Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press |
First off, if you’re looking for a ute that epitomizes the “S” in SUV, sport isn’t what the CR-V is all about. Rather, it’s comfortable, relaxed and totally, completely accommodating, not to mention quite fuel-efficient and ultimately reliable. Certainly its 185-horsepower 16-valve, DOHC, i-VTEC-enhanced 2.4-litre four-cylinder with 163 lb-ft of torque gets up and goes fast enough to stop all but the most annoyingly intense speed-demons from honking on highway merges, can keep up with the Lewis’s and the Clarks on any Montana freeway let alone our yawn-inducing Canadian limits, and its fully independent Macpherson strut front and multi-link
Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press |
This no doubt bodes well for most of its owners, and it has plenty. The Alliston, Ontario-built CR-V was Canada’s second-best-selling crossover SUV last year, a position it’s held reliably for years, and success like this doesn’t happen by accident. Like I said in the beginning, it’s very good.
Starting on the outside, the styling is pleasing
Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press |
Inside, the CR-V Touring is quite luxurious for the class, with a big, bright set of primary gauges in front of the driver, featuring an innovative speedometer needle that doesn’t interfere with the multi-information display at the very centre, followed up by a comprehensive set of easy-to-use switches and buttons on the steering wheel spokes (and within the left lower cutout). A large full-colour touchscreen houses the infotainment system along with a great sounding stereo, user-friendly navigation system and backup camera, the automatic HVAC system just below using its own LCD display. Overall the cabin is pleasingly laid out and put together very well, although it lacks any soft-touch surfaces other than the door inserts
Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press |
The rear seat of all CR-Vs is worth bragging about, incorporating what I think is the best 60/40-split seatback lowering mechanism in the segment. Just pull a cargo wall-mounted lever and the bottom cushion flips up and forward, the headrest drops down, and then the seatback lowers completely to produce a totally flat load floor, and it all happens instantaneously. It’s so slick that I’m willing to guess you’ll do it more than once just to see it in action. Just don’t gloat to friends with lesser SUVs.
Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press |
Practicality is one of the key reasons people buy into the compact crossover class, and some of the CR-V’s features help to make it much easier and nicer to live with. Standard with the base LX is a five-speed automatic transmission, tilt and telescopic steering, a six-way manually adjustable driver’s seat, power windows and door locks with remote entry, heated folding power side mirrors with an integrated expanded-view driver’s mirror, auto-off headlights, intermittent wipers, filtered air conditioning, Bluetooth phone connectivity with streaming audio, a multi-angle rearview camera with guidelines, a four-speaker 160-watt AM/FM/CD audio system with
Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press |
The second-tier EX, at $26,690 in FWD or $31,290 for AWD, adds fog lights, body-coloured mirror housings, auto on/off headlights, variable intermittent wipers,
Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press |
The third-rung EX-L, at $33,490 plus freight, adds woodgrain dash trim instead of the base silver metallic, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and leather seat surfaces, a 10-way powered driver’s seat with powered lumbar support, a leather-wrapped gearshift knob, seven-speaker 328-watt AM/FM/CD audio with MP3/WMA playback, satellite radio, Real Time AWD (available on lower trims too), and more.
Lastly, top-line Touring trim, as tested at $35,390 plus freight, adds an auto-dimming
Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press |
With no turbochargers or direct-injection the engine isn’t the most advanced four-cylinder in its segment, Honda making do with a tried and tested dependable design that delivers decent enough performance and fuel economy that’s on par with most of its peers. Likewise the five-speed automatic transmission is one cog fewer than some others in this class and devoid of any manual mode actuation. Claimed fuel economy for FWD models is 9.0 L/100km in the city, 6.4 on the highway and 7.8 combined, while AWD models are said to achieve an estimated 9.2 city, 6.6 highway, and 8.1 combined. Of course, Canada’s EnerGuide rating system was never designed with real
Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press |
At the end of my test week I was once again reminded that there’s absolutely nothing wrong with Honda’s CR-V, and a lot of things very right with it. It truly is one of the easiest, most comfortable vehicles to drive. As mentioned it’s not particularly sporty, but that was part of its design. It’s not about how fast you get there, but rather about how relaxed you are when you arrive, and of course how much stuff you can bring along with you. The 2014 CR-V Touring has all that covered and more.
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