2007 Honda CR-V Reviews

Honda was already on a winner with the CR-V, but the new RE model that arrived in 2007 was a clear and welcome improvement over earlier models.

The SUV market was really beginning to swing by the time Honda launched its improved CR-V late in 2001. With sales surging and more and more people switching out of traditional sedans and station wagons, carmakers were racing to get in on the action. Honda having been there virtually from the beginning was enjoying

When the Honda CR-V was first sold in Australia in October 1997 it was a considered to be a genuine 4WD, albeit one intended only for mild conditions. That was almost 20 years ago and the SUV situation has changed markedly in the meantime. Today so-called small SUVs are really station wagons, are frequently driven by

Graham Smith reviews the 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 Honda CR-V as a used buy.

Most people who ventured beyond the black top in a CR-V returned with a scathing assessment of its ability to handle the rough and tough going. They missed the point, the CR-V isn't an off-roader, it's a high-riding townie, which is why Australians have taken to it the way they have. The CR-V became one of our top-selling SUVs because it won over city dwellers, not bushies.If you want a car that will eat up the bush stop reading now; if you're looking for a car that will serve the family well round town read on. The RE model launched in 2007 was larger, smoother and fresher than the outgoing model it replaced. It was an attractive car, although the front with its gaping intake took some getting used to.The spare wheel was moved from the rear to a position under the car, which said more about the CR-V's intended use than anything else. Anyone heading bush would appreciate the easy access to a spare mounted on the rear, but anyone stuck in town traffic would prefer the easier loading with the spare underneath.The new body was more rigid, which was a boost for its safety and handling, it also made the cabin quieter. As a result of the increased rigidity the on-road feel, never one of the CR-V's strengths was a little sharper making the driver feel more connected than in previous models.The 2.4-litre engine had more power, 7kW by Honda's measure, which boosted its performance slightly. It was never a fireball, and the performance was only marginally increased, but at the same time it was perfectly adequate for its role in the marketplace.A new six-speed manual gearbox was an option alongside the five-speed auto, and the final drive was through the front wheels, but with drive sent to the rear wheels as and when needed for traction. Overall the CR-V was a competent family wagon that did everything well without being particularly outstanding in anything.IN THE SHOPHonda has always enjoyed a solid reputation for building quality cars, and the lack of complaints CarsGuide has received about the CR-V is testimony to the company's continuing commitment to quality. Regular oil changes are a must with Hondas, so check for a verifiable maintenance record.IN A CRASHNew to the CR-V in 2007 was electronic stability control, a worthwhile safety feature by any measure. Already with front and side airbags, and ABS brakes, the addition of stability control completed an impressive safety package.UNDER THE PUMPWith a claim of an average of 10.0 L/100 km - which was backed up in real life tests - it couldn't be said the CR-V was a fuel miser. Fuel required was a minimum of 91-octane unleaded and Honda approved the use of E10. LPG experts recommend against running the multi-valve CR-V engine on LPG, advising that premature valve recession is a real possibility.AT A GLANCEPrice new: $31,990 to $41,990Engine: 2.4-litre 4-cylinder; 125 kW/218 NmTransmission: 6-speed manual, 5-speed auto, on-demand 4WDEconomy: 10.0 L/100 kmBody: WagonVariants: Base, Sport, luxurySafety: 4-star ANCAPGreen: 3.5 stars.VERDICTBigger, roomier, smoother and more powerful than before, the CR-V makes a great family choice.

