Source;www.burlappcars.com
Showing posts with label Cute Ute. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cute Ute. Show all posts
Globe and Mail: CR-V an SUV you can count on
Here's a nice look at the 2007 Honda CRV, (not much has changed from this to 2010) ....
Since its introduction to the North American market in 1996, the Honda CR-V has been a consistently strong seller for the Japanese company and, as things turned out, one of the most reliable cars on the road. In 2007, Consumer Reports ranked it as the second-most-dependable compact SUV on the market, and it is sold in countries around the world.
Not hard to understand why. The CR-V was, and is, the epitome of driver-friendliness. Easy to drive, comfortable, dependable, affordable, thrifty and versatile. It’s not the kind of vehicle that makes you sit up and bark, but for mainstream buyers, it’s exactly what the doctor ordered.
In 2007, the CR-V underwent some changes. It became more powerful and larger, got a restyling job and was more refined than before. It was offered with 2WD or AWD, and fuel consumption on the AWD was only a titch higher than the FWD version.
Engine output was now up some six hp over 2006, and transmission choice was a five-speed automatic only. Honda called the AWD system on the CR-V “Real Time” 4WD and it was about as unobtrusive as these arrangements get, with a front-drive bias until the wheels need more traction, at which point a power takeoff unit located adjacent to the transmission sends more torque to the back wheels via a driveshaft. This was definitely not a heavy-duty 4WD setup, but it has always done the job.
Aside from its almost ironclad dependability, one of the CR-V’s strongest selling points has been its drivability and user-friendliness. From the beginning, this has been one of the most car-like SUVs on the market, and it is no surprise that a sizable proportion of CR-V buyers are female.
It’s also safe to say that most typical CR-V buyers place reliability and value for money over things like engine displacement, towing capacity, or how quickly you can get from zero to 100 km. Then, as now, the CR-V is the compact-ute for people who don’t really care about cars. Coincidentally, one of my neighbours bought a CR-V new in 1997 and sold it last year, with almost 400,000 trouble-free kilometres on the odometer. “It was still running like a clock when I sold it,” she said.
The CR-V came in two basic trim levels in 2007: LX and EX. Equipment level was reasonably high on the LX, and you got air conditioning, power door locks, power seats, tilt/telescoping steering, remote keyless entry, 60/40-folding rear seats and a full roster of safety features for its $27,700 base price. You could also order things like leather interior, heated front seats and a DVD-based navi system with the top-of-the-line EX-L model. One handy little feature: front-seat armrests.
With the rear sets folded down, the CR-V provided some 2,064 litres of total cargo space. This was less than the same vintage of Toyota RAV4 or Hyundai Santa Fe, but for most people in this market, it was all they needed. Honda has known from the beginning what compact SUV buyers look for and the CR-V has always given it to them.
No safety recalls to report either from Transport Canada or the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA, however, does list 12 technical service bulletins for this vintage of CR-V. These include windshield wipers that won’t “park” correctly, front-seat issues and incorrect labelling. There was also that false odometer reading class action suit with some vehicles, but Honda dealt with it.
Tagging the 2007 CR-V as a “Best Bet,” Consumer Reports has good things to say about this compact SUV virtually right across the board. It gets the magazine’s highest marks for predicted reliability, although road noise is a common complaint from owners. Comments include: “rough ride,” “body trim is fragile” and “uncomfortable front seats.”
Aside from some minor gripes regarding lacklustre performance, market research firm J.D. Power gives the 2007 CR-V high marks in virtually all categories. As well as garnering this organization’s awards for “Most Dependable Compact Multi-Activity Vehicle,” “Highest Ranked Multi-Activity Vehicle In Initial Quality” and “Most Appealing Compact Multi-Activity Vehicle,” the 2007 CR-V get top marks from J.D. Power for overall dependability.
No great surprise then to learn that the CR-V has held its value well. You’ll be lucky to find a base 2WD model for less than $16,000 these days, and a well-appointed EX-L fetches at least $20,000.
Source;
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-drive/used-cars/used-cars-archive/cr-v-an-suv-you-can-count-on/article1669343/
Since its introduction to the North American market in 1996, the Honda CR-V has been a consistently strong seller for the Japanese company and, as things turned out, one of the most reliable cars on the road. In 2007, Consumer Reports ranked it as the second-most-dependable compact SUV on the market, and it is sold in countries around the world.Not hard to understand why. The CR-V was, and is, the epitome of driver-friendliness. Easy to drive, comfortable, dependable, affordable, thrifty and versatile. It’s not the kind of vehicle that makes you sit up and bark, but for mainstream buyers, it’s exactly what the doctor ordered.
In 2007, the CR-V underwent some changes. It became more powerful and larger, got a restyling job and was more refined than before. It was offered with 2WD or AWD, and fuel consumption on the AWD was only a titch higher than the FWD version.
