People have differing opinions when it comes to the Honda CR-V. Some appreciate its simple styling; others, for the utility a compact SUV offers. However, almost all can appreciate the practicality of the vehicle-good gas mileage tied with Honda reliability and safety. Honda knows this. So when it came time to refresh the mighty mite, Honda took the original CR-V recipe and enhanced it. We're not talking New Coke to the Classic Coca-Cola, more like a berry-enhanced Cherry Coke leap. Grenadine and Cola products aside, the new and improved CR-V has much to offer its future owners.
Styling is the first thing you'll notice on the new Honda CR-V, which it now has plenty of. The previous two didn't have enough pieces of flair with their minimalist design-unless you liked the awkward clunky older brother of the EK Civic sedan look. Now, however, the dramatic styling change improvements are evident in the fluid silhouette and clean, sleek lines of the crossover SUV. And despite losing 3.7 inches in length (mostly due to the spare tire being relocated) and a negligible 0.1-inch in height, the widened stance (1.4-inch wider) and sharp headlights give the CR-V a larger, more urban feel.
Besides the design, safety is another key concern that Honda addressed on the new CR-V. Touting a "Safety for Everyone" initiative, all models come replete with six airbags including side curtains from the base trim level (LX) all the way up to the top package (EX-L). Other standard safety features include ABS, Vehicle Stability Assist, Tire Pressure Monitoring System, and proprietary Advanced Compatibility Engineering which dissipates forces from frontal collisions throughout the chassis.
One of the notable improvements is the introduction of a new trim line, the EX-L. Taking the well equipped standard amenities from the Honda EX, the EX-L adds a leather interior, giving the CR-V a luxurious feel. Remove the Honda badges and you'd swear you were riding in an Acura. Also new is the availability of a navigation unit which allows the playback of MP3s and WMAs on both CDs and Compact Flash memory cards. Other interior upgrades include wider opening rear doors for ease of entry/exit and a dual-deck cargo shelf in the trunk allowing for split level storage.
The K24 powerplant of the CR-V has also been improved from its previous iteration. Putting out the same 2.4L displacement, the motor now makes ten more horses with-get this-slightly improved fuel economy, while meeting federal LEV II ULEV regulations in emissions. A larger stock wheel and tire package along with an available Real Time 4WD takes advantage of the power, however Honda dropped a manual transmission option for the new CR-V.