Acceleration

LX 2WD, auto.	LX AWD, man.	EX, auto.	Class Average
4	5	4	3.5

Not as strong as V6 adversaries such as Ford Escape, but notably more powerful than first-generation CR-V and up to most any task. Good movement off the line, little momentum lost climbing hills. Feels liveliest with manual transmission, at 8.6 sec with AWD in our test, while exceptionally smooth and sensitive automatic helps deliver drama-free passing response.

Fuel Economy

LX 2WD, auto.	LX AWD, man.	EX, auto.	Class Average
5	5	5	4.8

Test automatic-transmission EX averaged 21 mpg in city/highway mix. Test manual LX AWD averaged 18.6 with gas-eating performance tests. Uses regular gas.

Ride Quality

LX 2WD, auto.	LX AWD, man.	EX, auto.	Class Average
5	5	5	3.7

Drumming and thumping over bumps, but stable at speed and little pitching and rocking on uneven surfaces.

Steering/Handling/Braking

LX 2WD, auto.	LX AWD, man.	EX, auto.	Class Average
4	4	4	3.7

Feels like a compact station wagon that has 8.1 inches of ground clearance: Pleasantly maneuverable, but even moderately aggressive cornering triggers tire squeal and scrub, copious body lean. Steering nicely weighted in turns, but inert on-center in 2WD version. More-disciplined on-center feel with AWD makes for more-relaxed straight-line cruising. However, front tires tug to the side with unwanted torque steer in some hard-throttle starts. Standard 4-wheel disc brakes augmented by emergency brake assist in EX. Stopping ability adequate in all CR-Vs, but not outstanding, and modulation inconsistent on test EX.

Quietness

LX 2WD, auto.	LX AWD, man.	EX, auto.	Class Average
4	4	4	3.3

Little wind rush, engine vocal only above 5500 rpm--both big improvements over previous CR-V. Alas, road/tire noise intrudes on all but unblemished pavement.

Controls

LX 2WD, auto.	LX AWD, man.	EX, auto.	Class Average
8	8	8	4.8

Automatic-transmission shifter sprouts from dashboard to right of steering wheel. Unorthodox design succeeds in clearing reach to all controls and doesn't detract from ease of use. Clear, concise main gauges have silver highlighting, amber illumination. Audio controls a stretch for the driver, but large and well-defined. Three big, silver knobs govern climate system in high style. Outstanding interior storage, including handy flip-up tray between front seats. Two cupholders in tray and rear fold-down center armrest; a fifth pulls from dashboard on automatic-transmission models.

Room/Comfort/Driver Seating (front)

LX 2WD, auto.	LX AWD, man.	EX, auto.	Class Average
7	7	7	5

Airy cabin. Generous head and leg room on well-bolstered seats. Comfortable take-charge driving stance. Visibility to rear compromised by three back-seat headrests.

Room/Comfort (rear)

LX 2WD, auto.	LX AWD, man.	EX, auto.	Class Average
7	7	7	3.7

Still too narrow for comfortable 3-adult travel. But head room is great, and flat floor and rear seat that slides fore/aft 6.7 inches supplies more leg room than in many larger vehicles. Supportive, chair-high seat cushion. Backrest reclines 45 degrees. No-strain step-in height, generous door openings.

Cargo Room

LX 2WD, auto.	LX AWD, man.	EX, auto.	Class Average
7	7	7	6.7

Impressively wide, tall luggage compartment even with rear seatback up. Rear seat sections flip/fold to extend load floor and create second-biggest cargo bay in class (behind Hyundai Santa Fe). Swing-out tailgate includes glass liftgate, but large door can be awkward to use. Load-floor/picnic table a fun feature, and beneath it is useful waterproof storage bin.

Value within Class

LX 2WD, auto.	LX AWD, man.	EX, auto.	Class Average
10	10	10	5.4

Terrifically efficient and satisfyingly well-built, CR-V also appeals for relative comfort, refinement, and spaciousness. V6 competitors have more outright power, but no small SUV beats this Honda for design intelligence, proven reliability, and resale value.

Total Score

LX 2WD, auto.	LX AWD, man.	EX, auto.	Class Average
61	62	61	44.6

Scores for all Compact Sport-utility Vehicles

Low Score		27
Average Score		44
High Score		62