We'd arrived in splendid comfort, sitting on leather seats, sunroof open, six-stack CD quietly playing, and quickly unloaded, from the rear of the wagon, the picnic chairs and table.But this stretch of beach has trapped a lot of cars in its time, with two-wheel-drive vehicles spinning their wheels down into the sand and becoming bogged. No problem, however, for this vehicle on this night. The Honda CRV made no fuss over this light beach sand. It would take us along a few dirt tracks, too. Yet it has all the comfort, practicality, comfort and style of a medium-sized family wagon used for normal bitumen cruising and every day running around.No, Honda CRV is not a serious off-roader. Nor is it meant to be. It's designed as a regular family car. And, in the case of the Luxury version tested, a comfortable and well-equipped one that has all-wheel-drive for a softer off-road experience.There is no low-range transmission but it does have fair ground clearance (185mm) and tyres that don't mind stones and dirt (Bridgestone Desert Dueler H/T), with a full-size spare wheel.But the four-cylinder Honda CRV is up against a swag of all-wheel-drive wagons in the $30,000-$40,000 range. Forester, X-Trail, Outlander, RAV4, Escape, Tribute, Captiva, Compass, Tucson and Sportage contest this popular segment, showing that not everyone wants a tough-as-tanks 4WD. And Honda does it well, particularly in refinement and insulation of suspension and engine.It runs a normal front-wheel-drive system. But when front wheels start to spin, an hydraulically-powered system enables a clutch to bring in the rear differential and send power to the rear wheels. Power is apportioned to the front and rear according to traction. It lacks a 4WD lock switch. It comes with six-speed manual transmission or five-speed automatic, the latter meaning 2050rpm at 110km/h, and an official fuel consumption rating of 10 litres per 100km.A four-cylinder, 2.4-litre engine has become the benchmark in this market segment. Honda's 2354cc, variable camshaft unit gives 125kW power at 5800rpm and 218Nm torque at 4200rpm. The CRV has vehicle stability program as standard, cruise control, airconditioning, 17-inch diameter wheels, CD player, and tilt and telescopic steering adjustment, all for $31,990. CRV Sport adds front and rear curtain airbags, dual-zone climate control, alloy wheels, power sunroof, fog lamps, six-stack CD and a double deck cargo shelf (top deck for 10kg) at $37,490.The CRV Luxury, as tested, comes with leather trim, heated front seats, eight-way, electric driver's seat adjustment and reverse parking sensors at $39,990. Add $2000 for automatic transmission in each case.The five-seater has reasonable leg room in the rear. The gear selector comes from the lower central dashboard. Automatics get a foot-operated park brake. Manuals have a hand brake.

