2017 Honda CR-V: What's It Like to Live With?
The Honda CR-V is America's top-selling compact crossover. We've brought one to drive for a year and 20,000 miles to find out if it's a bold enough redesign to remain at the head of the pack.
What do you want to know about?
Miles Driven: 42,439
Average MPG: 27.3
- Introduction
- Altering Memory Settings for Multiple Drivers
- Monthly Update for April 2017
- Monthly Update for May 2017
- Monthly Update for June 2017
- Monthly Update for July 2017
- Monthly Update for August 2017
- Monthly Update for September 2017
- Monthly Update for October 2017
- Monthly Update for November 2017
- Monthly Update for December 2017
- Monthly Update for January 2018
- Monthly Update for March 2018
- Monthly Update for April 2018
- Monthly Update for May 2018
- Monthly Update for June 2018
- Monthly Update for July 2018
- Monthly Update for August 2018
- Monthly Update for November
- Monthly Update for December
- Monthly Update for January 2019
- Monthly Update for March 2019
- Monthly Update for April 2019
- Monthly Update for July 2019
- Monthly Update for September 2019
- Wrap-Up
Introduction
What Did We Buy?
Twenty years ago when SUVs like the Chevy Tahoe and Ford Explorer began to overrun American roads, the Honda CR-V cut a niche for itself as a smaller alternative to the large fuel chuggers. Smart interior design atop a Civic chassis let the CR-V tackle most tasks demanded by a family of four while maintaining a lively driving experience and a reasonable fuel bill.
That the CR-V has remained in production for 20 years with only minimal changes to the formula is a testament to how well Honda nailed the original design. Buyers have responded by making the CR-V the reigning best-seller among compact crossovers.
There are a few new tricks up the 2017 Honda CR-V's sleeve for this fifth-generation model. An optional turbocharged engine is the big one. Previous generations offered just one four-cylinder engine. Now there's a choice between either the base 2.4-liter four-cylinder or the optional 1.5-liter turbocharged engine.
Less obvious is all the new hardware underneath. It's still based on the Civic, but it's a larger chassis that rides slightly higher. Revised styling keeps it modern-looking on the outside while upgraded connectivity technology assures that it feels modern on the inside.
All of which makes the new CR-V a formidable competitor. Where we might've expected Honda to make only modest updates to an already hot-selling vehicle, the automaker responded with an Olympian long jump to get in front of its rivals.
How far in front? That's what we hope to find out over the next 12 months and 20,000 miles.
What Options Does It Have?
The CR-V comes in five familiar trim levels: LX, EX, EX-L, EX-L with Navigation, and Touring. All-wheel drive is an option on all trims.
We opted for an EX-L with Navigation, which gives us the new turbo engine (190 horsepower, 179 pound-feet of torque), a continuously variable automatic transmission, 18-inch wheels and a sunroof, along with additional upgrades such as leather upholstery, heated front seats, a power liftgate, a 7-inch touchscreen tech interface, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto compatibility, an 8-speaker audio system and a navigation system.
Also included on the EX-L is a suite of safety and driver aids, such as a rearview camera with dynamic guidelines, automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning and intervention, adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking. The adaptive cruise in our recent long-term Civic drove us a little nuts, although we liked that you could toggle between adaptive and standard cruise modes. We're curious to see if it's calibrated any better in the CR-V.
Buying our CR-V was dead easy, given Honda's no-options pricing. Aside from the navigation system that's offered on the EX, you simply pick the trim level with the features that best meet your needs. We considered an all-wheel-drive model to match up with our Escape, but not many were available in our area.
We settled on a front-wheel-drive EX-L with an MSRP of $31,135. After negotiating with Galpin Honda in nearby San Fernando, we bought it for $29,700 before tax.
Why We Bought It
Automakers don't typically get in the way of a sure thing. We write in our review of the new CR-V that we would have understood if Honda made a few subtle design changes and called it a day. But instead the company took a proactive approach, seeking to keep its competitive advantage through a bold overhaul.
That's no small risk for a company's second best-selling product, especially in a hypercompetitive compact crossover class with excellent alternatives from Chevrolet, Ford, Mazda, Nissan, Toyota, and just about every other automaker. Crossovers, compact and otherwise, are now officially the preferred choice for American buyers, outpacing even midsize family sedans.
We'll put the CR-V through the usual trials with our dogs, kids, surfboards, bikes, plants, lumber, coolers and camping gear. And thanks to our long-term Ford Escape, we'll have a great reference point along the way.
Follow the CR-V's progress on our long-term road test page for our latest thoughts and impressions of this 2017 Honda CR-V.
Edmunds purchased this vehicle for the purpose of evaluation.
One of the features added to the 2017 Honda CR-V when you upgrade from the EX to the EX-L trim level is seat-position memory settings. It allows you to set the driver seat just right and assign it to one of the two memory buttons for easy recall in the event it gets moved by someone else.
The CR-V also has what it calls "Memory Position Link" enabled by default. This feature ties memory settings to the key fob. In a nutshell, if you use Key 1, the seat settings are tied to memory button 1 and the seat automatically adjusts to those settings when you unlock the car. A secondary driver has Key 2 and does the same thing with memory button 2.
The problem arises when you have a third driver. That person enters the car, gets the driver seat positioned just so and leaves. Upon reentry, the seat moves back to the position tied to the key. With our staff of 20-plus drivers, that means nearly everyone will come back to the CR-V and curse the gods because they forgot to alter the memory settings. I took it upon myself to disable the feature to mitigate future aggravation. Here's how to do it.
From the CR-V's home screen, tap "Settings," then "Vehicle," "Driving Position Setup," "Memory Position Link" and finally "Off." If you've got more than two drivers in the house, do this for your sake and theirs. It'll prevent the third (and fourth) driver from constantly making adjustments throughout the day or from overriding your settings in frustration. It's not difficult to push the memory button manually when you open the door.
Monthly Update for April 2017
Where Did We Drive It?
The redesigned 2017 Honda CR-V has been in our long-term fleet for a month and a half now, and our editors wasted no time adding nearly 5,000 miles to its odometer. Its early days were spent commuting and prepping the Introduction post, which included a photo shoot along the coastline.
After it passed the engine break-in period, Director of Vehicle Testing Dan Edmunds drove it to Oregon to visit family. Finally, we took it to the track for a standard round of performance testing (look for results in an upcoming post). Sometime in between all that, I disabled the driver-seat memory settings before negative comments popped up in the logbook.
What Kind of Fuel Economy Did It Get?
Dan set this month's fuel economy record of 38.9 mpg on the final leg of his return trip from Oregon. The fill (Chowchilla to Orange County) was the second of three fills this month to break the EPA's highway rating of 34 mpg. Overall, the CR-V averaged 29.9 mpg over the course of the month (March's fills are also included in the average below).
Average lifetime mpg: 28
EPA mpg rating: 30 combined (28 city/34 highway)
Best fill mpg: 38.9
Best range: 425.5 miles
Current odometer: 4,770 miles
Maintenance and Upkeep
None.
Logbook Highlights
Performance
"As much as I like Honda's overachieving 1.5-liter turbo, it's not quick off the line. Floor the accelerator from a stop in the CR-V and you're typically met with nothing, then a sloowwww ramp up to 4,000-plus rpm, and now you're surfing on that distinctive turbo-CVT wave. It can be an agonizingly long wait when you're trying to shoot a gap in traffic. I have no issues with this powertrain's responsiveness at speed, but I'd be wishing for more initial get-up-and-go if I owned a CR-V." — Josh Sadlier, content strategist
"Points to the CR-V for its powertrain. I never thought the day would come when I actually enjoyed a four-cylinder-CVT pairing, but the Civic proved me wrong. The same goes for this combo in the CR-V. It's smooth under natural acceleration and when you put your foot down, even at highway speeds, the CR-V is happy to propel forward with force." — Cameron Rogers, associate editor
Comfort
"My short-waisted passenger told me she couldn't see over the dashboard. I asked her if she could find a height adjustment among the power seat controls. Nope. This is one of the more frustrating little cost-cutting measures, and it's quite common. Depriving the front passenger of a height adjustment when the driver has one just seems like undue punishment. Why doesn't Honda spend the extra few bucks and make both front passengers feel first-class?" — Josh Sadlier
"What is with these seat cushions? The cushion is very short, only extending about halfway along my thigh and leaving a whole lot of leg unsupported. On top of that, the tilt function only raises or lowers the front of the cushion instead of tilting the whole thing. There's a lot to recommend the CR-V, but longer-legged drivers (I'm an even 6 feet tall) are not going to be particularly happy about the seats." — Will Kaufman, associate automotive editor
"Even when tilted all the way up, the steering column sits too low. It requires a few moments of awkward maneuvering to swing my right leg under the column to get into the seat." — Cameron Rogers
Interior
"I'm not sure I'm sold on the interior design, which is very similar to the Civic. Now, I like the design in the Civic, but for some reason it doesn't seem like it works as well in the CR-V. In the Civic, it seems appropriately sporty. In the CR-V, it looks a little too fussy. Maybe I'm just used to seeing SUVs that always lean toward simplicity and practicality over design. I'll be interested to see if it grows on me over time." — Ed Hellwig, senior editor
"The CR-V has a neat feature that many parents will appreciate: the ability to mount a child seat in the center. Most vehicles only offer LATCH anchors on the outboard seats, so, if you'd like to put your kiddo in the safest spot, you need to use the seat belt, which is much harder to do correctly.
"The Honda delivers on this promise of easy middle-row child seat anchoring, but it's not all roses. First, the hump in the rear is a little more pronounced than I'd expect, which had my seat at a funky angle the first time I tried to lock it down. Next, the rear anchors aren't in the dead center. They're offset a bit. This means that while the seat is in the nice, safe middle, it doesn't really leave much room for people to flank the seats. It effectively takes up the middle and then a chunk of the rear side seat. That's fine if you've only got the child seat back there. Less fine if you were hoping to carry more humans.
"Overall that's a small price to pay. I'm still happy to recommend this to any new parents." — Mike Magrath, content strategist
"The nature of my commute means I don't always get to drive our cars at night. Last night in the CR-V was an exception, and I had some issues. The gauge and infotainment screens were too bright, both remaining in their daytime settings. I figured out how to manually switch the infotainment screen over to night mode but could not, for the life of me, figure out how to dim the gauge cluster. I wound up driving with both hands at 12 o'clock so my arms would block the light.
"I looked at the manual later, and it turns out that twisting the trip computer stalk adjusts the brightness of the gauge screen. There's no labeling on or near the stalk, so that's just one of those things you have to know.
"Still, it's a little frustrating that in an otherwise pretty thoughtfully put-together car, especially one with automatic headlights, both bright screens in the cabin need to be manually switched over when it's dark out." — Will Kaufman
Technology-Audio
"Honda's touchscreen interface continues to frustrate, though there's a physical volume knob now. Whee." — Cameron Rogers
Cargo Space
"The CR-V's cargo area can effortlessly fit one Calvin Kim, but it cannot contain him." — Cameron Rogers
Miscellaneous
"I went to the media launch event for the new CR-V and wrote a First Drive review that I worried was a bit over the top in its praise. I'm usually pretty immune to the Kool-Aid on these events, but man, was this thing really that good? I wasn't sure. But now that we've got a long-termer and I've had it for a couple nights, I can tell you that I stand behind every word of that review. This thing really is gonna be hard for us to criticize. For years the CR-V was just a highly effective driving appliance, but now there's turbo quickness and a touch of gotta-have-it style, too. If this isn't the best small crossover SUV right now, tell me what's better and why. It's gonna be a tough argument to win." — Josh Sadlier
"The lack of available features is a real oversight. Most competitors offer goodies like ventilated front seats, heated rears, a panoramic sunroof, a 360-degree camera and parking sensors. These aren't available on any CR-V trim." — Cameron Rogers
"The CR-V has twice now given false TPMS alerts. The first time it was halfway through our evaluation loop, the second was the following day on my drive home. I recalibrated the system after verifying the pressures were correct with a gauge each time. This is frustrating for a few reasons. One, the alert reads 'Tire Pressures Low,' which isn't super unhelpful. Which tire(s), and by how much? Two, it's a potential safety issue. I can see the frequency of false positives becoming a bit like 'The Boy Who Cried Wolf.' What happens when the pressures actually drop by a margin that affects vehicle stability? An uneducated driver might ignore the alert because it may be the third time they've seen it that week. That's not good, and could be avoided by using the type of pressure monitoring employed by most automakers." — Carlos Lago, senior writer
Monthly Update for May 2017
Where Did We Drive It?
Our long-term 2017 Honda CR-V spent most of the May tooling around the Los Angeles basin, primarily serving duty as a commuter. That means lots of city driving, with no long trips to balance things out. Nevertheless, it racked up nearly 1,700 miles in the process.
This month, we found several impressive things about the CR-V and a few other details that made us scratch our heads. No vehicle is perfect, after all.
What Kind of Fuel Economy Did It Get?
It's still early days with the CR-V, so its long-term fuel economy has yet to plateau. Due to all of the commuter slogs it endured this month, the observed fuel economy dipped significantly compared to April, dropping from 29.9 mpg last month to 26.4 mpg for May. This was enough to drop its running lifetime average fuel economy to 27.6 mpg.
We expect that the next couple of months' results will solidify the CR-V's lifetime fuel economy, with subsequent months only barely altering the trend.
Average lifetime mpg: 27.6
EPA mpg rating: 30 combined (28 city/34 highway)
Best fill mpg: 38.9
Best range: 425.5 miles
Current odometer: 6,456 miles
Maintenance and Upkeep
None.
