Honda CR-V road tests and consumer car reviews

Honda CR-V 2005

Be aware that the oil warning lights do not warn you if you are low in oil!!!! On boxing day our engine blew up while driving along a busy dual carriage way in Sussex with two small children, a dog and all our Christmas gifts. The bill is £3600 for a refurbished engine and turbo. Surely with such a normally great car, they should have warning lights when the oil is low?

Honda CR-V 2000

The car was bought a week before my son was born in March 2004, we are now looking to change after 8 years due to the fact we need a larger vehicle and its age. We would have no hesitation in buying another C-RV as we have had no issues with reliability and other than general wear and tear no major repair bills. When we first bought it a friend said the engines were "bomb proof" this I have to agree. I would definitely recommend Hondas to anyone. If there is a small complaint it would be the noise generated at high speed, but other than that it’s been a dream to own and will be sadly missed.

Honda CR-V ES 2010

This is a great vehicle! Practicality: In normal use, that is with the back seats up it has the biggest boot in class and with the sliding rear bench it’s easy to add a few inches to it when you need a bit more. Performance: I don’t know what people expect, automatics are always slower unless it’s an expensive multiclutch job. Get a manual and enjoy what is actually quite a brisk driver’s car. Tip: The Dunlop tyres Honda supply on the car are rubbish. Put Continentals on the car and enjoy the well controlled suspension and good turn in it releases. Value: The ES is a great spec, all you need is a decent TomTom sat nav. The 2010 interior fabrics, heated seats, upgraded USB music system, climate control, folding mirrors, headlight washers, 18" alloys etc., ect. It’s really all you need and the car looks chunkier, SUV-like with black lower trim instead of the excessive colour coded bits on the EX IMHO. Off Road: I wasn’t expecting too much, but I was wrong. No it won’t go up Snowdon, but it easily coped with the terrible Winter last year enabling me to travel at will with impunity. I even took it to North Wales in a blizzard and got a long way into the hills before knee high snow caused to to struggle. It’s very versatile for a car that you can chuck about happily the rest of the year-round too. I had an Accord before and I far prefer my CRV. Faults? The seats are not as comfortable as they should be and stupid gadgets like an electronic dipping rear view mirror are pointless on a high seated car with tinted glass. The gear change economy light annoyed me for a long time, but I learnt to ignore it. The boot hatch drips rain water down the back of your neck as you step under, but other than these points there’s not a lot else wrong with it.

Honda CR-V ex 2.2 diesel 2007

Well it’s been a few momths now from my last review of this grest SUV. I can still say everything is fine with 95,000 miles on the clock. It tows my caravan very well. I do agree that the plastics in the cabin can be easely marked, but with care they should be fine. It delivers good mpg around 35-42. Yes, it’s not perfect, but what car is, but for a SUV it’s hard to find better in terms of reliability, build and comfort. I can recommend the CR-V as a great bit of auto engineering. Like I said before, it’s a Honda.

Honda CR-V ctdi se 2005

I bought my CR-V at 3 years old and it is now coming up to 7 years, with 110,000 miles on the clock. A supremely reliable machine with good mpg, 35 to 40 and powerful enough for all round driving. Road noise is pretty bad on rough surfaces, but it is a small price to pay. I highly recommended this as a reasonably priced (second-hand) reliable family car. 4wd gives it some (limited) ability on rough tracks and gives added confidence in winter snow and ice.

Honda CR-V CDTi 2.2 ES 2007

I’m just coming up to 50,000 miles and the only non-routine maintenance has been an oil change on the rear diff due to juddering when reversing on full lock; this was done free by the local dealer, but note some dealers want to charge for this warranty work. The car has been extremely reliable and is economical for such a big bus, achieving over 40 mpg easily. The snow and ice over the last two winters never fazed the car; 4WD just cut in when needed. Niggles with this car are few and are minor: The clutch has started squeaking intermittently, some interior plastics can scratch easily, the centre arm rests are uncomfortable, but can be folded out of the way and you can get wind noise from front windows when there is a stong cross wind. The front windscreen glass is soft and scratches easily, mine has actually chipped, but this is a problem not just restricted to Hondas. Overall, this is a great car with decent performance. Based on my experience I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this car.

Honda CR-V 2.0 Executive 2007

I drove 3.5 years about 75.000 km.s. Very well built car. Lots of space, good vision, very comfortable and secure. The consumption is normal (not more than some of the other sedan cars). The performance is worse when compared to 2.2 litre diesel but satisfactory if you are not a fan of sport driving. Road noise can be heard but it is not very disturbing. The inside mirror helps a lot to follow the children at the rear seats. As a result, we were very happy with our car and decided to buy another CR-V. Only difference is the color!