Honda's ubiquitous CR-V, which has been steadily carving out a niche in Australia since 1997, is bigger, more powerful and safer than in previous years.Originally designed as a limited market derivative of the Civic, the CR-V took off in Australia and by 2000 was the No. 1 seller in the Sports Utility Vehicle segment, outdoing Toyota LandCruiser and Nissan Patrol. It was also Honda's top seller in Australia for 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002.This year there are substantial changes to body and drivetrain. The arched window shape at the rear is probably the most noticeable change from last year while the front grille is different and the spare wheel has disappeared off the back door and now lives under the boot floor.It is now sourced from Honda's Thailand factory rather than Japan.If the rear door mounted spare wheel on the previous model is discounted, the new CRV is 100m longer, stands 20mm shorter, 35mm wider and has 70mm more passenger room. Its wheelbase is 5mm shorter, its front track 30mm wider and rear track 20mm wider. Ground clearance has been reduced by 20mm overall but that should not be regarded as a drawback for this bigger all-round CR-V.While Honda talks about 4WD in brochures, the CR-V has not been designed with beaches or muddy tracks in mind. It really is a computer controlled all-wheel-drive system designed for greater traction on the road, (tarmac or gravel) rather than bush bashing.Most of the time the front wheels are doing all the driving. It is only when there is a lack of traction up front that power gets sent to the rear wheels via a clutch on the rear wheels' driveshaft.The CR-V receives Vehicle Stability Assist for the first time in 2007. The VSA system basically takes over the throttle and brake systems from the driver when the CR-V gets out of shape.It uses the anti-lock braking system and wheel sensors, the electronic “throttle by wire” system and information from other sensors to detect whether the car is over steering (the back is sliding out), or under-steering (the front is going straight ahead rather that to the left or right where the wheels are pointed).When it has all this figured out the computer applies the brakes to what ever wheels will rectify the situation while at the same time managing power by increasing or decreasing throttle opening and advancing or retarding the ignition.VSA sounds highly complicated (and it is) but it works as seamlessly as the excellent transmission and the driver would not know it has assumed partial control unless he noticed the little flashing warning light on the dash.The automatic CR-V as tested is wildly overgeared. If it revved right out in top gear it would be doing about 350km/h.Obviously slowing engine speed in relation to road speed is a good way to save fuel but the CR-V, despite developing 7kW more than the previous model, whips down a couple of gears at even slight slopes if it is carrying four or five people.That is no problem because Honda has developed an impressively slick and sophisticated auto which is not afraid to make the engine rev out to the 6500rpm redline.It changes down a gear without any noticeable lurch or other drama. In many cases, especially if the driver is using cruise control, it is only the rev counter which gives the game away as it changes down in the hunt for more power to keep the 1600kg box shape SUV moving.The onboard trip computer sheds light on why the CRV can be relatively thirsty. On the flat at a steady 100km/h it is using about 7litres per 100km. But if that speed is maintained up a slope and the SUV changes down a gear or two it will be using fuel at the rate of 15 or 16 litres per 100km. So if driven gently on the flat it will be pretty frugal but if you stick your boot into it, or try to maintain 100 or 110km/h with a full load, expect consumption to go up a bit given it is only a 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine moving 1620kg, which is more than the Rav4, Subaru Forester or Nissan X-Trail. Honda claims a combined consumption (urban and freeway) of 10L/100km. Leadfoots expect more.The 2007 CRV comes with the usual Honda adherence to quality control. The finish is excellent and the cabin is practical rather than luxurious but with everything falling to hand. There are James Bond-style storage areas all over the place with enough room for sunglasses (in the roof lining) cups (centre and in the front doors), CDs (in the centre) and change (front, back and sides). Missing for 2007 is the integral picnic table which has been sacrificed for space to accommodate the in-car spare wheel.The CR-V comes in three guises, Base, Sport and Luxury. We had both the Sport and Luxury in the CARSguide garage. The differences are in seating, wheels, sound system and parking sensors. The Luxury boasts leather heated seats and an electrically controlled driver's seat and the mag wheels are different on the Luxury. The sound system is slightly better and you get parking sensors, all for $2500.SECOND OPINIONI'VE been checking our previous model Honda CR-V for a listening device.Someone at Honda must have been listening to my conversations. It seems just about every modification in the new model has been in answer to my complaints, minor though they are.The CR-V has been a model family car; economical, practical, stylish and dependable.My complaints were that there was not enough legroom in the front, it needed audio controls on the steering wheel, there was too much road noise and the auto shifter being positioned on the steering column.Now there is plenty of room for me to stretch out up front, the audio controls are easily accessible on the steering wheel, the road noise is substantially reduced and the shifter has moved to a more commonsense location by the centre stack like the Odyssey.On top of all that there are some nice styling mods (except for the ugly inside door grips which look like bicycle cranks), clever little storage bins and cubbyholes, and the natty convex mirror above the rear-view mirror which allows you to check up on your kids: “Billy stop hitting your sister!”The new model also handles and steers sharper than before and there is slightly more power in the daily driving range.My only complaint is the relocation of the rear door spare tyre.That tyre saved us an expensive fix in a minor rear-ender when my daughter was driving.With the spare wheel now located under the cargo floor the handy picnic table and wet storage area have been scrapped.Honda CR-V Price:$37,490-$41,990ENGINE:Willing, but a bit of a screamer and noisy.HANDLING: Good, for a tall, boxy, SUVSAFETY: New stability controlECONOMY: Good for lightfootsVALUE: Top quality buildSPECS: ENGINE: 2354cc, inline, fuel injected, four-cylinder DOHC with variable valve timingPOWER: 125kW @ 5,800rpmTORQUE: 218Nm @ 4,200rpmTRANSMISSION: Six-speed manual, 5-speed automatic with grade logic control (as tested) real time 4WDFUEL: ULP 91, 10L/100km (claimed)WHEELS: alloy 6.5 x 17, full size spareTYRES: 225/65 R17 102TEMISSIONS: Euro 4/low emission vehicleFOR: Roomy and slick transmissionAGAINST: Lacking in grunt, zales figures tell the tale

