The Last Car You'll Ever Need, The Honda CR-V

Specifically, the model that ran from 1997-2001. It should be relatively obvious by my username that I hold this car in an unusually high regard, especially since its a car that was designed to take a family of four to the shops and back in relative comfort. But the Honda CR-V has so much more to offer than ample trunk/boot space and abundant head room, so much more.

The first thing that needs to be understood is that, straight out of the box, this is not a performance car in any measurable way. With a 146hp 2.0l petrol engine being the only choice of motivation, 0-60mph can be achieved somewhere in the range of 8.7-9ish seconds if you have a 1999-2001 model with the 5-speed manual, or a dismal 11.5 seconds if you’re burdened with a 1997-1997 model with the 4-speed slushbox and the lower compression, 126hp engine. The suspension is softer than a wet sponge cake, but excess body movement is adequately controlled. To sum it up, it’s slow, and it leans like a yacht in a storm. This pretty sums up my biggest gripes about this car.

Now on to why I hold this car in such high esteem. The CR-V will hang onto the road for it’s dear life if given a decent set of tires, even with it’s wet sponge cake suspension. If you firm up the suspension and lower it a couple of inches, you’ll have a grocery getter that handles better than it has any right to. You see, the CR-V has a few well kept secrets, that work to mask the surprisingly competent canyon carver hiding just beneath the surface. The first generation CR-V is built off of an enlarged Civic platform, specifically the 1996-2001 civic. That means Honda bestowed it with the superb double wishbone suspension layout that graced the Integra Type R, as well as the EK9 Civic Type R (Technically its a short arm long arm setup, but you get the idea). I’m not delusional, I’m well aware that the CR-V’s suspension isn’t set up anywhere near either of those cars, but it DOES share the same layout, which lends itself to being rather tune-able. Another tid-bit of information that I gleaned from an old import tuning magazine feature is that the CR-V was blessed with a 53:47 weight distribution. Without access to scales, I can’t verify this, but I can confirm that the car is extremely stable and well balanced through turns.

As for the engine, it’s a Honda. It likes to rev, it’ll pull all the way to its 6800rpm redline, and it’ll go on forever. With roughly 3200lbs to lug about, the engine is a bit over worked, and doesn’t really have much to give, but it will give all its got willingly. If fitted with an intake and a PROPER exhaust, this engine sings. As the engine approaches its upper mid range, the intake growl becomes a snarl as the car comes into its high strung power band, and you can feel it start to pull harder. You don’t get put in your seat, but its a mechanical, visceral experience, and thoroughly addicting. Throttle response is immediate, and the engine rev’s freely, allowing for quick, smooth shifting. The transmission is pure Honda, with clean, define gates, and a shift quality that’s smooth yet mechanical. What’s really surprising is how much mechanical feel Honda has managed to give to the shifter seeing as it’s cable shifted. I’ve driven cars that have rod linkages that feel number. The clutch is surprisingly heavy for a commuter car, but as a fairly defined engagement point that makes hill starts and rev matching a breeze.

As for what made me truly fall in love with this car though, it’s the feel. The feel of a car is something that is purely subjective, and what I find enjoyable, others may not. As a result, your mileage may vary, but for me, everything about the two CR-V’s that I have owned, everything feels right. The interior materials, while not luxurious, are far from cheap and are well screwed together. With 160,000 miles on the clock, there is only one squeak from my dash, and that’s because I lost a screw while installing my radio. If you knock on the dash, it sounds solid, and firmly mounted in the car. There are no cracks on any of the plastics, and the cloth isn’t faded from the seats at all, quite the testament to quality considering the number and size of the windows. The pedals are well weighted and extremely communicative. I can feel the texture of the throttle cable as it slides in its housing. The brakes are easily modulated, though a bit on the soft side for my liking. However, the pedal placement is perfect for heel-and-toe downshifting, which I practice every time I slow down or come to a stop. Yes, I heel-toe in my CR-V. And the steering, oh my god the steering. The steering system is an old school hydraulic system that transmits endless information from the front wheels, while never letting any bumps or dips yank the wheel from your hands. The steering is alive, giving you detailed descriptions of the road surface, what the front tires are doing, and how much grip you have left. You couldn’t get more information unless you physically dragged you hands along the road as you drove. And that would hurt.

So what we have here is a family car that has the underpinnings of a race car, as well as several driving characteristics that make it an excellent driver’s car. What else could it possibly need? How about one of the most useful interiors ever? Firstly, there is an abundance of space. Front leg room? Check. Rear legroom? Check. Trunk space? Check. Headroom? Its got it in spades. Cup holders? 4 to 6 depending on your transmission choice. Useful storage cubbies? Everywhere, you’re probably sitting on one. Seriously, there’s a slide out bin under the passenger seat. Picnic Table? The trunk floor comes out and has fold down legs. Bed that sleeps 2? The front and rear seats fold flat to create a giant bed from dashboard to rear hatch. The CR-V also has reclining rear seats, storage under the picnic table and on either side of it, as well as in the rear tailgate. It also has an AWD system. Admittedly, it isn’t that great, but it will keep you going in the snow, and if you’re traversing through mud, the CR-V is light enough that it will more or less skim across the top instead of sinking into a rut.

All in all, I genuinely do think the CR-V is a great car. It’s not fast, but I’ve chased a WRX or two down around highway off ramps. They’re built pretty solid, and the interior’s a rather nice place to be. You may think I’m crazy for saying this, but it is a pretty good driver’s car. It’s sure-footed when pushed, a blast to drive on a windy back road, and you’ll always have room to bring people along when they say they don’t believe you took that on ramp at 65mph! But perhaps my favorite thing about the CR-V, is that no one ever expects it. No one expects a CR-V to be crowding their rear bumper on a back road. No one ever hears this thing and expects a CR-V to be screaming down the road. No one ever expects it to show up at a car meet. It definitely makes The 1997-2001 Honda CR-V that much more special to me.