HONDA

WATCHING THE VTECTIVES Honda’s CR-V has long been a favourite with compact 4x4 buyers. The latest 2.0i-VTEC model looks to continue that run. Andy Enright reports

Once upon a time, Honda’s CR-V was perceived as a rather sensible compact 4x4 – especially in comparison with its rather wacky HR-V stablemate. With the demise of the HR-V however, the CR-V now has the space to live a little and in third generation form, it’s as cutting edge as you could reasonably expect a car like this to be. Here, we’re looking at the version most UK customers tend to go for, fitted with the 150bhp 2.0-litre i-VTEC engine.

Let’s not get too insular though. There’s a whole world outside the Honda marque and when prospective buyers consider a CR-V, they’re also looking at cars like the Land Rover Freelander 2, the Nissan X-Trail, the Mitsubishi Outlander and the Toyota RAV4. With Peugeot’s 4007 and Citroën’s C-Crosser also looking to muscle in for a significant slice of the market, you can see why the CR-V needs to be very good indeed to even stand a chance of wiping its own nose. Two engines are available from launch. The aspirational powerplant is undoubtedly the 2.2-litre i-CTDI diesel, but that’s a more expensive piece of kit and in this market, money talks which is the reason why more CRV-s will be sold with the 2.0-litre petrol unit on test here. In case you’re experiencing déjà vu, it’s also found in the Civic range and makes a healthy 150bhp. It’ll get to 60mph in a respectable 10.1 seconds if you choose the manual transmission, the five-speed auto model lagging with an 11.9 second showing against the watch. Peak power arrives at a nosebleed 6,200rpm, so you’ll need to rev this thing to make progress and if you’re loaded down with people and gear, the modest 190Nm torque figure may well prompt you to look at the diesel engine. With a kerb weight of 1,498kg, this CR-V is still a good deal lighter than many of its direct competitors, a RAV4 weighing in at 1,639kg and a Hyundai Santa Fe CRTD a whopping 1,940kg. This means that although the engine isn’t hugely endowed with torque, you’ll still enjoy a manageable torque to weight ratio.

"The CR-V 2.0 i-VTEC has metamorphosed from a car bought by squares into a very well rounded vehicle"

Compact 4x4 drivers are often a more pragmatic bunch than the ‘lifestyle’ image of their vehicles might suggest and given that overall mileages driven in these cars is often below average, this petrol version could well work out the more cost effective buy. Fuel economy is signally improved over its predecessor, the combined figure rising from 31.4 to 34.9mpg and emissions have also been slashed, dropping from a rather hefty 215g/km down to 194g/km. A more car-like ride comes courtesy of independent suspension all round with a multilink rear set-up. The centre of gravity has been dropped by fully 35mm and Honda claims to have benchmarked the best family hatchbacks in its class (rather than other 4x4s) when it comes to handling. The lightweight engine (which extensively uses aluminium and plastic materials to keep the kilos down) certainly helps to promote an agile front end. Forget the cumbersome roly-poly road manners and ponderous ride quality still common to some cars in this class. The CR-V has been engineered to be pin sharp straight out of the box. This matters. It matters because, if you’re honest with yourself, you never take small 4x4s off road anyway. It matters because it means you’re not trying to portray some sort of lifestyle you don’t have. And, above all, it matters because the CR-V now corners more crisply and safely than ever before and, despite the best efforts of the Romans, our roads tend to be very twisty. The CR-V can handle gentle off-road tracks thanks to its four-wheel drive system but think of this as an all-wheel drive equipped car rather than a ‘proper’ 4x4. The system has been tweaked a little to direct even more torque to the rear wheels when the front wheels start slipping. This is actually handier if you’re planning to use the CR-V in bad weather conditions or on an Alpine skiing jaunt. The internal dimensions aren’t far removed from the old CR-V, a car which always was one of the more spacious compact 4x4s. Load space has been increased, despite the internally housed spare, while access has been improved by bigger doors that open wider. The interior features metallic elements on the dash with soft textured black trim, while the front seats cater for this nation’s ever-expanding posteriors, being larger and more comfortable than before. The sunroof on top-spec models has also been supersized and can be closed off with two electric blinds which are trimmed in the same material as the roof lining. This feature was debuted in the Civic and, like the Civic again, the CR-V features a relocated gear lever. Now at the base of the centre stack, it’s been brought closer to the steering wheel, creating more floor space. Equipment levels are generous with an eight-way powered driver’s seat, leather upholstery, front and rear parking sensors and a rear-view camera offered according to trim level. Should you really want to play the urban gangster, there’s even a 19-inch wheel option. No chrome spinners though. The rear seats split 60:40 at the base and 40:20:40 at the back and slide back and forth to maximise either leg or luggage room. They even recline to really let rear passengers flake out on longer trips. When not required, the rear seats can be tumbled forwards and stowed upright to create a space big enough for a pair of mountain bikes. You won’t even need to remove the front wheels. Extra versatility is served up with the ‘Double Deck’ luggage storage system created by a shelf that sits just over a foot off the load floor. This hinged slab allows luggage below to remain easily accessible but out of view. The Honda CR-V 2.0 i-VTEC is a vehicle that has benefited from a decade of development on the CR-V product line and, frankly, it shows. If you need 4x4 presence and practicality without feeling as if you’re driving something from an army surplus auction, this is one of the best choices around from less than £20,000.

