  2014 Honda CR-V Touring. Click image to enlarge |
Review and photos by Justin Pritchard
The first thing your writer noticed about the 2014 Honda CR-V on a recent test drive was its floor, which is weird. Loading some gear, I expected a typical hip-height crossover load floor, but was met with one that sits about knee-height instead. So, the CR-V’s cargo area is curiously deep. And that’s not because they’ve ditched the spare tire either, since there’s one underneath the floor.
Somehow, and delightfully, Honda designed the floor of the CR-V to be of a very low profile, and numerous benefits result. The low floor translates into easy gear loading, easy access for four-legged companions, easy step-in for two-legged companions, low mounting of the seats within the body, and (therefore) plenty of headroom in both rows. Test drivers well into six-foot territory should find plenty of melon-room in here. The rear-seat floor is even completely flat, despite the presence of AWD system hardware and a driveshaft bolted beneath. So, there’s no unsightly hump chewing into the foot space of that trivial middle rear passenger.
Clever thing, the CR-V’s floor. But after all, clever design maximizing interior space has been a well-known Honda trait for years. Honda boasts other well-known traits that lay the foundation for a gleaming reputation that’s helped sell a lot of CR-Vs over the past two decades, too.
The CR-V is sort of like a Jaguar, Porsche or Lamborghini: it’s the reputation and lineage more than the reviews that appeal strongly to many shoppers. It’s all in the name – you don’t need a review to reinforce that that a vehicle like an XK, 911, Murciélago or CR-V are probably going to be excellent.
Although for the Honda, it’s not shock-and-awe exhaust notes or feats of internal combustion awesome-sauceness that shoppers are after. It’s the wholesome stuff – like reliability, resale value, owner satisfaction, fuel economy, safety, and the warm fuzzies that result from knowing you’ve made a good choice. Here’s a model that quietly but fully leverages its history and brand reputation towards meeting the needs of an extremely level-headed shopper.
If you’re interested in a CR-V, you probably don’t need me to tell you much about it, but that’s my job, so I will.
For model year 2014, that shopper gets the same new-generation CR-V that launched initially in 2012. All models come with a 2.4L, free-revving VTEC four-cylinder, making 185 horsepower, to which is bolted a five-speed automatic. An ‘ECON’ mode helps save fuel by dialing in reduced responsiveness if you aren’t in a rush, and green ‘Eco-Guide’ mood lights surrounding the speedometer tell you, in real time, how happy Mother Nature is with your light-footed driving and coach you to use the throttle gently to save fuel.
   2014 Honda CR-V Touring. Click image to enlarge |
Short gearing in first gets the CR-V off the line with decent snap, and power piles up at higher revs before the automatic calls for an upshift just shy of its 7,100 rpm redline. Drivers can click the little ‘D3’ button on the gear shifter to summon a downshift ahead of passing or a hill-climb, too.
Test drivers cross-shopping the market will find power output that’s a little more eager and refined than a comparable four-cylinder Outback or Outlander, with the RAV4 likely amounting to the closest competitor here where powertrain refinement is concerned. The CR-V’s engine isn’t quiet when pushed, but it likes to work, is appreciably smooth, and rarely feels strained.
Ride-wise, CR-V is a little milder and more laid-back than the tighter and stiffer RAV4, but perhaps not as quiet and soft as an Outback. I’d peg it similarly to a Mitsubishi Outlander – comfortable and relaxed on the highway, sporty but not uncomfortably so, and boasting a quiet and composed ride from which rougher roads can coax plenty of noise and sharp bouncing.
A Mazda CX-5 or Hyundai Santa Fe will likely feel and sound a bit more sorted on the rough stuff. The new Jeep Cherokee even more so. Ultimately, CR-V has an all-around mix of tautness and comfort that should work for most drivers, most of the time.
CR-V’s biggest strength and weakness both lie in its cabin. The key weakness is the styling. Even pushing $35,000 in ‘Touring’ trim, the tester was lined with fifty shades of grey plastic and lacking much, if any, accenting or flair. There’s no colour other than black or grey beyond the loonie-sized ‘ECON’ button on the dash, which sticks out like bright green sore thumb. Otherwise, it’s simple and unstimulating.
Do you frequent the cardigan isle at Sears and spend Saturday nights looking up slow-cooker recipes on Pinterest? It’ll work well for you. Do you seek to derive enjoyment from your compact crossover’s dashboard? You’ll need to look at something else.
  2014 Honda CR-V Touring. Click image to enlarge |
But the bland cabin conceals a big strength where functionality and space are concerned. As mentioned previously, there’s huge headroom. Clever door-mounted cubbies, three to be precise, are fitted to each front door. The centre console is elbow-deep and fully covered. I was able to fit an entire multi-lens SLR camera kit inside. You may choose to use it for a large water bottle, purse, small laptop, assortment of children’s toys or the like. So, no issues staying organized on the go here.
