Honda CR-V VTi LX 2024 Review

There are seven variants within the 2024 Honda CR-V line-up, with drive-away pricing starting from $44,700.

The Japanese brand’s latest mid-size SUV is available as either a five- or seven-seater and there’s a choice of front- or all-wheel drive, while a single hybrid CR-V e:HEV RS sits atop the range from $59,900 drive-away.

We’re testing the CR-V VTi LX, which is the top-spec petrol variant and is only available with five seats and all-wheel drive, priced from $57,000 drive-away.

There’s a multitude of rivals in this top-selling category, but among the most prominent are fellow Japanese contenders in the Mitsubishi Outlander, Nissan X-TRAIL and Toyota RAV4, while carsales’ reigning Best-Mid Size SUV is the Kia Sportage.

Being the top branch on the petrol-powered tree, the 2024 Honda CR-V VTi LX AWD comes well equipped.

Standard features include gloss black 19-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, tail-lights and daytime running lights (DRL), unique front and rear bumpers, an electric tailgate, tinted rear windows, roof rails and chrome exhaust finishers.

Inside, the high-spec CR-V features a panoramic sunroof, ambient interior lighting, leather-appointed upholstery, heated front seats, two-position memory function for the driver and a 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster.

The VTi LX also gets lovely wood-like interior trim inserts, adding a layer of class.

There are six exterior colour options, all offered at no cost, including Crystal Black Pearl, Canyon River Blue Metallic, Lunar Silver Metallic, Platinum White Pearl, Ignite Red Metallic and Meteoroid Grey Metallic, as seen here.

Honda Australia covers the entire CR-V range with a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, plus a six-year rust warranty.

Meanwhile, services are due every 12 months or 10,000km and the first five are capped at $199 each.

Although the previous generation was awarded a maximum five-star ANCAP rating back in 2017, the 2024 Honda CR-V is yet to be crash-tested by the local independent safety authority.

That said, we’d expect it to perform well against the current testing protocols, not least because of the standard safety equipment included to keep the family safe, such as autonomous emergency braking (AEB), forward collision warning, lane keep assist, lane departure warning and traffic sign recognition.

Adaptive cruise control features across the CR-V line-up, as does low-speed braking control, high beam support and 11 airbags, while blind spot monitoring and rear cross traffic alert are on every CR-V bar the entry-level VTi X.

The 2024 Honda CR-V VTi LX AWD is packed with tech, including a 10.2-inch instrument cluster ahead of the driver and a 9.0-inch central infotainment unit that’s responsive and intuitive.

The latter brings wireless Apple CarPlay with Siri Eyes Free, wired Android Auto with Google Assistant, digital radio, sat-nav, Bluetooth and over-the-air (OTA) map and system updates.

An inductive phone charging pad also comes standard, while the eight-speaker audio system in lesser versions is replaced by a (very crisp) premium 12-speaker Bose system (with subwoofer) in VTi LX and e:HEV RS variants.

Up front there’s a pair of USB ports (USB-A and USB-C) and a 12-volt outlet.

Thankfully, Honda opted to keep a separate climate-control display as opposed to embedding it into the touch-screen. It’s displayed neatly, with physical buttons and dials, and even digital displays built into the knobs, to give it a more modern feel.

Unless you opt for the flagship petrol-electric hybrid e:HEV RS model, the powertrain choice in the 2024 Honda CR-V range is restricted to just one petrol engine.

This is a 1.5-litre DOHC VTEC four-cylinder turbocharged unit, delivering a decent 140kW of power at 6000rpm and 240Nm of torque from 1700-5000rpm.

It is paired exclusively to a continuously variable transmission (CVT), with power sent to all four corners in this grade.

If you need to tow a small box trailer or the like, the AWD CR-V brings a 1500kg braked towing capacity (or 600kg unbraked), which is acceptable but not class-leading.

The 2024 Honda CR-V VTi LX AWD is the thirstiest of the lot, doing without fuel-saving hybrid tech in the top-spec e:HEV RS and carrying just as much equipment.

