Used 2005 Honda CR-V Consumer Reviews

Love this car.

Bought it via internet, at invoice price, after extensive research, and it did not disappoint. The AWD really came in handy during 2005 NYC snowstorms. The car looks great, drives great, very nimble, excellent visibility. Acceleration is a bit slow, but then it is not a sports car. Very comfortable, too, and spacious cargo area. And it is very resilient due to its bumper style: we had an accident, the other car took heavy damage to both right doors, we just got a couple barely noticeable scuff marks on our front bumper. I love this car and during a year of driving it, I never wished I bought something else.

Great Vehicle

Very pleased after 26,000 miles. Bought Honda based on previous experience with Accord, Civic and a few motorcycles. Incredible performance in inclement weather, drives like the pavement is always dry. Excellent cargo and passenger capacity for a small vehicle.

Worth the money

I love my CRV. I will never own another brand vehicle. I have so many positives, so I'll tell others about my negatives. You can't roll down the back windows without hearing a horrible vibration. The exterior panels around the wheel wells are fading to a gray while everything else is black. The intermittent wipers need more variety/speeds. I would like another power outlet up front...for 2 cell phones. POSITIVES- very spacious, drives great, fast acceleration for a 4 cyl.,good gas mileage, quiet. I love my CRV

Honda CRV first 6 months

Purchase in March of 05 have 10089 miles break down 70% interstate 30% city. A few reviews have mentioned a pulling to the right I did take it back to dealer twice. There still seems to be a tendency to pull to the right but this is over a long strech of road. It offers comfortable ride minor road noise and excellent fit and finish. As to performance it is 160 HP with a five speed automatic fwd. When I need to get moving the design of vehicle drops you down from 5th to 3rd gear and you increase about 1200RPM if you are runnig the A/C that is design to go off for time your demanding the HP to accelerate. When done A/C comes back on go back to 5th gear. MPG high 27.24 low 20.41 average 23.38

CRV Quality

My CRV is the first non-domestic vehicle that I've purchased. I've been disappointed in the quality of the big three automakers for over 35 years and my Honda CRV doesn't seem to be much better. I don't know if the fact that my CRV was built in England has anything to do with the defects that I've encountered but it shouldn't matter anyway. This CRV was missing numerous body fasteners from the factory and the rear window glass is defective. The engine is losing coolant internally and the dealer doesn't know where it's going. There is one door that seems to have a problem with the latch.

So So CRV

New SE CRV doesn't live up to hype. MPG rated 23/29. Haven't seen 23 even on flat west Texas highways. You can expect real MPG in teens. Ride and drive harsh. Hope the safety features are not over rated as well. Still worth the money for a SUV. Lot of vehicle for $20k. Bottom line - if MPG is a big issue, buy a car.

Honda CRV:better than expected

I was very skeptical when we bough this vehicle, it was need more that desire. It has turned out to be a great vehicle, lots of room, easy to drive, comfortable front and back. the only ackward thing is the gear shift:it interferes all the time with the windshield wipers

Almost Perfect

I've been researching small SUV's for a few months now and decided to go with the CR-V mainly because I've owned Honda's and always been happy with them. This is a really sharp looking little truck and a lot of fun to drive. I love everything about it with one exception, I wish it had a tad more leg room. I'm 6' tall and I wish the seat moved back another 2" so I could stretch out a bit better on long trips. The gas mileage is good but not as good as they list on their web site. I've been driving like a granny trying to see how good I could do with mileage but I have not gotten very close to the listed mileage yet.

CR-V's are tops

We've had a '97, '01, & now a new 2005 CR-V EX AWD. We think the CR-V is one of the best cars anywhere for the money. The 2005 has more power, is safer (side air bags, stability assist in addition to 4WD), and is an all- around excellent vehicle for urban use & occasional trips. The cargo capacity is huge, mileage is great, no scheduled tune-ups for 100K miles, the engine is a marvel. When American companies start making vehicles of this quality, we'll buy an American car again.

My Blue Honda

I have recently purchased another Honda CR-V in March. I love this vehicle. It is not too big or too small. I enjoy the space it has inside. It does get good gas mileage which is great for me since I do alot of driving. It is easy to drive and very comfortable. I highly recommend this vehicle.

