Overview & Reviews

When the original Honda CR-V debuted in the late 1990s, its mission was simple: to offer a distinct alternative to more mainstream mid- and full-size large SUVs. With its car-based design, economical four-cylinder engine and sedanlike ride and handling, the CR-V was an instant hit. Priced competitively and offering plenty of passenger room and cargo capacity for most people's needs, the Honda CR-V has long enjoyed strong sales numbers and much loyalty from consumers.

Today, the compact- or small-SUV segment has grown to include more than a dozen different models, with varying philosophies of what constitutes the perfect blend of size, power and capability. While some models offer more powerful upgrade engines and others can deliver true off-road capability, the Honda CR-V remains focused on its more practical aspirations. True to form, it is one of the best choices available in the all-important areas of being both easy to drive and family-friendly.

Current Honda CR-V
The Honda CR-V is offered in familiar LX, EX and EX-L trim levels. Even the LX comes pretty well equipped, while the EX and EX-L get additional convenience and luxury features. The EX-L is also eligible for either a navigation system or a rear-seat entertainment system. You can't get the navigation and the DVD systems together, however.

Powering all CR-Vs is a 2.4-liter inline four-cylinder engine that's good for 185 horsepower and 163 pound-feet of torque, mated to a five-speed transmission. On all models, front-wheel drive is standard and all-wheel drive is optional.

The newest Honda CR-V's list of merits is a long one. Its interior is intelligently thought out and boasts strong fit and finish. Its ride is more comfortable and quieter than before, and handling and steering remain high points. Its major shortcoming concerns passing power in certain circumstances. We've found the CR-V's acceleration peppy enough around town, but somewhat sluggish during merging and passing maneuvers on gradients. However, as long as your beaten path doesn't include many steep roads or overly heavy loads, the Honda CR-V should provide all the room, refinement and performance you will ever need.

Used Honda CR-Vs
The current, fourth-generation CR-V was redesigned for 2012. Changes were of the more evolutionary sort, as its size, basic interior packaging and engine were similar to the previous model. Key alterations included a quieter and more comfortable ride, additional features and a backseat that flipped down from levers in the trunk.

The third generation of the Honda CR-V was produced from 2007-'11. Compared to the previous-generation CR-V, this one had few key improvements, including a new liftgate (instead of the previous side-mounted door with an outside-mounted spare tire), improved handling and steering, and the option for a navigation system for the first time.

Trim levels included the traditional LX and EX, plus the EX-L -- the L signifying leather upholstery (along with heated front seats). CR-Vs from 2007-'09 made 166 hp versus 180 hp for the following two years. A five-speed automatic transmission was standard across the board, and all trims could be had with either front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. Those looking for maximum luxury in a CR-V should know that the EX-L gained a power driver seat, automatic climate control and a premium stereo for 2008. An SE trim level, which slotted between the traditional LX and EX trims, was made for just the final year of this generation.

In reviews, we've found this CR-V to be a very well-rounded model. High points included a comfortable and sensible interior, top crash test scores and agile handling. Elevated amounts of road noise might be a problem for some shoppers, as would be the engine's modest power, but overall this CR-V should be a great choice for a used small crossover SUV.

Produced from 2002-'06, the second-generation CR-V boasted a number of improvements compared to the original CR-V, including more power, more interior room and improved passenger protection. It was available in base LX or uplevel EX trim. The EX had more features, as well as standard antilock brakes and side airbags for the entire run (the LX didn't get them as standard until 2005), so picking an EX might be a wise idea. Notably, stability control and side and side curtain airbags became standard across the lineup in '05. The Special Edition model, available only in 2005 and '06, included exterior styling tweaks, a hard spare tire cover and heated leather seats and mirrors.

Power came from a 2.4-liter four cylinder rated at 160 hp, though this number dropped to 156 hp in 2006 due to a revised rating procedure. The LX had standard front-wheel drive and optional all-wheel drive, while the EX was AWD-only until 2006, when a FWD version was also made available. Both LX and EX initially came standard with a five-speed manual transmission, but from 2005 onward the manual was limited to the EX. The other transmission, an automatic, had four speeds until 2005, when it was upgraded to five.

