Base price: $22,850
As tested: $23,445
166-horsepower, 2.4-liter 4 cylinder
23 city / 30 highway
More info: automobiles.honda.com
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When it comes to small SUVs, it's all about proportion. The best-looking models (BMW, Kia, Ford) avoid that squashed-down, big-rig feel. And that's why we've never liked the Honda CRV -- out of the box, and through its various incarnations, it has been a clunky, lame-looking vehicle. Until now. The CRV's new design is nothing short of classic. It's perfectly proportioned with a graceful roofline, and the raised plastic blocks on the front and rear bumpers give it a new toughness. The downside for Honda: The CRV is actually better looking than its highly touted new high-dollar cousin, the Acura RDX.
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We found decent room in the front, but in the back the fit is a little tight and the seats sit up a bit too straight. Also, the oversize Hummeresque door handles are way out of place, and the center-mounted shifter is awkward. Overall, though, we found a lot more to like than to bitch about. There is a neat removable shelf in the boot, a sweet collapsible center storage area (the first of its kind we've ever seen) and very cool graphic temp and gas gauges. Best of all is a tricked-out sunglass compartment behind the rearview mirror that contains a second curved, panoramic mirror that helps eliminate blind spots.
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This is where the CRV falls more than a little short of its ritzy 240-horse RDX cousin. All of the CRV trim levels sport a 166-hp, 2.4-liter, four-cylinder motor with a five-speed automatic transmission. It won't send you to a chiropractor when you jam on the gas, but it's definitely decent pop for the price (and the reason why gas mileage is good but not great). And as far as handling goes, we were quite impressed after quickly executing a dicey, ill-advised U-turn in oncoming traffic. Two-wheel-drive models come standard with traction control and ABS, but adding Honda's "real time 4-wheel drive" only costs an extra $1,200, so it seems silly not to splurge for it.
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She'll probably dig it more than you will.
-- John D. Thomas |
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