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Honda CRV 2007 Review

I remember driving the original CR-V for the first time in California in 1997, and wondering.

It felt like a Civic on stilts. It was nice to drive, and boxy with good cabin space, but hardly a world-beater. I was wrong.

The CR-V has been a winner on all fronts and the latest model, new this year, has enough updates and improvements to revitalise the car and its sales. It is bigger, smoother and fresher.

The 2.4-litre engine has more power, there is a six-speed manual gearbox, electronic stability control is fitted and there are curtain airbags in the Sport and Luxury models.

Honda is making a big deal about the new body, which it says makes the car better in every way.

It's more rigid for safety, quieter, makes the cabin even more car-like and boosts its work on suspension, steering and refinement.

There are plenty of little improvements, from sharper steering to a double cargo shelf in the tail.

The full-sized spare wheel remains, but is now below the cargo area, as does the on-demand four-wheel-drive system.

Shifting the spare has shortened the length of the CR-V, but it is wider and sits lower, with wider tracks and a shorter wheelbase.

The cabin design is funkier and much like the Civic, including a pull-up handbrake tucked low at the front of the console.

The new CR-V looks significantly bigger and the side profile sets it away from the earlier models.

But the nose could be better and seems to have been styled more for its impact than any elegance.

Honda has done well on pricing. The CR-V still starts at $31,990 with extra gear in the base model, sliding up to $39,990 for the Luxury model. Add $2000 for the five-speed auto.

The pricing puts it well in the ballpark against its obvious rivals; the five-door RAV4 from Toyota starts at the same price, as does the Subaru Forester.

 ON THE ROAD

I KNEW exactly what to expect from the CR-V and it delivered. It is nothing special to drive, but it will do the job for target customers.

Importantly, it has the extra size and refinement to line up with the RAV4 and it will get an easy free kick for a while as the Forester rolls deeper into its twilight.

Nissan's X-Trail is also nearing the end of its run, but has always been aimed more at people who want to go bush.

The new CR-V is significantly quieter. You can see and feel the extra space in the cabin. And I like the changed location for the spare.

It makes it easier to load and unload the back end, which is a bit more flexible than before.

Quality is good, I have no reason to question Honda's claims on improved safety, and it is good to see another soft-roader picking up electronic stability control.

The steering feels a little sharper than before and the tilt-and-slide steering column makes it easy to get a good driving position.

The front buckets could do with more shape and support, but that comes back — like so much stuff this year — to the preference of customers in the US, which dominates a lot of the development work.

The new CR-V was a bit disappointing in the engine, despite Honda's claim of an extra 7kW, and the ride is also a big jiggly over small bumps.

They are both disappointments because Honda engines are usually so perky, and the CV-V has always had a smooth ride on any surface.

And I managed only 9.9 litres for 100km at the pumps, which is nothing special for the car or class. The six-speed manual is good, though, with a crisp shift and well-space ratios.

I chose the basic CR-V to get a real measure of the car, right down to steel wheels, but there is plenty of room to move if you have a bigger budget and even the mid-level CR-V Sport comes with good kit, including parking radar and curtain airbags.

Overall, the Honda CR-V is bigger and better, but not a lot on either front. However, the value is great.

That should be more than good enough to put it on plenty of shopping lists, but not to put it ahead of the RAV4.

THE BOTTOM LNE

NEW and a little bigger means the Honda CR-V will still be hot in the shops.

80/100

Pricing guides

$9,990
Based on 69 cars listed for sale in the last 6 months
Lowest Price
$2,000
Highest Price
$15,990

Range and Specs

VehicleSpecsPrice*
(4X4) 2.4L, ULP, 5 SP MAN $3,960 – 5,830 2007 Honda CR-V 2007 (4X4) Pricing and Specs
(4x4) Sport 2.4L, ULP, 5 SP MAN $5,720 – 8,030 2007 Honda CR-V 2007 (4x4) Sport Pricing and Specs
(4x4) Luxury 2.4L, ULP, 5 SP AUTO $7,260 – 10,230 2007 Honda CR-V 2007 (4x4) Luxury Pricing and Specs
Pricing Guide

$2,000

Lowest price, based on 61 car listings in the last 6 months

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Disclaimer: The pricing information shown in the editorial content (Review Prices) is to be used as a guide only and is based on information provided to Carsguide Autotrader Media Solutions Pty Ltd (Carsguide) both by third party sources and the car manufacturer at the time of publication. The Review Prices were correct at the time of publication.  Carsguide does not warrant or represent that the information is accurate, reliable, complete, current or suitable for any particular purpose. You should not use or rely upon this information without conducting an independent assessment and valuation of the vehicle.