I remember driving the original CR-V for the first time in California in 1997, and wondering.It felt like a Civic on stilts. It was nice to drive, and boxy with good cabin space, but hardly a world-beater. I was wrong.The CR-V has been a winner on all fronts and the latest model, new this year, has enough updates and improvements to revitalise the car and its sales. It is bigger, smoother and fresher.The 2.4-litre engine has more power, there is a six-speed manual gearbox, electronic stability control is fitted and there are curtain airbags in the Sport and Luxury models.Honda is making a big deal about the new body, which it says makes the car better in every way.It's more rigid for safety, quieter, makes the cabin even more car-like and boosts its work on suspension, steering and refinement.There are plenty of little improvements, from sharper steering to a double cargo shelf in the tail.The full-sized spare wheel remains, but is now below the cargo area, as does the on-demand four-wheel-drive system.Shifting the spare has shortened the length of the CR-V, but it is wider and sits lower, with wider tracks and a shorter wheelbase.The cabin design is funkier and much like the Civic, including a pull-up handbrake tucked low at the front of the console.The new CR-V looks significantly bigger and the side profile sets it away from the earlier models.But the nose could be better and seems to have been styled more for its impact than any elegance.Honda has done well on pricing. The CR-V still starts at $31,990 with extra gear in the base model, sliding up to $39,990 for the Luxury model. Add $2000 for the five-speed auto.The pricing puts it well in the ballpark against its obvious rivals; the five-door RAV4 from Toyota starts at the same price, as does the Subaru Forester. ON THE ROADI KNEW exactly what to expect from the CR-V and it delivered. It is nothing special to drive, but it will do the job for target customers.Importantly, it has the extra size and refinement to line up with the RAV4 and it will get an easy free kick for a while as the Forester rolls deeper into its twilight.Nissan's X-Trail is also nearing the end of its run, but has always been aimed more at people who want to go bush.The new CR-V is significantly quieter. You can see and feel the extra space in the cabin. And I like the changed location for the spare.It makes it easier to load and unload the back end, which is a bit more flexible than before.Quality is good, I have no reason to question Honda's claims on improved safety, and it is good to see another soft-roader picking up electronic stability control.The steering feels a little sharper than before and the tilt-and-slide steering column makes it easy to get a good driving position.The front buckets could do with more shape and support, but that comes back — like so much stuff this year — to the preference of customers in the US, which dominates a lot of the development work.The new CR-V was a bit disappointing in the engine, despite Honda's claim of an extra 7kW, and the ride is also a big jiggly over small bumps.They are both disappointments because Honda engines are usually so perky, and the CV-V has always had a smooth ride on any surface.And I managed only 9.9 litres for 100km at the pumps, which is nothing special for the car or class. The six-speed manual is good, though, with a crisp shift and well-space ratios.I chose the basic CR-V to get a real measure of the car, right down to steel wheels, but there is plenty of room to move if you have a bigger budget and even the mid-level CR-V Sport comes with good kit, including parking radar and curtain airbags.Overall, the Honda CR-V is bigger and better, but not a lot on either front. However, the value is great.That should be more than good enough to put it on plenty of shopping lists, but not to put it ahead of the RAV4.THE BOTTOM LNENEW and a little bigger means the Honda CR-V will still be hot in the shops.80/100

