Buying a used Honda CR-V (2007-2010)

During the 1980s when almost every Japanese manufacturer was joining the 4WD fray, Honda sat back and waited for a suitable niche to occupy. Its early Civic-based efforts didn’t impress but the practical and well-equipped CR-V achieved worldwide success and acclamation.

By 2007, Honda had a good idea who was buying its pretend off-roader and their priorities. In the spirit of giving those people what they wanted, the third-generation CR-V departed quite radically from the formula established by its predecessors.

HISTORY
Judged by its sleek shape alone, it was easy to surmise that this CR-V was more committed to the urban lifestyle than bush-bashing or sand skating.

The headlights, enlarged significantly in 2005, changed again and were separated by a strange new air-intake that gave the Honda a somewhat predatory look. The duo-tone (black and body-colour) bumper was retained and did a good job of concealing the fact that under-body clearance was pretty ordinary.

Viewed in profile, the new CR-V was very different from upright earlier versions. Its shape encompassed a hint of BMW X3, with blister-style wheel arches, sloped nose and windows that shrank in size as they extended rearward. Bigger wheels and 65-Series tyres eliminated the impression that earlier models were teetering on inadequate amounts of rubber.

Heading the third generation CR-V range was a $31,990, six-speed manual base model, followed at $37,490 by the manual Sport. Eighteen months later the Sport went auto-only and its price jumped above $42,000.

The basic CR-V provided plenty to occupy the occupants including air-conditioning, cruise control, power windows, CD system, and stability control. 2008 brought a short-lived Extra version with roof racks, alloy wheels, fog lights and a reversing sensor. It was followed by a similarly-equipped Special Edition.

If you like creature comforts then the best CR-V to look for is a Luxury. These had a launch price of less than $40,000 but in 2009 jumped to $44,990 after also going auto-only. In the used market, they now cost only marginally more than a Sport.

Included for Luxury buyers were power seat adjusters (also in the Sport), lovely leather seat trim, climate-control A/C, an electric sunroof and a parking distance sensor.

Taking care of safety were driver/passenger and side and front air-bags in all versions plus head protection in the Sport and Luxury. Stability control and ABS completed a comprehensive package of primary and secondary safety gear but the CR-V still only managed a four-star ANCAP test score.

Never seeing a bush track, let alone the corrosive combination of salt and beach sand, does wonders for the resale values of used CR-Vs. After five years and 80-100,000 kilometres, other models in the Medium 4WD class will have ditched around 60 per cent of their original values. The Honda will typically hold that percentage for around seven years.

Among the more obvious changes to the 2007 CR-V was removal of the spare wheel that once hung from the side-hanged rear door. It went into a tray mounted under the car; reducing clearance and increasing the risk of being snagged by protruding rocks.

As recompense, the new lift-up rear door was lighter and easier to handle in windy conditions. Load area remained impressive for a car of the Honda’s size and the seats still folded in an impressive variety of combinations.

The 2.4-litre engine gained 7kW in power but lost a little bit of torque which peaked at 4200rpm and that isn’t where you want it for slow off-roading. Those experienced with Honda engines would know that they thrive on lots of throttle and high engine speeds but if you were stepping out of something with different characteristics the CR-V could feel sluggish and unresponsive.

On-Demand 4WD means that all the power goes through the front wheels until they lose grip and the rears get to share in the task. On gravel that arrangement seems to work well – as we imagine it also does on ice for the snow bunnies. Sand is a different issue and CR-Vs need minimal throttle to control wheel-spin and front-end bogging.

An ultra-low 5.33:1 differential ratio has the engine showing 3000rpm while maintaining 110km/h on the freeway. Little wonder that fuel consumption even from the six-speed rarely gets below 9L/100km. In an urban-driven auto with the air-con blasting and a load of passengers aboard, that can exceed 13L/100km.

The Honda’s driving position remains commanding and comfortable, with lots of seat and steering wheel adjustment to accommodate variously-shaped drivers. The dash layout is logical and instruments easy to see. You do get used to the oddly-located transmission shifter that sprouts from the lower dashboard.

Absence of a conventional centre console and the flat floor allows for easy movement from driver’s to passenger’s seat and vice versa. Good for swapping pilots without leaving the car. However it also allows anything from the passenger footwell to migrate into the driver’s foot space.

The floor-mounted parking brake is more cumbersome than a lever but having it in between the seats would negate the reason for deleting the console. The rear seats can be moved to generate extra legroom and everything in the back can be folded to maximise carrying capacity.

Handling has been variously described as ‘car-like’ and ‘involving’ and is pretty much all of that. CR-Vs can be zipped along smooth or bumpy roads with high degrees of confidence and grip. Get overly aggressive though and body roll will jog the clumsy Stability Assist system into action.

>>  CR-Vs are not intended as serious off-roaders but that doesn’t stop the foolish from having a go. Look under the nose and rear end for scuffs or more serious impact damage. Check the radiator mountings, hoses and air-conditioning coolant pipes to ensure nothing has been displaced by an underbody impact.

>> Isolated problems with cabin electrics have been reported, so test the door locking to ensure it works every time. Also ensure that the electric seat adjusters (where fitted) work smoothly. Seats in ‘one-driver’ cars may not have been moved in several years.

>> Wheel alignment needs to be maintained to minimise steering effort and maintain grip. Wear to the inner edges of front or rear tyres, rim damage or marks on steering components or drive-shafts demands further investigation

>> The third-generation spare is in a cradle under the car and access is difficult. Make the effort to ensure the tray lowers as it should and that the wheel/tyre isn’t damaged or missing entirely.

ALSO CONSIDER: Toyota RAV4, Nissan X-Trail, Subaru Forester

This article was first published August 5, 2013.