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THE
previous Honda CR-V gave small families a good
alternative to the multipurpose vehicle, but turned off
a number of motorists due to improperly matched gear
ratios, rather small interior dimensions, fuel
consumption and an unsightly parking brake (plus its
location).
But with
its Toyota RAV-4 direct competition moving up to the
crossover SUV class, Honda deemed it fit to keep up with
its Japanese rival while retaining the CR-V’s wow
factor. The result is a major makeover that offers lots
of pluses, yet few negatives.
Honda
widened its compact SUV’s track an inch to improve
handling and open up more shoulder room, but lowered its
stance (7.3" ground clearance). In the process, the
company carved out an additional cubic foot of cargo
space. With 73 cubes of max capacity, the CR-V equals
the current RAV-4 and can comfortably seat five
average-sized Pinoys, or four six-footers.
Honda
set about making its small SUV more practical for the
owner with a toddler in one arm and groceries in the
other. The side-hinged rear gate and exterior-mounted
spare tire were dumped in favor of a lighter, overhead
liftgate and an underfloor spare, plus a tonneau cover
fitted to the 35.7-cubic-foot cargo bay to allow
two-tier loading. Also, a bevy of storage bins keeps
small items in place while keeping an eye on the kids in
the rear.
Honda
also designed rear doors that open a full 90 degrees.
Better yet, the doors have numerous detents within their
opening range, so you never have to worry about them
swinging back while you’re bent over buckling in the
apple of your eye. The 60/40-split rear bench offers a
wide range of fore/aft adjustment.
 Plus,
interior materials are higher in quality compared with
the previous model, and the unsightly floor-mounted (or
column-mounted) shifter and jet-fighter control stick
that is the handbrake have been replaced by a sleek,
ergonomic design that puts both gear selector and
handbrake within easier reach. It’s also a plus to find
a comfy driving position with the tilt/telescoping
steering wheel.
Hit the
road and powerband entry comes early (2500 rpm), with
the i-VTEC kicking in at around 4,500 to 4,750 rpm. The
smoothly engaging six-speed M/T on the test unit (the
2.0L 4x2 base model) has even gearing and much
appreciated short throws, but has notchy fifth and sixth
gears and displays torque steer. Although top-speed
testing was handicapped due to inclement weather, one
top-speed run was recorded at 190 kph. Fuel consumption
is good but not great, with just 9.08 km/liter in a week
of mixed driving.
The new
CR-V totes handling that borders on athletic. Greater
use of high-strength steel provides a more structurally
rigid body, and engineers made numerous changes to the
fully independent front strut/rear multilink suspension.
In front, they added caster, adjusted the angle of the
struts and lowered the steering box to improve
straight-line stability and steering response, while
increasing suspension travel to allow for greater tuning
precision. In back, they fiddled with the geometry to
keep the CR-V level during acceleration and braking, and
fitted a larger antiroll bar. The steering system
continues to use hydraulic assist, but has a quicker
ratio for sharper feedback, especially on turn-in. The
result is little body roll on turns, and traction
breaking at 75 to 80 kph.
Both
brakes and handbrake grip hard at the slightest prod,
and the ABS kicks in at three-fourths effort. The dim
setting and the foglights can replace the headlights
bright setting due to its illumination, but the same
can’t be said for the interior. Front occupant lighting
is bright, but the rear area could use an additional
lamp.
With the
RAV-4 launched a year earlier, Honda was forced to swing
for the fences. The great news is that the new CR-V,
even in its base form, is a grand-slam home run for
getting along without going along. |