Facts At A Glance CAR: Honda CR-V 2.0 i-VTEC range PRICES: £19,415-£24,215 - on the road INSURANCE GROUP: 12 CO2 EMISSIONS: 173g/km PERFORMANCE: Max Speed 116mph / 0-60mph 10.1s FUEL CONSUMPTION: (urban) 27.2 (extra Urban) 42.2 (combined) 34.9mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front, side and curtain airbags, ISOFIX child seat fitments WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height, 4530/1820/1805mm

TECH TALK Delve beneath the bodywork of Honda’s latest CR-V and there’s a feast of technology to explore. Andy Enright reports

The words ‘Honda’ and ‘technology’ have always been two that have gone together seamlessly. Buy a Honda and you buy cutting edge technology. It’s as simple as that. Few cars however, have illustrated the point quite as effectively as the latest third generation CR-V.

Quite simply, it’s packed with clever thinking that you simply wouldn’t expect to see on a compact SUV of this kind. Features like a rear parking camera, Active Cruise Control (ACC) and Honda’s clever Crash Mitigation Braking System (CMBS) are all things you’d expect to see on a pricey luxury SUV in the next class up, not on something priced from £19,415. But then Honda has always specialised on bringing things like this within the reach of the man in the street. What about engine technology? Well, the CR-V has one of the most advanced 2.0-litre petrol powerplant in its class, as well as a 2.2-litre diesel unit generally acknowledged as class-leading. As a result, this car is not only cleaner than other SUVs but its’ exhaust emissions are lower than some large estates, hatchbacks, MPVs - and even a Mini Cooper S. Honda have also been thinking deeply about safety with this car. Even the outgoing CR-V achieved a 3-star rating for pedestrian safety - which, according to industry experts Euro NCAP, put it in the top 10 per cent of pedestrian-friendly cars on the road. Plus it got 4-stars for occupant safety. The new model will improve on those results still further. Honda expects class leading 5-star Occupant, 4-star Child and 3-star Pedestrian results. Handling technology also features strongly of course, as you’d expect from a company with a motor racing heritage. With the third generation CR-V, the challenge for Honda was to build a compact 4x4 that handled like a car, yet offered most of the ‘SUV-style’ features that potential owners would actually need. So take a look under this car and you’ll spot independent suspension all round with a multilink rear set-up.

