2013 Honda CR-V Touring

Compact Recreational Vehicles (CR-V) are beloved by the majority of people in North America and one of the very best has always been the Honda CR-V. In its fourth generation now, the CR-V appears to be significantly improved and more mature than ever.

Compared to the previous third generation CR-V, this one is slightly shorter but has the exact same wheelbase and 170mm ground clearance. That means that the interior space is very similar to the old one we loved while agility in tight areas and urban driving remains one of the strongest points of the vehicle.

The exterior is really similar to the previous generation making it hard to believe that the designers started from a blank canvas. The front grille is now stylistically unified with the headlights and the rear pillar mounted taillights are shorter and angled to look more aggressive.

The interior on the other hard is completely new and only the use of hard plastics brings back memories of the old one. The Touring trim level comes with sat-nav and the i-MID information display so having two colour LCD screens on the dash is eye-catching.

Prices start at $25,990 for an LX FWD and go all the way up to our test vehicle Touring AWD that was priced at $35,215. All editions come with the same 4-cylinder 2.4lt i-VTech engine that is rated at 185bhp and 163lb-ft of torque and is mated to a 5-speed automatic transmission. The AWD versions now get an updated Real Time AWD™ with Intelligent Control System™ which pro–actively distributes torque to the wheels.

Familiarizing yourself with the CR-V and setting off is done easily and quickly by using the power 10-way adjustments for the seat and the steering wheel is also adjustable for height and reach. All-round visibility is great and furthermore, the driver’s side mirror has the helpful wide angle edge. The back of the rear seats can be slightly reclined backwards to create more room for passengers or forwards to increase the cargo area, the minimum capacity of which is 1054lt. Legroom is great and the available headroom is enough even for really tall people while the width of the seat allows for three’s company.

The Touring trim level comes packed with antilock brakes, hill hold, stability control, cruise control, sat-nav, an awesome 7-speaker sound system, power moon roof, leather upholstery, rear view camera, power seats, baby mirror and more.

The 2.4lt 4-cylinder i-Vtech engine and its 185bhp are capable of moving the CR-V at decent speed. It is very smooth, refined and rather quiet but pulling power is just adequate. The 5-speed super smooth automatic gearbox doesn’t real help the performance figures but does help the ones related to fuel economy. With the ECON button pressed, in the city, we averaged 11.4lt/100km and 8.8lt/100km on the highway.

The previous generation CR-V wasn’t much fun at all. The steering was numb, it demonstrated no poise going around corners and grip was anything but impressive. All that added up to a pretty mediocre driving experience. The new CR-V is definitely an improvement over the old one but there are still better SUVs out there if handling is your thing. It’s not what you would call entertaining, it does everything reasonably well but it’s not going to set your pants on fire. It grips within reason but there is lots of body-roll when pushed hard. It’s more at home cruising on the motorway or doing the school run where the soft ride is desirable. It can get somewhat wobbly on poorly surfaced roads but magically regains its composure with no real issues. The reduced noise coming into the cabin and the rattle free interior create a really serene environment to travel in. The brakes are strong and offer plenty of stopping power for emergency situations and the brake pedal also has a positive feel to it. From 100km/h the CR-V came to a complete stop in 43m which is really impressive.

Overall, the CR-V might not be as strong in the corners as say a Ford Escape but it is assured and more comfortable, not to mention practical.

The CR-V I am sure will continue to outsell most competitors, as it really offers practicality and a smooth ride making its self the ideal workhorse every family could use.