Honda claims an average combined fuel consumption figure of 7.7L/100km.

However, we struggled to get close to that figure, instead achieving a surprisingly high average of 9.1L/100km over mostly highway driving with just one passenger on board.

That figure would almost certainly blow out for those using it for family duties and loading it up with passengers and gear.

The 2024 Honda CR-V VTi LX AWD is surprisingly enjoyable to drive both in isolation and compared to its rivals.

For a mid-size SUV that weighs 1719kg, the LX AWD feels light and spritely, making it easy to manoeuvre. It’s also comfortable on the move, smoothing over lumps and bumps with ease.

The new CR-V rides on the firmer side compared to other rivals, with the 19-inch alloys and low-profile rubber not helping this.

However, the handling is a highlight. Okay, not many people buy an SUV to drive, ahem, energetically, but it’s nice to know the CR-V can keep up with more athletic driving.

It corners flat, with sharp steering that’s meaningfully weighted yet easy to move and brings an overall air of composure.

Similarly, that 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine feels energetic around town, with enough gusto to keep up with traffic and a soundtrack that’s relatively muted.

But the continuously variable transmission (CVT) isn’t as quiet and heavy acceleration is met with a whine typical of the type, while coarse-chip bitumen tends to bring a little more road noise into an otherwise refined and peaceful cabin.

The commotion doesn’t quite reflect its pace either and it can feel a bit breathless if you ask it to pick up extra speed, like overtaking another vehicle on a highway, for example.

Elsewhere, most of the CR-V’s driver assistance aids work well but the lane keep assist and lane mitigation warning systems can be extremely frustrating.

On multiple occasions throughout the course of our week with the CR-V, the vehicle’s ‘road-departure mitigation’ was activated, implying we were drifting out of our lane. It was usually whilst driving bang-on in the centre of our lane on a freeway with plenty of lane markings, making it difficult to ascertain what the problem was.

It also means you’re constantly fighting the steering wheel, until you switch off lane assist, which is thankfully easily done by holding a button on the steering wheel for a few seconds.

The interior of the 2024 Honda CR-V VTi LX AWD is functional and practical, yet luxurious, too.

It’s a thoughtful space, with all key controls and dials placed within easy reach of the driver and plenty of seat and steering wheel adjustability to suit people of all sizes.

There are plenty of storage solutions on board too, with a dedicated phone charging pad up front, a pair of cup holders, another small tray for coins or keys, plenty of door pocket storage and a large centre console.

It’s spacious in the second row, which offers a fold-down centre arm rest with a pair of cup holders, as well as map pockets, door pockets big enough for bottles and a pair of USB-C ports.

You also get an ISOFIX child seat anchorage point on either outboard seat as well as three top tether strap points.

It’s just as spacious in the 60/40-split folding rear seat, with enough space for two average-sized adults to travel in comfort. Three small people should find the second row spacious enough, but taller occupants might be pinched for headroom, owing to the panoramic sunroof in this spec.

Overall, the leather-appointed pews are supple and feel solid, yet offer decent cushioning no matter which seat you’re in. That said, a little extra lumbar support for the driver would be nice, because as it is, the electric lumbar adjust seems to offer just a tiny amount.

As for the boot, it’s rated at 581 litres with all seats in use and even comes with a full-size spare tyre under the boot floor, not to mention a 12-volt power outlet and shopping bag hooks.

If you can justify the $57,000 outlay, the 2024 Honda CR-V VTi LX AWD is unlikely to disappoint.

It’s spacious, practical and luxurious. It’s also great to drive with an abundance of family-friendly equipment, safety and tech.

All told, the value equation won’t stack up for some and depending on your needs – like whether you really need the surety of all-wheel drive – you might feel your money is better spent on one of the more affordable CR-V variants.

2024 Honda CR-V VTi LX AWD at a glance:
Price: $57,000 (drive-away)
Available: Now
Engine: 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 140kW/240Nm
Transmission: Continuously variable automatic
Fuel: 7.7L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 176g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Not tested