We Like:Its competence, equipment levels, and safety features
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We Don't Like:The heavy-handed exterior design
The Honda CR-V is bigger and more substantial than the model it replaces, a perception reinforced by exterior styling that is a touch heavy-handed. Inside, it's a different story. "This is about the swankiest interior ever seen on the CR-V," technical director Frank Markus said. Swanky and practical, with a ton of storage room and useful touches such as USB ports for the rear seat passengers.
Two engines are available, both of which drive through a CVT. The entry-level LX is powered by the 184-hp, 180-lb-ft 2.4-liter naturally aspirated inline-four carried over from the previous generation. The EX, EX-L, and Touring models get a new 1.5-liter turbocharged inline-four, which develops 190 hp and 179 lb-ft. The CVT works beautifully with the new engine, keeping it humming right where the torque curve is fattest and ensuring good response.
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On the road, the CR-V chassis is consistent and predictable. The steering is light but accurate and the ride tightly controlled, keeping the CR-V confidently planted through corners. "I'm impressed by how quickly this Honda is capable of going down a canyon road," Scott Evans said.
The new CR-V is a thoughtfully executed crossover. It has space for your stuff. It won't punish you at the gas pump. It keeps you safe out on the road. The Honda Sensing driver assistance system—which includes lane keeping assist, active cruise control, and collision prevention and is fitted to all models apart from the base LX—leads the segment. And it's even fun to drive when you want it to be.
Read about 2018 SUV of the Year contenders:
- Audi Q5
- BMW X4
- Buick Enclave
- Buick Encore
- Buick Envision
- Chevrolet Equinox
- GMC Terrain
- Hyundai Santa Fe Sport
- Jeep Compass
- Maserati Levante
- Mazda CX-5
- Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe
- Mini Countryman
- Nissan Rogue Sport
- Toyota C-HR
- Volkswagen Tiguan
- Volvo V90 Cross Country
Read about other 2018 SUV of the Year Finalists:
I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t fascinated by cars. My father was a mechanic, and some of my earliest memories are of handing him wrenches as he worked to turn a succession of down-at-heel secondhand cars into reliable family transportation. Later, when I was about 12, I’d be allowed to back the Valiant station wagon out onto the street and drive it around to the front of the house to wash it. We had the cleanest Valiant in the world.
I got my driver’s license exactly three months after my 16th birthday in a Series II Land Rover, ex-Australian Army with no synchro on first or second and about a million miles on the clock. “Pass your test in that,” said Dad, “and you’ll be able to drive anything.” He was right. Nearly four decades later I’ve driven everything from a Bugatti Veyron to a Volvo 18-wheeler, on roads and tracks all over the world. Very few people get the opportunity to parlay their passion into a career. I’m one of those fortunate few.
I started editing my local car club magazine, partly because no-one else would do it, and partly because I’d sold my rally car to get the deposit for my first house, and wanted to stay involved in the sport. Then one day someone handed me a free local sports paper and said they might want car stuff in it. I rang the editor and to my surprise she said yes. There was no pay, but I did get press passes, which meant I got into the races for free. And meet real automotive journalists in the pressroom. And watch and learn.
It’s been a helluva ride ever since. I’ve written about everything from Formula 1 to Sprint Car racing; from new cars and trucks to wild street machines and multi-million dollar classics; from global industry trends to secondhand car dealers. I’ve done automotive TV shows and radio shows, and helped create automotive websites, iMags and mobile apps. I’ve been the editor-in-chief of leading automotive media brands in Australia, Great Britain, and the United States. And I’ve enjoyed every minute of it. The longer I’m in this business the more astonished I am these fiendishly complicated devices we call automobiles get made at all, and how accomplished they have become at doing what they’re designed to do. I believe all new cars should be great, and I’m disappointed when they’re not. Over the years I’ve come to realize cars are the result of a complex interaction of people, politics and process, which is why they’re all different. And why they continue to fascinate me.Read More