"Honda has quietly and unobtrusively levered a lot of high-tech features into the CR-V"

The centre of gravity has been dropped by fully 35mm and Honda claims to have benchmarked the best family saloons in its class (rather than other SUVs) when it comes to handling. Forget the cumbersome roly-poly road manners and ponderous ride quality still common to some cars in this class. The CR-V has been engineered to be pin sharp straight out of the box using a suspension system that’s had more resource poured into it than many of the semi-agricultural setups you’ll find on rival offerings. At the heart of it is Honda’s innovative Real Time 4WD system. In normal conditions, it operates as a conventional front-wheel drive system. But if the front wheels begin to lose traction, then it automatically starts to send power to the rear wheels. On tarmac, you’ll appreciate the benefits of Honda’s clever Vehicle Stability Assistance (VSA) system which automatically corrects both oversteer and understeer without the driver having to get involved. If that sounds too hi-tech for you, then don’t worry: there’ll be a time when, on the inevitable wet drive home when you’ve accidentally entered a bend too fast, you’ll thank Honda that it’s there. The other feature I liked was the TSA system, developed to prevent the kind of trailer ‘snaking’ that sends conventional towing vehicles out of control. And day-to-day clever touches? Well, what about the CR-V’s rear and front corner parking sensors? Unlike conventional front or rear-mounted sensor systems, this set-up prevents you from clipping cars when negotiating tight parking spaces. Which is a boon if you’ve a husband, wife or partner who can’t park! Privacy glass is also a common CR-V feature that owners swear by, preventing undesirables from looking into your car and protecting your kids from the sun. You’ll appreciate the high-tech touches in the cabin too. Even the entry-level SE model features vehicle stability assist, trailer stability assist, anti lock brakes and electronic brake assist. Manage to fall off the road in one of these and you’ll have excelled yourself. Should you manage to defeat the electronics of the CR-V, there’s driver, passenger, side and curtain airbags as well as a rollover sensor. Aside from the technology to save us from our own excesses, there’s also a driver information system, and a CD stereo with air conditioning. Plus there’s an auxiliary/MP3 socket for the radio, something which should have long been standard on passenger cars but which is only now becoming commonplace, some four years after the iPod gained mass popularity. Step up to the ES grade and you can add front and rear parking sensors, privacy glass, 17" alloy wheels, cruise control, a leather steering wheel, independent dual zone climate control and power folding door mirrors. This model is expected to account for half of the CR-V’s total sales. Go for the EX model and you can expect to find features that were previously only found on executive models. Leather upholstery, 18" alloy wheels, an eight-way electric driver’s seat with lumbar support, DVD satellite navigation with Bluetooth Hands Free Telephone, a rear parking camera, a premium stereo system with a powerful subwoofer. Plus there’s the option of an advanced safety pack including the ACC, CMBS, AFS and HID systems. The Honda CR-V has evolved. While other small SUVs flog their guts out working harder, it’s working smarter. I think current CR-V owners inherently understand the difference. Technology that works with you instead of in spite of you helps this vehicle to its stated aim of offering a car like experience. Design brief fulfilled.

Facts At A Glance CAR: Honda CR-V range PRICES: £19,415-£25,515 - on the road INSURANCE GROUP: 12 CO2 EMISSIONS: 173-194g/km PERFORMANCE: [2.2 i-CTDi] Max Speed 116mph / 0-62mph 10.3s FUEL CONSUMPTION: [2.2 i-CTDi] (combined) 43.5mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: driver, passenger, side and curtain airbags, vehicle stability assist, trailer stability assist, ABS, electronic brake assist, front seat belt pre-tensioners, rear seat belt monitor, active front head restraints WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height, (exc door mirrors) 4530/1820/1805mm

BIGGER AND BETTER Honda’s latest CR-V diesel is aiming to cement its place at the top of the compact 4x4 tree. As Andy Enright reports, it faces some tough rivals…

Before you put pen to paper and commit to purchase a Honda CRV 2.2 i-CTDi for around £20,000, you’ve got to be ruthlessly honest with yourself. In fact, you’ve got to undertake an exercise in merciless self-flagellation the like of which virtually no other car imposes upon you. How so? Well, this Honda is a 4x4 that even its manufacturers tacitly admit is next to useless off road. They know it and you know it. Therefore, you are not in the pretence game. You’re buying this car to drive on the road and are accepting the compromises and perceptions therein.