CR-V is there enough driver leg room???

This car rides much like the Accord. I find myself thinking I'm in my old Accord when driving this vehicle. Hanlding is tight and solid. Acceleration and visibility are good. I'm still getting use to the positioning of the gear shift and the emergency break. I would like to see remote keyless entry standard on the LX model. I would also like Honda to put better quailty tires on all their vehicles. I tend not to get very many miles off their tires. Also the CR-V doesn't seem to like to go much over 80 miles/hr. I realize that SUVs and higher speeds are, to a certain degree, mutually exclusive. If you don't have to tow anything and your off-road demands are lite to nill - I recomend.

finally!

I wanted a small SUV to be able to handle taking my dogs to the vet, get up some local snowy hills, provide some "extras" and have good gas mileage. I got it all with the CRV SE. I love the size, the reliability of this make, and price. It fits in the garage and still can handle a load from the local home improvement store. Four adults fit comfortably but five could squeeze if needed. It also reaches a nice middle ground between car and SUV for handling curves and bumps.

Honda crv-love it

It is fun to drive, reliable and functional. There is a lot of room if you need it. The seats fold down very easily.

Very happy with Honda

I own a 2005 Honda CR-V SE and brought it on Nov of 2004 and it's been a great car since the first day I brought it. It's been to seven different states and it's has given me no problems on the road trip. It has 61,500 miles on it now. I also am very happy with the gas mileage, the best gas mileage I ever gotten on the highway was 37 and close to 40 mpg a few times with the AC off going about 60 mph. With the AC on I get about 32 to 34 mpg on the highway. The worst gas mileage I ever gotten was 21 mpg in town but that only happens a few times. It's very easy for me to change my own oil and trans services and i used the best oil like amsoil for improved gas mileages.

Fun to drive

Honda’s are always the best to drive. This car was awesome to drive. It was a smooth and comfortable ride.

Not that great

I can't say this car breaks down a lot but it was cheaply made. I was borrowing my mom's car for a while and I can say right off that my 1998 Chevy Blazer does way better than it. To start with it's not that great in the snow. The four wheel drive does fine, but as far as the ABS goes, it's terrible. ABS is supposed to keep a car from sliding in the snow, but this one, pfft, it slides anyway and instead this VSA thing they installed comes alive when it's not supposed to which is supposed to help the car when it's turning. The other thing about it is safety issues. The breaks aren't great either, they don't stop as fast as other cars do. I mean if you live somewhere where there isn't a lot of snow, I'm sure it's not a bad car. It get's you from A to B doesn't have any horrible engine or tranny issues. But I wouldn't recommend it for snow country.

Disappointed Honda Owner

I bought a brand new 2005 Honda CRV EX Auto AWD after I had a Ford Expedition that constantly broke down. Wanted a reliable car, Unfortunately it hasn't been so great with 53,000 it is broken once again. Lived in all climates from humid in Georgia, snow in Maine and dry heat in California. My 93 Oldsmobile runs better, gets better gas mileage, and is more reliable. I had to replace tires, O2 switch, rotors, and now AC has called it quits. I do the oil changes and maint. on time yet it is sluggish, won't do hills and vinyl on the doors has ripped because back seat not wide enough for three car seats. Disgusted and disappointed in Honda. Dealer doesn't even carry the stock tires! That stinks.

45000 miles later

Bought my CR-V in Dec.of 04, over 45000 miles on it. Biggest complaint is the pulling to the right. Have had it in numerous times and they always say "Its in alignment, even tire wear" OK fine, I can live with it cause I put on Michelin Hydro-edge tires and they find the road groove-crown. I cant get more than 20MPG no matter how hard I try. Noisy ride but reliable. I feel pretty safe, feel safe with wife and kids in it. I just had the tranny oil changed, it was black, should be reddish. Had the rear diff. cleaned- serviced. Trans is smoother I recommend it but its no speedy Cross over Vehicle, more of a reliable all weather ride. Needed tires too at 20K

Overall a good car

I got this suv after totalling a 2004 Honda Civic. I wanted a safe car and this one has really good safety ratings. The A/C is much better than the 04 Civic. The hand brake is in a weird spot, not inconvenient, just an adjustment. I thought that I would get better gas mileage than I am getting. The paint color is the same as the 04 Civic (that dark silvery color) it hides dirt well. I get a lot of glare in the front windshield which is annoying. The seat fabric kind of stinks-I have a dog and ended up with dog hair that would get stuck in the fabric and I had to remove each hair indivually, also I somehow have a couple of stains that won't come out of the black upholstery.