Logbook Highlights
Comfort
"It is hard to describe how impressed I am by the new 2017 Honda CR-V. As a guy who has driven countless CR-Vs over the last 16 years, this iteration, by far, is my favorite. The acceleration is smoother and quieter, the ride is more compliant and the tech seamless. Combine that with an upscale interior, and you have an absolute win in my book.
"I've always suggested shoppers hoping to get into the Honda brand get the Accord if they were looking for comfort and the CR-V for utility. Now, I think the CR-V can make a case as being every bit as comfortable as the Accord, but still have the space and ride height many of today's shoppers clamor for. Well done." — Matt Jones, senior editor, retail experience
"The CR-V's console bin lid makes a loud squeak/click when you lift your elbow off it. Every time. Sounds chintzy. Our Ford Escape does a very similar thing. Has center console bin lid technology regressed in recent years? Is this the first domino to fall in humankind's backslide to life as ocean-dwelling single-celled organisms? Stay tuned. ..." — Jason Kavanagh, engineering editor
Maintenance
"I was greeted with a 'Maintenance Due Soon' alert when I started up the CR-V this morning. The meter says we have 15 percent oil life remaining before it is due for an A1 service (A: change oil, B: rotate tires). So we'll be calling for an appointment soon." — Mike Schmidt, senior manager of vehicle testing
Miscellaneous
"My daughter has a second-generation CR-V, so getting into the newest version is quite an eye opener. It feels huge compared to the earlier model even though it's not really that much bigger. Obviously, the control layout is much different and there are way more features in the new CR-V, but after I was behind the wheel for a couple hours it started to feel very familiar. Everything is still laid out so it's right at hand without stretching. There's great visibility in all directions, and it handles exactly the way you would expect. These are all the things that make my daughter love her 'old' CR-V so much, and they are no doubt the things that make current buyers flock to the latest version." — Ed Hellwig, executive editor
"It's pretty sad that a so-called utility vehicle can be flummoxed by grass. When I open the CR-V's passenger front door while parked along the curb near my house, the corner of the door scrapes the grass on the road verge. This limits how far you can open the door, sure. Since the CR-V's door lower edge is plastic, at least paint isn't being scraped off.
"But things get worse when you attempt to close this door. That same piece of plastic doesn't simply reverse direction smoothly. Instead, thanks to its flexible nature, it levers itself more forcefully into the grass, attempting to stand upright. Basically, it digs in farther. The door is stuck. This is when you apply cursing and pull up on the door handle in an attempt to ease the door away from the grass. All this, just to load a passenger when parked on a street that has a standard-height curb with grass planted nearby. Sheesh." — Jason Kavanagh
Where Did We Drive It?
Is the shine starting to wear off? Maybe that's a bit strong, but our long-term 2017 Honda CR-V drew some criticism this month after a couple months of generally positive first impressions. We mostly used the CR-V for commuting, and its cabin noise, transmission performance and automatic emergency braking system all garnered less than favorable comments.
It wasn't all bad, though, as the CR-V's undeniably superb versatility and clever interior design continued to earn praise. Still, it'll be interesting to chart our feelings about this Honda as time goes on and familiarity deepens. Speaking for myself, I got out of the CR-V and into our long-term Ford Escape for a night, and I was struck by how quiet and refined the Ford seemed by comparison. Honda's got some great fundamentals here, but we're finding some foibles, too.
What Kind of Fuel Economy Did It Get?
We refueled the CR-V five times in June, pouring in 52.4 gallons over the course of 1,374.8 miles. That comes out to an average of 26.3 mpg, which lowered our lifetime average just a tad. Overall, we're nearly 10 percent shy of the EPA's 30-mpg estimate in mixed driving.
Average lifetime mpg: 27.2
EPA mpg rating: 30 combined (28 city/34 highway)
Best fill mpg: 38.9
Best range: 425.5 miles
Current odometer: 8,155 miles
Maintenance and Upkeep
Ron Montoya took the CR-V in for its first service around the 7,200-mile mark. It was an A1 service, which includes an oil change (but oddly no filter change, Ron notes; that's part of the B service) and tire rotation. This particular dealership slipped in a bottle of zMAX engine treatment, which added $20 to the bill. Total cost with parts, labor and tax came to $117.18.
Logbook Highlights
Performance
"Just had a disconcerting introduction to the Honda Sensing safety suite. While connecting from an overpass onto another freeway, the car about 30 feet in front of me got hard on its brakes to avoid rear-ending a last-second lane-changer. I saw the play developing and went for the brakes, but not in a panic. The CR-V must have determined that I wasn't applying enough braking force, or early enough braking force, and decided to assist me. It assisted with hard, abrupt braking. If I was braking at 60 percent, the car boosted it to about 80 percent. Not enough to chirp the tires or leave stripes, but enough that I saw the eyes of the X5 driver behind me widen as he made an evasive maneuver toward the shoulder. The brakes continued to hold even after I'd lifted from the pedal and tried to dab in some throttle to get moving again. It was an unsettling pause in momentum. I didn't dig the feeling of computer-induced panic at all." — Dan Frio, automotive editor
"Honda humorously adds an S mode, ostensibly for 'Sport,' between the CVT shift lever's Drive and Low modes. It splits the difference between the slow, soggy transmission response of D and the sharp, shrill reaction of L. Suggesting there's some Sport involved is cheeky; it's more like Survival since I find this is the only setting that's useful for getting in and out of your own way on the highway. But it's also high-strung, noisy and just not very pleasant when you need to get on it. There's been an enthusiast campaign to save manual transmissions from extinction. Do we need one now to save regular, quietly serving six-speed automatics, too?" — Dan Frio
Cargo Space
"I rarely hear people talk about how convenient the CR-V is for dogs. The cargo area's point of entry is low enough that most able-bodied canines will be able to hop in easily. But people with smaller dogs, or dogs who need a hand getting in and out, are sure to appreciate the low position, because less lifting is always a good thing. Also, folding the rear seats down is as easy as pulling a lever. With those rear seats dropped, the flat-ish cargo area is large enough that a trio of dogs could hang out and not be lying on top of each other. Before the dog came along, I would have never considered the cargo area as a place to carry anything other than ... cargo. Now that a dog is part of the equation, I have a new appreciation for the design of the CR-V's rear hatch." — Matt Jones, senior consumer advice editor
Interior
"I'm disappointed by how the CR-V's shift lever feels when you slot it into Drive, or attempt to do so. There's no tangible indication that Drive is any different from the other detents, so I find myself looking at the lever each time to make sure, lest I inadvertently end up in Neutral or L or something. Also, the movement between detents feels cheap and clunky to me. Seems like Honda didn't have time to design this shifter with the company's usual attention to detail." — Josh Sadlier
"The CR-V features this odd center-console storage arrangement, which is like open-air storage with an L-shaped sliding tray acting as a kind of cover. It's weird and took me awhile to get accustomed to it, but it turns out to be a pretty useful way to stash things out of sight and out of the way while the grippy rubber-lined tray keeps phones, wallets and keys from moving around. The sliding armrest ices the cake on this ingenious little system." — Dan Frio
Comfort
"Wind noise seems to be a deeply ingrained Honda trait, at least for Civic-based platforms. At highway speeds, airflow pours over the front glass, pillars and mirrors, with an accompanying sustained orchestral whoosh pouring into the cabin right along with it. It's a little disproportionate to how nice the rest of the cabin feels." — Dan Frio
"As a driver of average height, I find getting in and out of a CR-V incredibly easy. Not much bending, climbing or squatting is required, and sliding my butt onto the seat doesn't take much effort. I know I'm not covering new ground here — anybody who is familiar with the CR-V knows that simple in-and-outs have been the CR-V's calling card for the past umpteen years." — Matt Jones
Miscellaneous
"Best CR-V yet. For comfort, ergonomics and little driver-friendly touches, it's like a mini Odyssey. Firm seats with great support, nice cabin materials and build quality, room for driver and passengers to spread out. You'd expect Honda to continue refining its top player with each generation, but this feels like a statement to the rest of the field. Granted, we're driving the top trim and expect to see the car at its best. But it feels like Honda took a longer stride than usual with this one, and not 'just enough' to maintain its market position." — Dan Frio
Monthly Update for July 2017
Where Did We Drive It?
In addition to the usual commuting duties, our long-term 2017 Honda CR-V took a trip down to San Diego for the July Fourth weekend. In the process, some of the usual complaints and praises surfaced. We also spent a few days filming a model review video, which will eventually show up on our YouTube channel.
What Kind of Fuel Economy Did It Get?
Since our last update, we added another 1,446 miles to the odometer of our CR-V. It averaged 26.6 mpg for the month. That's lower than our lifetime average, but not enough to affect our overall lifetime tally. Our best single tank in terms of mileage and range hasn't changed either. We're still hovering just below the EPA's city estimate and missing the combined figure by about 10 percent.
Average lifetime mpg: 27.2
EPA mpg rating: 30 combined (28 city/34 highway)
Best fill mpg: 38.9
Best range: 425.5 miles
Current odometer: 9,601 miles
Maintenance and Upkeep
None.
Logbook Highlights
Performance
"I drove our Honda CR-V all over Los Angeles and San Diego County this holiday weekend. The ride quality was comfortable, there was more than enough passing power from the 1.5-liter engine, and the minor steering inputs the car made on its own while in cruise control made it even easier to drive." — Ron Montoya, senior consumer advice editor
Technology-Audio
"The steering wheel volume adjustment button works in two ways. You can either press it at the top or bottom or swipe your finger along the small grooves. Problem is, it's too sensitive. I've lowered the volume without intending to and wanted to raise it slightly, and instead put it up too loud. I'd much prefer a more tactile knob that rolls or the dial on the stereo." — Ron Montoya
"Whoever turned off the CR-V's forward collision alert warning signal is a hero. This is one of the most sensitive Chicken Little systems I've ever seen in a car. The only thing more irritating than the typical glut of Los Angeles drivers cutting in and out of traffic or stopping short is the CR-V's warning system blaring every 30 seconds or so. I was cut off for the first of many times that day, braked and noticed the Warning signal in the IP. No incessant beeps, though. Somebody disabled it. I love you, unknown hero." — Cameron Rogers, associate editor
Interior
"I'm not a fan of the CR-V's fuel gauge. The indicator bars are a very muted gray that blend in with the interior plastic. The actual bar that shows you the level can't be more than 2 mm tall and is hard to see at a glance while driving. I'll stick to the range estimate on the center display." — Ron Montoya
Monthly Update for August 2017
Where Did We Drive It?
This month our 2017 Honda CR-V handled daily driver duty, lugging tired Edmunds editors back home from the Santa Monica office at the end of a long day. The news this month is all about smartphone integration — a desperately important feature in L.A. traffic. I know for me it's second only to an extendable sun visor. So when it doesn't work, it's a notable problem.
But we also get a reminder this month that the last few generations of CR-V have been easy to recommend, and this new one improves on the formula.
What Kind of Fuel Economy Did It Get?
We put about 800 miles on the CR-V in August and burned just over 32 gallons of gas, averaging around 25 mpg for the month. That dragged down our lifetime average a few tenths to 27 mpg.
While 25 mpg falls below even the city estimate, it's still well above our all-time low of 18.6 mpg. Almost all of the CR-V's miles this month were spent sitting in L.A. traffic during a heat wave — far from ideal conditions for hypermiling.
Average lifetime mpg: 27.0 mpg
EPA mpg rating: 30 combined (28 city/34 highway)
Best fill mpg: 38.9 mpg
Best range: 425.5 miles
Current odometer: 10,483 miles
Maintenance and Upkeep
None.
Logbook Highlights
Technology-Audio
"I was happy to get in the CR-V this week because it gave me the opportunity to try out the newest addition to Android Auto: Waze. Waze's best feature is its community-sourced roadside alert system, letting drivers pinpoint stopped or emergency vehicles as they drive. You receive a notification when you're near one of these alerts, and Waze asks if the alert is accurate. It's an excellent system that promotes attentive driving. Adding an alert is easy too, with simple clearly marked buttons. Annoyances? It doesn't look as nice as Google Maps, and I haven't found a way to change map orientation. Still, it's not enough to stop me from defaulting to Waze every time I start the CR-V. " — Carlos Lago, road test editor
"I was driving along, running errands and listening to a podcast through Android Auto. And then I wasn't. The screen just went black. I tapped a few of the switches, hoping I could get back to the main screen, but they did nothing. The entertainment system was unresponsive. It had simply crashed. I ended up restarting the car twice to get the screen back on, even unbuckling and getting out on the second try. After restarting a second time, the screen starting booting up again. The process took a few minutes, but, hey, at least it was working again." — Carlos Lago
"Apple CarPlay stopped working on my way home. The audio cut off and the screen went black, except for a 'No device connected' message at the bottom. I tried disconnecting the lightning cable, waiting a few minutes and retrying. No dice. The following morning I tried it again, and instead I got a blank screen plus the audio from a podcast I was listening to.
"This seems to be the same issue that Carlos noted when he hooked up his Android phone, so my guess the problem lies with Honda's software, not Apple's. I did a quick search online and it appears that other CR-V and even Civic owners are experiencing the same thing. Let's hope Honda issues a software update soon." — Ron Montoya, senior consumer advice editor
Miscellaneous
"I could always think of many rational arguments for buying the two prior generations of the Honda CR-V, but the emotion meter typically registered close to zero. This 2017 CR-V, though, is something that sparks some interest. It's got real power now, and the styling is sharp and distinctive. It's just the right amount of flair to complement the CR-V's crowd-pleasing utility." — Brent Romans, senior editor
Monthly Update for September 2017
Where Did We Drive It?
We're halfway through our yearlong long-term test of the 2017 Honda CR-V, and it's looking as if we'll easily reach our 20,000-mile goal by March. For a good chunk of September, it was on family duty with Senior Automotive Editor Brent Romans in central California. For the rest of the time, it was tackling the daily commute in L.A.
