CR-V sets the standard.
People know that I'm a car guy so they often ask me, "what kind of car should I get?" It's in this moment that I must refrain from blurting out Alfa Romeo and instead think like a rational and reasonable consumer who doesn't just sit in their garage and stare at their car.
So, my mind immediately turns to Honda, a company heavily responsible for the high expectations the modern consumer has for reliability, build quality, efficiency, and function. Then, I go to crossover/SUV because they offer the kind of dog-toting, kid-traveling, grocery-hauling, ski-gear carrying that makes life easier. Next, I think about fun. That leaves me with the turbocharged Honda CR-V, the vehicle that is excellent every single day.
You might notice that the current CR-V is a little bigger than CR-Vs of old, and you'd be right. The latest generation CR-V is longer and taller, despite weighing less, and that extra room pays off in passenger legroom. Unlike other mid-size crossovers, the CR-V has no problem taking four adults to the mountains comfortably – and that's including time spent in traffic.
Then, there's the rest of the interior. The driver information center is reminiscent of some of its German counterparts, and I can appreciate the S2000-inspired tachometer. It also offers all of the latest tech, and there's storage space wherever you lay your eyes. It's all very smart. It's all very Honda.
To top that all off, the CR-V scored a five-star safety rating from the NHSTA and as far as "active" crash avoidance features, the CR-V leads the pack. What else could you want?
Ah yes, a turbo.
Finally, turbos are making their way into more "normal" cars and that's great news for those of us who live at altitude. Luckily, the EX, EX-L, and Touring come with Honda's 1.5-liter turbo inline-four that produces a healthy 190 hp and 179 pounds-ft of torque, much of which won't be affected by altitude like a normally aspirated (non-turbo) car, and propels the car 34 MPG on the highway.
For a car this size, that's astonishing -- and it has the handling characteristics to back it up. This car truly is engineering excellence every day. For more information, contact Tyrrell Honda in Cheyenne, WY.
What are your thoughts? Do you have a new CR-V? What do you think of it? Let us know in the comments below!
