CR-V bridges the gap

Honda’s CR-V has grown more stylish since its introduction more than a decade ago (it was introduced in 1997), with its body panels pressed into ever more eye-catching forms and its interior aesthetics improving as the hot-selling, segment-defining small ute evolved.

The CR-V earned its reputation (and enviable brand loyalty) by providing a thoroughly capable, one-vehicle-fits-all solution to almost everyone’s daily-life requirements. It bridges all the gaps between “car” and “truck” body styles, and matches the best features of both.

Changes for 2010 are minor and the vehicle still wears the sheetmetal of the third-generation redesign, which distanced it from the squared-off truck-like appearance of the original.

The test model I’m driving, an EX with navigation package (perhaps I should refer to it as the “2010 CR-V 4WD EX-L Navi,” because I enjoy gobbledygook) sports the moulded front end and teardrop side windows (first seen on 2007 models) that ensure it won’t be mistaken for anything else on the road.

It rides on new-look 17-inch alloy wheels and, in the case of my Autonet test car, Honda’s branded RealTime four-wheel drive, which comes in particularly handy.

Everything is kept simple and easy with the CR-V and there is no challenge to operating any of the onboard systems. Even with the EX-L’s extra layer of tech (navigation system and Bluetooth hands-free link, primarily) a driver can find all adjustments without cracking the manual.

A touchscreen interface eliminates the fiddly-ness of some other manufacturers’ systems (including those you will find in Acura vehicles, Honda’s luxury arm), and completes the welcoming feel of the cabin.

The interior is comfortable and slanted toward the “carlike” end of the scale. If you spring for the upper trim level of my test car (which took the MSRP to over $36,000), black leather upholstery wraps the seating. The higher sightlines that many SUV and crossover ute buyers love provide very good visibility in city traffic.

With a suspension that has been tuned to also approximate a family-sedan ride and good sound insulation throughout the cabin, passengers I put in both seat rows of my test model gave it a thumbs up.

I find the steering feel to be a little light and numb as it has been tuned to appeal to the widest range of drivers, but that may be because I’m a spoiled media geek who gets to drive a lot of more expensive vehicles targeted at a different audience. I’ve spoken to a number of owners, and they like it.

A 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine gives the CR-V (in any trim) enough power to be adequate. It’s not sporty by any stretch, and the climb from zero to 100 km/h for a highway merge takes a little long for my taste, but the vehicle manages not feel scarily underpowered.

For 2010, the engine has been goosed with extra horsepower and torque (a total of 180 and 161 lb.-ft., respectively), and Honda claims better fuel economy. My EX-L seems to be living up to this — I’ve calculated 9.6 L/100 km in my time in it so far, which is actually better than its stated fuel economy in city driving.

Overall, Honda’s successful small ute strikes the all-important balance that defines the segment: better cargo handling than a sedan, better passenger space than a small truck and stylish enough to take anywhere. And, with the additional all-wheel drive of the EX-L I am using for this review, it does prove to be an all-in-one daily driver.

Taking the entire line-up into consideration, pricing runs from mid-twenties to mid-thirties. Based on past models and Honda’s reputation for quality (and resale value), the CR-V is a great bet.