What Kind of Fuel Economy Did It Get?
Over the 2,139 miles we logged in September, we filled the tank with 72.5 gallons of fuel. That calculates to a monthly average of 29.5 mpg. That increased our lifetime average another 0.4 mpg, but we're still not even getting the EPA's estimated city mileage. Our best range and fuel economy out of a single tank remain unchanged, however.
Average lifetime mpg: 27.4
EPA mpg rating: 30 combined (28 city/34 highway)
Best fill mpg: 38.9
Best range: 425.5 miles
Current odometer: 12,624 miles
Maintenance and Upkeep
None.
Logbook Highlights
Performance
"Our CR-V's turbocharged 1.5-liter engine and CVT have received some mixed opinions so far. I can see why some of my co-workers have complained that it's slow to wake up. Personally, I think the powertrain's responsiveness in Drive is just fine. Maybe I just drive more sedately than them. Regardless, I think this engine's mix of strong power and high fuel economy is ideal. It builds speed quickly when you need it to — better than any normal or base engine in a small crossover — yet still gets high fuel economy." — Brent Romans, senior automotive editor
Comfort
"Our long-term CR-V rides smoothly on the highway. The suspension and tires are able to soak up most bumps and ruts without disturbing you or your passengers. The tuning seems about right, too. It's not overly soft or wallowly. There's enough control should you need to turn quickly." — Brent Romans
"The brake hold feature is more commonly found on luxury vehicles instead of small crossovers, but our CR-V has it. You activate it by pushing a button that's next to the gear shifter. Once done, you no longer need to keep your foot on the brake when you're at at stop. The CR-V holds the brakes for you. When you press on the gas, the brakes release automatically. It's far from being a must-have feature, but nonetheless I've found the extra rest I can give my right foot in heavy city traffic is appealing." — Brent Romans
Interior
"I had the opportunity to cram one of my 6-foot-6 cousins in the back seat of our CR-V. Entry and egress were a little tight, but once he was in he had plenty of room. We didn't even have to move the front seat forward. It's a testament to the CR-V's boxy shape and smart design that this compact SUV can comfortably accommodate a larger than average adult in back. " — Will Kaufman, associate automotive editor
"I take my two young children to school every morning and have noticed that our CR-V is kid-friendly when it comes to getting in and out quickly. Here are a few reasons why: 1) The rear doors are light, so kids can easily open and close them. 2) The door openings are wide and step-in height is agreeable; younger children won't likely need help. 3) The seat-belt anchor and buckle spacing for the two outboard positions is wide, so kids should have little trouble buckling up in booster seats (or parents getting child safety seats strapped in). 4) There's plenty of legroom, which opens up more space to get in or out, even when they're holding backpacks." — Brent Romans
Technology-Audio
"I recently wrote an article listing some features that parents should look for in a new vehicle. One of them was rear-seat USB charging ports. It's nice to see that our CR-V has two of them. They're the 2.5-amp style, so they'll be good for tablets. With the exception of the base LX trim level, every CR-V comes with them as standard." — Brent Romans
"A volume knob — what an innovative idea! Honda's latest infotainment system, as featured in our long-term CR-V, now has one. Previously, Honda just gave you a virtual slider for controlling audio volume, which none of us liked. So, that's the good news. Unfortunately, the rest of the system is the same. The more I drive our CR-V, the more Honda's menu design annoys me. The graphics look dated, responses are slow, and many of the virtual control buttons are too small. Having Apple CarPlay or Android Auto helps out considerably since they operate on their own software system. But, as we've noted in a couple recent updates, we've had some problems with these systems, too. Plus, not everyone owns a compatible phone." — Brent Romans
Utility
"The CR-V's cargo area behind its second-row seats is impressively large. The spec sheet says there's 39.2 cubic feet available. In real-world use, I've just found that there's plenty of space for grocery bags and whatever else you plan to put back there. I also like the low liftover height and the small lip at the back of the cargo floor. The lip keeps items from sliding or rolling out if you've parked the CR-V on an incline and open up the liftgate." — Brent Romans
Monthly Update for October 2017
Where Did We Drive It?
It was a banner month for our 2017 Honda CR-V. Usually we might add 1,300 to 1,600 miles to its odometer (we always aim for about 1,700 miles), but with road trips to Las Vegas and loads of local commuting miles in October, we exceeded 2,000 miles. This rare chance to stretch its legs didn't improve the CR-V's lifetime average mpg, so we're still stuck somewhat below the EPA rating. Given the stop-and-go traffic this crossover SUV normally endures, however, we consider it acceptable.
Along the way we had some mixed episodes with the CR-V's connected tech, and we're really trying to come to terms with the car's transmission. Can the continuously variable transmission (CVT) really be that much more fuel-efficient than a traditional six- or eight-speed automatic?
What Kind of Fuel Economy Did It Get?
We added 2,156 miles in October, many of them with social media manager Laurel Carden at the wheel for a trip to and from Las Vegas. It was a rare chance for the CR-V to stretch its legs. The rest of those miles were largely of the commuter variety.
We averaged 28.8 mpg for the month, the best we've averaged since April (when we averaged 30.9 mpg, our best month of the test so far). It wasn't enough to budge the needle on our lifetime average, which still stands at 27.4 mpg. Now that we're closing in on 15,000 miles, it looks as if this is about what we can expect of a CR-V that roams the wilds of Southern California. It also makes the EPA rating of 30 mpg combined look optimistic.
We did have four tank-fills in October that exceeded the EPA number, so there's that. But overall, we're still coming up short. As they might say in Des Moines, the CR-V just doesn't "test well" in Hollywood.
Average lifetime mpg: 27.4
EPA mpg rating: 30 combined (28 city/34 highway)
Best-fill mpg: 38.9
Best range: 425.5 miles
Current odometer: 14,096 miles
Maintenance and Upkeep
We took the CR-V in for a oil and filter change, tire rotation and multipoint inspection, an interval that Honda calls a B1 service. We took it to Rancho Santa Margarita Honda and were in and out of there in about 90 minutes (we opted for the complimentary wash). We were also $93 lighter, which seems a bit rich for a Honda minor service.
Logbook Highlights
Performance
"I've come to like almost everything about this CR-V except — wait for it — the CVT. It baffles me that Honda can nail just about every other aspect of this car — comfort, interior quality and design, utility — then saddle it with this elastic mess of a transmission. The CVT's slow response forces you to recalibrate your expectations of when your foot requests power and when it arrives. It will respond with some urgency when you mash the pedal, but the powertrain sounds so awful doing it that you'll avoid it.
"Experience has shown us that these are hard transmissions to get right, and that the best examples we've driven are often attached to bigger engines that make big power. But when lashed to high-strung, torque-less four-cylinders, CVTs often struggle.
"The trade-off for fuel efficiency will be worth it for some people. We're averaging 28.1 mpg combined. That's short of the EPA-claimed 30 mpg combined, but it's a number I suspect many people would accept from a compact SUV." — Dan Frio, automotive editor
Technology-Audio
"I rely heavily on Waze for my daily commute, so connecting my phone to any vehicle I drive is important. What's more important than being able to connect my phone? Using its functions in the car. Cue Android Auto. Since Android Auto became available in 2015, the promise of having it replace almost every vehicle infotainment function is basically the holy grail: all music, navigation, contacts, and messages accessible via the head unit. I love it when technology works to make your life better. Until it doesn't, which is what happened.
"For the first 15 minutes of the commute into work, the head unit and Android Auto worked fine. Then it seemed like the head unit was possessed. The automatic brightness setting would go from day mode to night mode then go completely dark. I couldn't see anything. Nothing I pressed on-screen worked. It was just blank.
"I pulled over and unplugged the phone. It worked for a minute, then started wigging out again. I turned off the car, unplugged the phone, and it worked — for another 15 minutes. Frustrated, I pulled over and parked since I was on an unfamiliar route and relying on Waze to navigate me through traffic. I rebooted the phone, turned the ignition off, and waited until everything came up again. That seemed to cure Android Auto's ills." — Rex Tokeshi-Torres, vehicle testing technician
"I started out for Las Vegas after a team dinner, so it was late and dark when I set off. I was a bit sleepy after a long day of bonding, but excited for my destination and ready to experiment with all the technology. Almost immediately, I discovered the Driver Attention Monitor [which looks for signs of fatigue] and made it my mission to keep it full at four bars. I was mostly successful, but at one point it dropped to three bars, so I pulled off to pick up some snacks and it reset to full.
"Overall the infotainment system did the job, but it wasn't super intuitive. The screen seemed to be mostly fingerprint smudge-resistant, and the voice commands were very responsive and understood me perfectly. The biggest issue I had was with the navigation. It seemed to get lost when I was out in the desert. This happened on my way there and on the way back.
"Because the drive was long, I had an opportunity to play with lane keeping assist and adaptive cruise control. Both worked really well and helped keep me focused and driving safely." — Laurel Carden, social media manager
Interior
"Overall the interior is fantastic. The seats are comfortable, and the headrest was in the right place for my 5-foot-5 height. My favorite part was the full coverage from the sun visors. I drove home west from Vegas, following the sun the entire way. No matter where the sun was, the visors provided coverage. That usually never happens.
"The CR-V fit all my luggage in the trunk, and I pack heavy. There was also room in the center console for a 75-ounce water bottle and my purse. That was fantastic!" — Laurel Carden
Monthly Update for November 2017
Where Did We Drive It?
There's really nothing extraordinary to report about our 2017 Honda CR-V as it dawdled through November. We managed to put a little over 1,500 miles on its odometer, never breaking 30 mpg but never dipping below 20 mpg either. Though the drivability of our little cute ute continues to shine, the tech is beginning to tarnish a bit around the edges.
What Kind of Fuel Economy Did It Get?
With a month of mainly city driving, we didn't expect to see any records broken with regard to the CR-V's fuel economy. That said, we kept the status quo, including our not-up-to-the-EPA-rating 27.4 mpg combined rating.
Average lifetime mpg: 27.4
EPA mpg rating: 30 combined (28 city/34 highway)
Best-fill mpg: 38.9
Best range: 425.5 miles
Current odometer: 15,512 miles
Maintenance and Upkeep
None.
Logbook Highlights
Performance
"In a lot of cars, Eco mode just sort of numbs the throttle to the point that you feel like you're driving through molasses, and you use less fuel because it goes against your instincts (well, most people's instincts) to floor it everywhere. But the CR-V takes advantage of Honda's solid CVT: It lets the engine get up to about 2,100 or 2,200 rpm before it gets aggressive with the throttle, and it manages acceleration with the gear ratio from there. This strategy means that off the line and in low-speed traffic, where low-end torque is what you're primarily feeling, Eco mode doesn't make the CR-V feel monstrously sluggish or totally disconnected from the throttle. At speeds under 35-45 mph, it's actually a perfectly acceptable driving mode, though you do start to get that molasses feeling past that speed or if you're in enough of a hurry to go past maybe a quarter to a third throttle." — Will Kaufman, associate automotive editor
"I continue to be impressed by our CR-V's brakes. I've been driving Hondas for a couple decades now, and let's just say that the brand's enviable reputation was not built on braking performance. But the new CR-V's binders always inspire confidence, even with a few passengers aboard. The pedal is pleasantly firm, and it doesn't take much leg effort to scrub speed. I'm glad that Honda has finally turned its engineers' attention to this crucial area." — Josh Sadlier, senior manager, content strategy
Interior
"I've said it before and feel compelled to say it again: Honda dropped the ball with the new CR-V's shift lever. As you slide it down, there's no tangible difference between the D, S and L positions, all of which drive the car forward — so you have to look at the lever itself or the gear indicator in the gauge cluster to make sure you got the one you wanted. What's more, the whole mechanism just feels cheap and sounds hollow from slot to slot. It's a clunky thing. I don't recall feeling this way about the previous-generation CR-V's shifter, but in any case, I'd like to see Honda install an intuitive, slick-moving lever that matches the general excellence of this vehicle." — Josh Sadlier
Technology-Audio
"On most cars, unplug a phone that was running Apple CarPlay, and the system kicks you back into the audio screen. Not so for this Honda system. You get an unattractive black screen, with a message that reads 'No Device Connected.' What it takes to get the stereo back on feels needlessly complicated. Hit the Audio button on the left side. This gets you back into the Honda interface, but you still don't have sound. Next you have to press a small Source button that then brings up another menu to choose the radio band. Hit AM or FM and you're done." — Ron Montoya, consumer advice editor
"There are WAY too many lock settings." — Kurt Niebuhr, photo editor
Monthly Update for December 2017
Where Did We Drive It?
Our 2017 Honda CR-V spent December running about town. When we weren't using the Honda as a single-occupant daily commuter, we leaned on it to fill the role of the family shuttle. It didn't venture all that far from home, resulting in lower-than-average mileage accumulation this month. Still, we spent enough time with the car in the settings for which it was designed to generate new, and mostly positive, impressions.
What Kind of Fuel Economy Did It Get?
We aim for 1,700 miles each month, but the lack of any long-distance drives relegated us to just 1,100 miles. As expected, this wasn't enough to move any of our lifetime fuel economy records very far. In fact, our average increased by just one-tenth to 27.5 mpg. That marked the only change.
Average lifetime mpg: 27.5
EPA mpg rating: 30 combined (28 city/34 highway)
Best fill mpg: 38.9
Best range: 425.5 miles
Current odometer: 16,571 miles
Maintenance and Upkeep
None.