Honda CR-V 2.0 EX 2007

Owned 3 CRVs, and this was the first of a ’new’ shape. Plenty of space, good on fuel, but hated the ride. Honda had tried to make CRV handle more like a car than previous model and lowered ride height and stiffened springs, completely ruined ride quality so bad that I sold the car after 7 months.

Honda CR-V 2.2 iDTEC 2010

This is our second diesel CR-V and we’re generally pleased with the ride, comfort and performance etc, but are suffering with a vibration at approx 1500rpm and noisy brakes. The dealer cannot detect any faults yet the one they loan us doesn’t have the same issues.

Honda CR-V CDTi executive 2005

Bought the car new, was really impressed with the comfort and refinement. Had a few warranty issues, flat battery, air conditioning unit faulty, warped front discs, rear axle needing a double oil change. But that apart love the car, good MPG (36 average), great handling and prefer this model to the new one. Like the wet boot area, plus good for our dog. Had to have the clutch replaced at 48k due to the pressure plate being faulty. It’s a known fault. Car still looks and drives like new, will be keeping it for a while longer.

Honda CR-V 2ltr petrol 2006

We’ve owned our 56 plate 2.0 petrol CVR since 2008 and it’s now covered 33k miles. The car fits all our needs with two young children, so plenty of storage space for weekends away. Very pleased with build quality and I’m convinced that the CVR is bomb proof. Even main dealer servicing is reasonable. Our only concerns are the cars complete lack of power when laiden with wife, two kids and luggage. On long journey’s the CVR averages anywhere between 23/25 mpg, this despite cruising at no more than 75mph. Other than the above, we’d certainly consider another CRV when a replacement is warranted, though a diesel is most likely.

Honda CR-V ES 2007

Bought my car new (57 plate), it has now done 30000 miles on the same set of tyres which have 4mm left on them. I get 40mpg driving 7 miles to work and back, and 44 mpg on an uninterrupted motorway run. Towing my 1300kg caravan, it returns 30 mpg at 50mph and 28 mpg at 60mph. It is comfortable, good to drive and has only been back to the garage for a service. I have considered exchanging it for the new one but as there is nothing wrong with it, my wife thinks it would be a waste of money and I think that she is right. Next year perhaps!

Honda CR-V 2006

No complaints so far, 36,000 miles plus on the clock. Do not want to change. Smooth and reliable, summer mpg 40, winter mpg 35.

Responses to this review

Super vehicle but fuel a disaster - lucky to get 25 mpg and thats ex urban. Auto petrol but garage said 32 mpg on average. Is this normal? Christine Hill from Yorkshire

Honda CR-V ES 2010

Here we are 7 months into ownership and unfortunately all I can say regarding this car (which I have tried to get used to) is that it’s certainly not gone up in my estimations. Just been out, cleaned the windscreen with the wipers and now have 2 very nice scratched arcs right across the drivers side!. This is the 2nd time the windsreen has been scratched in the normal day to day running. Anyone else having problems with a "fragile" screen....certainly never had this problem with the old HRV in 11 years. Goodness knows what state the screen would be in if I had scraped it with an ice scraper the other week, luckily I’m retired and don’t need to get out early anymore. I can only say maybe the figures speak for themselves when I say 7 months on and I haven’t even done 4000 yet...it may clock that up taking it back to the dealer for a trade in. Very dissappointed in the CRV. I mean you should’nt be nervous to put the wipers on with a nearly £25k car should you? Because after tonight I certainly will! Nor trying to overtake something on the motorway...see earlier review.

Responses to this review

OK... OK I know this is the 3rd time I’ve been here in this "love - hate " relationship with the CRV!! So I now have a new windscreen fitted... a superb job I may add. I am using this "milestone" as a complete new beginning with the car... This w/end a good friend of mine maybe hit the nail on the head! He said "you were in love with the HRV... you had it for 11 years!" His take on the CRV was yes absolutely being an auto it did seem slower and much heavier BUT safer. When you do boot it it does overtake confidently, so now that he agree’s my original point in that it’s slower (as did another reviewer here regards acceleration). I am happy that the CRV is a different animal from the HRV and therefore am willing to call a truce and call the CRV (in his words) a mini Limo... I now have to start enjoying the car instead of comparing it. So if you are thinking of getting a CRV don’t please take my previous postings as a review... it was me going through a period of adjustment. I think me and the CRV may get on after all!! Alan Wingrove from Lancashire

