2019 Honda CR-V Reviews

There was a time when Honda was considered by some (and itself) to be the Japanese version of BMW. Sporty, prestige cars that were distinctive and high-end. How things changed.Frankly, Honda lost its mojo somewhere around the turn of the century, and while there have been glimpses of that former aspirational brand, many of Honda’s products in the meantime have been cannon-fodder stuff. And into that mix, you could probably toss the CR-V.It’s not that the CR-V was a bad car, just that it lacked the old sparkle. The fifth generation of the CR-V SUV failed to change that perception or Honda’s unenviable sales trajectory.A shift to Thailand production didn’t help, either, and somehow the CR-V has struggled along. Which is not to say it isn’t worth a look as a used-car buy, because in terms of ride quality, cabin fit and finish and interior space relative to its exterior dimensions it’s still a Honda. In other areas, not so much…Dubbed internally the 'RW' series CR-V, this car was available in Australia in a bewildering range of models and driveline layouts. That started with the entry-level VTi which was a five-seater, front-wheel drive variant. The range then moved up to the better equipped VTi-S, still with five seats, but a choice of front- or all-wheel drive. The range-topper was the VTi-LX which was a five-seater and AWD only and then, just to confuse us, Honda also dropped the VTi-L into showrooms with its FWD platform but seven seats.Which ever variant you bought you got the same powertrain; a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine driving through a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT). Unless, of course, you bought the most affordable model which Honda quietly slipped into showrooms in 2019. Called the Vi, this was a stripped-out version designed to get a car on to the market at under $30,000, As a result, the turbo engine was dropped in favour of a gutless, low-tech SOHC 2.0-litre, four-cylinder with but 113kW. Add the same CVT auto and you had a recipe for humdrum.

If you're buying a new family SUV this year, there's a fair chance one of these four models will be on your shopping list. Statistically, almost one in five new car buyers is choosing this type of car - the medium SUV segment is now the go-to for Australian consumers. So which is our pick of the Honda CR-V, Mazda CX-5, Toyota RAV4 and Subaru Forester? You'll have to read on to find out.

There are currently only two seven-seater SUVs on the market under $35K and the Honda CR-V VTi-E7 is one of them.

The CR-V keeps on giving for Honda, so Honda has given this particular variant some necessary upgrades for 2019 that should keep it front of mind for family SUV buyers.

Honda's own research said it needed a CR-V costing under $30k. But have they stripped out too much to make it a good buy?