Logbook Highlights
Comfort
"I never thought I'd be so happy to see our CR-V, but after a full day of traipsing around the Los Angeles Convention Center, covering the LA Auto Show, I wasn't so much interested in driving as I was about just getting home. The CR-V was comfortable, quiet, easy and gave me good enough visibility to manage the diabolical traffic on the 110 Freeway. Thanks, cute ute." — Kurt Niebuhr, photo editor
Interior
"It's been a little bit since I've been in the CR-V, but has anyone else noticed the creaking sound the steering wheel makes? Seems like a recent development, and a surprise [to hear in a] Honda." — Carlos Lago, senior writer
Technology-Audio
"The area you think to be the screen is the equivalent of a 32-ounce cup filled with 16 ounces of ice. So much of the 'screen' is nothing but blank space or buttons." — Kurt Niebuhr
Miscellaneous
"Sometimes parenthood is a real grind. 'Quick, everyone, get in the car. Now get out. Put your backpack here. Save room for groceries there. This big box won't fit. Detach the belts, straps and clips to get the child seat out. Lower the seatback. Great, now it fits. Hurry and get it home because it's time to pick up the kids from school. Don't forget to reinstall the car seat first.' It can feel never-ending. That's where the Honda steps in.
"The CR-V makes the logistics of being a parent more manageable. It gets the little things right. Rear doors are lightweight and open 90 degrees. The step-in is fairly low to the ground, making it easier for the short-of-leg to climb in. There is a button on the rear seatbacks to lower them, which isn't a unique idea. But it is still an example of how to do it right.
"The button makes access to LATCH tethers easy. Anchors are also very accessible. Back seats have decent hiproom, which minimizes the 'stop hitting me' complaints from their occupants. After two weeks with the CR-V as my daily driver, I came away appreciating it more for its parent-friendliness than ever before." — Mike Schmidt, senior manager, vehicle testing operations
Monthly Update for January 2018
Where Did We Drive It?
Another month, another month of commuting. I haven't asked our long-term 2017 Honda CR-V what its New Year's resolution was, but hopefully it wasn't "go new places" because it spent January going to all the same places. It did get rained on, which made for a nice change, even if it also made for some blurry backup camera views.
This month we have some dissenting comments from our nearly universal praise parade, as Senior Consumer Advice Editor Ron Montoya decides that maybe the CR-V isn't the compact crossover for him. Otherwise, the CR-V's space and easy drivability continued to win it points.
What Kind of Fuel Economy Did It Get?
Commuting in Los Angeles is brutal on fuel economy numbers, as my Corvette reminds me every time I drive it, so our CR-V isn't doing too badly by almost just meeting its estimated city mileage rating. Hey, some cars are missing their ratings by much larger margins. The CR-V has also proven it can beat its freeway rating by a significant margin, but that's hard to manage in months when your average speed hovers around 20 mph.
The CR-V posted one-tenth of an mpg improvement over last month, coming in at 27.6 mpg over 573.7 miles and leaving its lifetime average unchanged at 27.5 mpg.
Average lifetime mpg: 27.5
EPA mpg rating: 30 combined (28 city/34 highway)
Best fill mpg: 38.9
Best range: 425.5 miles
Current odometer: 17,145 miles
Maintenance and Upkeep
None.
Logbook Highlights
Performance
"I drove our long-term CR-V to an event for a competitor, just to establish a baseline for compact SUVs. I can only repeat the praise that I've given it already. It's still my favorite of the group. The CVT automatic works smoothly; power is adequate for commuting; the steering and handling balance enjoyment and comfort remarkably well; and Android Auto works great. It was surprising how much clunkier the competitor's nine-speed automatic felt versus our CR-V's CVT automatic. Even one of the guys working for this particular competitor let slip how impressed he was with Honda's CVT automatic. Said it surprised a lot of people in the industry." — Carlos Lago, senior staff writer
Interior
"We call the CR-V a compact SUV, but you'd never know it after getting inside. It's kind of like the TARDIS in that way. I can put the driver's seat in my preferred position, climb out and into the back seat, and still have enough legroom and headroom for my 6-foot-4 frame to stay comfortable for hours on end. (Even Will's 6-foot-6 cousin is a fan.) The cargo area is one of the largest in the class too. I don't know if there's a better crossover in this price class for four tall adults, but the CR-V gets my vote." — Cameron Rogers, staff writer
Technology
"Would you rather have an infotainment system that is more advanced and offered Apple CarPlay/Android Auto but is slow and laggy? Or a less advanced system that only supported Bluetooth audio but is fast and snappy? After using Honda's infotainment system in our CR-V, I'd vastly prefer the latter. The 'dumber' system always works and you can work around its shortcomings, but on the CR-V, you can't always rely on the system to recognize your phone and it's frustrating when you planned on using a feature, only for it not to work. Smartphone connection aside, even navigating the menus seems to take a second or two longer than it does on other systems." — Ron Montoya, senior consumer advice editor
Comfort
"I have very few qualms with the newest-generation CR-V. As a driver, the most glaring problem for me is the lack of knee padding on the center console. My legs are pretty long, so I usually brace my knees against the door and center console while I'm driving. In the CR-V, I can plant my left foot comfortably in the space between the brake and the dead pedals, so I can stretch my leg out without resting it on the door. On the right side, I press my knee against a piece of hard plastic on the console. Every time I take a right-hander, my knee hits the piece of plastic and I'm left wondering why Honda didn't spend a few extra bucks and trim this section in faux leather or something." — Cameron Rogers
Miscellaneous
"I don't seem to like this CR-V as much as some of our other editors do. Sure, it's comfortable, has a good engine and has plenty of cargo space. But I'm not a fan of the styling, the slow and occasionally buggy infotainment system, or the hard-to-read fuel gauge. For my money, I'd rather buy the Mazda CX-5." — Ron Montoya
Monthly Update for March 2018
Where Did We Drive It?
Last month saw two big life events for our 2017 Honda CR-V. Not only did it pass the coveted 20,000-mile mark, it also played a major role in a wedding — and quite successfully, too. That's not a bad way to celebrate our one-year anniversary with this solid compact SUV.
The celebration ended quickly when the service reminder appeared. We'll take it in for service soon, which will give us a chance to also ask about some quite annoying intermittent auto-dimming issues that have cropped up on the entertainment display.
What Kind of Fuel Economy Did It Get?
The CR-V put on 1,603 miles this month and consumed 58.3 gallons of fuel, making for a monthly average fuel economy of 27.5 mpg. That's a decent number of miles, but we weren't able to beat the best mpg or range results we achieved last April. After a year of driving, our lifetime fuel economy has settled at 27.5 mpg, matching the EPA's city fuel economy rating after rounding.
Average lifetime mpg: 27.5
EPA mpg rating: 30 combined (28 city/34 highway)
Best fill mpg: 38.9
Best range: 425.5 miles
Current odometer: 20,518 miles
Maintenance and Upkeep
None.
Logbook Highlights
Comfort
"I used the CR-V this weekend to support my fiancée's sister's wedding, chauffeuring the bride and groom to their photo location and performing getaway duties at the end of the night. We made good use of the CR-V's rear seats, packing the maid of honor, the groom and the bride (and her dress) as we went to the photo shoot location. Considering the size of your typical wedding dress, this was quite a feat. They took photos as the sun set and the temperatures dropped rapidly, and I left the CR-V running with the heater on full blast so it could be a refuge from the cold. While we didn't attach cans and streamers to the CR-V, we made a smooth escape once the night was over. This is the kind of work you expect from a compact SUV, and our CR-V was an excellent tool for the task." — Carlos Lago, senior writer
Technology-Audio
"Had a few frustrating issues with the CR-V's entertainment system last week. On one drive home from work, the screen kept switching between the off, day and night auto-dimming presets every few seconds. This rendered the screen useless because not only do two of those settings make the screen hard to read in daylight, the brightness notification blocks all inputs while it's showing. Restarting the CR-V seemed to fix things, but a similar problem occurred later in the weekend. I fired up the car and found the display stuck in the night auto-dimming setting — never mind that it was the early afternoon and sunny. The dimming button on the left of the screen didn't change anything, but another restart brought the system back to normal. Unfortunately, this seems like it's one of those frustrating intermittent problems that a dealer won't be able to reproduce." — Carlos Lago
Monthly Update for April 2018
Where Did We Drive It?
The long-term 2017 Honda CR-V has motored well past its 20,000-mile quota, rolling up 2,091 miles in April to end the month with 22,381 on the clock. No surprise there since the CR-V is a good fit for just about any driving scenario. It's big enough for families, small enough to park in the city, and athletic enough to give the driver a sense of confidence. Rare is the night that it sits idle in the Edmunds garage.
This month the CR-V spent most of its miles in the capable hands of Editor "Fresno Brent" Romans, who took the Honda home with him for an eventful extended stay in California's Central Valley. How did our CR-V handle the challenge?
What Kind of Fuel Economy Did It Get?
Thanks to Brent's highway-heavy driving regimen, the CR-V set an all-time record for April with an average of 30.2 mpg. It's also the first time we've exceeded the EPA's rating of 30 mpg in combined driving, although we came close back in April 2017 with a 29.9-mpg effort.
Overall, the CR-V has fallen far short of that EPA projection — in fact, our lifetime average is still a few tenths below the EPA's cityrating. One takeaway is that while today's turbocharged engines may do well in the EPA testing cycle, street use often involves more turbo boost, which can take a big bite out of those gaudy numbers.
Average lifetime mpg: 27.6
EPA mpg rating: 30 combined (28 city/34 highway)
Best fill mpg: 38.9
Best range: 425.5 miles
Current odometer: 22,381 miles
Maintenance and Upkeep
We took the CR-V in for service after the in-dash indicator showed it needed an A1 service. According to the owner's manual, A1 means an oil change and tire rotation. The service adviser at Clawson Honda of Fresno was friendly, and we were in and out in about an hour. The final cost was $82.57.
Logbook Highlights
Technology
"I saw that Carlos was having trouble with the touchscreen's auto-dimming capability in last month's update. So I paid particular attention to the screen as I drove the CR-V for two weeks straight this month. I didn't notice any malfunctions. Weird. Maybe it fixed itself?" — Brent Romans, senior editor
Comfort
"Not impressed with the A/C in this Honda. It's a sunny 67 right now and I'm not feeling much of a chill inside, even with the temp set on 'Lo.' Seems like this could be an issue in the summer as it's only just adequate right now." — Josh Sadlier, senior manager of content strategy
Interior
"We've got more than 20,000 miles on our Honda CR-V now. It would seem the seats and leather are holding up well. No abnormal wear or discoloration. I'm sure 20,000 miles isn't long enough of a test, but nonetheless the durability is promising." — Brent Romans
"The CR-V's center console area sure is great for holding stuff. From front to back, there's the front open tray that's below the gear shifter, the two cupholders (with spring-based tabs to keep smaller bottles tight) and then the semi-covered console bin. The console bin is pretty big and has a mid-height tray that you can slide back and forth. Whether it's keys, a phone, a wallet, snacks, tissues or whatever other personal item you're looking to throw in here, the CR-V can likely handle it." — Brent Romans
Miscellaneous
"OK, so the following is both embarrassing and illuminating. I needed to swap into a different vehicle in our long-term test fleet. Our manager of vehicle testing operations, Mike Schmidt, said he'd hook me up with the Honda CR-V. At the time, I thought: 'Oh, cool, we must have gotten a new CR-V in.' Only later, when I got in to drive, did I realize that: 1) It had more than 20,000 miles on it, meaning it was very much not new, and 2) I had likely driven the CR-V previously but had no recollection of doing so.
"Sure enough, I checked our logbooks and realized I drove our CR-V back in September 2017. But I couldn't remember driving it or what I did with it. Now, I'm in my mid-40s, so maybe my memory is prematurely fading. But I also think that the CR-V is somewhat at fault here. It's competently good to the point of forgettable blandness." — Brent Romans
Cargo Space
"I used our CR-V for some weekend home-improvement runs recently. I needed some stuff for my backyard: bags of potting soil, some new plants, etc. Nothing huge, but even this modest load showed the expansiveness of the CR-V's cargo hold. The low liftover height makes it easier to throw in those bags of soil, too." — Brent Romans
Monthly Update for May 2018
Where Did We Drive It?
The clock is winding down on our long-term 2017 Honda CR-V. We've had it longer than our typical 12 months and we've exceeded the 20,000-mile quota we aim for with all of our long-term cars. Whatever our impressions of any of our long-termers, whatever we write about them — good, bad or indifferent — the odometer tells the true tale of our test cars. With nearly 24,000 miles on the CR-V, it's clear we like it.
And what's not to like? The CR-V is the automotive equal of a five-tool player in baseball. It's roomy, practical, efficient, quick (enough) and reliable, and does everything with shocking competence. We'll miss it when it's gone.
May was a pretty routine month of commuting and driving the CR-V on daily errands. We found a couple of new nitpicks, as you do, but none we'd consider deal-breakers.
What Kind of Fuel Economy Did It Get?
Routine driving entailed 1,074 miles, although that's among the lowest monthly totals of our test. With newer cars in the fleet that need miles and no road trips on the docket, the CR-V didn't roam quite as far as per usual. We averaged 28.4 mpg. That's shy of the car's best-mpg average in April (30.2), shy of the EPA's estimate for combined driving (30 mpg) and just a shade taller than the EPA-estimated city range. May's result didn't budge the car's lifetime numbers in either direction.
Average lifetime mpg: 27.6
EPA mpg rating: 30 combined (28 city/34 highway)
Best fill mpg: 38.9
Best range: 425.5 miles
Current odometer: 23,455 miles
Maintenance and Upkeep
None.