In reviews, our editors lauded the second-generation CR-V's comfortable ride and refined powertrains, though the significant road noise at speed was deemed regrettable. Some of us found the four-cylinder a bit meek, but its smooth power delivery and reasonable efficiency were mentioned as admirable traits. All in all, the second-generation CR-V was roundly praised when new and remains a solid choice on the used-car market.

The original first-generation Honda CR-V compact SUV was produced from 1997-2001. It was priced competitively and offered more passenger room and cargo capacity than its peers. A manual transmission was added in 1998, and a welcome 20-hp boost the following year gave it a new output of 146 hp. In 2000, a leather-trimmed SE (Special Edition) model was added to lead the model lineup.

User Reviews:

• 

  Done with Honda - 2015 Honda CR-V
  By Toonces - December 15 - 12:56 pm

  Yes, the SUV vibrates..As the driver, you dont notice too much. But literally 7 out of 7 passengers have said they feel dizzy or a bit sick whenever they are in it. The interior quality is like a Chevy, and thats not a compliment. Hard touch plastic everywhere. Yes, I bought the LX, the base, but I recently traded this for an Ouback, and the Outback is on another level of quality. Before the Outback, I drove the Touring, the top CRV made, its literally the same quality on the panel, dash, door...Even with leather seats, the rest of the interior is cheap...Im sure the transmission and engine will last 200,000 miles, but the engine does not work with the car, thus the vibration. And the interior is closer to a toy than a real car. I have owned 11 new Hondas, there will never be a 12th. My last civic was also pretty cheap feeling. I drive 50% on highway, 50% in town, and never got better than 21.6 mpg. The other day was the first day in Oregon we had frost on the window. I turned on the car to warm it up, waited 2, 2.5 minutes for it to warmup a bit, and turned on the defrost, 100% on high...It took 11 additional minutes before I could barely see out of the bottom of the windshield...At 14 minutes, with the help of wipers I could see safely enough to drive.

• 

  Great SUV for a single man - 2009 Honda CR-V
  By calicorkication - December 15 - 9:53 am

  This car has been great for my needs. Mainly, I use it for car camping. I removed the back seat and use the extra room for moving furniture and large items. When I bought the car, it had a tow hitch already installed. I have used it to pull several U-haul trailers and a flatbed trailer borrowed from a friend to move sofas, love seats, etc and it has worked great for all purposes. Also, I added a roof rack and a cargo box that has worked great for my needs. The original tires that were on it when I bought it used lasted for 85,000 miles. I tend to get 24 mpg with a mix of city and highway use. If I travel at 70 mph on the interstates and/or take back road highways at 55 mph, I tend to get the 27 mpg that Honda states the car can get. Otherwise, if I drive 75 mph I tend to get 24-25 mpg. My main complaints are the drivers side power window is not always reliable but the others work fine up to this point. Also, the moon roof has not opened in nearly 3 years. I have tried to reset it following online instructions and I can hear a sound like a motor trying to move it but it goes nowhere so I stop to avoid breaking it further.

• 

  Honda continues to make great vehicles - 2009 Honda CR-V
  By M. Hurst - December 13 - 5:48 pm

  I purchased my 09 CRV in January 2011. It had been a leased car and only had 16,000 miles on it. The other vehicles I was considering at that time were a 2011 Hyunda Tucson, a 2011 Toyota RAV4, a Toyota Venza, and a Chevy Traverse. Ive enjoyed driving this car. Its very comfortable on long trips (its been cross-country twice), has plenty of power, and the cargo area is much larger in cubic feet than most other small SUVs. I have dogs, and the rear easily holds 2 crates. As of date it has over 86,000 miles on it. Ill probably put another 40-50,000 on it before I trade it. No major repairs yet. I have had it routinely serviced at a Honda dealer, replace the battery once, and all four tires. Only complaints (which Honda has not improved/changed) are: road noise, should get better mileage for a small 4 cylinder engine, no vents to deliver air to back seat or rear compartment, the backseat does not fold completely flat. Would I purchase another Honda CRV - yes!

• 

  2003 Honda CRV - 2003 Honda CR-V
  By Laura - December 10 - 8:41 am

  Only trouble so far are my cloudy headlights. Best car I have ever owned! Must say I love the red!