Wouldn't purchase another one

First honda purchased, engine misses out, was told by dealership the missing out is OK, something the CRV engine does. Gas mileage is average 22 miles per gallon. Just not pleased with the car.

A little disappointed in my Honda

After putting up with my Olds Alero for 3 years I wanted to move into a Honda for reliability/refinement reasons. I'm quite disappointed overall. My CR-V drives pretty nicely for a small SUV and meets most expectations, but I've come away very sorry I bought it for a couple of reasons. Most importantly is ride quality, which is just terrible. I'm amazed nobody mentions this, as my CR-V is the worst riding vehicle I'v ever owned. With correct tire pressure this vehicle is brutally stiff over expansion joints and road irregularites. Typical interstate travel feels like driving on braile. Also, I've found the build quality to be un-Honda like. At only 5K miles I have 4 loud/constant rattles.

LOVE IT LOVE IT

I love this car. After researching lots of SUV's I decided on the V & am happy with my decision. I had a corolla & wanted a RAV to stay w/toyota but after driving both there was no comparision & got the V. After 6 mos I still love it. I'm disappointed w/gas mileage I've been getting 18-20 I did get one trip of 25 straight hwy driving. It's a comfy ride & has good get up&go. The only dislikes I have are the mileage which is lower than advertised & that I can't lock the car with the doors open. It's pain to have keys in my hand along with other things instead of being able to lock it first & put keys in my purse & have more hands. I've left my car unlocked several times accidently due to this

Seat Belts and Honda Saved My Family

My wife and kids got into an accident where my CR-V was declared "totaled." A 2003 MDX swerved in front my CR-V and was T-boned. My family walked away with some bruised shoulders and hips, but nothing more. The safety personnel at the crash site repeatedly stated that the Honda did was it was built to do (e.g., crumple zone, and the engine dropped). Thank you Honda for a superbly built automobile.

CRV- 2004

CRV has plenty of power for an SUV of it's size.It is very comfortable. It does have a below average ride, though. you cannot talk over the noise when on rough roads. Also, the CRV is a little bit noisy in the front-end when manuevering in a close area such as in a parking lot. Also, noisey windows when lowering or raising.

2005 CR-V EX

Nice exterior design. Interior is OK. Head light is good at night. There is no coin holder/draw. Fun to drive. Engine power is good enough for a small SUV. Road noise is a bit loud on highway but still acceptable. Engine is quiet except loud humm noise between 1800-1900 rpm. The service manager at said it is normal for 2005 model. There is a problem with pull to the right which Honda dealer was unable to fix it after 3 trips to service department. On the fourth trip they said they tried every thing and nothing they could do.

Crv

Air bag warning light my be under warranty check with Honda dealer

Steering

The 2005 Honda CRV fwdr constantly pulls to the right when accelerating. This means that you must hold the steering wheel to the left to go straight. I am pursuing lemon law for not being told by Honda of this defect.

CR-V Best Built in its class

If you're the type that drives cars long after the payments are over, this is definitely the car for you. It costs less to own over five years than its competitors because its virtually maintenance free thanks to a timing chain instead of a timing belt. The oil change interval is 5K miles and the first tune up is at 100K miles. Extremely easy to drive and will handle off-road, but prefers pavement. The interior is spacious and cargo is generous - carries a mountain bike with rear seats folded down. Sleek sporty design takes you from a soccer game to a night on the town. Lots of extra features available a la carte. Best deal for your money, hands down, and fun to own so you'll keep it.

