Honda CR-V 2.2 i-DTEC EX review
by David Finlay (27 August 2010)
It was with a sinking heart that I drove out of the car park at Inverness airport at the start of a journey which would culminate later - much, much later - in a small village near Cirencester. I have tested some cars on difficult country roads, others on race circuits, and yet others on muddy slopes with dangerously rock-strewn rivers at their bases, but I have rarely given any vehicle as much chance to prove itself unlikeable as I did the Honda CR-V.
I was already in two minds about the CR-V, having driven several versions in the past. On the con side, I think the rear side window design is ridiculous, I don't see the point of having to stretch to reach the handbrake lever (which is mounted very low down between the front seats) and the placing of some of the storage compartments isn't ideal either.
Among the pros can be counted the fact that the CR-V works well as a load-carrier, with a luggage volume of 955 litres which doesn't sound all that impressive until you realise that Honda doesn't count any of the space above the window line, while other manufacturers keep going right up to the roof. The design of the tailgate, which extends down to floor level and therefore reduces the lifting of heavy objects to a minimum, is impressive too. And there is plenty of room inside for four well-fed adults.
Furthermore, the CR-V - in its current form as launched in 2007, at least - has always been comfortable to drive. This one was no different, and as you can imagine that was a huge help as I drove most of the length of the country in a single day. If I had to do the same again, I might not necessarily choose the CR-V for the trip unless I had to, but if I did have to I would have no complaints.
The day before driving from Inverness, I had driven to Inverness, using a large section of the twisting, turning A82. That run firmly established that there is nothing in the least sporty about the CR-V, but it also showed that the car rides pleasantly through an apparently unending series of corners as well as it does over vast stretches of motorway.
A key part of the CR-V's appeal is the 2.2-litre i-DTEC turbo diesel engine tested here. After shying away from diesels for many years, Honda finally took the plunge in 2004, and when the current CR-V was launched you could choose the i-CDTi if you weren't keen on going down the petrol route.
The i-DTEC is better. Not only is it more powerful (148bhp versus 138bhp), it also has none of the alternator whine which Honda seemed to take an age getting rid of. It would be going too far to suggest that i-DTEC is the best diesel on the market, but it gives no cause for complaint.
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