Initial Drive Overview
arrow
A new grille, a new direct-injected engine, and a new transmission.
This year, much more than 300,000 folks will sign a sales contract and drive residence in a Honda CR-V. These won’t be fleet buyers wearing shirts that say Hertz or Avis, but retail shoppers presumably wearing more stylish garb. Or maybe not: What they’re all seeking for, after all, is a little, no-hassle SUV that does the job as reliably as a polo shirt.
The new CR-V delivers on that front as well as it ever has. A spacious cabin with a generous back seat and an ample cargo location with a low floor, as well as obtainable 4-wheel drive, draw purchasers in, just as they do in mixed measure for competitors like the Ford Escape, the Toyota RAV4, and the Mazda CX-5. Style does not rule this choice, but each and every little bit aids in this higher-volume market segment. So Honda produced an work to inject more panache into the CR-V for 2015: New headlights, grille, bumpers, and wheels dress up the exterior. The inside becomes a happier place thanks to a couple of soft-touch pieces on the instrument panel, a rear air vent to hold back-seat passengers comfy, and much more sound insulation. The net effect of the exterior changes is a much more high-priced look. Parked subsequent to the 2015 CR-V, last year’s model appears like an exercise in value-cutting. The very same is correct of the updated interior, exactly where a couple of tweaks and a splash of greater trim combine for an completely far more pleasant environment, such as the way in which road noise fades to a murmur.
What makes this refresh more than window-dressing is a new powertrain, shared with the Accord. Judged by output alone, the new direct-injected engine appears like no big deal. The i-VTEC 4-cylinder makes the exact same 185 horsepower as its port-injected predecessor, but the peak comes at 6400 rpm as an alternative of 7000. Torque is up 11 % to 181 lb-ft at 3900 rpm, 400 decrease than prior to. No one particular errors a CR-V for a redline-luring sports vehicle, so extra power at reduced rpm is certainly a good thing. We did enjoy the sound the older engine created as it roared toward redline, but we also wonder how many current owners really rev all the way to the 7000-rpm energy peak on purpose.
 |
Revving to the top of the tach will be far more commonplace in the new version simply because it also borrows the Accord’s CVT automatic. This device replaces the former 5-speed automatic and, as in the Accord, puts a torque converter amongst the transmission and the engine to give the CR-V a normal-feeling takeoff from a cease. Like all CVTs, if you place the transmission in “D” it will hold the engine at a practically continuous rpm below tough acceleration. Abuse the throttle by stomping on it, and the engine will groan loudly at a single note till you ease back on the pedal. The rise and fall of the engine note as it worked through the old model’s 5 ratios wasn’t any quieter, but at least it varied.
Any individual seeking for maximum engine entertainment in a modest SUV should probably look elsewhere: The competition’s multispeed automatics—they variety from 6 to 9 forward ratios—are a greater decision. Couple of owners are likely to maintain the CR-V’s gas pedal floored for lengthy, although. Driven gently as it generally will be, the CR-V snaps forward in quit-and-go and about-town traffic slightly better than final year—credit the newfound torque. And, if you are trundling along, the CVT doesn’t call interest to itself except for a faint whine we heard in between 30 and 40 mph.
A lot more most likely to draw consideration from owners are the improved fuel-economy numbers. The front-drive CR-V’s EPA ratings are up to 27 mpg city/34 mpg highway—a valuable jump over last year’s 23/31. Opting for 4-wheel drive nonetheless charges 1 mpg, the 2015 edition earning 26/33 numbers, up from 22/30.
For the security-conscious, a extensive list of protective gear is now provided on the CR-V. Honda’s camera-primarily based LaneWatch blind-spot-monitoring method is standard on all versions except the base LX. A camera “watches” the passenger-side blind spot and activates when the correct turn signal is flicked, the touch-screen display mounted in the center of the dashboard showing an image of what’s lurking subsequent to you. We’ve not been convinced that this function was needed or useful in other Hondas, like the Civic, but it does function as advertised. The prime Touring trim gives even far more security tech, including adaptive cruise manage, lane-departure warning with lane-maintaining assist, and forward-collision warning with automatic braking.
 |
To assist an actual, engaged driver avoid prospective accidents, each CR-V comes with new chassis settings that include wider wheels, recalibrated springs and shocks, and new front control arms. The brakes are assisted by a larger master cylinder that Honda claims reduces pedal work. Handling is secure and predictable. The CR-V doesn’t drive as sportily as the Mazda CX-5, but it comports itself with a carlike and mature manner. So, basically, it behaves like a smaller sized Odyssey minivan.
You will have to pay a tiny premium for all the modifications. The least pricey CR-V is the $ 24,150 LX, which charges $ 200 much more than last year. The very same enhance applies to the next-rung-up EX, which begins at $ 26,250 and adds the LaneWatch camera, heated cloth seats, a power driver’s seat, a sunroof, 17-inch aluminum wheels, tinted glass, fog lights, and automatic headlamps, amongst other factors. Moving up to the EX-L indicates parting with $ 28,850 but nets leather seats (perforated for ’15), 2-zone automatic climate control, heated exterior mirrors, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, roof rails, and SiriusXM radio. At the best of the CR-V pyramid is the new Touring trim that starts at $ 32,350. The Touring comes with the complete complement of electronic security equipment, driver’s seat memory, a energy tailgate, 18-inch aluminum wheels, and a HomeLink programmable door opener. 4-wheel drive fees an additional $ 1250 regardless of trim level.
In a recent comparison test of 6 modest SUVs, we ranked the previous CR-V as the second-best automotive polo shirt. We loved the interior space, the hassle-cost-free practicality, and its quiet manner. We griped about its soft responses and toasterlike design. Honda seems to have heard our complaints. The new a single is quieter, handles much more like a auto, and looks greater each inside and out. Ultimately, it may well not be as a lot enjoyable to drive as the comparison-test winning Mazda CX-5 (which also won a subsequent 3-way shootout), but the CR-V has much more cargo area and fractionally a lot more rear hip area. Sometimes, entertaining takes a back seat to the back seat.
View Photo Gallery
Other Stories You May well Like
2015 Honda CR-V Very first Drive: A New Engine, Grille, and Transmission
Hiç yorum yok:
Yorum Gönder