2005 Honda CR-V owners rating

Sorry to Report

I read up on recommended vehicles and chose the '05 CRV based on the Consumer Report recommendation. Also, in the past, I've driven many Hondas and known many Honda owners that were very happy with their Hondas. Unfortunately, I ended up with an '05 CRV with the dreaded Pull To The Right (pttr) syndrome. After taking it back to Honda 3 times for reapir (that did not remedy the problem) and contacting the Honda Manufacturer directly, the Honda Manufacturer most receently stated that '05 CRVs are known to "drift." Bottom Line: I am stuck with a faulty vehicle that Honda now wants nothing to do with. Other than the pttr, the vehicle was everything I expected.

Not the quality I expected

After much review I opted for the CRV Special Edition. I had driven a Camry and loved the ride. My CRV still feels awkward. The road noise is horrible, reminds me of my 76 Pinto! I am looking for a replacement. The AWD is what lured me to the CRV.

Lemon

Numerous electrical problems. On slippery and snowy conditions, the AWD does not engage, and got stuck. The shifter also gets stuck frequently, and is awkward to operate. After spending more time in the shop than on the road, my battle with this thing finally came to an end during a snow storm. While doing only about 20 mph, the back end kicked out (again, AWD didn't engage) I lost control and went off the road into a tree. Thanks to the unibody frame and poor impact zones, I came out with a cracked head and some broken ribs. The only saving grace of the ordeal is that the stupid car was totalled.

Worst Car I have ever owned

Purchased new in Oct of 2005 and can't wait to get rid of it. VERY uncomfortable to drive any amount of time over 1.5 hours. Road noise is VERY pronounced. Interior materials are substandard - very easy to mark plastics & can never remove these marks through cleaning or rubbing. The radio is starting to malfunction. Sun visors will not stay up against the windshield. Thus, I have to point the visor toward my face in order to block the sun & drive at the same time. The auto transmission does not shift smoothly - first gear is geared too low. Hey Honda, how about making the oil capacity either 4 or 5 quarts, NOT 4.4! No more Honda vehicles for me.

Ugliest car ever and worst sound system ever

I absolutely hate this car! It is very ugly and the speakers are horrible! If you want to roll down the windows and listen to music....think again, no matter how loud you turn up the radio and the bass, you will not hear the radio with the windows down. This is a very awful car, and I would not recommend it to anyone. If you want to be happy, buy a different car.

Serious safety flaw in VSA system of CRV

I was in a severe accident, because of the VSA system. I was on the onramp and there was a sharp turn, when I tried to comply with the turn, the VSA took over and turned the vehicle the other way, and I hit the guard rail, almost totalling the car. Be very careful I was lucky to walk away, with any major injury. I was slow enough that the airbags did not even deploy.

Worth Every Penny!

We compared the Subaru Forester and the CR-V. The Forester had a bit more pick- up, but was such a "wagon-style." The CR-V put you in a commanding position without compromising design, safety, nor gas milage! Honda did an excellent job redesigning an already great model. The ride is smooth, but road noise is pronnouced. This can be corrected by purchasing better tires (comon' Honda, Duellers are NOT the best tires in the world) such as the Goodyear Assurance, or the Regatta II's. Storage space in and around the cockpit is exceptional, the cargo bay can fit 2 large dogs (65 each) comfortably and easily. The lowered rear deck is very accomodating for easy access into the back.

Nice car!

This is a very good option to who want a Compact-suv, Good on comfort but could be a little better , all season car. Well, seems that the engeneiring could be a little more strong but is enough for the 4 cylinders present on this car. I recommend this vehicle !

Love It

This is my 1st Honda ever and I am trying to figure out why I haven't bought one before this. This is a very fun vehicle to drive nice quite smooth ride. The price on it can't be beat. The only thing I don't care to much for is the comfort of the seats, they are firm, need to be a little more plush just like the vehicle is. The vehicle is a Very Classy Smaller SUV. I highly recommend if you have a family of 4 plenty of space for all. We esepcially love the picnic table and the sunroof. 4 1/2 stars for us (again just because of the firmness) that's all.