Logbook Highlights
Performance
"The continuously variable automatic transmission is my least favorite thing about the CR-V. It's not terrible and is actually better than many, but I still dislike the CVT automatic driving sensation, not to mention the languid acceleration off the line in its default mode. So I started driving it exclusively in S mode in the city, which allows the engine to rev higher for snappier power and transmission response. I've found it invaluable for gliding through city traffic. Once out on the highway, I'll shift it into normal D mode unless I need a quick burst for passing. Predictably, this took a bite out of fuel economy, as I averaged just 26.8 mpg after doing this kind of driving over one full tank. I could live with that." — Dan Frio, staff writer
Comfort
"How thoughtful. Honda put a padded section on the side of the center console to save your knees from hitting cheap, hard plastic. Except it didn't. That's cheap, hard plastic molded to look like it has a padded surface. That's actually worse, Honda." — Kurt Niebuhr, road test editor
Interior
"The CR-V's seating position is dandy, but this view out the back corners isn't helpful. This little window with a rising bottom edge doesn't do much for blind-spot visibility. Better than nothing, but generally ineffectual. I don't miss LaneWatch (a live camera feed of the passenger-side blind spot, which Honda abandoned with the current CR-V) and blind-spot monitoring helps for lane changes, but seems like this could be better executed." — Dan Frio
Technology
"The backup camera display was intermittent this morning. When I first reversed, it worked fine. Then I had to do a three-point turn, and it didn't come on until the final 2 seconds of my reversing. Tesla-itis?" — Jason Kavanagh, senior road test engineer
"One continuing nag is the sensitivity of Honda Sensing, the umbrella name for Honda's various driver safety aids. The CR-V wants its space and needs plenty of room to feel safe. That's fine, but gets tiresome when you glide a little too close to the bumper in front of you while changing lanes, for example, and receive a panicked alert in the gauge cluster. 'BRAKE!' Feels like Honda should be able to dial in some sense of the driver's intent — a kind of 'smart learning' feature that understands driver habits — but that might be asking a bit much from a mainstream compact SUV." — Dan Frio
Cargo Space
"A couple of our former colleagues were avid mountain bikers and at some point tried to fit their bikes in every current test car. (Colleague Dan Edmunds still does this.) Me, I try to fit a set of drums in each car. I've hauled drums in dozens of cars in a life spent chasing the spirit of John Bonham, from Acura Integras, Ford Escorts and Miatas (in which you're lucky to fit a cocktail kit).
"The CR-V is made for this kind of work. It's no surprise that it'll fit a set of drums; it's more a question of 'How many drums can I fit in this thing?' A friend of mine can fit a big kit with two kick drums and multiple tom-toms — the kind of contraption popular with old hair-metal bands — in a Scion xB without protective cases, so I'm fairly certain you could fit a small high school drumline's gear in the CR-V without issue. Loading up a conventional four-piece kit for a recent jam session was quick work, requiring only one of the rear seat splits to fold down. And the cargo cover was a nice way to keep most of it out of sight." — Dan Frio
Monthly Update for June 2018
Where Did We Drive It?
We've owned our 2017 Honda CR-V for more than a year now and the red-purple utility vehicle still proves to be darn popular with our staff. You wouldn't know it by looking at the fuel log, though: We added just 593 miles to the odometer in June. If you could peruse our signout sheets, however, you'd see that the CR-V went home with editors 25 days out of the month.
The short distances we traveled didn't do anything to boost overall fuel economy, but with so few miles added, they didn't hurt it much either. We didn't embark on any trips in June, but with summer about to hit full swing, expect to see the useful CR-V escaping the L.A. area soon.
What Kind of Fuel Economy Did It Get?
The CR-V's average of 26.9 mpg in June was lower than its lifetime average, which remained at 27.6 mpg for the third month in a row. Overall, our fuel economy is underperforming relative to the EPA estimates, but I think the CR-V still displays remarkable efficiency for a crossover with such a peppy motor underhood. (It's more than 1.5 seconds quicker to 60 mph than the thirstier Mazda CX-5.) Still, I'd like to see another CR-V road trip. Maybe we can beat the single-tank fuel economy record we set all the way back in April last year.
Average lifetime mpg: 27.6
EPA mpg rating: 30 combined (28 city/34 highway)
Best fill mpg: 38.9
Best range: 425.5 miles
Current odometer: 24,301 miles
Maintenance and Upkeep
None.
Logbook Highlights
Interior
"The CR-V is an incredibly easy vehicle to recommend. By the numbers it's a clear class leader and it'll do everything you want a compact SUV to do without any fuss. That said, the more time I spend in the CR-V and its competitors — especially the Mazda CX-5 — the more I'm struck by how cheap the CR-V's interior feels.
"It's a lot more plasticky, the shifter feels a bit loose and light, and every time I press my knee against an interior door panel, it flexes — a lot. Honda is back to making some great cars after a period of making some pretty chintzy-feeling and lackluster stuff (2012-2016 Civic, anybody?) and this CR-V feels stuck in the middle. It's a great SUV that also feels pretty chintzy." — Will Kaufman, associate staff writer
Technology-Audio
"I don't know when the CR-V is getting a refresh (it's only been on sale for one model year, after all), but when it does, I hope Honda changes out the touchscreen system with the one in our new 2018 Accord. The Accord's touchscreen — with tile-based iconography, quick responses and physical buttons for high-level functions — is much easier to use than the one in the CR-V.
"The current-generation CR-V's touchscreen was adopted from the Civic. In the Civic, the system was so infuriating that journalists oohed and aahed when the CR-V debuted and introduced a volume knob. Imagine how happy people would be with a CR-V infotainment system that worked." — Cameron Rogers, staff writer
Miscellaneous
"If you haven't heard, watching movies in a park has become a thing here in Los Angeles. Imagine a regular park picnic, add some live bands to keep the crowd entertained and a slew of food trucks to keep them fed, and you'd have a fair idea of how these things play out. When the sun goes down, a 1980s movie gets plastered on a 30-foot inflatable screen, and all is good.
"But since good enough never is, these movies in the park can just as easily be movies on the beach. I don't know about you and your friends, but me and mine don't want to just sit in sand all night, so it's important to bring along chairs. And all the other crap you'd want to have if you're stranded on a beach for five hours.
"Since it was my time to drive, I took the Honda CR-V for the weekend. It's hard to beat the CR-V's cavernous storage area. But the low tailgate entry point is what sealed the deal for me. When tasked with moving beach chairs, a water cooler, and whatever else deemed needed, that low tailgate comes in handy. Combine all that with seating for five, a compliant ride, and a small-ish footprint, and the CR-V is a no-brainer." — Matt Jones, senior consumer advice editor
Maintenance
"As far as I know, every car's touchscreen has the ability to automatically adjust the brightness depending on how bright it is outside. This morning, the CR-V's randomly started switching between full bright, dim and a completely black screen. It was overcast and I wasn't driving under any trees, so whichever sensor the screen uses to determine optimal brightness shouldn't have gotten any strange readings.
"After I tried to interact with the screen to rewind my podcast and got no initial response from the screen, the problem stopped. I didn't have another issue with the screen for the remainder of my drive. A strange issue, and one we'll get checked out next time we take it in for service." — Cameron Rogers
Monthly Update for July 2018
Where Did We Drive It?
Our 2017 Honda CR-V EX-L remains a favorite around the office, with most editors having no issues or complaints when they're assigned to drive the compact crossover. Its upright seating position and ability to swallow cargo make it a natural for drivers who want to be comfortable while hauling their load. The CR-V's July duty exemplified that thanks to a mix of driving including the typical daily commute duty. But our little red crossover also managed a long highway road trip with Manager of Content Operations Bryn MacKinnon and her family.
What Kind of Fuel Economy Did It Get?
In contrast to a slow June, our CR-V put on 1,766 miles over six fuel stops in July. Our average mpg rating actually increased one-tenth of an mpg thanks to a lot of highway driving. In fact, our monthly average nearly hit 30 mpg, which is much more in line with EPA estimates.
Average lifetime mpg: 27.7
EPA mpg rating: 30 combined (28 city/34 highway)
Best fill mpg: 38.9
Best range: 425.5 miles
Current odometer: 26,067 miles
Maintenance and Upkeep
None.
Logbook Highlights
Comfort
"Summer road trip with the family! Our first stop is Morro Bay, California, about 200 miles from our home in Southern California. It's me, my husband and our two kids (12-year-old daughter and nearly 8-year-old son).
"My husband takes the first leg of driving and immediately adores the driver's seat in the CR-V. His daily driver is a 2007 CR-V, and its driver's seat has seen better days, so he is stoked! We are taking U.S. 101 and tend to make a lot of stops, so the drive takes a while. But he is crazy-comfortable the whole time.
"He likes how supportive the seat is, the many ways to adjust it (his favorite is the tilting seat bottom because of its thigh support, especially for long drives). He says his body 'feels at rest' thanks to that thigh support. And the backrest is firmer than his car's seat. He feels like he's not driving, in a good way. He really can't stop telling me how much he loves that seat.
"The kids are comfy in the back seat, too. It feels like there's a lot more room back there than in my 2017 Toyota Prius V, our usual road-trip vehicle. There's enough room for them to feel less on top of each other than they usually are, which makes for a lot more sibling harmony. They still brought too much stuff with them, and it's still all over the floor, but they are happy. They also appreciate the tinted windows, which they do not get in our daily drivers.
"I'm not as thrilled as my husband during my stints in the driver's seat, but I am comfortable. Thank goodness I can dial down that thigh support, as I hate it when anything touches the backs of my knees when I'm driving. And I experience very little fatigue. Great start to a California adventure!" — Bryn MacKinnon, manager, content operations
Technology-Audio
"Day Two of the family trip to Northern California and we're heading about 150 miles north to stay in Carmel, California. But first, we will spend some time watching the drama at the elephant seal rookery in San Simeon and then among the gorgeous redwoods of Limekiln State Park, just south of Big Sur.
"For audio entertainment, we've mostly been plugging in my husband's iPhone to take advantage of Apple CarPlay. We are new to CarPlay and didn't know what to expect. For the most part, it worked pretty well, though every once in a while the system would stop recognizing the phone and we'd have to unplug and replug it. That generally solved the problem.
"A couple times, the screen read 'No phone connected' when his phone was definitely plugged in and was actually playing music through the system, so that was amusing. And it's minor compared to some of the Apple CarPlay issues the rest of the team's been having, so I'm counting myself lucky.
"Tomorrow we are off to the wedding in Point Reyes!" — Bryn MacKinnon
"Had a brief moment while using Android Auto where the entertainment display wouldn't respond to inputs. There were no obvious glitches, no interruptions to the podcast I was listening to or Google Maps navigation. But the screen was unresponsive when I went to change the display. Everything returned to normal after maybe 30 seconds, so file this one under 'Technology Is Weird Sometimes.'" — Carlos Lago, manager, feature content
Interior
"The trip to Point Reyes is uneventful and comfy. The wedding is wonderful, and I recommend staying at Point Reyes Hostel if you're ever up there. It's really nice!
"While we took three days to work our way up the coast, we had to make the return trip home (about 430 miles) all in one day. Since we hate Interstate 5, we decided to tough it out and take U.S. 101 for as long as we could. We left at 8:45 a.m. and got home at 8:45 p.m.
"Brutal. But not punishing, thanks to the comfort of the CR-V. And we stopped a handful of times because kids sometimes just need to get out and run, ya know? We arrived tired, of course, but we weren't totally wrecked, and that's impressive.
"It was also this day that I noticed the upholstery on the seats. It's quite nice. I will also say that the ride wasn't very quiet, but I expect that from a Honda.
"Fitting all our stuff was a cinch, too. I tried to force us to pack as light as possible. But we were dealing with a couple of different climates (Morro Bay was pretty warm, and Point Reyes was cloudy and cold), and we needed nicer clothes for the wedding. My husband also had to bring along a pro camera bag to photograph the wedding. So we ended up with plenty to pack into the CR-V's cargo area. I was impressed that we could fit all of our stuff and still have it all below the cargo cover. Yay, us! Yay, CR-V!
"Early on in the trip, we encountered what must have been some higher curbs and parkways, because we had multiple instances of scraping the bottom corners of both passenger-side doors. We learned quickly to be really careful. Could it be that this CR-V has slightly longer doors than average?
"Overall, this was an excellent car for our family's trip. If we took more road trips (and I aspire to be that family), I'd want something slightly larger. But for the way we live now, it was just what we needed.
"Here are my final thoughts. CarPlay: At the end of it all, we experienced a handful of moments when the screen would be unresponsive. I'd whack at it with my finger 15 times and get nothing. Annoying.
"Storage: My husband loved all the different places you could put stuff in the center console. However, I was not a fan. The organization of it didn't make sense to me. The sliding L-shaped tray thing frustrated me to no end. I'd rather have a big bin and some cupholders.
"Performance: The turbocharged engine was GREAT. It was zippy when we needed it to be. We are not used to that as owners of an old four-cylinder CR-V and a Prius V." — Bryn MacKinnon
Miscellaneous
"If steady competency were more exciting to read about, enthusiast magazines would have the CR-V on their covers every month. Unfortunately, it's not, so it's easy to overlook just how good this SUV is at commuting/workhorse duties. It's consistently my recommendation to shoppers looking for a compact SUV, and it's rightfully one of the best-selling vehicles in its class." — Carlos Lagos
Monthly Update for August 2018
Where Did We Drive It?
We've had a lot of cars through the office for evaluation recently (keep your eyes peeled for a flood of new Edmunds ratings coming soon), but that meant quite a few of our long-term cars were left to lie fallow for days on end.
Not so with the 2017 Honda CR-V, though. This plucky, little crossover was eagerly adopted by members of the staff who don't always get a chance to drive our cars. It wasn't all wine and roses, though, as technology issues continue to rear their buggy head.
What Kind of Fuel Economy Did It Get?
