For 2010, my favorite little SUV got a new look. It’s not shocking or unrecognizable, but it’s definitely new and improved. Getting a chance to drive the 2010 CR-V made me a little nervous, though. I loved it so much the last time I reviewed it that I was worried that I may have romanticized the experience. Oh, silly me! I had nothing to worry about.
The exterior changes are minor, including a raised nose that means no more scraping it over steep driveways. The engine gets an additional 14 horsepower for more zoom with better fuel economy, which is now an EPA-estimated 21/27 mpg city/highway. Basically, Honda just made the CR-V a little better and kept it at the top of my list of cars I could actually afford to buy. Yay!
What I love the most about the CR-V is it’s a vehicle designed by women for women. That’s not me being a feminist; it’s about being understood. Everything fits and everything makes sense. There’s enough headroom, but the rear liftgate is still within reach. The seats are comfy and fit child-safety seats without struggle. There’s a shelf in the cargo area that covers whatever I’m hauling and still provides a place to change a diaper or wrap a last-minute gift (in my case, that would be in the driveway of the party). The CR-V is cute and young that it makes me feel cute and young, however far that may be from the case.
Its 180-hp, 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine delivers enough power to get me around town and through the hills without tempting me to do the foolish things I’m likely to do with more horsepower. I honestly don’t know how Honda manages to walk that line with their engines. I never felt a lack of power, even in the steep hills of my neighborhood or on the highway. When I think four-cylinder, I go, “meh,” but the CR-V delivers the fun. It even does well in the turns, with very little of that roly-poly feeling so common with SUVs, and braking was surprisingly sharp. I know. I sound giddy. But I said the CR-V makes me feel young, right?
I also love all the great features that come at such a reasonable price. My test car had four-wheel drive, leather seats and a navigation system, but its price was $30,455. It also comes with all of the tech features I can’t live without. It’s fun, cute and practical, and it’s a bargain. What more can a mama ask for?
Exterior
The CR-V may be an SUV, but it’s no boxy truck. Rather, it’s all smooth curves, flirty looks and just enough sport to make it more than just another pretty face. The profile is rounded, with a cute snub nose. The windows slope more than the actual roofline does, so the CR-V appears to be really sleek.
In the front, the body slopes sharply beneath the bumper, giving the CR-V better clearance in steep driveways than the previous generation. The large headlights dwarf the small grille, but the Honda badge is more prominent than before. Horizontal chrome strips echo the grille’s horizontal lines and add some sparkle. Bold sculpting spreads in a V from the outside of the grille to the side mirrors. The CR-V’s rear has more edges that the rest of the vehicle. The taillights run vertically all the way up to the roof.
The CR-V is just a super-cute little SUV. It’s the kind of cute that makes my voice go up an octave or so, just like when I’m talking to a baby. But even better than being cute is it works. There’s tons of headroom, which is less about my head and more about my kids climbing around inside. While the CR-V sits a bit higher off the road than a sedan, it doesn’t require a major climb to get into it. A flat step-in area makes it easy for little legs to get into this SUV.
The liftgate opens easily, and an interior handle makes it a cinch to close, too. It opens high enough to walk under without being out of reach. The CR-V’s dual-level cargo space is meant to stow a full-size stroller on the bottom, while the removable shelf provides a place for light items or an easy, clean place for diaper changes on the go. The cargo area will also hold two golf bags beneath the shelf, but who has time for golf?
SENSE AND STYLE
Family Friendly (Not Really, Fair, Great, Excellent): Excellent
Fun-Factor (None, Some, Good Times, Groove-On): Good Times
Interior
The 2010 CR-V’s interior may not be the height of luxury, but it has everything I need to live my life filled with kids, dogs and general chaos. You may think of things like leather and USB interfaces as luxuries, but I don’t. Leather seats mean that a baby wipe can fix any spill. A USB interface means that I can provide the demanded song or story without fumbling with my iPod or looking away from the road. To me, these things are necessities. And in the CR-V, all of them worked seamlessly and easily, which is good since my life can’t take any more confusion than it already has.
The heated leather seats are comfortable, even on a long drive, and everything on the center stack is within easy reach. The shifter knob is right in the middle of the center stack, which seems odd at first, but I got used to it pretty quickly. A large color touch-screen dominates the center stack and controls the audio and navigation systems. The dual-climate controls sit just below that. There also are controls for the audio system, Bluetooth and cruise control on the leather-wrapped steering wheel. The gauges are clean and simple, and a small LCD screen between the speedometer and tachometer offers a trip computer and outside temperatures.
Even better, though, is all of the cubbies scattered throughout the CR-V. There’s a decent-size bin in the center console and cubbies at the bottom of the center stack. There’s storage in the door bins and seatback pockets, and the dual-level glove box houses the USB input. Every bit of unused space offers more storage. There are more places to hide stuff than I could keep track of. I probably left gum somewhere in the test car.
In the backseat, things are just as easy. The 60/40-split seats recline, which is more than just comfy on long trips, it makes it easier to properly install child-safety seats. The easy-to-reach Latch connectors are just barely concealed in the fold of the seat; the seat belt receptors sit up high and are easy for little fingers to manage. Our booster seat sat flat, but slid around a bit in the CR-V; my little guy had some scooching to do when he got in the car, but it was easily handled. There’s plenty of room in the second row, so no one has to ride with their knees up their nose. This also means that there’s room for rear-facing child-safety seats. The fold-down armrest has two cupholders and the doors have bottleholders.
IT’S THE LITTLE THINGS THAT COUNT
Storage Compartments (Puny, Fair, Ample, Galore): Ample
Cargo/Trunk Space (Puny, Fair, Ample, Galore): Galore
Safety
What I love about the CR-V’s safety features is that everything is standard. From the entry-level base model to the top of the line EX-L, all of the safety stuff is included because, really, saving lives shouldn’t be optional.
The heart of Honda’s safety package is the Advanced Compatibility Engineering body structure. While most vehicles are only crash-tested against similar vehicles, Honda designed the CR-V to stand up to impacts at three heights. The frame of the car is designed to channel impact forces around the passenger cabin, using everything from sound-absorbing foam to the spare tire to dissipate the forces. The CR-V comes with standard four-wheel antilock brakes with brake assist, stability control and traction control. It also has standard front- and side-impact airbags in the front row and side curtain airbags in both rows.
The CR-V received the top score of Good in frontal-offset, side-impact and rear crash tests by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, which in past years when coupled with the standard stability control would have earned it a Top Safety Pick. This year, IIHS has instituted a new rollover crash test as part of the Top Safety Pick criteria. This test looks at a car’s roof strength. On this test, the CR-V scored a Marginal.
FAMILY LIFESTAGE
In Diapers: Easy-to-reach Latch connectors and a cargo area designed around a stroller make this SUV a winner.
In School: A flat step-in area makes it easy for kids to climb in; firm seat belts receptors let little hands buckle up without a struggle.
Teens: It’s affordable enough for the cash-strapped, but has enough safety features to ease parental worries.