Front seats are comfortable and cushy and have great fold-down armrests, and build quality feels solid, dense and of high-quality even if the materials selection won’t blow anyone’s socks off. The high-resolution back-up camera was appreciated, as were the very easy-to-use control pads mounted to the steering wheel. My mom, God bless her technologically challenged soul, would have no trouble finding her way around the CR-V’s numerous systems with ease.
Honda’s ‘Real Time’ All-Wheel Drive with intelligent control system was fitted to the tester, working to ensure quick and intuitive responses in low-traction situations. The whole thing is totally automatic, instant, finds grip when little is available, and uses a computer brain to disengage the rear axle once you’re moving to save fuel. When needed, it re-engages power to both axles in response to a slipping wheel before the average human brain even notices there was one.
   2014 Honda CR-V Touring. Click image to enlarge |
With winter tires mounted, traction was appreciably abundant – even on a late night, four-hour drive when thick, heavy slush plastered the highway after the snow removal folks decided to just salt heavily ahead of a 10-centimetre snowfall and call it a night. Driven as such, your writer found the winter tires and that fancy-pants AWD system are far from the only ways the CR-V delivers what should feel like a very confident winter drive.
The steering is communicative and the CR-V feels light on its feet – so drivers quickly feel a loss of traction right as it begins. There’s no false sense of SUV winter-busting confidence here: if the CR-V is running out of grip, you’ll feel it, right now. The brakes bite positively and with authority from an initial press, and the ABS activates with minimal noise or pedal vibration while turning in straight and drama-free stops on virtually anything, including the worst split-traction surfaces. Even jamming the brakes from 80 km/h with two wheels on slush and two on pavement, CR-V’s nose stays pointed straight ahead.
The stability control system increases dramatically in sensitivity at highway speeds too, often activating its warning light while correcting slips and slides that aren’t even perceptible to the driver.
Should traction be lost, perhaps the result of going to quickly into a slushy bend or powering out of one too early, understeer, or plowing, is the name of the game. This is easily recovered from, as the driver’s natural reaction to ease off of the throttle and (maybe) slightly apply the brakes will typically bring the CR-V right back in line. This is all to do with the way the suspension, AWD and stability controls are calibrated – and shoppers after a machine that feels confident, predictable and stable on slippery roads will appreciate it.
So, driven in nasty weather, CR-V drivers should expect to feel very connected with the road conditions, with the CR-V’s limits, and very well backed-up. There’s even a powerful lighting system with great high-beams that help in inclement weather, too.
  2014 Honda CR-V Touring. Click image to enlarge |
Bland cabin aside, your writer’s complaints after a week mainly dealt with the central display system graphics and interface. Honda seems to have left this untouched since at least 2006, the graphics are on par with Mario 2, and the system is miles behind the competition. Further, on paper, the five-speed automatic is getting old – though I did achieve better-than-expected fuel mileage and noted no issues with performance despite its lack of a sixth (or seventh, or eighth, or ninth) gear.
And, although I was impressed with overall fuel mileage landing at 10.6 L/100 km, some drivers will wish for a bit more power, or maybe a high-output engine option like many competitors offer at this price point. Ford Escape, Subaru Forester, Hyundai Santa Fe Sport and Jeep Cherokee all offer more jam and performance at this price point, not to mention interior styling and interfaces that pull their weight harder towards their price.
Notable is the new Jeep Cherokee as CR-V’s latest competitor. For similar money to the ‘Touring’ grade CR-V tester, a Cherokee North Edition lacks the sunroof, leather seats and 20-year track record, but adds a sweet Pentastar V6, an AWD system with Selec-Terrain controller, a fresher cabin, the best infotainment system on the market, a better-sorted ride, and numerous great touches like remote start, a heated steering wheel and a power liftgate.
So, is the CR-V Touring too expensive? Maybe so, maybe no. If you’re looking at a checklist of features and horsepower, the CR-V might appear outgunned at this price range. If you’re like my father, who recently became the proud owner of a 2010 CR-V, you might just buy one because you’ve owned numerous prior Honda models with no major issue or expense.
End of the day, if you’re after a sure bet in a crossover with a gleaming reputation, award-winning reliability, residual value, safety and the like, as well as surprising on-board roominess and plenty of winter driving confidence, you’ll likely be fine with the CR-V’s loaded price of $35,390. CR-V with AWD starts at $28,290 in LX trim.
Pricing: 2014 Honda CR-V Touring
Base price: $35,390
Freight: $1,784
A/C Fee: $100
As Tested: $37,264
Competitors
Chevrolet Equinox
Dodge Journey
Ford Escape
GMC Terrain
Hyundai Santa Fe
Jeep Cherokee
Kia Sportage
Mazda CX-5
Mitsubishi Outlander
Nissan Rogue
Toyota RAV4
Crash Test Results:
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA): 5-Star Top
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS): Safety Pick (2013)
