Honda CR-V Sport 2010 Review

Price Guide (recommended price before statutory and delivery charges): $38,790
Options fitted to test car (not included in above price): metallic paint $475
Crash rating: four-star (Euro NCAP)
Fuel: 91 RON ULP
Claimed fuel economy (L/100km): 10.0
CO2 emissions (g/km): 237
Also consider: Nissan X-Trail, Toyota RAV4, Mitsubishi Outlander

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The less than spectacular recent sales performance of Honda's CR-V is as much evidence of the astonishing surge of new competition in the compact SUV segment as any inherent shortcoming... Oh, and the fact that Honda Australia has still not offered a diesel variant.

The company is in fact one of three diesel holdouts. A look at the milling crowd of competitors shows only Toyota's RAV4 and Mitsubishi's Outlander join Honda as compact SUVs without a diesel option.

Although Honda has a diesel CR-V available elsewhere around the world, Australia misses out. There's undoubtedly a lot of frustration in the local offices as Honda product planners watch soaring diesel SUV sales.

This is not to say, though, if you don't have a diesel SUV you might as well pack your bags. There is still a healthy market for petrol power in the booming SUV segment, and in this respect Honda is entirely competitive. Put simply though, a diesel powerplant is increasingly required to get you 'on the shopping list'.

Even if buyers don't end up buying a diesel, they are shopping for them...

As petrol engines go, the CR-V's is a goody. The 125kW/218Nm 2.4-litre Euro 4 compliant four-cylinder is a de-powered version of the punchy i-VTEC engine used in the Accord Euro and does well enough in terms of on-road performance and fuel economy.

Fuel consumption for both auto and six-speed manual versions is claimed to be 10.0L/100km which, if not spectacular, is competitive with other petrol compact SUVs.

When the current-generation CR-V was launched in 2007 it moved away from a previously utilitarian look – complete with tailgate spare – to a more flowing, almost Audi style. Rather than promoting a high rump like much of its opposition, the CR-V presented an arched side window line that brought to mind the look favoured by the new breed of four-door “coupes” such as the VW Passat CC, or even the Mercedes-Benz CLS – an SUV interpretation of course.

Probably the only contentious point for the CR-V was the slightly fussy, double-tiered grille that has seen a bit of tidying up in its latest iteration. Whether a passer by would readily identify the 2010 CR-V is another thing, but the front end admittedly does look a bit more mainstream and less likely to offend  – even if the changes add up to little more than an opening-up of the grille apertures making it look closer to a single-piece design.

The designers have done the usual rearrangement of the front and rear bumpers too, but the differences are subtle, particularly at the back where they've gone for a slightly cleaner, less macho look by de-emphasizing the chunky vertical ribs.

New seven-spoke alloys help identify the latest Sport variant, and there are new external mirrors Honda says help reduce wind noise.

The bottom line is that you have to look pretty close to identify the latest CR-V.

Inside the Sport version tested here, the presentation just falls short of drab despite a general upgrade in material quality.

For its segment, the CR-V Sport does well enough in terms of passenger and luggage space. The cabin remains sizable and well thought out though, with enough handy spots (such as two gloveboxes) for storing things like mobile phones, maps, drinks and wallets.

It offers a three-piece split fold rear seat, a double-deck rear cargo area and a tonneau cover. Both front and back seat bring no complaints for want of leg space and there's adequate headroom too.

The CR-V gets a five-star NCAP rating and for 2010 gains curtain airbags across the range to take the tally to six. Previously, curtain bags were standard only from Sport versions (as tested here) upwards.

Honda claims the latest CR-V is more refined on the road. With a three-year gap in CR-V experience, it is genuinely difficult to say whether the new one is better in these areas, although there is no question it measures up well with its generally newer opposition.

On a country drive, the CR-V cruises quietly and smoothly, rides comfortably and responds to the helm with reasonable alacrity. Negatives include a slight over-assistance and lack of road feel in the steering, and a certain busyness that creeps into the engine as revs rise. That said, the 2.4-litre copes adequately with any demands placed on it and the five-speed auto shifts promptly when required, tending not to become indecisive on long highway ascents.

The only real downsides with the auto are the lack of a manual override function, and the fact that, unlike the manual, it comes with a foot-operated parking brake.

The all-wheel drive system is pretty basic, unlike some of its rivals such as the Nissan X-TRAIL that offers 4WD lock and hill descent for added offroad ability. The CR-V's system operates in front-drive mode most of the time, slipping into all-wheel drive (quite unobtrusively) when needed.

Sit the CR-V alongside newer rivals such as the Hyundai ix35, Volkswagen Tiguan – even the BMW X1 – and it looks smart and fresh. Indeed, it still manages to retain credibility in the compact SUV segment and, with its overall style, space, quality and competence, it deserves to.

It's the lack of a diesel that undercuts the CR-V's competitivity in what is, right now, one of the toughest fought market segments.

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