Engine output was now up some six hp over 2006, and transmission choice was a five-speed automatic only. Honda called the AWD system on the CR-V “Real Time” 4WD and it was about as unobtrusive as these arrangements get, with a front-drive bias until the wheels need more traction, at which point a power takeoff unit located adjacent to the transmission sends more torque to the back wheels via a driveshaft. This was definitely not a heavy-duty 4WD setup, but it has always done the job.
Aside from its almost ironclad dependability, one of the CR-V’s strongest selling points has been its drivability and user-friendliness. From the beginning, this has been one of the most car-like SUVs on the market, and it is no surprise that a sizable proportion of CR-V buyers are female.
It’s also safe to say that most typical CR-V buyers place reliability and value for money over things like engine displacement, towing capacity, or how quickly you can get from zero to 100 km. Then, as now, the CR-V is the compact-ute for people who don’t really care about cars. Coincidentally, one of my neighbours bought a CR-V new in 1997 and sold it last year, with almost 400,000 trouble-free kilometres on the odometer. “It was still running like a clock when I sold it,” she said.
The CR-V came in two basic trim levels in 2007: LX and EX. Equipment level was reasonably high on the LX, and you got air conditioning, power door locks, power seats, tilt/telescoping steering, remote keyless entry, 60/40-folding rear seats and a full roster of safety features for its $27,700 base price. You could also order things like leather interior, heated front seats and a DVD-based navi system with the top-of-the-line EX-L model. One handy little feature: front-seat armrests.
With the rear sets folded down, the CR-V provided some 2,064 litres of total cargo space. This was less than the same vintage of Toyota RAV4 or Hyundai Santa Fe, but for most people in this market, it was all they needed. Honda has known from the beginning what compact SUV buyers look for and the CR-V has always given it to them.
No safety recalls to report either from Transport Canada or the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA, however, does list 12 technical service bulletins for this vintage of CR-V. These include windshield wipers that won’t “park” correctly, front-seat issues and incorrect labelling. There was also that false odometer reading class action suit with some vehicles, but Honda dealt with it.
Tagging the 2007 CR-V as a “Best Bet,” Consumer Reports has good things to say about this compact SUV virtually right across the board. It gets the magazine’s highest marks for predicted reliability, although road noise is a common complaint from owners. Comments include: “rough ride,” “body trim is fragile” and “uncomfortable front seats.”
Aside from some minor gripes regarding lacklustre performance, market research firm J.D. Power gives the 2007 CR-V high marks in virtually all categories. As well as garnering this organization’s awards for “Most Dependable Compact Multi-Activity Vehicle,” “Highest Ranked Multi-Activity Vehicle In Initial Quality” and “Most Appealing Compact Multi-Activity Vehicle,” the 2007 CR-V get top marks from J.D. Power for overall dependability.
No great surprise then to learn that the CR-V has held its value well. You’ll be lucky to find a base 2WD model for less than $16,000 these days, and a well-appointed EX-L fetches at least $20,000.
Source;
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-drive/used-cars/used-cars-archive/cr-v-an-suv-you-can-count-on/article1669343/
2010 Honda CR-V EX-L NAVI Review
Standing out from the crowd is no small task for compact sport utility vehicles. The competition in this market segment keeps getting wider and fiercer. Yet, at the same time, most entries feature similar aesthetics, making the selection a tough dilemma.
The front grille stretches wide to form a complex structure that integrates a pair of tapered headlight clusters for a unique crowning effect.
How does the Honda CR-V continue to shine, then? Well, this popular Japanese SUV boasts a rather distinctive silhouette and, while extreme off-road trips are definitely not its game, it offers a smooth, uneventful ride along with a sensible, fuel-efficient operation.
Sensible — now that’s a word that perfectly defines all aspects of the 2010 Honda CR-V.
Singular styling
It’s obviously a difficult thing to let your imagination run wild and create a fancy design when you’re given a specific assignment: to develop an SUV-style product that will appeal to the masses.
Consequently, Honda designers didn’t break any mold with the CR-V’s raised tail, fairly upright hatch and anonymous body lines. They did, however, have fun with the slightly arching roofline in the back that somewhat improves aerodynamics (or at least the impression of). The shape of the rearmost side windows further enhances this feeling of motion.
Revised for 2010, the front grille stretches wide to form a complex structure that integrates a pair of tapered headlight clusters for a unique crowning effect. Here you have an unpretentious SUV that still manages to stand out at first glance. Nothing flashy; just smart stuff.
Inside, the CR-V is surprisingly well-equipped (granted, my tester was the top-of-the-line EX-L NAVI). Build quality and material selection also impressed me, especially given the price range. The cabin is fairly spacious, too. Even tall friends of mine who sat in the back never complained about a lack of room. Behind them was a convenient cargo area offering easy access and decent volume.