Of course, you could kid yourself that this diesel model you’ve bought is better equipped should you ever feel the need to tackle a gently inclined gravel drive but let’s get real. The benefits of this 2.2-litre oil burner are really felt when a); flying past yet another fuel station with half a tank still showing and b); feeling a juicy surge of torque when you jink off the roundabout and down the motorway on-ramp. The advantages of this car over its petrol sibling are largely in convenience and that additional engine muscle. Company car buyers will be able to swing the argument in terms of carbon dioxide taxation but for the vast majority of CR-V drivers, trying to justify this diesel version in terms of pounds and pence over its petrol sibling just isn’t going to happen. Here’s why. Most will use their CR-V as a suburban scoot with the occasional trip to the coast thrown in and never rack up the sort of mileages that will claw back the price premium the diesel model is saddled with. Despite Honda’s best intentions, the CR-V is no sports car and the diesel engine suits it really rather well. It’s fascinating to see how this engine, once the state of the art, is now no longer at the very pinnacle of diesel engine development, offering a little more lag and a tad less refinement than the best powerplants in its class. It remains a very impressive performer and there’s always the slightly guilty pleasure of driving a car with an engine that’s a bit bigger than is strictly necessary.

"The CR-V 2.2 diesel feels one of the most complete compact 4x4s around"

It handles well too. Unlike many 4x4s in this sector of the market, the CR-V doesn’t feel the least bit top heavy. So many of its rivals pitch and lurch along, generating what chassis engineers describe as ’head toss’ in their unfortunate occupants. The CR-V is different thanks to a taut suspension backed up by Honda’s revolutionary Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) system. This electronic stability control package is one of the most advanced around, offering another dimension to the more rudimentary stability control systems that nip at a brake to keep the car on the road when things get skiddy. VSA applies brake pressure to the wheel that slips and redirects driving force to the wheel with better traction. Using no fewer than seven sensors, VSA brakes the outside front and rear wheels during a tail slide and applies braking force to the inside front and rear wheels if the nose runs wide. A multi-plate clutch and twin hydraulic pumps ensure that power can be directed to the wheels that can best deploy it, the Real Time 4WD system only directing power to the rear wheels if the system senses a difference in rotational speed between the front and rear. Hydraulic fluid is pumped to the rear in proportion to the amount of slippage. Honda is once again open that this system is designed to aid road driving if it’s wet or snowy and not as an effective off-road driving tool. Fully independent suspension all round with a multilink rear set-up is the key to the CR-V’s tidy cornering abilities and the centre of gravity has been dropped by fully 35mm compared to its predecessor. The shape of the CR-V hints at the fact that this is no shrunken Hummer. The coupe-like roofline is reminiscent of the Lexus RX series, while the stance is low slung and hunched. The front end is very distinctive, with an unusual ‘smiling’ grille section that fits flush to the projector-style headlamps. A choice between 17 and 18-inch alloy wheels also underscores the Honda’s on-road mission. Other 4x4 cues have also been ditched, one by one. The tail-mounted spare wheel has been excised, replaced by one that sits under the load compartment floor. The tailgate also opens like a conventional hatchback – side openings being deemed a little passé. The internal dimensions aren’t far removed from the old CR-V, a car which always was one of the more spacious compact 4x4s. Load space has been increased, despite the internally housed spare, while access has been improved by bigger doors that open wider. The interior features metallic elements on the dash with soft textured black trim, while the front seats cater for this nation’s ever-expanding posteriors, being larger and more comfortable than before. The sunroof on top-spec models has also been supersized and can be closed off with two electric blinds which are trimmed in the same material as the roof lining. This feature was debuted in the Civic and, like the Civic again, the CR-V features a relocated gear lever. Now at the base of the centre stack, it’s been brought closer to the steering wheel, creating more floor space. Equipment levels are generous with an eight-way powered driver’s seat, leather upholstery, front and rear parking sensors and a rear-view camera offered according to trim level. Should you really want to play the urban gangster, there’s even a 19-inch wheel option. No chrome spinners though. The rear seats split 60:40 at the base and 40:20:40 at the back and slide back and forth to maximise either leg or luggage room. They even recline to really let rear passengers flake out on longer trips. When not required, the rear seats can be tumbled forwards and stowed upright to create a space big enough for a pair of mountain bikes. You won’t even need to remove the front wheels. Extra versatility is served up with the ‘Double Deck’ luggage storage system created by a shelf that sits just over a foot off the load floor. This hinged slab allows luggage below to remain easily accessible but out of view. The Honda CR-V diesel offers a distinctly car-like feel which, for a vast majority of customers, is the one thing they want allied to that commanding ride height and keen practicality. Although it aims at a limited brief, it does the job with ruthless efficiency.

