C ar S cene I nvestigation: Honda CRV

Now on its third generation, we come to see how the new CRV lives up to its past heritage.

· Design & Engineering:

Clearly. Not love at first sight. Indeed, though the CRV may appear to be more avantgarde, and ever so slightly appealing, to many—including myself, I find that the new CRV feels and looks ever so odd. From the front, a new face finds itself on the CRV, now standard with bi-xenon headlamps and fog lamps. Though not exciting, the new face gives the SUV a fresh look, as if undergone reincarnation. Now with SUV’s, the modern trend seems to be: give your vehicle a funky and hip look. Unfortunately, Honda seems to have taken such a statement to literally, thus resulting in the CRV portraying a bloated person when viewed from the side. Yes, it looks higher. Yes it looks bigger. But really, in short, the large lift in the CRV’s rear end makes only one word ever so suitable for it—odd. From the rear, the CRV has a rather squashed look, such as in the new Audi A6. Despite having a functional handle to operate the boot, the CRV only manages to grow away from me, as if being some malignant tumor.

· Interior

To make up for the quirky exterior, the interior is where things are quickly made up for. Compared to the 2^nd generation CRV, the new CRV sports an entirely new and revised interior, one clearly much more appealing to the eye. A new steering multifunction steering wheel allows one to maneuver between ‘tasks’, and makes driving a pleasure as well. In addition, one also notices the CRV’s take to the 21^st Century, with the incorporation of a Start/Stop button, as well as an Econ button, which supposedly makes the CRV more frugal. While the trim feels rather plasticky, an intuitive, but unfortunately dated-looking 5-inch Multi-Information Display noodles itself into the center console, directing one’s eyes and senses away from the cabin trim. As a supporter of Mother Nature, Honda has also decided to install an extra colour screen above the Multi-Information Display, which shows the fuel usage, the time, etc. At the rear, space is properly comfortable, with extra goodies such as a rear air conditioning system. On the whole then, the CRV feels well built, and rather solid, managing to satisfy its customers.

· Ride & Handlings

Available in both 2.0 and 2.4-liter variants, the latter produces 190 BHP, shooting up towards the century mark in an average 10.0 seconds—considering the vehicle’s size. Despite using a four-cylinder engine, surprisingly, the expected din and clatter is almost non-existent, with smooth changing gears along with no hesitance from the engine when revved hard. Being a Japanese vehicle, the SUV’s weight is kept under 1.5 tonnes, thus enforcing the frugalness and ethics of a Japanese vehicle. In short, though the new CRV may not evoke one’s passion for extreme sports, it will satisfy you while cruising around town.

· Verdict

Rather well priced Japanese SUV, going head to head against the Toyota Rav 4 and the Subaru Forester. Apart from odd exterior looks, the practical yet comfortable interior along with the vehicle’s sense of environmental consciousness simply hits the spot.