Up front, the dashboard sure looks nice and displays cool backlighting at night, but the gear selector once again finds itself in an unconventional spot, right in the middle of the center stack. Some say they appreciate such ergonomics; I, on the contrary, find manipulating the CR-V shifter quite unnatural and unpleasant.
Build quality and material selection impressed me, especially given the price range.
Newfound energy on the road
The biggest flaw of the Honda CR-V used to be its underpowered 4-cylinder engine that often voiced discontent whenever you would try to push it. Fortunately, engineers addressed the issue by increasing output (+14 horsepower) while making the engine less fuel-thirsty. Bravo!
The new mill could be described as lively and responsive, not to mention quiet and predictable, even when you ask for a little more performance than you probably should. On-the-fly accelerations aren’t breathtaking but still on par with buyer expectations for this type of vehicle. As a bonus, the five-speed automatic transmission with Grade Logic Control knows how to pick the right gear at the right time.
The suspension plays a key role in delivering car-like driving dynamics, while Honda’s part-time 4WD system proves opportunistic in the most civilized conditions.
On the other hand, the steering doesn’t feel as sharp and high on feedback as one could hope for. It does a decent job most of the time but clearly remains the weakest link in an otherwise well-executed, fun-to-drive compact 'ute.
The front grille stretches wide to form a complex structure that integrates a pair of tapered headlight clusters for a unique crowning effect.
How does the Honda CR-V continue to shine, then? Well, this popular Japanese SUV boasts a rather distinctive silhouette and, while extreme off-road trips are definitely not its game, it offers a smooth, uneventful ride along with a sensible, fuel-efficient operation.
Sensible — now that’s a word that perfectly defines all aspects of the 2010 Honda CR-V.
Singular styling
It’s obviously a difficult thing to let your imagination run wild and create a fancy design when you’re given a specific assignment: to develop an SUV-style product that will appeal to the masses.
Consequently, Honda designers didn’t break any mold with the CR-V’s raised tail, fairly upright hatch and anonymous body lines. They did, however, have fun with the slightly arching roofline in the back that somewhat improves aerodynamics (or at least the impression of). The shape of the rearmost side windows further enhances this feeling of motion.
Revised for 2010, the front grille stretches wide to form a complex structure that integrates a pair of tapered headlight clusters for a unique crowning effect. Here you have an unpretentious SUV that still manages to stand out at first glance. Nothing flashy; just smart stuff.
Inside, the CR-V is surprisingly well-equipped (granted, my tester was the top-of-the-line EX-L NAVI). Build quality and material selection also impressed me, especially given the price range. The cabin is fairly spacious, too. Even tall friends of mine who sat in the back never complained about a lack of room. Behind them was a convenient cargo area offering easy access and decent volume.
Up front, the dashboard sure looks nice and displays cool backlighting at night, but the gear selector once again finds itself in an unconventional spot, right in the middle of the center stack. Some say they appreciate such ergonomics; I, on the contrary, find manipulating the CR-V shifter quite unnatural and unpleasant.
Build quality and material selection impressed me, especially given the price range.
Newfound energy on the road
The biggest flaw of the Honda CR-V used to be its underpowered 4-cylinder engine that often voiced discontent whenever you would try to push it. Fortunately, engineers addressed the issue by increasing output (+14 horsepower) while making the engine less fuel-thirsty. Bravo!
The new mill could be described as lively and responsive, not to mention quiet and predictable, even when you ask for a little more performance than you probably should. On-the-fly accelerations aren’t breathtaking but still on par with buyer expectations for this type of vehicle. As a bonus, the five-speed automatic transmission with Grade Logic Control knows how to pick the right gear at the right time.
The suspension plays a key role in delivering car-like driving dynamics, while Honda’s part-time 4WD system proves opportunistic in the most civilized conditions.On the other hand, the steering doesn’t feel as sharp and high on feedback as one could hope for. It does a decent job most of the time but clearly remains the weakest link in an otherwise well-executed, fun-to-drive compact 'ute.
The suspension plays a key role in delivering car-like driving dynamics, while Honda’s part-time 4WD system (which acts like a FWD setup until the front wheels start to slip) proves opportunistic in the most civilized conditions. As mentioned earlier, the CR-V should never be mistaken for an extreme sports tool; drivers who dare will get stuck in a hurry.
Wrap-up
Like I said, the competition in the compact SUV segment is wide open and incredibly fierce. Admittedly, despite a few shortcomings, the 2010 Honda CR-V still comes from the dominant breed and attracts more than a fair share of consumers. Emotion has little to do here; CR-V success depends on a simple, sensible recipe.
Source;
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