The Honda CR-V was once Australia's top selling mid-sized SUV and has always had a cult following,
thanks to quirky features, a roomy cabin and economical powertrains. But the SUV world
is super vicious these days, and the Honda faithful numbers are starting to shrink in
the face of new rivals. So, can the updated CR-V entice new buyers into the fold? Let's find out.
The fifth generation CR-V was introduced back in 2017
and has received updates since then, but now it's time for a mid-life make over
focusing on styling and tech. And the differences are noticeable.
You can pick the upgraded Honda by its updated front end, which features a new bumper design with
a blacked out grille. It also gets LED headlights and fog lights along with new wheel designs.
There's also some visual tweaks at the rear with a re-sculpted bumper and dark tinted tail lights
too. I don't mind the new visuals, but I really like how you can open the windows remotely,
it's a really good feature on a hot day.
Prices have increased across the board from just over $30,000 for the base model up to a shade
under 50K for the Range topping VTi-LX all wheel drive model, which is what we are testing here.
Inside, Honda's quirkiness is very much alive and well. The gear shifter sits higher than in
most vehicles, and the layout of buttons and dials is different, providing a unique user experience.
Top spec versions of the lighter CR-V also now come with a wireless phone charger, but
it carries over its so so infotainment system. The screen is a little small at seven inches and the
menu systems are not as slick as its rivals, but Apple can play and Android Auto save the day here.
Dual-zone climate control is standard across the range, as is the digital instrument cluster.
And this flagship model grade has comfortable and luxurious leather-appointed seats as well.
It's got two USB ports and incidental storage is really good, big door pockets, and I love
this center bin. It's got a sliding drawer that you can take all the way out for loads of room,
two cup holders of average size are pretty good too. Oh, and this is pretty cool, the sunglasses
holder doubles as a conversation mirror, or as I like to call it, the child supervision device.
The second row seats come with plenty of room and amenity, starting with the adjustable air
vents and the deep door pockets. There are two fast charging USB ports, a fold out arm-rest,
two ISOFIX child seat anchorages and three top tether points, which are part for the course in
the segment. However, extra wide door apertures that open to 90 degrees are a rarity in this
class and they make loading kids and other annoying objects into the car much easier.
Opening the boot with a leg gesture may look a little silly,
but when your hands are full with kids or shopping, it is a godsend.
There's plenty of room in the boot and the fold down seats open up even more space.
And while there's four tie down points, there is not a lot of extras with no bag hooks to speak of.
However, all CR-V models come with a full-sized spare wheel. Yep, even the big 19-inch rims.
Out on the road, the Honda performs like most Japanese SUVs. It's quiet, frugal and
effortless to drive. The 1.5-litter turbo petrol engine has plenty of zip when you need to punch
it away from the lights, but it can struggle sometimes pulling up hill when fully loaded.
The CR-V works well, even if it sometimes causes the engine to jump around the rev range a bit.
But fuel consumption is very impressive at nominal speeds. Another quirky but really useful feature
is the efficiency guide. It's very simple, it's just a little LED light above the dash,
and when you're driving efficiently, it's green, and when you nail it and using more fuel,
it goes to white. It comes with the usual rate of semi-autonomous driving aids, from a lane-keeping
system to adaptive cruise control, which works surprisingly well. Another great feature is the
lane change camera, just flick on the indicator and you can see who's in your blind spot.
Parking the CR-V is made really easy thanks to the light steering, but also the clever
reversing camera, which has three different angles, including a vertical one. And it's
also got really upright windows for good outward vision, and the big mirrors are a nice touch, too.
Running costs aren't exorbitant like with some European SUVs
and the CR-V's backed by a five-year warranty and kept price servicing. The updated CR-V gets
all the basics right and maintains a handful of quirky features that make every day driving like
a whole lot easier and just a little bit different from the rest. I'm not sure that'll be enough to
convince a legion of new buyers to jump on board, but those that do will not be disappointed.
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