We didn't add many miles to our CR-V in August — just a few more than 800 — but with nearly 27,000 miles already on the odometer, adding miles hasn't been an issue with our CR-V. Overall fuel economy held steady at 27.7 mpg. And considering how much time the Honda spends in L.A. traffic, that's not an unreasonable return for a small SUV.
Average lifetime mpg: 27.7
EPA mpg rating: 30 combined (28 city/34 highway)
Best fill mpg: 38.9
Best range: 425.5 miles
Current odometer: 26,897 miles
Logbook Highlights
Performance
"I like the way the CR-V drives but found the throttle tip-in too sensitive. It wasn't something that was easy to adjust to. It's also hard for me not to compare it to the CX-5, my regular ride. The CX-5 is easier to handle and maneuver on tight city streets; the CR-V feels much bigger in comparison. The reality is the CX-5 weighs more than the CR-V, and the Honda handily edges out the Mazda on fuel economy. So if I had 2.5 kids to haul around instead of just a Shih Tzu, I'd be in line to buy one." — Kathleen Clonts, copy chief
Technology-Audio
"The CR-V touchscreen was being a pain one morning on the way to work. It kept freezing on an XM station and wouldn't do anything. Granted, a first-world problem, but it's horrible when you're forced to listen to a Foghat song you really hate on Classic Rewind." — Kathleen Clonts
"We listen to a lot of AM radio on the weekends and found the signal dropped quite a few times in the CR-V, something we haven't experienced in other cars." — Kathleen Clonts
"You can now use Google Maps on Apple CarPlay, and I got a chance to test this out the other day. First, your phone must be updated to iOS 12, and you need the latest version of the Google Maps app on your phone. Next, you fire up the app, and you're good to go.
"Here are a couple of differences I noticed. If you're on a phone call while the nav is running, Apple Maps will give you a light 'ding' to indicate the next turn. Google Maps will talk right over you. Apple prefers that you use Siri to search for directions, while Google lets you use an onscreen keyboard, provided the car isn't moving. This addition is a small change that makes an otherwise familiar car feel new again." — Ron Montoya, senior consumer advice editor
Comfort
"I'm always happy to commute home in the CR-V. It's just a generally easy vehicle to live with. In particular, the seats are easy for me. The way things work around here, you always have to readjust the seat when you get into a car. But I spend less time fiddling with the CR-V than anything else. There are only a few adjustments, but they're all useful and quick. It's also one of the few things I regularly drive that I find comfortable and usable in multiple seating positions. I'm not struggling to find that one spot I like. I just make a few tweaks, and I'm all set." — Will Kaufman, content strategist and news editor
Monthly Update for November
Where Did We Drive It?
Our long-term 2017 Honda CR-V has been in our fleet for what feels like a lifetime, but we haven't been able to bring ourselves to give it up yet. In fact, we just reaffirmed our feelings about the CR-V in our recently launched Rankings pages, placing the CR-V first in the small SUV class.
But that doesn't mean life is all wine and roses with our turbocharged runabout. Most notably, we're still having issues with the infotainment system, which has always been one of this car's greatest weaknesses. But even though we have complaints, not a month goes by that someone on staff doesn't praise the CR-V for something. Keep reading for both the schaden and the freude.
What Kind of Fuel Economy Did It Get?
We have so many data points that our car's lifetime average has stopped fluctuating in any sort of dramatic way. Sadly, it's frozen up under the EPA's estimated city mileage, dropping only a fraction to 27.6 mpg this month thanks to heavy traffic.
That said, we've beaten the car's combined and highway ratings in the past. Unlike some other vehicles (cough, cough, F-150, cough), we don't see the CR-V as a chronic underperformer.
Average lifetime mpg: 27.6
EPA mpg rating: 30 combined (34 city/28 highway)
Best fill mpg: 38.9
Best range: 425.5 miles
Current odometer: 29,363 miles
Maintenance and Upkeep
None.
Logbook Highlights
Technology
"In the CR-V's August update, Kathleen pointed out how its touchscreen kept freezing on an XM station. I had the same thing happen to me when I was trying to adjust the screen's brightness level. I was trying to switch from the night setting to day, and it didn't react. It only caught up in response while I was already driving. The brightness option notification popped up and disappeared a number of times in a very glitchy way, I suppose, to accommodate how many times I poked at it trying to elicit a response.
"By the way, at night when I was trying to dim the screen via the touchscreen, it didn't work. Even when I swiped it to the dimmest setting, it didn't alter it at all. And the default brightness is super bright when driving at night, to the point that your face is lit up as if by a spotlight. So I ended up turning off the screen. Boo." — Caroline Pardilla, senior copy editor
"I also got to experience the glitchy touchscreen problem. It hiccuped twice for me, once at night and once during the day. During both instances, the screen brightness menu would pop up and randomly select brighter or dimmer settings and day and night settings. More annoying, though, is that even when the screen wasn't flickering, the glitch simulated an input on the screen, making the rest of the touchscreen unresponsive." — Calvin Kim, vehicle test engineer
"The CR-V's screen brightness setting started acting up with Apple CarPlay connected. It acted as if I was pressing the button repeatedly, alternating between day and night modes and displaying a blank screen at times. This isn't the first time this vehicle has been glitchy with CarPlay active. I did a quick Google search, and it seems that this crops up on other late-model Hondas. There doesn't seem to be a fix from the factory yet. I like this CR-V quite a bit, but this infotainment system would be a deal-breaker for me." — Ron Montoya, senior consumer advice editor
Interior
"During the weekend, I drove the CR-V around town as well as to and from Disneyland, so I didn't get to take advantage of its bounty of small-item storage options. Not only does it have two cupholders between the front seats but a tray perfect for the key fob and a parking card (although I used the cupholders for that) as well as a deep well with a tray insert. The front doors offer more places for water bottles. The only issue is that all these spaces are out in the open. So nothing is hidden from the view of would-be thieves." — Caroline Pardilla
"Most people have a nifty way to fasten their smartphones to their dash for easy viewing. But since Edmunds editors switch in and out of cars, we don't get to personalize them. So when I drive a long-termer and use Waze, I stick my phone in a cupholder so it won't slide around. But the CR-V offers an even better option. It actually has a flat tray fore of the cupholders that perfectly accommodates and secures my Google Pixel 2 XL. It's still not at the preferable face level, but it's a lot easier to view than stuck longways in a cupholder." — Caroline Pardilla
"Be careful when parking next to a curb with grass on it. The plastic on the lower part of the CR-V's door tends to get caught in the dirt. Jay noticed this last May, and it also happened to me. The flexibility of the plastic piece works against it because when you try to pull on the door, it bends and seems to wedge itself into the ground further." — Ron Montoya
Monthly Update for December
Where Did We Drive It?
We still have this thing? Our 2017 Honda CR-V is the long-term SUV that just won't die. The problem is that, as unglamorous as the CR-V is (especially compared to that sweet new turbocharged Mazda CX-5), its totally effortless combination of practicality, utility, power, efficiency and comfort come together to make a package that seems to be holistically unbeatable. We can't get rid of the CR-V because it's still the class benchmark.
Even if a bit of the car just broke off.
Sure, competitors are better in some ways — sometimes much better in certain areas. But taken as a whole, the CR-V just makes too much sense. However, what if you're willing to look at something other than an SUV? Keep reading for all our thoughts from December, and to find out what bit broke off.
What Kind of Fuel Economy Did It Get?
There's nothing to report. Our lifetime fuel economy remained steady at 27.6 mpg. I will say that over the half tank I used commuting on the post-apocalyptically abandoned-looking freeways (also known as "Christmas traffic"), the in-car meter crept up to show a 34 mpg average. Of course the second half of that tank is going to get burned up in our standard apocalyptically overcrowded traffic, so I don't expect to see the needle on our lifetime average move much.
Average lifetime mpg: 27.6
EPA mpg rating: 30 combined (34 city/28 highway)
Best fill mpg: 38.9
Best range: 425.5 miles
Current odometer: 29,654 miles
Maintenance and Upkeep
None.
Logbook Highlights
Interior
"Something broke! I'm not the first to notice this, but I get to be the first to document it. The plunger on the shift lever broke (you know, the one that you have to depress to change the lever position), and it now pops out of the lever and falls on the floor if you're not careful with it. This issue could potentially be disastrous: If we lose that piece of plastic, we're not going to be able to change out of whatever gear the car happens to be in unless we stick a pen down in there to release the catch. It'll be interesting to see what the fix for this winds up costing us." — Will Kaufman, content strategist and news editor
"I've been thinking a lot about how the CR-V stacks up against the Accord, in no small part because my wife and I just bought an Accord. One thing I really disliked about the CR-V and Civic's design is the gauge cluster: Overall legibility is poor, and important information isn't that easy to find at a glance. The Accord's gauge cluster is an almost universal improvement — except for one thing: You can't display the tachometer at the same time as other information. While the CR-V's tach isn't all that easy to read, at least it's persistently displayed. It may not matter to everyone, but it bugs me." — Will Kaufman
Performance
"Over a long weekend on fun secondary roads, I got to experience the CR-V's turbocharged engine and CVT automatic. While this combination isn't exactly a powerhouse of performance, it gets the job done once you get used to it. The initial response in particular is lackluster and will seem slow to drivers who are coming from a bigger, more powerful car. But once the CVT automatic downshifts and the turbo gets spooled up, the CR-V is quick enough to pass big rigs, RVs and fifth-wheels up long grades with no worries. To quicken response, throw the bulky shift lever in S to put the transmission in a lower gear. With the engine revving higher than usual, both the transmission and engine respond faster." — Calvin Kim, vehicle test engineer
Miscellaneous
"Is it just me or is the CR-V's interior not aging well? I'm not saying it's gone downhill since we started this test; I just think the dashboard layout in particular is increasingly 'meh' compared to other offerings in the class. Our own Mazda CX-5, for example, has a much more upscale vibe inside, and there's a new Toyota RAV4 right around the corner. The Honda's versatility is unimpeachable, but I'm afraid it's going to keep losing valuable style points with that ho-hum interior. Put plainly, the CR-V doesn't make you feel cool when you're driving it, and that's less than ideal in this increasingly style-conscious segment." — Josh Sadlier, senior manager, content strategy
"To me, the biggest problem with the CR-V is the Accord. The Accord is just better: power delivery and handling, ride and seat comfort, cabin noise levels, technology features and infotainment, fuel economy, design and build quality. ... The CR-V has the edge for rear-seat headroom and cargo volume, but that's it. In part, that's a testament to just how impressive the new Accord is. It's good enough that after I rated it, I knew it should be our next family car, and now my wife drives a 2018 Accord.
"I like our long-term CR-V. I really do. But every time I drive it home now I just wish I was in an Accord instead." — Will Kaufman
Monthly Update for January 2019
Where Did We Drive It?
We hit a milestone! We've subjected the burgundy utility vehicle to 30,000 hard miles. We also hit something sharp, which caused a flat.
Our 2017 Honda CR-V is the car you don't have to think about until you do. This month, the CR-V had to visit the dealership for a warranty repair, and the infotainment bug continues to rear its head. The CR-V hasn't failed us in any major way in its first 30,000 miles of service, but we've definitely dealt with some annoyances.
What Kind of Fuel Economy Did It Get?
With no new recent highs or lows, the CR-V has settled into the quiet life of a commuter car. We're still falling short of EPA estimates, and that's still disappointing. But it's not uncommon for small turbo motors in the real world.
Average lifetime mpg: 27.5
EPA mpg rating: 30 combined (28 city/34 highway)
Best fill mpg: 38.9
Best range: 425.5 miles
Current odometer: 30,702 miles
Maintenance and Upkeep
Our CR-V saw the friendly Honda dealership maintenance folks twice this month, once for a new tire and once to replace the broken shift-lever button. The latter was covered under warranty, and the former cost us $191.43.
Logbook Highlights
Technology-Audio
"I glanced at the dash and noticed the CR-V recently crossed the 30,000-mile mark. We've certainly put it through its paces in its year and a half with us. But the touchscreen problems haven't gone away. I listened to a podcast for a while on the drive home and decided to switch over to Jack FM. As soon as I switched the audio source, the touchscreen refused to switch to any station so I was stuck listening to 'All Things Considered.' The next morning, I tried to replicate the problem, but there was no glitch in the switchover from podcast to radio." — Kathleen Clonts, copy chief
"Driving to dinner this weekend, I was honored to experience the touchscreen glitches noted by Calvin and Ron back in November. The screen brightness would fluctuate randomly between its brightest and darkest settings, then flicker and black out entirely. Even resetting the system didn't solve the problem.
"Shortly after the touchscreen problem started, a bunch of error messages jumped onto the driver information screen. A number of active safety systems failed, including forward collision mitigation, road departure mitigation and adaptive cruise control. These glitches also popped up on my way home a couple of days earlier. But the touchscreen system hadn't failed that time, so it seemed that the two issues weren't related. In both cases, the safety system reset itself and worked again after about five minutes.
"A Google search of the safety system and touchscreen issues finds that our experiences are well-documented by other drivers. At the time of publication, Honda has not issued any recalls or technical service bulletins addressing either problem." — Cameron Rogers, reviews editor
Maintenance
"Recently, our CR-V had an issue with a broken transmission shifter button. I have no idea how this sort of thing could happen. It only goes in one direction (horizontally), and these things are usually hard to break. Usually. Consider this instance unusual. At least that's my thought.
"So I hightailed it down to our local Santa Monica Honda service department to get it fixed. Upon arriving, I get greeted right away and asked about the problem. I showed them the broken shifter button, and the adviser said, 'Wow, that's the third one I've seen this week.' (Insert befuddled look.) So I asked, 'Why is it that this is the third broken shifter button you've seen this week?' All I got was a shrug.