Great SUV for a great price

Excellent SUV in terms of safety, efficiency, reliability, performance, handling and comfort. Safety maximized by dual front, dual side, and dual side curtain airbags; vehicle stability assist, all-wheel drive, and ergonomically sophisticated design. Accelerates well with the large bore 4 cyl engine, getting 22 city/27 hwy mpg, able to turn on a dime, but with a solid handling in turns, hills, wet weather, and snow. On road, they look small, but inside, they are cavernous - amazing! The roof rack and running board options give it a sporty, functional appearance. Very nice SUV.

Love my CRV

I've had the crv for 13 months now its great. Incredible power out of a 4 cylinder very impressed.Wife says it rides like a car unlike minivan she drove before. would recomend to others.

4th Honda since 1990

This is our 4th Honda and we are very pleased with all of them. We didn't even consider another auto maker when we purchased this CR-V 2005. The previous Honda's were Accords, 4 dr. & 2 dr.

Highly versatile

The versatility of this Midsize SUV is amazing. I've done some advanced off-roading (although not recommended) because I wanted to see what the SUV could handle and I was very impressed. The mileage on this SUV separates it from other competitors. I average around 25 mpg and with the cost of gas in SoCal near 2.50 right now I'm not disappointed with its lack of V6 power. Very recommended. In its first year I have had zero problems. Thanks Honda.

Good Choice For An SUV

I have found that this SUV is very comfortable, easy to handle, has decent gas mileage, and is fun to drive.For what you get with the price you can't beat it with other SUVs.

My first Honda

We traded our 2000 S40 Volvo for a CRV SE. We need more room and a vehicle that was less maintenance intensive. I miss my turbo and sport car handling however the CRV is a fun vehicle to drive. Honda has made a midsize SUV for a reasonable price. I enjoy the steering wheel controls and the materials used in the vehicle are as nice as some of the more pricey SUV’s. I commute and needed a fuel-efficient car that was comfortable to drive with luxuries found in the higher end cars and Honda has delivered. We love the car thus far!

Great Car Lousy Tires

I was surprised to find good power and handling with this small vehicle. I hope it will have a better resale value. My local dealer balanced the tires twice but I still find going over 60 mph is noisy and rough. Equipped with bridgestone duellers.

luv that new "V"

I bought this vehicle because I was too cramped in a regular car--causing medical problems from my long commute. Indeed it is a great balance between the added room and comfort and the lack of the need for a private oil well that comes with some SUV's! Nice exterior look, and a great, smooth drive.The interior is a bit plain and "trucky"-- some curvier lines in the dashboard and more luxurious cloth for the upholstery might solve this problem. I bought the AWD for added assurance in bad weather---drove very well on flooded roads I encountered just after purchase--need to wait til next year for snow. Despite the good mileage for an SUV, it could use a bigger gas tank.

CRV ***5 STARS***

I am a former Civic owner and purchased my CRV last year and I love it! It handles so much better than my Civic and it's fun to drive. It is virtualy maintainence free with scheduled oil chnages every 5,000 miles or 6 months. I think that it's the best in its class.

This ain't no Trooper, thankfully.

Replaced our '99 Trooper. We gave up space but got economy and refinement in return. The CRV is really fun and easy to drive. It is quiet and smooth highway speeds. There's no unsettling feeling go through long sweeping turns as in the Trooper.

2005 Honda CR-V

I've owned this vehicle for a little over five months and all i can say is that i've fallen in love with it..I prevously owned the 2000 crv and passed it on with 80,000 miles and never a problem to speak of...This 2005 model seems to being heading in the same direction...Just love everything about it; except the rear middle seat safety strap with comes down from the rear ceiling near the back door. I feel it's unsightly and awkwardly placed.

I love my second Honda

My CR-V SE is my second Honda vehicle. I have known that I wanted an CR-V for over two years. But even I was surprised at how absolutely delightful the 2005 is. One should not feel this way about an inanimate object. Oh, there are one or two little things I would change ... slightly wider arm rests; gradient intermittent windshield wipers; standard transmission not available... But the good stuff outweighs these little things, and there is a lot of good stuff! A great driving experience. I expect to have it a long time.