Agreed - I’ve got a 2007 2.2 diesel CRV and am also very disappointed with the fuel consumption. The car is driven daily on dual carriage ways for approx 20 miles but I’m barely getting 34mpg, whereas I should be getting towards 50mpg. The dealers are not interested. I would not advise anybody to buy a CRV if they are seeking economical driving. Any suggestions on why the consumption is poor would be gratefully received! Nij from Leicestershire

Honda CR-V EX 2.2 manual Diesel 2008

This could be a superb car for the family and in particular for towing a Caravan. I purchased My 2.2 manual Diesel 2nd hand from an employee at the main dealers here with 16K on the clock, full service history and 2 years left on the warranty. The engine knocks like a bag of nails first thing in the morning and is also noisy during low gear work in the town. The MPG is a joke... they claim 50+ for extra urban. All I get is 35 if I’m lucky and less than 20mpg when towing our small van! The Dealer will not do anything to help and I’m going to have another go today. The knocking sounds very mechanical to me as it does reduce as the engine warms up. I’ve been in engineering long enough to know when something doesn’t fit. But the dealer says it is a "characteristic" of the engine. I’ve yet to come across anyone else with the same problem. Anyone out there got the same problem?? The rest of the car is good particularly the satnav which navigated us around France this year with no problems. But I agree with others, the voice recognition system for the phone is real pain. There are quite a few pages of commands to remember to operate the thing.... you would need a photographic memory to remember them all. As I said at the beginning... It COULD be a good car!!

Honda CR-V 2010

This is my second manual CRV, the previous one being a 2007 EX diesel. It has improved a bit with regards cabin noise and looks. Some small changes inside as well are welcomed. Hopefully the plastics inside will wear better. The new diesel is smoother and doesn’t seem to mind what diesel it gets as it doesn’t knock the same as the old one. My big gripe is that the handling is now awful. It has been softened and sits about 2 inches higher than the 2007 model. It rolls into bends and under steers due to the soft suspension. On undulating roads the motion is very annoying, like being on a gently rolling boat. This really spoils it for me. I cant wait to get shot of it, a real shame as in every other way its better than my 2007 model. It has lost the car handling and is now more like a freelander or discovery. Ive had a few quality issues, the paint on the B pillars was poor, the external door trims sat out about 7mm and at 2500miles it has a clutch judder. After 13 Hondas this one is poor. Dealer back up has as always been very good, but should not be needed for a 4 month old car.

Honda CR-V 2.2 i-CTDi EX Auto 2010

I have had the CRV for about 2 months now and I can say that it is OK. It isn’t exactly brilliant but, I’ve driven worse. It is a little bit slower than the Accord that I’ve replaced but, as a result, it is slightly more economical than the Accord. I agree with the other reviews about the automatic transmission, it is a little bit sluggish to respond to the ’kickdown’ but pressing the sport button on the shifter actually solves this problem (to a degree). By doing this, the mileage can and probably will drop from 48 mpg to about 25 mpg (20-22 mpg if you are very vigourous with the loud-pedal). My only real issue with the car is the high ride height; it is very disturbing when there is a slight crosswind as it feels as though the car may roll over at any given moment. All-in-all, it is a good car but it has its issues. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a cheap 4x4. But, in my opinion, if you want a real 4x4 it is probably best if you bought a BMW X5, an Audi Q7 or (if your budget will allow it) a Land Rover.

Honda CR-V 2.2CDTI ES Nav 2009

Bought CRV 2.2CDTI new in Oct 09 and am generally very satisfied with the vast majority of equipment, quality and operation of the car. BUT why does no-one ever mention the flaws of the car? There may only be a couple of issues but they are both infuriating. The first is the the voice recognition software which operates the hands-free phone, satnav, radio, heating and climate control in the car. Voice recognition - thats a laugh - you might as well try speaking in Esperanto as it will probably recognise this better than English. OK so with all the peripherals the answer is easy - just don’t use it and resort to pushing buttons or touchscreen but you simply can’t do that with the telephone. Unlike some systems which will display the telephone’s phonebook on a touch screen the CRV doesn’t so it’s voicedial or nothing. After about ten attempts to get the system to recognise a name or number it is usually much safer and easier to pull up at the side of the road to make the call. The system is so frustrtaing it can distract you and be downright dangerous. My wife has just spent £100 on having a Bury bluetooth system fitted to her car and it shows up what a joke system the Honda is! The second issue is why on earth has Honda allowed the car to go to markert with a clear design fault. Anyone thinking of buying a crv should make sure they take a test drive on a wet day. You will soon find that the design of the plastic door bottoms and cill covers in the front doors is such that road mud and debris is drawn into the gap and gathers on a ledge in the cill in such a way that it is nigh on impossible to get in or out of the car without getting trousers filthy.