Facts At A Glance CAR: Honda CR-V 2.2 i-CTDi range PRICES: £20,715-£22,215 - on the road INSURANCE GROUP: 12 CO2 EMISSIONS: 173g/km PERFORMANCE: Max Speed 116mph / 0-60mph 9.9s FUEL CONSUMPTION: (combined) 43.5mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front and side airbags / ABS / EBD/ Brake Assist/ VSA WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height, 4530/1820/1805mm

HANDLE WITH FLAIR Honda is aiming in a new direction with their latest CR-V. Andy Enright witnesses the company ditch any off-roading pretence…

Do you know what the most disquieting thing about compact SUVs is? The nagging sense of dishonesty. All too often these vehicles are trying to portray a rugged image when, for the most part, they’re utterly hopeless as soon as the tarmac runs out. In the real world, the most owners will actually want to do is to haul a trailer or get out of a muddy car park. And Honda, more than any other car maker, is a company that lives in the real world, designing its products to suit. The latest car to benefit from this rather refreshing approach is the third generation CR-V. Here’s a model which, though still able to deal with towing and slimy surfaces, for the most part concentrates on providing what most compact SUV owners really want: a more pragmatic and useful on-road package.

Discussing the suspension of a compact SUV might seem a strange way to kick off but take a look under the CR-V and you’ll spot independent suspension all round with a multilink rear set-up. The centre of gravity has been dropped by fully 35mm and Honda claims to have benchmarked the best family hatchbacks in its class (rather than other 4x4s) when it comes to handling. Forget the cumbersome roly-poly road manners and ponderous ride quality still common to some cars in this class. The CR-V has been engineered to be pin sharp straight out of the box. This matters. It matters because, if you’re honest with yourself, you never take small 4x4s off road anyway. It matters because it means you’re not trying to portray some sort of lifestyle you don’t have. And, above all, it matters because the CR-V now corners more crisply and safely than ever before and, despite the best efforts of the Romans, our roads tend to be very twisty. The CR-V can handle gentle off-road tracks thanks to its four-wheel drive system but think of this as an all-wheel drive equipped car rather than a ‘proper’ SUV. The system has been tweaked a little to direct even more torque to the rear wheels when the front wheels start slipping. This is actually more handy if you’re planning to use the CR-V in bad weather conditions or on an Alpine skiing jaunt.

"The CR-V has undergone a root and branch update"