Like so many softroaders these days, it gets a 5 per cent import duty advantage because it's a four-wheel drive.Yet the third-generation of the 10-year-old model makes no pretence at being anything other than a street-wise "mum's taxi", far removed from the commercial vehicle for which the duty allowance is intended.The national launch in Launceston this week included more than 300km of Apple Isle roads and not one bit of gravel, Honda Australia PR manager Mark Higgins promised.Apart from a short piece of roadworks and the gravel driveway to the isolated Barnbougle Dunes golf links (the world's 48th best links, according to Golf Magazine), he was right.The new CR-V arrives just marginally wider, but shorter because the spare wheel has been taken off the back door. The gimmicky picnic table has now been replaced by the spare under the cargo floor.Now made in Thailand, Honda has been able to significantly upgrade specifications including electronic stability control across the three-trim range, without increasing prices above the previous model, prior to the run-out specials.The base model starts at $31,990 for the six-speed manual, the Sport is $37,490 and the Luxury is $39,990. Add $2000 for the five-speed auto where the conventional handbrake is replaced by a foot-operated brake.The Sport gets alloy wheels, a six-stacker sound system and dual-zone air-conditioning, while the Luxury adds leather upholstery, heated front seats, electric driver's seat and reverse parking sensors. There is no badging on the outside to distinguish the different trim levels.With modifications to the suspension and steering, a stiffer body and chassis, 20mm less clearance and 35mm lower centre of gravity thanks to the relocation of the spare, the vehicle now has perhaps the most sedan-like handling characteristics of all compact sports utility vehicles.Despite the softer, more rounded coupe-like look, the absence of the rugged spare on the back and the lower, wider stance, CR-V project leader Mitsuru Horikoshi said the new model had a "tough image".The picnic table may be gone, but who is he kidding?Outside, the CR-V has undergone a gentrification from the very square, almost Defender style of the 1997 original.The second generation from 2001 had a few more curves, bigger headlights, more torque and all-wheel-drive upgrade.The third generation gets a very curvaceous and aerodynamic exterior, plush interior, wider tyres, a flatter torque curve and another AWD upgrade.Celebrating its 10th birthday this year, the CR-V has sold more than 2.5 million in 160 countries and has 90,920 Australian owners.It is not difficult to understand why. It is an economical, practical package that is well styled, easy to drive and attractive.On the road, the new CR-V immediately feels nippier in town thanks to the extra 7kW of power and flatter torque curve.However, when we hit the highway and the hills, the typically high-revving Honda engine becomes a bit noisy, without any real oomph. Passing becomes a matter of planning rather than spontaneity.Wind and road noise are now reduced thanks to better engine mounts, sound insulation and better door seals. I also found the Bridgestone-shod CR-V was much quieter than those wearing Michelin shoes.Ride is so much better, almost plush, yet retaining superb cornering dynamics and none of the body roll or tyre scrub of the previous model.All models now get Vehicle Stability Assist, which can quickly be switched off.The upgraded AWD system drives the front wheels until it detects slip and then engages the rear wheels.Safety has always been a hallmark of Honda with ABS, Brake Assist, Electronic Brakeforce Distribution, active headrests, better crash protection and six airbags on the Sport and Luxury models.Inside, the CR-V has had a substantial update so that it now resembles the tasty Odyssey cabin.Changes include a telescopic steering wheel adjustable for reach now as well as height, gear shift on the centre console, upgraded sound system with auxiliary jack for MP3 players and more front leg room.The CR-V has always been a magnificent interior package with plenty of space, split folding rear foldable seats and an open, airy feeling.It is now even better with more space, cup holders, clever gadgets (such as a convex mirror so parents can check on the children in the back), plus storage options such as dual-deck cargo shelf in Sport and Luxury models.This allows you to access luggage on the bottom, without having to remove luggage stored on top.Some may miss the rear door which is now replaced by a top-hinged tailgate, but at least it opens from down low, so access is easy.The new CR-V goes on sale on February 15 and is on show at the Brisbane International Motor Show. (Vehicle details in the show guide are incorrect.)