Honda CR-V 2007

I have just purchased a Honda CR-V 2007 and await with great enthusiasim for the results of the next month or so. I will keep my comments updated. I am an experienced Honda user.

Responses to this review

Hi there, I too have just got my first CRV a 2007 ex 2.2 diesel. It has 90,000 on the clock but drives like new. I saved nearly £4,000 having 60,000 miles extra but it’s a Honda so no worries - Peter Hicks from England

Honda CR-V Diesel 2005

My Honda CR-V diesel had a new turbo after 50,000 miles, the problem I have now is it is smoking on start up, any other Honda owners have the same problem? Went into local Honda dealer to have turbo fitted and told them of the smoking problem, they said it was not smoking; believe you and me it is, when on holiday people commented on the smoke! No Honda I am not telling lies! Anyone with any idea of the problem please let me know, it has been on a diagnostic machine when the turbo was under investigation.

Responses to this review

Not sure if your car has the same engine as mine (see review below Honda CR-V Honda CR-V 2.2 iCTDi 140 EX 2008 Peter Smith) but after my turbo exploded I had blue smoking problems on cold start and hard motorway acceleration, after 4 trips to Honda for them to say "NO Fault Found Sir" I left he car with them for the night in December, took the keys home so they couldn’t move it returning the next morning at 08:00 and asked the Service Manager and "Master" Diagnostic Technician (Master Fitter more like!) to stand at the back of the car when I started it up.............I’m please to say they became completely Engulfed in BLUE OIL smoke, that much so the Service Manager’s eyes started to run..result!!!!!!! After the engine was stripped it became apparent all four set of valve stem seals had been damaged when the turbo failed thus allowing oil to leak into the chambers under extreme load and shut down...! I had the car back after two week’s once Honda managed to fly some replacement seals in from Holland. These main dealers think they know everything and try to bully you into believing there’s nothing wrong with the car until its out of warranty, this way they can charge you full price £100.00 per hour as apposed to Honda Dealer warranty rate of £34.50 per hour........huge profit differences when your talking 15+ hours to remove and re-fit a cylinder head. Push your dealer hard, once they know you’re not a push over you’ll be surprised what you can get done. Hope this helps - Peter Smith from Worcestershire

My 03/2005 CRV 2.2 140 HP Diesel started to blow blue smoke at cold start at about 45,000km. It has lost some power and made a strange sound when going off the accelerator during gearshift. Honda-dealer never located the problem, but I did. It turned out to be a fault on the turbo (small oil-leakage into the turbo). Bought a brand new Garret turbo through STK TurboTechnic, Altenkirchen - Germany. Delivered at my doorstep by UPS at a price all-in of EUR 810!!!!!! Bjorn Amundsen from Norway

Honda CR-V 2007

This car was second hand when we got it 12 months old and only 12000 miles on the clock. It drove fine and the all-round visibility was good. The diesel engine is a lot better than the petrol. Legroom front and back is great even with the front seats pushed all the way back. I have removed the parcel shelf and the plastic is of poor quality. Mine is red and we had great difficulty getting hold of paint that matched. Tyre wear is my biggest gripe I have now done 22400 miles and will be looking for new tyres all-round FRONT WHEEL TRACKING MUST BE CHECKED EVERY 6 MONTHS AND TYRE PRESURE EVERY WEEK. Would still recommend this car to anyone. Dealer servicing is too expensive and I change air oil and fuel filter every 6000 miles or 6 months and use top grade oil, this I can do for under £100 over £200 cheaper than a dealer. Great car and good mpg for a 4x4.

Responses to this review

What is it about main dealers these days? Are they all tarred with the same brush? Are they all out to fleece their customers? My one wanted to change my disc pads, 6 months ago! He quoted some fantastic price. I took it to my local so called "back street garage" who checked the discs and said the dealer was telling porkies, there was nothing wrong with them! I have got an extra 4000 miles from them to date. Incidentally, I would trust my back street garage any day before the local Honda main dealer. The main dealer wanted to charge me £260 to change the oil! Local garage, just £60 with top spec synth oil included! Is this just the so called "British Rip Off" culture I wonder - Peter Hartingdon from England