• 

  Best car - 2004 Honda CR-V
  By Lee Ann - December 9 - 9:25 pm

  The best car I have ever owned!! My 2004 Honda CR-V just turned over 340,000 miles! The only real problem I had was the AC compressor which lasted until around 250,000 miles and I replaced for $1000! The tires last forever on this jewel! I am now looking for another Honda CR-V! I love, love, love this car! Wish I could buy another one just like it!

• 

  Are you talking to me? - 2015 Honda CR-V
  By Kandis Thorson - December 8 - 9:17 pm

  If the NAV is important to you, BUY A DIFFERENT CAR. I am a rep on the road & it rarely understands my voice commands. VERY FRUSTRATING!! I do feel my diction is good & my voice is clear, but I have given up on the Nav. I had Onstar in my last car & would not have bought this car if I would have known how poorly the voice command system worked. Also, I was told I cant add an auto tailgate & the hatch goes down quite hard. Im sure an older woman would not be able to operate it. Its the little things I miss, after coming from a Chevy Equinox this car doesnt have the bells & whistles. I think it handles well & the gas mileage is good. If I werent so upside down, Id trade it tomorrow. The selling feature was how it holds its value, who cares if you dont like the car. Sorry!

• 

  Vibration - 2015 Honda CR-V
  By Reed - December 6 - 7:00 pm

  I purchased a new 2015 Honda CRV in August 2015. I had read a review that stated it was the SUV of the year and some other publications seem to echo good quality... However it turns out there is a known issue with the 2015 version of the CRV that causes the car to vibrate. Its a issue with the new CVT and engine combination they used in the 2015 version of the CRV. I only test drove the car for a short time and did not notice the issue but it turns out that if you have the lights on and the AC on full you will not notice as it forces the car to be in a higher RPM range (all the time). I test drove this in the summer and so the AC was on. The day I went in to sign the final paperwork for the car I asked about the vibration issues as I had read some real reviews from real customers complaining about it and was told its nothing to worry about. Well turns out that when it got colder I started to have more and more of the vibrations. I took the car in multiple times to have them try to fix it. None of the fixes completely resolves the issue it just makes them less noticeable. I even had the newest fix done in December 2015 where they had to replace parts of the car... to try and fix all 3 modes of the issue... Still not fixed this car was too expensive to just deal with. A 30k car should be basically perfect, thats premium car price range. If I had been told the about the issue by the dealer I would not have purchased this car. I would have happily purchased the HRV or maybe even an accord. Now I have lost hours and hours of my life researching this issue and taking it in to get it fixed and its still not. I also asked the dealer if they would trade the CRV and they said they would not since they would then have to deal with it. They also just told me to talk to Honda directly. (I am in contact with Honda directly now we will see where that goes...) So to be fair this is in part Hondas issue but it was also the dealer that did not disclose the information to me. Otherwise the dealer did a decent job... price was average and they were nice enough but that does not matter given my car is not what I expected. I cant stand the vibration personally (some people claim to not notice). I am now going to have to take a loss of thousands of dollars trading it in on something else that does not vibrate. Take a look at what people on crvownersclub.com search form for "CRV 2015 vibration" I am not the only one...

• 

  Navigation system the worst - 2015 Honda CR-V
  By Tom Goodwin - December 5 - 12:39 pm

  The Navigation system is terrible. It takes us the long way to get to a location. It shows unverified routes when we are on city streets and county roads. It still shows them as unverified even after traveling on the road many times. The manual shows that you can turn the voice commands off or down. It will not turn down. Very poor GPS system.

• 

  Poor fuel economy and vibration - 2015 Honda CR-V
  By Charles Simons - November 30 - 11:38 am

  I am getting terrible fuel millage 22 city and 28 hwy my 2013 did much better and it has a vibration on acel. I do not like cvrt trans. for this reason. I can not believe Honda puts only this trans in vehicles. I may have to quit buying Hondas

• 

  2015 exl crv awd - 2015 Honda CR-V
  By Jay - November 28 - 9:51 pm

  Honda CRV drive up to 1700-2000rpm Vibrantion bring to honda dealership! Check the rear seats! Under there making noises! Rear Brakeline clip Vibrantion. Honda fix for u.