The shape of the CR-V hints at the fact that this is no shrunken Hummer. The coupe-like roofline is reminiscent of the Lexus RX series, while the stance is low slung and hunched. The front end is very distinctive, with an unusual ‘smiling’ grille section that fits flush to the projector-style headlamps. A choice between 17 and 18-inch alloy wheels also underscores the Honda’s on-road mission. Other 4x4 cues have also been ditched, one by one. The tail-mounted spare wheel has been excised, replaced by one that sits under the load compartment floor. The tailgate also opens like a conventional hatchback – side openings being deemed a little passé. The internal dimensions aren’t far removed from the old CR-V, a car which always was one of the more spacious compact 4x4s. Load space has been increased, despite the internally housed spare, while access has been improved by bigger doors that open wider. The interior features metallic elements on the dash with soft textured black trim, while the front seats cater for this nation’s ever-expanding posteriors, being larger and more comfortable than before. The sunroof on top-spec models has also been supersized and can be closed off with two electric blinds which are trimmed in the same material as the roof lining. This feature was debuted in the Civic and, like the Civic again, the CR-V features a relocated gear lever. Now at the base of the centre stack, it’s been brought closer to the steering wheel, creating more floor space. Equipment levels are generous with an eight-way powered driver’s seat, leather upholstery, front and rear parking sensors and a rear-view camera offered according to trim level. Should you really want to play the urban gangster, there’s even a 19-inch wheel option. No chrome spinners though. The rear seats split 60:40 at the base and 40:20:40 at the back and slide back and forth to maximise either leg or luggage room. They even recline to really let rear passengers flake out on longer trips. When not required, the rear seats can be tumbled forwards and stowed upright to create a space big enough for a pair of mountain bikes. You won’t even need to remove the front wheels. Extra versatility is served up with the ‘Double Deck’ luggage storage system created by a shelf that sits just over a foot off the load floor. This hinged slab allows luggage below to remain easily accessible but out of view. Two engine options are available. The petrol powerplant is a 2.0-litre unit based on the 1.8-litre i-VTEC petrol engine found in the Civic range, in this instance pumped up to produce 150bhp. It’ll get to 60mph in a respectable 9.9 seconds if you choose the manual transmission, the five-speed auto model lagging with an 11.9 second showing against the watch. Peak power arrives at a nosebleed 6,200rpm, so you’ll need to rev this thing to make progress and if you’re loaded down with people and gear, the modest 190Nm torque figure may well prompt you to look at the diesel engine. This is the celebrated 2.2-litre i-CTDI diesel good for 140bhp but with a generously stuffed 340Nm of torque. If you’re planning on towing anything, look no further than this unit. The Honda CR-V may not have ever been the most eye-catching SUV around but it has been consistently one of the biggest sellers across Europe. Even here in a country where Land Rover is king, the Honda has threatened to usurp the Freelander’s crown. Expect that state of affairs to continue for some time yet.

Facts At A Glance CAR: Honda CR-V range PRICES: £19,030-£25,130 - on the road INSURANCE GROUP: 12 CO2 EMISSIONS: 173-194g/km PERFORMANCE: [2.2 i-CTDi] Max Speed 116mph / 0-62mph 10.3s FUEL CONSUMPTION: [2.2 i-CTDi] (combined) 43.5mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: driver, passenger, side and curtain airbags, vehicle stability assist, trailer stability assist, ABS, electronic brake assist, front seat belt pre-tensioners, rear seat belt monitor, active front head restraints WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height, (exc door mirrors) 4530/1820/1805mm

PEAK PERFORMANCE A Trip To The Staffordshire Peak District Told Us Plenty About Honda’s CR-V. Steve Walker Reports…

A lengthy motorway journey followed by a close encounter with some twisty, undulating B-roads, it was a trip with all the ingredients to provide an accurate impression of any car’s true abilities. The Peak District was the destination and Honda’s latest CR-V was the car.

The general consensus of opinion pre-trip was that the smartly styled Honda would devour the motorway mileage with a flourish and barely a flicker of its fuel gauge. The Peak District’s serpentine back roads, it was thought, would present more of a test - putting the cat firmly amongst the pigeons. In the end, that’s just about how things panned out but there were more than a few surprises along the way. Like most cars of its ilk, the Honda CR-V is well equipped to soften the hard edges of long distance motorway travel. The interior is of much better quality than you might expect for a Honda – and surprisingly well equipped. In the 2.0 EX model we tried, you get leather upholstery, 18" alloy wheels, an eight-way electric driver’s seat with lumbar support, DVD satellite navigation with Bluetooth Hands Free Telephone, a rear parking camera, a premium stereo system with a powerful subwoofer. The result is a relaxed, comfortable quality ambience - a cocoon of tranquillity for the bothered executive and an ideal environment in which to undertake a trip of a few hundred miles or more. Meanwhile, the high quality sound system provides the entertainment and the satellite navigation system that was fitted to our test car deals a terminal blow to the tired old road atlas. Actually, we took the tired old road atlas anyway - past experiences have taught that a healthy mistrust of satellite navigation is often, well, healthy. Just 50 miles in and it was apparent that motorway cruising is a walk in the park for the CR-V. Concerns that the car was prone to horrendous wind noise proved unfounded once we realised that one of the windows was very slightly open and the suspension was obliterating the carriageway expansion joints to impressive effect. Even with the manual gearstick occupying the 5th gear slot, a prod of the throttle rapidly puts on the 10mph you need to bypass a pair of overtaking HGVs. The torque emanating from the 2.0-litre engine means accelerating back up to speed out of heavy traffic is a breeze and even if you drop down to speeds of 40mph, the CR-V will still pick up easily.