Honda CR-V ES 2010

This is my 5th Honda....bought on the past knowledge of how reliable Honda’s are. I have had the CRV 6 weeks.....and am beginning to realise that the 11 year old HRV (132000 miles) was a better car. I find the CRV to be very sluggish on joining the motorway...OK you "Kickdown" to get the thing moving from 50mph, all it seems to do is rev right round to 7000 then just as you ease off thinking nothing is going to happen it decides "Oh you want to go faster".....great when a BMW (or White Van man is powering towards the rear). This in my view is dangerous. I realise that you are not going to get great economy and power but this car is really underpowered for motorway work and hills too. We can all see that it’s not designed for out and out speed. Having said that though the car does feel solid and with all the plastic wheel arch liners I wouldn’t think rust in the future will be a problem..it seems built to last. One last annoying point it the shelf in the boot...when the tonneau cover is fitted (and retracted) the shelf when folded up doesn’t stay up! This is the first Honda I shan’t be sorry to see the back of.....a missed opportunity Honda!

Responses to this review

UPDATE: Just to say that here we are a few months on from my original review, I am now of the view that I was unfair to the CRV. Having now got used to the auto transmission (and making allowances) the issues of accellaration are not such a problem. The car is giving a good 400 to a tankful (Petrol) and that is mainly A road driving, it is effortless on the motorway. So all in all a great safe car...wiping egg of my face as I write this! - Alan Wingrove from Lancashire

Honda CR-V Honda CR-V 2.2 iCTDi 140 EX 2008

Car registered in June 2008, now covered 91’000 miles! In my view the CR-V is best suited as a typical family car doing 10-15K per anum max, not a high mileage sales reps car like the Accord. I’m very disapointed as my 05 plate Accord traveled 158’000 in 3yrs with nothing more that a replacment turbo at just short of 100’000 miles. I’m on first name terms with the Service team at Avondale Honda (Solihull) as the CR-V has been back and forth that many times excluding sevices, current replacments components are as follows : - 1) Radio (CD Rotation Motor Burt Out) 2) Front Subframe Bushes (Worn out at 40K again at 83K!) 3) N/S/F CV Joint (Knocking when turning Left) 4) Altenator Failure 5) Air Conditioning Relay (Burnt Out, causing flat battery) 6) O/S/R Wheel Bearing (whining) 7) Turbo Failure (Internals Exploded) 8) Drivers Seat Chassis (Runners Failed) 9) Top Coolant Hose Burst (Core Chamber Blockage) 10) O/S/F Headlight Failure (Seal Failed letting in Water) 11) Rear Wash Wipe Failer (filled Boot With Water!!!!) I can’t wait to get rid of this car in another 12 months, however I’m hoping the gearbox or engine blows up so the lease company are forced to take it back prematurely as the warranty has now expired, saying that the only thing I will miss when I change the car is the coffee machine at my local dealer!!! All in all, my view of Honda has changed, if you want a reliable Honda Rep car, buy / lease an Accord or go back to the BMW / VAG or Mercedes dealership. Try again Honda, perhaps send some of your engineers from Swindon to Solihull, this way they can find out how to build a real 4X4!

Responses to this review

Your lucky if you can operate that damn coffee machine in Avondale! I am an engineer and it’s to tricky for me. You have filled me with joy as my Accord is about to be replaced with a CRV that will be looked after at Solihull! Honda HQ used to phone me for feedback but not lately, guess they don’t care any more. That said, service at Solihull for me hasn’t been bad but not 50% as good as Volvo in Redditch was ;( Mr Rob from Worcestershire

Honda CR-V 2.2 iCTDi 140 EX 2008

The car was registered in June 2008 and has now covered 91,000 miles! In my view the CR-V is best suited as a typical family car doing 10-15K per anum max, not a high mileage sales reps car like the Accord. I’m very disappointed as my 05 plate Accord travel’ed 158,000 in 3yrs with nothing more that a replacment turbo at just short of 100,000 miles. I’m on first name terms with the Service team at Avondale Honda (Solihull) as the CR-V has been back and forth that many times excluding sevices. Current replacement components are as follows : - 1) Radio (CD Rotation Motor Burt Out) 2) Front Subframe Bushes (worn out at 40K again at 83K!) 3) N/S/F CV Joint (Knocking when turning Left) 4) Altenator Failure 5) Air Conditioning Relay (Burnt Out, causing flat battery) 6) O/S/R Wheel Bearing (whining) 7) Turbo Failure (Internals Exploded) 8) Drivers Seat Chassis (Runners Failed) 9) Top Coolant Hose Burst (Core Chamber Blockage) 10) O/S/F Headlight Failure (Seal Failed letting in Water) 11) Rear Wash Wipe Failer (filled Boot With Water!!!!) I cant wait to get rid of this car in another 12 months, however I’m hoping the gearbox or engine blows up so the lease company are forced to take it back prematurely as the warranty has now expired. Saying that, the only thing I will miss when I change the car is the coffee machine at my local dealer!!! All in all, my view of Honda has changed, if you want a reliable Honda Rep car, buy / lease an Accord or go back to the BMW / VAG or Mercedes dealership. Try again Honda, perhaps send some of your engineers from Swindon to Solihull, this way they can find out how to build a real 4X4!

