Honda’s evolutionary redesign of the CR-V retains this popular compact SUV’s focus on functionality. We like that the ride comfort has improved, the controls are easier to use, and that it’s gained slightly more cargo space, but we’re disappointed that fuel economy and acceleration have gotten worse, in part because the CR-V is now larger and heavier. Still, the good outweighs the not-as-good, and the new CR-V’s well-rounded abilities help vault it nearly to the top of CR’s compact SUV ratings.
The CR-V’s standard 190-horsepower, 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine delivers unobtrusive propulsion when cruising around town, and the continuously variable transmission (CVT) does a nice job keeping the engine revs low in those situations. However, if you need extra acceleration for climbing a hill or merging onto the highway, it can feel a bit underpowered; worse, the CVT tends to allow the revs to soar quite high when the SUV is pushed, and the engine takes on a gritty character above 4,500 rpm.