"Thankfully, they took our CR-V in and 45 minutes later, all done! The shifter was fixed and away I went." — Rex Tokeshi-Torres, vehicle testing technician
"I was driving up into the desert in the pre-dawn hours. Just as I crested the hills and cruised down into the colder valley, the CR-V sent up a TPMS warning. It's not unusual for this to occur when you transition into colder weather, but I remained on alert just in case it was indeed a possible flat tire.
"A few minutes later, I noticed the telltale flap-flap-flap of a flat and immediately dropped my speed. The next off-ramp was more than a mile away, so I did my best to slow to a speed that wouldn't destroy the tire. I didn't want to pull to the side of this highway since it has a reputation for impaired drivers, especially at that hour. I exited the freeway and pulled right over. The left rear tire was definitely the culprit. Thankfully, the CR-V has a donut spare, and I had it swapped out in less than 10 minutes.
"Later that morning, I tried to find a tire shop, but everything in the area was closed on Sunday. Rather than drive 90 miles home on the tiny spare, I found an AutoZone and picked up a tire plug kit. It wasn't ideal, but I thought it would be better than the spare.
"Once I had it plugged, I inflated the tire and discovered the inner sidewall was wrinkled beyond repair. That meant I had to nurse the CR-V all the way home on the donut. The next day, I visited our usual tire shop, Stokes, but it didn't have the tire in stock. A call to the Honda dealer up the street proved more fruitful.
"A few hours later, it was ready for pickup for a reasonable sum of $191.43." — Mark Takahashi, senior reviews editor
Monthly Update for March 2019
Where Did We Drive It?
At 30,000 miles and counting, the minor issues with our CR-V continue to mount. This month the high point was changing out the key-fob battery. The low point was the intermittent failure of the adaptive cruise system.
We've had the CR-V much, much longer than we typically keep a long-term car, which might be manifesting as us becoming a touch jaded. But pause for a second to stop taking the CR-V for granted, and you realize just how good it is. Drive it every day for a few years, and it starts to feel commonplace.
What Kind of Fuel Economy Did It Get?
The L.A. commute is the L.A. commute, and the CR-V just can't gain any ground. Our lifetime mpg held steady over about 900 added miles, coming in 0.5 mpg below the EPA city estimate.
Average lifetime mpg: 27.5
EPA mpg rating: 30 combined (28 city/34 highway)
Best fill mpg: 38.9
Best range: 425.5 miles
Current odometer: 31,685 miles
Maintenance and Upkeep
We replaced the battery in the key fob this month, which was easy enough to do ourselves and only cost us a few bucks.
Logbook Highlights
Technology-Audio
"I previously noted that the adaptive cruise control (ACC), forward collision mitigation and lane departure mitigation systems failed twice over the last weekend. On my way into the office this morning, they failed twice more. The first time I was using adaptive cruise control and all the systems stopped working. I was pretty far away from the car in front, so I was in no imminent danger when I regained manual control. It cleared up after about 5 minutes.
"The systems failed again about 30 minutes later, but I was not using ACC at the time. It didn't clear up again by the time I got to the office, about 15 minutes later. The failures appear to be random and hard to replicate. Even so, we'll get the safety systems and touchscreen checked out next time we go to the dealer." — Cameron Rogers, reviews editor
Maintenance
"The CR-V key fob was only working intermittently over the past few days, so we bought a new battery. Swapping it out took about one minute. Slide the hard key out of the remote and use it for leverage to separate the halves of the key fob to access the battery. Once the deed is done, it easily snaps back together." — Mike Schmidt, senior manager, vehicle testing operations
Miscellaneous
"A shoutout to one of the nicer details of the CR-V. I should hate fake wood trim. But for some reason in the CR-V, I don't. Maybe because I don't expect real wood trim in a CR-V anyway, so even if it's fake, it's a noble attempt to class up the interior? There's something silly about wood trim in cars anyway, but also something about it that harkens back to an automotive golden era. And it's why I wouldn't want to see it disappear from Bentleys or Benzes, or even Infinitis.
"And really, if wood looks great in your home, why not also your car? Not every element of your car needs to serve a function. It's not a race car. Rather than fake grain, though, I'd like to see the CR-V trimmed with something like a cool Tolex, fake snakeskin, or even dark tweed." — Dan Frio, reviews editor
Monthly Update for April 2019
Where Did We Drive It?
We've had our long-term 2017 Honda CR-V so long it's starting to feel positively antediluvian, so rather than complain about the CVT automatic again, or praise the size of the trunk for the thousandth time, we're going to put our hypothetical money where our metaphorical mouths are.
This month, I posed the question, "Would you buy a CR-V if you were shopping for a compact SUV?" to some of my fellow experts, and here are their unvarnished responses. And, yes, these include a complaint about the CVT automatic and praise for the trunk.
What Kind of Fuel Economy Did It Get?
The same. Seriously. We've put enough miles on the CR-V that, short of moving somewhere with lots of freeways and no traffic or putting the CR-V on donks, our average fuel economy isn't going to budge.
Average lifetime mpg: 27.5
EPA mpg rating: 30 combined (28 city/34 highway)
Best fill mpg: 38.9
Best range: 425.5 miles
Current odometer: 32,720 miles
Maintenance and Upkeep
None.
Would Edmunds Editors Buy a CR-V?
Yays
Matt Jones, Senior Consumer Advice Editor and Hip Guy
"Yes. Do I absolutely love every inch of it? No. But when I think of what is important in an urban jungle sport-ute, this kinda checks all the boxes. Predictable, manageable, efficient, and not boring or offensive.
"And besides, that one kid wrote a song about his CR-V, and he seems cool, and I'm not sure the competition can say the same. So there's that."
Jonathan Elfalan, Manager, Vehicle Testing, and New Father
"Yes, it would definitely be a top choice for me in the compact-SUV segment. I've learned I place a high value on cabin and cargo space, and the CR-V is the best in class not because it's the biggest, but because it's the smartest. I also think the 1.5-liter is a good balance of performance and efficiency. Apple CarPlay is also essential. The only thing this is missing is ventilated seats."
Brent Romans, Senior Editor, Written Content, and Very Practical Man
"Yes. It's our No. 1 rated small SUV for a reason. My one issue with it — that it's bland — is greatly outweighed by all the stuff that it does really well, and those are things that I'd presumably be buying a small SUV for. It's roomy, safe, comfortable, reasonably powerful, and fuel-efficient. Nothing else is as well-rounded.
"Now, if you gave me the choice of a CR-V or 5-ton military 6x6 ..."
Carlos Lago, Manager, Feature Content, and, Yes, That Carlos Lago
"Yes, as in it's the compact SUV I feel safest recommending to most people. It has the most strengths of the segment and requires no caveats. For me personally, it'd probably be a tough choice between the CR-V and the CX-5."
Nays
Ron Montoya, Senior Consumer Advice Editor
"I would not buy a CR-V. Honda's infotainment system is a deal-breaker for me. It's buggy and slow, and I don't like that the tuning knob is missing. I'm not an SUV guy, but I'd probably buy a Kia Sportage. I like the tech, the way it looks, and it would likely be a few grand less expensive than the Honda."
Josh Sadlier, Director, Content Strategy, and V12 Mercedes-Benz Owner
"No. The CVT is intolerably slow to respond, and the interior feels surprisingly cheap and hollow for a current Honda product. I have no problem recommending it as a new car given its strong resale value and high versatility factor. But to own and drive myself? Couldn't do it."
Travis Langness, Reviews Editor and #VanLife Influencer
"No. I'd get the CX-5. It's just so much better-looking."
Will Kaufman, Content Strategist and News Editor and Me
"No, if I were shopping for a compact SUV I wouldn't buy a compact SUV anyway. They're trying too hard to be cars, and cars are still better at it. I'd get a Honda Passport because it's a proper not-car that also doesn't have the unnecessary third row that's sure to get you shanghaied into perpetual carpool duty.
"This is my game and I can cheat if I want."
Noncommittal People Pleasers
Mike Schmidt, Senior Manager, Vehicle Testing Operations, and Waffle Enthusiast
"No, I wouldn't buy one because I think it's too small for my two-kid lifestyle. I much prefer a midsize 2+1 row SUV.
"But yes, I would recommend one to any and all families living the single-kid or couple-of-dogs life. I feel the CR-V does everything the average person of this demographic needs. And it does these things very well. No, it doesn't have a wow factor. And it isn't going to outhandle nimble offerings like the CX-5. If you need function, however, it will not disappoint."
Monthly Update for July 2019
Where Did We Drive It?
*Slaps hood of CR-V* You can fit so much content in this bad boy.
Our 2017 Honda CR-V doesn't seem any closer to earning its gold watch, so in lieu of a retirement party we might just need to start throwing it birthday parties. Do compact crossovers like ice cream cake? Do they age in human years or dog years?
The CR-V has been peacefully filling its days with uneventful commuter miles, but a recent trip to Northern California revealed a new maintenance mystery. Read on for all the clues, and in the comments let us know what you think of our efforts to play Scooby Doo.
What Kind of Fuel Economy Did It Get?
The time out of the commute grind and on the open road helped bump our average up a tenth of an mpg. We're still underperforming relative to EPA estimates, though.
Average lifetime mpg: 27.6
EPA mpg rating: 30 combined (28 city/34 highway)
Best fill mpg: 38.9
Best range: 425.5 miles
Current odometer: 34,860 miles
Maintenance and Upkeep
"While on a trip heading to San Francisco, I encountered an issue with our long-term CR-V. Almost three-quarters of the way up the uphill grade on the Grapevine [a six-mile section of I-5 north of Los Angeles known for its sustained incline], a 'Shutter Grille Problem. Power Reduced' warning showed on the instrument panel. It felt like engine power was robbed and that throttle response was highly diminished. Others in the car did some research (thanks, Google) and found that shutting the car off for a few minutes remedied the situation for a couple of folks. We did this and after five minutes, we were back on our way to San Francisco with no issues for the rest of the way.
"We decided to get it checked out by a local dealer just in case there was something really wrong and they found nothing, saying that the shutters were operating properly. They looked to see if there was a fault code stored, and while they found something, the CR-V currently was not having any issues so they could not do any repairs.
"While in San Francisco, I decided to look into this 'Shutter Grille Problem. Power Reduced' issue. It seems that there were no common indicators — some reported it happening during winter time, others in May and closer to summer. Then there are those who reported it in higher elevations such as Colorado. Since there was no evidence pinpointing an exact situation, we'll have to see if the problem can be replicated somehow.
"On the way home, almost on cue, three-quarters of the way up the uphill grade on the Grapevine, the 'Shutter Grille Problem' warning showed up again on the instrument panel. So I did the same thing: stopped for about five minutes and then headed home. No issues came about.
"Seems like we'll have to test this uphill grade theory on a Big Bear trip and see if we can create a scientific hypothesis: 'If the CR-V is on an uphill grade in higher elevations, the issue will happen.' ... Stay tuned." — Rex Tokeshi-Torres, vehicle testing technician
Monthly Update for September 2019
Where Did We Drive It?
Do you like fun facts? Josh Sadlier, director of content strategy (and my boss), likes fun facts. After all, he went to Harvard. So if you want one of Josh's Fun Facts about the fifth-generation Honda CR-V, read this update! I'm going to bury it at the end so you don't have a choice but to soak in all the other sweet content on offer.
That other sweet content mostly revolves around the touchscreen's ongoing meltdown. You know, the kind of thing you might want to read about if you're considering buying a CR-V.
What Kind of Fuel Economy Did It Get?
High drama! Our 2017 Honda CR-V's fuel economy edged down one-tenth in September to 27.5 mpg. Life in traffic + turbocharged motor + climate-change-induced heat waves = bad juju for fuel economy.
Over our years with the CR-V, individual months have lived up to (or exceeded) the combined EPA estimate of 30 mpg. Just this month we averaged 31.9 mpg over a 323-mile tank. For the most part, though, L.A. has proved a tough eco-nut for the CR-V to crack.
Average lifetime mpg: 27.5
EPA mpg rating: 30 combined (28 city/34 highway)
Best fill mpg: 38.9
Best range: 425.5 miles
Current odometer: 38,192 miles
Maintenance and Upkeep
None.
Logbook Highlights
Technology
"The screen freaked out again. While running errands over the weekend, the CR-V's entertainment screen had 'an episode,' let's say. It would randomly choose options and rapidly switch between brightness modes all by itself. It was as if someone was quickly tapping the lower-left section of the screen.
"This behavior continued until I power-cycled the car. It's extremely frustrating because it essentially makes the screen useless until you stop and restart the car. Looking back at earlier comments, we experienced this issue throughout 2018 and once in 2019." — Carlos Lago, manager, feature content
"Update on the screen freak-out: It's no longer happening. The touchscreen is operating as intended — for now. The only hiccup I experience is the occasional Android Auto crash, but I don't know if it's my phone or the car. It's annoying, sure, but a quick physical reconnect seems to fix it." — Carlos Lago
"Touchscreen weirdness continues, but it's never the same thing twice. I've yet to experience the phantom brightness switching again, but Android Auto continues to crash at random. It remains an easy fix — unplug and plug it back in — but it's annoying nevertheless. Occasionally the screen doesn't acknowledge inputs, but this tends to go away after a restart. The most frustrating part of all this is that it's not repeatable, so a dealer won't take care of it." — Carlos Lago
"Touchscreen weirdness, Part XXII: I was listening to satellite radio on my drive into work, and the touchscreen would only let me select preset stations. The channel up/down arrows wouldn't work. Then a new twist: The screen just blacked out a couple of times, but the music was still playing and eventually the screen came back.