Responses to this review

15/01/2011 - The car has just been in for its 137500 service and been condemned/de-fleeted by the lease company once they received the quote for the work required - I’m absolutely ecstatic, that was the best news’s I’ve ever received from the Dealer!!!!! Front & Rear brake pads and discs, 4 tyres, set of glow plugs, what’s more, on top of these routine replacement components, I’ve been complaining of poor starting in the cold and noises/harsh vibrations from the gearbox for months. The dealer mechanics said "nothing was wrong" or "it’s a design characteristic of the car". What tosh - they’ve suddenly decided to investigate the faults I continuously reported (due to a lack of work at this time of year when charging labor rates of £100hr +VAT!!!), the cylinder head gasket has failed, causing smoking / poor starting and the gearbox lay shaft bearing have worn out.......cost to fix including the service and routine items £4851+VAT!!!! I get my new Ford S-Max of Tuesday......can’t wait. As I said before Honda, if you want to build a reliable 4X4 - pop to Solihull for a few weeks and shadow the boys at Landrover who’ve been doing it for the best part of 65 years!

Honda CR-V Ex diesel auto 2009

Rated 5 because the car is still brand new and I am thoroughly enjoying it, model EX diesel auto. Small niggle: The upper cargo shelf rear half does not stay up when loading the floor of the boot so the exercise becomes a bit like loading large items through a deep letterbox or holding the shelf up with the top of ones head! I have overcome this by using a 1 foot long thin metal/plastic rod which lodges between the female part of the catch and a hole in the underside of the shelf, but this Heath Robinson device would not be necessary if the bar holding the tonneau cover was an inch or two further forward. I also had to pay over £300 to have door rubbing strips fitted, as I could envisage other drivers in the car park opening their doors onto the protruding crease on the metal part of my car doors. I would have thought that, especially on the up-market version that I have, the strips, which I reckon both enhance and protect the doors, should have been standard fitments?? Just one more niggle: I feel that the automatic windscreen wipers are lacking an intermittent wipe setting, the auto wipe is not really up to the job of reliably clearing the very misty light rain that an intermittent wipe would easily take care of. I am very pleased with my purchase so far. FYI., you might be interested to hear that I chose this car because it is possible for the driver to exit the vehicle via the front passenger door and vice versa. A very important factor if one is involved in an accident situation where the driver’s door is jammed and/or blocked and even more so, if fire is starting. Also very useful in tight parking or garaging situations. The centre console that most modern cars have fitted seem to me to invite a dangerous or even deadly situation occurring. Finally, will Paul Cook from Warwickshire please answer the question (see 26.11.2008 above) about which brand (s) of diesel he finds give (s) the best results - many thanks. Also, if anyone has any comment to make about bio-diesel, it would also be very interesting. Thanks.

Responses to this review

Update: Disappointed that answer to questions about type/brand of diesel not yet forthcoming, but I live in hope! Going back to the boot situation, I have made a modification to the upper shelf by screwing a black painted aluminium strip to the leading edge of the shelf, so that it projects above the shelf, thereby preventing items from sliding forward and down into the lower boot or under the backs of the rear seats when braking. It looks pretty professional (modesty !!) - the edge of the shelf took the self tapping screws well and the srews do not show. Hope that idea might help someone, or even Honda, if they read this, to do something similar to new CRV’s!! - Bruce Chanter from Hertfordshire

