR-V will manage 0-60mph in 9.2 seconds and a top speed of 121mph. With the plug-in hybrid, a 17.7kWh battery means that the CR-V could manage up to 50 miles of electric-only range, while fully topped up it could return up to 353mpg combined. CO2 emissions are also impressively low at just 18g/km.
What’s it like to drive?
Though the CR-V might not win the Top Trumps game in outright power, it does deliver when it comes to refinement. It’s very quiet and suffers from little road and wind noise, despite being quite a tall, upright car. The switch between electric and petrol power is barely noticeable, too, and avoids that awkward ‘thunk’ which afflicts many hybrids.
As standard, the CR-V runs on 18-inch wheels which means that it’s better able to cope with larger imperfections in the road, such as deep potholes. Even the heavier plug-in hybrid version copes well and doesn’t roll too much through the bends.
How does it look?
We’d argue that the CR-V has been completely transformed for this latest generation. The previous car traded a little too heavily on chrome elements but that has all been ditched for this more premium, upmarket design. There are still some classic CR-V styling touches, mind you, such as the vertical rear lights which tie it nicely to its predecessors.
You get some differentiation between plug-in hybrid and ‘regular’ hybrid models, too. For instance, the grilles and bumpers on both cars are reshaped - so there are some ways to tell the two apart.
What’s the spec like?
You couldn’t really fault the old CR-V when it came to practicality, but Honda has really turned things up a notch for this new version. There’s a massive 586-litre boot, too, and we really like that there’s a dedicated space to store the charging cables for plug-in hybrid versions. There’s plenty of room for those in the rear, too, while the doors open nice and wide to help when fixing in child seats.
It’s all got a convincingly ‘solid’ feel to it as well, while the variety of screens and displays do help to make this CR-V quite futuristic. However, it’s good that this is all backed by some great practicality too.
What’s it like inside?
Whichever model of CR-V you opt for, you’re not going to be short on equipment. Standard Elegance versions get pretty much all of the bells and whistles you could want, including keyless entry, heated leather seats and wireless smartphone charging. You can step up to Advance if you want more gadgets, as this adds ventilated front seats and a full Bose premium sound system, among other features.
Finally, there’s Advance Tech - which is only available with the plug-in hybrid. Here, you get those different bumpers and front grille, alongside self-parking tech and extra connected features accessible via the main screen.
Verdict
The new CR-V represents a big step up over the car it replaces. It’s more tech-focused, better on fuel and more refined to drive than ever, but it hasn’t lost sight of what made the CR-V so popular in the first place - space and practicality.
Loads of equipment make it a very good proposition value-wise, too, while the inclusion of a plug-in hybrid tee up a great opportunity to lower monthly fuel bills. The SUV segment might be a cramped one, but the CR-V has done well to put its head up above the rest.
