Review and photos by Jonathan Yarkony
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2013 Honda CR-V
I enter this Long-Term Test with mixed feelings of anticipation and trepidation. I fully recognize the quality, capability, and appeal of this vehicle. It is a 2013 Autos.ca Top Pick. It won our first CUV Comparison Test. Heck, I even scored it as the winner on my ballots even though I didn’t, well, like it.
You see, there is more to evaluating cars than whether we simply like something, especially in our structured comparison tests. And I can fully acknowledge that my like-blocker is a singular, personal discomfiture at the pitch and moan of the engine and impatience whenever I start driving hard or try to cruise at the rather high highway speeds the GTA is known for. This car simply does not like to go fast. Or perhaps, I simply do not like the way it sounds when I make it go fast. This may seem trivial to some of you, but it is a big deal for me.
   2013 Honda CR-V. Click image to enlarge. |
Despite all its qualities, discovering that it does not, in fact, feel underpowered relative to the competition (CX-5, Rogue, Santa Fe Sport 2.4, Equinox V6) in our comparison tests and at AJAC’s TestFest was a revelation after feeling like it struggled when first driving it.
And in recent months, I’ve discovered (or forced upon myself more like it) the relaxing joys of going slow. I keep telling myself: “Hey, this ain’t so bad…” and it is paying off in my first week with the CR-V. Not only is the fuel consumption promisingly low, but I arrive at work with less stress and reach our destinations with less hate-filled aggression.
Now that our therapy session is over, let me tell you a little about this car. You may not believe it, but what Honda arranged for us was essentially a base model, the LX, with the only option being AWD, a feature that is nice to have, but probably unnecessary for my suburban to city-outskirts office commute and our almost exclusively in-town routine. Hey, you try to get out of town with a three-year-old and an infant in tow. I’d rather sleep thank you very much.
 2013 Honda CR-V. Click image to enlarge. |
The base front-wheel-drive CR-V LX lists at a base price of $25,990, and Honda’s standard Freight & PDI charge is $1,640, which surely must be tough to swallow for shoppers in within driving distance of Honda’s plant in Alliston, Ontario. Notable features at this price point are HandsFreeLink-bilingual Bluetooth phone interface, dash-top info display screen (showing audio and fuel consumption info, and a clock – whoop-dee-doo), multi-angle rearview camera, easy fold-down 60/40 split rear seatback, heated front seats, heated folding power side mirrors including expanded view driver’s mirror, and privacy-tinted glass. Even in our first week, the standard back-up camera and heated seats have been greatly appreciated.
Anyhow, all trims feature the powertrain that comes on this base model, a 2.4L inline-four with i-VTEC intelligent variable valve timing and a five-speed automatic transmission. The engine produces 185 horsepower at 7,000 rpms, but that’s not a place you’re likely to visit, and even 4,400 rpm, where the CR-V’s peak torque of 163 lb-ft are produced is a sight you’ll rarely see. Anyone driving that hard is probably in the wrong car – it may be smaller, but for the same $25,990 entry price, get into the Civic Si Sedan if you want to experience a small(ish) displacement Honda engine wailing to operatic heights.
  2013 Honda CR-V. Click image to enlarge. |
CR-V owners are far more likely to press the green button with leaf pictogram to the left of the steering wheel that activates ECON mode, essentially reducing throttle response and engine output and limiting non-essential functions for more efficient operation. Also aiding the efficient driver is Ecological Drive Assist System (or Eco Assist for short), which is a light ring around the central speedo that glows green when driving efficiently and fades to white if driving more aggressively (what, no evil red?).
All told, the FWD CR-V’s efficiency is rated at 9.0/6.4 L/100 km city/highway as per Transport Canada’s testing procedures, or 10.2/7.6 L/100 km city/highway according to US EPA methodology, which uses higher average speeds and more demanding conditions in their testing regimen, a reflection of what they believe is a more common driving style. We agree with them and have found that our real-world consumption is often right in the heart of the EPA estimates.
The first upgrade available for the CR-V is Honda’s Real Time AWD with Intelligent Control System, bringing the MSRP up to $28,140 (with our tester totaling $29,880 before taxes with freight and a/c tax added in). The default torque distribution is to the front wheels, and the AWD system is completely automatic, routing power to the rear wheels if any loss of traction is detected, at any speeds. When the added traction is no longer necessary, the system decouples drive from the rear wheels to reduce drag and maintain efficiency. Transport Canada rates the AWD CR-V at 9.2/6.6 L/100 km city/highway, and US EPA pegs it at 10.7/7.8 L/100 km city/highway, and 9.4 in combined driving. In my first tank, I managed 9.3 L/100 km, once again reinforcing the EPA’s more realistic estimates.
It’s a very undemanding but reassuring feature, but I’ve yet to encounter any condition that require anything more than FWD (even on all-season tires) could handle. At some point though, we will put this to the test.
Alternatively, you can upgrade to the EX trim without the additional cost of AWD. A FWD EX lists at $28,940, adding a 160-watt six-speaker stereo system, power moonroof, fog lights, body-colour side mirrors (though my black LX matches the base black mirrors…), and 17-inch alloys. CR-V EX AWD models come in at $31,040.
   2013 Honda CR-V. Click image to enlarge. |
Creeping into more luxurious territory is the $33,240 EX-L (AWD only), adding amenities like leather seats and steering wheel, 10-way power adjustable driver’s seat, including power lumbar support, and an even better stereo upgrade with 360 watts and seven speakers including subwoofer and SiriusXM Canada Satellite Radio (includes a no-charge trial of 3 months) on top of all the LX and EX equipment.
A fully loaded CR-V AWD Touring model, as featured in our most recent Crossover Comparison Test lists at $35,140 and features all of the previous gear plus navigation system with voice recognition, auto-dimming rearview mirror, roof rails, and the finishing touch: chrome door handles. Everybody wants chrome door handles, right?
Well, I don’t want chrome door handles, and at just under $30K before taxes and still offering a back-up camera and heated seats, I think the LX AWD is great value, because I’ve never found that the stereo upgrades in the CR-V are worth a hill of beans and I’m content with the 16-inch steel wheels on the CR-V, in fact, I quite like them in an unassuming practical and simple style, even forgoing tacky plastic wheel covers.
We look forward to seeing if my newfound appreciation of slow will help me overcome the one stumbling block I’ve experienced in past tests of the CR-V that have kept me from endorsing it wholeheartedly, or whether the collective weight of its family-friendly configuration will outweigh that lingering objection.
Pricing: 2013 Honda CR-V LX AWD
Base Price (LX AWD): $28,140
Options: none
Freight & PDI: $1,640
A/C Tax: $100
Total: $29,880
Competitors
Chevrolet Equinox
Ford Escape
GMC Terrain
Hyundai Tucson
Kia Sportage
Mazda CX-5
Mitsubishi Outlander
Nissan Rogue
Subaru Forester
Toyota RAV4
Volkswagen Tiguan
Crash test results
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS)