Honda CR-V ES 2008

Hi. Done 33,000 in mine. Turbo is noisy, can sound like a passing police car with its siren on! Dealer says it is acceptable. Had issues with no electric, flat battery. AA had to lift car and deliver to the dealer (Stratstone) The AA man said a recall had been initiated as the battery was not up to the job and needed replacing. But he did not think that this was the problem. Before he lifted onto the flatbed, he did get it restarted, but the belt ceased with much screaching and smoke, obviously NOT the battery then, but something more serious. I had some issues previously with the aircon, all this information was provided to the dealer, and the car was left with them for 2 days. On collection they had replaced the battery and nothing else, this despite my and the AA man strongly suggesting that this was NOT the issue. After a week the same thing happened again, AA called out, CRV lifted onto flatbed and taken to the same unfortunate dealer, who still did not beleive either me ot the AA man as to the trouble. After nearly a week they evetually conceded that the Aircon was the culprit, and they apologised to me! Out of interest, I was looking to obtain one for my wife, and emailed 3 seperate Stratstone dealers for details of used vehicles I had seen on the Honda/Dealer web site, none of them returned my emails, address not known, and this was via their own email enquiry card! I still love the CRV and would/will get another, but the Dealers, oh dear, they do not do themselves any favours.

Responses to this review

Same happened to my late 2007 2.2D ES. Broke down needing AA a few times. Dealer changed battery, broke down again. Dealer then incorrectly blamed towbar electrics until I insisted they went around the car with a tooth comb and uncovered shot aircon contactor, apparently a known CR-V problem (along with the IMRC valve) - Anthony Hall from Derbyshire

I had battery problems when my 2.2 CRV (207) was a couple of years old. Stratstone in Leeds knew what the problem was and upgraded the software, it seems ’something’ was not completely switching off and the upgrade fixed it; took about an hour while I waited - John Thompson from Yorkshire

I have a 2007 CRV 2.2 i-CTDI 140 EX and it’s a lovely car but it doesn’t live up to Honda’s excellent reliabity record, in my opinion. I put my car in my garage one night and everything was switched off, but the next morning I went back out to it and the battery was dead, so I got it pushed out and hooked up to my sons Peugeot 407 and then it started. Also in the cold morning I could hear a whine coming from the igniton when accelerating, I told my Honda dealer about this but they refused to believe me! More recently the whole Sat Nav/ Radio/ CD player screen has been freezing on me... I had a older CRV before this and it was an amzing car! Overall its OK but not the best effort from Honda - Cilian Sleeth from County Tyrone

Honda CR-V 2.2 iCTDi 140 EX CMBS 2007

This is a car that’s very hard to fault, Yes the Tiguan, Kuga etc., is better looking and the Freelander wins off road but for everyday use ( Shopping, School run, Family days out etc...) the crv makes the most sense!! Its got the huge and practical cabin to hold all your parifinalia and has got the power to a our huge caravan no matter how big the hills are. Its also got the most room inside for all of these small urban SUVs and it has all the others trumped for build quality and reliability because its a HONDA!! I looked at all the sensible alternatives and the Jeep car that came close was the Peugeot 4007 2.2 HDI GT. Only reason I didnt buy the 4007 was because you cannot fault a Honda for reliability. The 4007 was really quick (0-60Mph, 9.7 Seconds) and felt more refined/ car like to drive but you cannot beat A Honda!

Honda CR-V 2008

Is it me??? This would be a great car which ticks a lot of boxes. It is a very comfortable ride, with tight suspension and low engine noise, well laid out with lots of bells and whistles (2009 ES model). A 6th gear and cruise control with good torque. However, the car I test drove had quite audible wind noise on driver’s side, some of the plasticky bits were very plasticky looking, road noise was greater than my 2003 RAV4 and amazingly the gear change was clunky. Help, I really wanted to but this one.

Honda CR-V 2.2CDi 2008

Something was lost in my review... For 80000 read 8000 What a difference a 0 makes!! Still a good car though. I will write again when it reaches 80000 (2018 I reckon).

Honda CR-V CTDi 2.2 2007

Now 11 months old with 80000mls on the clock. No complaints at all except perhaps the position of the odd control button or two. One observation however... The engine is very sensitive to different makes of diesel. This sounds odd, but through experience I have found that certain makes of fuel can lower mpg by up to 20%. Engine noise also varies according to fuel, especially at low revs. I have spoken to other CR-V owners, and they agree with my observations... So shop around and see which compromise you prefer. My car is returning an average over 11 months of 43 mpg... not bad for mostly short trips in city. I would recommend the CR-V without reservation.

Responses to this review

I would be interested to know which brand of fuel was found to be the best - John Davenport from England

The quality standards on diesel are very lax compared with those of petrol grades. The same problem can occur with all diesel engines depending on the load of fuel. I fill up 99% of the time at the same pumps and can always tell when its a dodgy fill. Today it’s very good - John thompson from Yorkshire

Honda CR-V CRV ES Auto 2007

I’ve had this car for nearly 2 years and overall it has been a happy experience. The handling on this vehicle is excellent, much more car like than most 4x4’s. I read a comment about the performance from the petrol/auto combination and can only conclude that the author must have been carrying lead bars as it is more than adequate for all situations. My previous cars include a Volvo V70 R and a BMW 750i and whilst it clearly doesn’t match these 2 it has never been found wanting. My only criticism is that the interior plastics could be of a higher standard, they are relatively hard and cheap to the touch.