"I turned to the great Google machine, and it's a problem that more than a few drivers have had — it's even inspired a few YouTube videos. A few of the drivers on a thread at the CR-V Owners Club site said they experienced the blackouts while using Apple CarPlay, but that wasn't the case here and Carlos had the problem when he was using Android. This glitch is just a case of all-around touchscreen funkiness." — Kathleen Clonts, copy chief
Miscellaneous
"A surprising fact about the CR-V is that it hasn't grown much since its debut in the '90s. Nose to tail, the current CR-V is only 3 inches longer than the original. That's great news for drivers because it means the CR-V remains eminently maneuverable in tight spots. It drives and parks like a compact car, yet its cavernous interior gives it the versatility of a midsize SUV. No wonder Honda can't make enough of these things." — Josh Sadlier, director, content strategy
Wrap-Up
At long, long last, we bid adieu to our 2017 Honda CR-V, the SUV that put the "long-term" into "long-term test." This particular vehicle started at Edmunds the month after I did, way back in March 2017, and since then at least one of us has proven ourself practical and utilitarian — a favorite companion for co-workers who just need something done right.
The other one of us has proven that eating a sushi burrito for lunch every day will not, in fact, kill you.
So it's apt that I get to write this send-off, after 40,000 miles and more CR-V posts than anyone anywhere has ever wanted. And a lot of sushi burritos.
What We Got
We picked up a CR-V EX-L with the 1.5-liter turbocharged motor and front-wheel drive. If you're shopping for a CR-V now, you don't really have to worry about the sluggish naturally aspirated motor that used to be standard on the base model, since for 2020 that engine was nixed and everything gets the punchier turbo.
Aside from the engine, opting for the EX-L netted us leather seats, a sunroof, heated front seats, a power liftgate, a 7-inch touchscreen tech interface, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto compatibility, an eight-speaker audio system and a navigation system.
The EX-L also came with a suite of safety and driver aids, such as a rearview camera with dynamic guidelines, automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning and intervention, adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking. Basically everything but blind-spot monitoring is, like the engine, standard on CR-V models from 2020 on.
All told, our EX-L came in with an MSRP of $31,135. After negotiating with Galpin Honda in nearby San Fernando, we bought it for $29,700 before tax.
Will We Miss It?
I can't speak for everybody, in particular the real die-hard CVT haters among our ranks. But even though we've all had more than enough time to get bored of our CR-V, it's not as though we're eager to see it go. There are plenty of cars we've loved madly — or hated passionately. Cars that we really, really want for certain situations, on certain days or for specific tasks. The CR-V was none of those.
The CR-V was the SUV you weren't unhappy to drive. Pretty much no matter what you had to do or where you had to go, the CR-V was up to the challenge. It was comfortable, spacious and sufficiently responsive.
So we may not miss the CR-V right away, but there will come a day when we're looking at the cars in the office and trying to decide between navigating Los Angeles traffic for two hours in either a Jaguar F-Type or a Ford F-250 and then, then, we'll miss the CR-V.
Performance
"Over a long weekend on fun secondary roads, I got to experience the CR-V's turbocharged engine and CVT. While this combination isn't exactly a powerhouse of performance, it gets the job done once you get used to it. The initial response in particular is lackluster and will seem slow to drivers who are coming from a bigger, more powerful car. But once the turbo gets spooled up, the CR-V is quick enough to pass big rigs, RVs and fifth-wheels up long grades with no worries. To quicken response, put the bulky shift lever in S to put the transmission in a lower gear. With the engine revving higher than usual, both the transmission and engine respond faster." — Calvin Kim
"Our CR-V's turbocharged 1.5-liter engine and CVT have received some mixed opinion so far. I can see why some of my co-workers have complained that it's slow to rev. Personally, I think the powertrain's responsiveness in Drive is just fine. Maybe I just drive more sedately than them. Regardless, I think this engine's mix of power and high fuel economy is ideal. It builds speed quickly when you need it to — better than any normal or base engine in a small crossover." — Brent Romans
Comfort
"I never thought I'd be so happy to see our CR-V but after a full day of traipsing around the Los Angeles Convention Center, covering the LA Auto Show, I wasn't so much interested in driving as I was about just getting home. The CR-V was comfortable, quiet, easy and gave me good enough visibility to manage the diabolical traffic on the 110 Freeway. Thanks, cute ute." — Kurt Niebuhr
"Our long-term CR-V rides smoothly on the highway. The suspension and tires are able to soak up most bumps and ruts without disturbing you or your passengers. The tuning seems about right too. It's not overly soft or wallowly. There's enough control should you need to turn quickly." — Brent Romans
"How thoughtful. Honda put a padded section on the side of the center console to save your knees from hitting cheap, hard plastic. Except they didn't. That's cheap, hard plastic molded to look like it has a padded surface. That's actually worse, Honda." — Kurt Niebuhr
Cargo Space
"Since it was my time to drive, I took the CR-V for the weekend. It's just hard to beat the big ole cave-like storage area. But the low tailgate entry point is what sealed the deal for me. When tasked with moving beach chairs, a water cooler and whatever else deemed needed, that low tailgate comes in super handy. Combine all that with seating for five, a compliant ride and a smallish footprint, and the CR-V is a no-brainer." — Matt Jones
"The CR-V's center console area sure is great for holding stuff. From front to back, there's the front open tray that's below the gear shifter, the two cupholders (with spring-based tabs to keep smaller bottles tight) and then the semi-covered console bin. The console bin is pretty big and has a mid-height tray that you can slide back and forth. Whether it's keys, a phone, a wallet, snacks, tissues or whatever other personal item you're looking to throw in here, the CR-V can likely handle it." — Brent Romans
Interior
"I take my two young children to school every morning and have noticed that our CR-V is kid-friendly for getting them in and out quickly. Here are a few reasons why: 1) The rear doors are light, so kids can easily open and close them. 2) The door openings are wide and step-in height is agreeable; younger children won't likely need help. 3) Seat-belt anchor and buckle spacing for the two outboard positions is wide, so kids should have little trouble buckling up in booster seats (or parents getting child safety seats strapped in). 4) There's plenty of legroom, which opens up more space to get in or out, even when they're holding backpacks." — Brent Romans
"Overall the interior is fantastic. The seats are comfortable, and the headrest was in the right place for my 5-foot-5 height. My favorite part was the full coverage I got from the sun visors. I drove home east from Las Vegas following the sunset the entire way. Fortunately, no matter where the sun was, the visors provided coverage. That never usually happens." — Laurel Carden
"We call the CR-V a compact SUV, but you'd never know it after getting inside. It's kind of like the TARDIS in that way. I can put the driver's seat in my preferred position, climb out and into the back seat, and still have enough legroom and headroom for my 6-foot-4-inch frame to be comfortable for hours on end. I don't know if there's a better crossover in this price class for four tall adults, but the CR-V gets my vote." — Cameron Rogers
Audio and Technology
"A volume knob — what an innovative idea! Honda's latest infotainment system, as featured in our long-term CR-V, now has one. Previously, Honda just gave you a virtual slider for controlling audio volume, which none of us liked. So, that's the good news. Unfortunately, the rest of the system is the same. The more I drive our CR-V, the more Honda's menu design annoys me. The graphics look dated, responses are slow, and many of the virtual control buttons are too small. Having Apple CarPlay or Android Auto helps out considerably since they operate on their own software system. But as we've noted in a couple recent updates, we've had some problems with these systems too. Plus, not everyone owns a compatible phone." — Brent Romans
"The area you think to be the screen is the equivalent of a 32-ounce cup filled with 16 ounces of ice. So much of the 'screen' is nothing but blank space or buttons." — Kurt Niebuhr
"The entertainment display in our CR-V is freaking out. On my drive home today, the screen kept switching between off and day and night brightness presets. And I mean to the point where it was flickering. I think something is triggering the capacitive brightness switch to the lower left of the screen because touching it does nothing. This basically renders the screen useless, because not only is it hard to read while driving, you can't make an input on the screen while the brightness notification is showing. This needs immediate attention." — Carlos Lago
"A friend of mine asked me how I liked the CR-V. I told him I really like it except for the slow and sometimes buggy infotainment system. In the perfect world, I'd swap the infotainment system from the Accord and put it in the CR-V. Problem solved and I could wholeheartedly recommend the vehicle. At the rate things change in the automotive world, we might not see that until the next CR-V redesign." — Ron Montoya
Maintenance
"While on a trip heading to San Francisco, I encountered an issue with our long-term CR-V. Almost three-quarters of the way up the uphill grade on the Grapevine, a 'Shutter Grille Problem Power Reduced' warning showed on the instrument panel. It felt like engine power was robbed and throttle response was highly diminished. Others in the car did some research (Google) and found that shutting the car off for a few minutes remedied the situation for some. We did this, and after 5 minutes, we were back on our way to San Francisco with no issues for the rest of the way.
"We decided to get it checked out by a local dealer just in case there was something really wrong and they found nothing, saying that the shutters were operating properly. They looked to see if there was a fault code stored and, while they found one, the CR-V was not currently having any issues so they could not do any repairs." — Rex Tokeshi-Torres
"Recently, our CR-V had an issue with a broken transmission shifter button. I have no idea how this sort of thing could happen. It only goes in one direction (horizontally) and these things are usually hard to break. Usually. Consider this instance unusual. At least that's my thought.
"So I hightailed it down to our local Santa Monica Honda service department to have this issue resolved. Upon arriving, I'm greeted right away and asked about the problem. I showed them the broken shifter button and out came, 'Wow. That's the third one I've seen this week.' *insert befuddled look here* So I asked why but all I got was a shrug of the shoulders.
"Thankfully, they took our CR-V in and 45 minutes later, all done! Shifter is fixed and away I went!" — Rex Tokeshi-Torres
Miscellaneous
"A surprising fact about the CR-V is that it hasn't grown much since its debut in the '90s. Nose to tail, the current CR-V is only 3 inches longer than the original. That's great news for drivers because it means the CR-V remains eminently maneuverable in tight spots. It drives and parks like a compact car, yet its cavernous interior gives it the versatility of a midsize SUV. No wonder Honda can't make enough of these things." — Josh Sadlier
"I needed to swap into a different vehicle in our long-term test fleet. Our manager of vehicle testing operations, Mike Schmidt, said he'd hook me up with the Honda CR-V. At the time, I thought, 'Oh, cool, we must have gotten a new CR-V in.' Only later, when I got in it to drive, did I realize that: 1) It had more than 20,000 miles on it, meaning it was very much not new; and 2) I likely drove the CR-V previously but had no recollection of doing so.
"True enough, I checked our logbooks and realized I drove our CR-V back in September 2017. But I couldn't remember driving it or what I did with it. Now, I'm in my mid-40s, so maybe my memory is prematurely fading. But I also think that the CR-V is somewhat at fault here. It's competently good to the point of forgettable blandness." — Brent Romans
"If steady competency was more exciting to read about, enthusiast magazines would have the CR-V on their covers every month. Unfortunately, it's not, so it's easy to overlook just how good this SUV is at commuting/workhorse duties. It's consistently my recommendation to shoppers looking for a compact SUV, and it's rightfully one of the best-selling vehicles in its class." — Carlos Lago
Maintenance & Repairs
Regular Maintenance:
We performed service about every 7,000 miles, as prompted by CR-V's trip computer.
Service Campaigns:
There were several recalls issued for CR-V models during our ownership, but none applied to our vehicle.
Fuel Economy and Resale Value
Observed Fuel Economy:
Our final average mpg over our three years with the CR-V was just 27.3 miles per gallon. That's ... bad. EPA estimates sit at 28 city/34 highway, and while we had a couple tanks that beat expectations (we managed to hypermile our way to a record high of 38.9 mpg over one tank), for the most part fuel economy was significantly worse than advertised.
Some of this is down to the fact that we almost exclusively drove the CR-V in L.A. traffic, and everyone knows the 405 freeway is where dinosaurs go to die again. But poor real-world performance is also just not that uncommon a problem for small turbo mills. Still, we'd be lying if we said we weren't disappointed.
Resale and Depreciation:
The Edmunds car appraisal tool offered us $17,300 for the CR-V after 47,366 miles. We paid $29,700 for it three years earlier, meaning the car has retained about 58% of its value. We could probably get a little more if we replaced the aging, balding tires and took the private-party route to sell it. (On a dealer lot we'd expect this car to be advertised around $20,000.)
Summing Up
Pros:
Comfortable, practical, spacious, nice enough to drive — it's hard to find any SUV tasks or chores that the CR-V can't do well.
Cons:
Subpar fuel economy and infotainment, and a handful of recurring technical issues that could point to more headaches further down the road.
Bottom Line:
It's still our No. 1-ranked SUV for a reason: The Honda CR-V did pretty much everything we asked of it without complaints or problems.
| Total Body Repair Costs: | $1,200 (replace door cladding) |
| Total Routine Maintenance Costs: | $244.73 |
| Additional Maintenance Costs: | $191.43 (tire replacement) |
| Warranty Repairs: | 1 |
| Non-Warranty Repairs: | 2 (door cladding, tire replacement) |
| Scheduled Dealer Visits: | 3 |
| Unscheduled Dealer Visits: | 3 |
| Days Out of Service: | None |
| Breakdowns Stranding Driver: | None |
| Best Fuel Economy: | 38.9 mpg |
| Worst Fuel Economy: | 11.9 mpg |
| Average Fuel Economy: | 27.3 mpg |
| Best Range: | 425.5 miles |
| True Market Value at service end: | $17,300 (trade-in value) |
| Depreciation: | $12,400 (41.8% of paid price) |
| Final Odometer Reading: | 42,439 miles |
Disclaimer:
Edmunds purchased this vehicle for the purposes of evaluation.