"On our trip, the car averaged 30mpg. And it was driven hard……."

The roads around the village of Warslow in the Staffordshire Peak District could have been created expressly to upset the equilibrium of a modern family hatch. Winding across the landscape connecting clusters of small stone houses, the narrow tracks twist up inclines and plunge into shallow valleys. These roads would ask big questions of a well-balanced roadster - an observation conformed when a convoy of day-glow Vauxhall VX220s, complete with grinning drivers, blasted past in the other direction. The Honda fared better than many people would imagine here. The suspension still soaks up the undulations and ruts to a great extent, which can be a little disconcerting, but when you ask it to brake in a hurry or turn sharply around a dry stone walled hairpin, it does so with reassuring agility. The gearbox isn’t slick enough for this kind of driving and finding the required ratio quickly can be difficult. Performance-wise, the 2.0-litre engine is a real pleasure to punt around. It’s smooth and quiet but when you stir it up there’s genuine bite to the acceleration. 0-60mph in 10.1 seconds is the official performance figure but powering out of a corner up a Peak District hillside, the flexibility of the powerplant makes it feel considerably quicker than that. The CR-V’s handling on some taxing but enjoyable roads felt very secure, which is more than can be said for yours truly during a night at Warslow’s Greyhound Inn. The 17th century pub was brimming with character and hospitality but the landlord’s spirited rendition of the ghost story attached to the building did little to facilitate a good night’s sleep. Still, £35 a night for a well-appointed double room and breakfast seemed excellent value. The next morning it was a short drive through rolling hills bordered by streams and criss-crossed by the dry stone walls to a destination that would put the CR-V’s high speed manoeuvrability firmly in perspective – Alton Towers. With names like Nemisis, Submission and (I can hardly bring myself to type it) Oblivion, the rides at this theme park lead you to suspect that you’re in for something mildly unpleasant but the reality made the Greyhound ghost story seem like an episode of The Tweenies. When you’ve had your sense of direction turned inside out by the dizzying Spinball Wizzer, been fired headfirst through the woods by Air and endured a 50ft vertical drop into a misty pit on Oblivion, the CR-V’s cosseting interior was a joy to collapse into for the drive home. The trip proved that this Honda can function both as a family runabout and a more than capable long distance cruiser if need be. It’s also actually very capable in the twisty stuff for a car of its kind. The gearbox wasn’t conducive to quick, fluent changes but the engine was outstanding for powering up the Peak District’s many inclines, traction was near faultless and the chassis remained poised on some testing thoroughfares. CR-V buyers will be pleased to know that their car can cut it cross-country but there’s no doubt that the motorways and A-roads are its preferred habitat. Effortless performance, well-crafted interiors and a quality ride all help here but the biggest draw of all for Honda CR-V customers may well be the fuel economy. On our trip, the car managed nearly 40mpg. That’s very impressive for a luxury 4x4 being driven reasonably hard.

Facts At A Glance CAR: Honda CR-V range PRICES: £19,415-£25,515 - on the road INSURANCE GROUP: 12 CO2 EMISSIONS: 173-194g/km PERFORMANCE: [2.2 i-CTDi] Max Speed 116mph / 0-62mph 10.3s FUEL CONSUMPTION: [2.2 i-CTDi] (combined) 43.5mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: driver, passenger, side and curtain airbags, vehicle stability assist, trailer stability assist, ABS, electronic brake assist, front seat belt pre-tensioners, rear seat belt monitor, active front head restraints WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height, (exc door mirrors) 4530/1820/1805mm