Honda CR-V good 2008

Noise, turbo. my new Honda CR-V diesel has only done 4100 miles and is on its third turbo and this one is even noisier than the last one but I can not fault my CR-V apart from the turbo. Is this a one off?

Honda CR-V CTDI 2005

This is my second Honda but first CR-V. I decided on a diesel and CR-V having read many of the reviews on this and other sites. It was a fairly high mileage example and was not cheap having the leather upholstery, but the body work and interior was in very good condition. I’m afraid I don’t like the look of the new version. I find it a quiet car, particularly on motorways with plenty of power for normal driving. All the controls fall easily to hand and the handling on winding roads perfectly acceptable with plenty of interior space although I agree it is very "plasticy". The only downside is on the front passenger foot well where it is not possible for an average height person to sit normally with their legs out and heels resting on the carpet, an intrusion onto the well forces anybody but the smallest to bend their knees and keep their feet flat on the floor. So far I get reasonable fuel consumption and am perfectly happy with the car although am about to have the clutch master cylinder replaced as it squeaks like mad. My dealer informs me this is a known problem.

Honda CR-V EX 2008

Was really looking forward to test-driving this vehicle after reading the brochures and what was said about it in reviews. What a great let-down. Tested the EX automatic petrol. Ride was very shuddery on small bumps, more than anything else I have tested - the Tiguan, X-Trail and the Rav4. Build quality is very good. The automatic gearbox was smooth but coupled to the petrol engine made the car utterly pedantic. With 3 passengers on board it struggled to accellerate at all. Honda need to do a big rethink on this engine/gearbox combination, it is not up to the job. The boot annoyed me because there is nowhere to stow the removable upper deck inside the boot, access to the lower deck is impossible with the tonneau cover in place and the upper deck installed. If you want to remove the tonneau cover, it is quite aukward to get out of the car; if you want to stow it away in the car, it’s too long to be put anywhere without getting in the way. The dashboard is easy on the eye and a plus point. In the cabin, rear passengers were not very complimentary about the back seats. The sunroof does not open but consists of two large windows with an electric blind which winds into the central roof bulk head, so retracting the blind opens both front and back blinds equally. This should be independent. Overall, I was not impressed.

Honda CR-V 2.0 i-VTEC ES 2007

Best SUV on the market. I’d have to say that the CR-V really belongs on-road. Everything about the CR-V is well laid out and I really like this as I’d class myself as a neat and orderly and it makes me feel really comfortable and at ease when driving. Honda have made a really safe and handsome car that is reasonably priced.

Honda CR-V 2.0 i-CTDi ES

This is the most comfortable 4x4 in the UK! Visibility is great and there is ample space for both my family and any luggage we need to carry. I feel extremely safe in the CR-V and the reliability has so far not been called into question. I firmly believe that the CR-V is the best in its class and perfect for families of all sizes.

Honda CR-V CDTi EX

Very pleased with this car. Used as towcar for caravan. Powerful and stable with good fuel consumption. Reversing camera brilliant for hitching up caravan. Voice control satnav/radio is a bit gimicky, most functions will never be used. Seating comfortable and nicely elevated. Bags of room especially in the boot, although shelf can’t be folded in half when tonneau cover fitted.

Honda CR-V

This is our second CRV and we are very pleased with it so far, only had it for 4 days. Like the speech commands system and the handsfree for the phone. Love the shape as well, and hope it proves more economical than our previous petrol model.

Responses to this review

Now that you have had your CRV for quite a while are you still as enthusiastic as you were after 4 days? I am thinking of buying a petrol automatic and want to know what the fuel consumption is like and whether or not it powerful enough an engine for an auto gearbox? Thanks - Nick Gras from Sussex

Honda CR-V 2.0 VTEC SE

This is my second CRV, and again Honda have done an excellent job, smooth ride, quite economical and plenty of space. Only downside I can see so far is that the interior is still a bit plasticy!!

Honda CR-V Honda CR-V 22i-CTDi

Very comfortable car and extremely enjoyable to drive, the engine is very quiet for a diesel, just like they say, and fuel consumption so far is good for an engine of this size. Not had it for long so we’ll see how it goes but confident it will continue to please.